“Then you’re going to give me more details.”
“You can’t use it in a book.”
“Damn.” Missy narrowed her eyes. “That was me kidding. Think of this room like Vegas. What is said here, stays here.”“Thanks.”
“Best friends forever, remember? I’m just glad you’re talking to me. You hold too much in, Kat. I worry about you all the time.”
* * * * *
Darkness slammed his front door. Kat had left Homeland. He’d reviewed the footage from Security. She’d hailed a cab after exiting the front gates. Justice and Fury had asked him why she’d left and he’d had to tell them something. He’d shared what she’d told him about the other agents but made it clear it could get her in trouble. He’d even volunteered the information that they’d argued. He just didn’t tell them about what.
He walked over to the couch and sat, slamming his boots on the coffee table. The wood creaked and he leaned to the side to stare at the new crack along the top.
“Fuck.”
He hated feeling as if he’d betrayed her trust. The agents who had posed as workers to fix the damaged front gates hadn’t been able to do anything more. The humans had peered around a lot, their interest too intense, but hadn’t attempted to leave the job site. He should have kept his mouth shut. Guilt and regret ate at him. So did another emotion. He’d never see her again and it left an empty space inside him.
He leaned back and closed his eyes, adjusting his arm along the side cushion. Something crinkled and he shifted, opening his eyes. A sheet of paper protruded from under the cushion. He pulled it out. It was from a notebook he kept on the kitchen counter to write down grocery lists when he ran low on supplies. The handwriting wasn’t his. He read it and cursed.
Jerry Boris. You trusted me. I’m trusting you. K
She must have written it when he’d gone into the bedroom to get her something to wear. He stared at the name, enraged. Why would the FBI be interested in Jerry Boris? It raised all kinds of questions and alarms.
He jerked his feet off the table and stood. He paced the living room, gripping the note in his fist. She’d be in trouble for giving him that information. Otherwise she would have given it up in the bedroom. Why had she?
He stopped and smoothed out the paper, rereading. It angered him. Why couldn’t she have just told him once she decided to share the name? I would have tried to get more answers from her. I would have insisted she stay longer. She’d intended the note be found only after she left Homeland.
“Damn it,” he hissed.
He walked over to the counter and snatched up the phone and dialed Fury’s extension. The male answered on the third ring.
“Fury here.”
“I’m in over my head and I need help.”
“Darkness?”
“Who else would call you to say those words?”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you.” He hung up and resumed his pacing.
Fury must have left his office as soon as he hung up. The knock on the door came faster than expected. Darkness jerked it open and stepped to the side, allowing the male to enter his home. Fury’s nose flared and he turned, a speculative look in his eyes.
“What?”
“You need to open some windows.”
“Shit.”
“You had sex with the FBI agent. You didn’t tell us about that. I can still smell her. It’s faint but I can pick it up.”
“Put your canine nose away.”
“Is this the cause of the disagreement you had with her?”
“Did you come to help me or to be annoying?”
Fury spun and walked over to the couch. He sniffed and then sat. “What can I do?”
Darkness crossed the room and took a seat on the coffee table. He hesitated, not sure where to start or what would help.
“You want her back?”
Darkness scowled.
“You think you’re the only male who allowed a female to walk away and then regretted it? Should I make a list of names that come to mind? I could remind you about my history with Ellie.”
“Spare me. I’m not like other males.”
“Bullshit. You mounted her. That says it all. Do you think I don’t make it my business to keep tabs on you? You wouldn’t have let her get that close unless you couldn’t refrain from giving in to your desire to have her. You think you’re different but few males actually want to find themselves dependant on a female. They fight it. It’s Species nature in most cases.”
“That’s bullshit.”
Fury smirked. “We have trust issues. It’s tough to admit we need or want anyone enough to risk pain. That’s a common thread all Species share. Did you fall in love with her? Do you want us to get her back?”
“No.”
Fury didn’t look convinced.
It annoyed Darkness. “I don’t want her to pay for trusting me.”
“You do have feelings.”
“I admire her and don’t want her to be hurt because she took risks for me.”
“We went over this. It’s not as if we’re going to call the FBI and ask them why they sent agents to Homeland. They want to pretend it didn’t happen and we’re good with that. We’ll just be more careful, intensify our screening procedure and do more extensive background checks from multiple sources. We’re always upgrading. All we can do is hope to prevent them from doing it again.”
“I didn’t tell you everything in Justice’s office.”
Fury sucked in a breath. “Okay.”
“This is where it gets dicey.”
“Shit.” Fury leaned forward. “I’m listening.”
“I want to protect her. I want that made clear. I got the impression she’d be in a lot of trouble and her career could end.”
“Understood.”
“Can I trust you? This might cause tension with the NSO. I’m asking you to keep this information between us. I don’t know what to do.”
Fury’s eyes narrowed. “In other words, you’re asking me to sit on information that should be shared.”
“Yes.”
The male leaned back and blew out a breath. “I love the NSO and I’d do anything for Species but there’s one exception. That’s my family. They always come first and foremost. You fall under that category. I won’t betray your trust.”
He stood and crossed the room, retrieving the paper he’d left facedown on the counter. He walked to Fury and held it out. The male took it and read the words. He paled. Darkness took a seat again on the coffee table.“Kat implied she was given orders to search for a male at Homeland and help him leave. Those agents she identified at the gates may have been under the same orders.”
“Why would the FBI want Boris?”
“She didn’t know. I believe that. She seemed confused as to why the person who sent her here wanted that male but she thought it was personal.”
“You think Boris screwed over someone in the FBI or that he might know something potentially damaging to them?”
Darkness shrugged. “It’s a dilemma, isn’t it?”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Fury leaned forward and laid the note down. “She trusted you not to share this information. I see why you called me. You’re torn between us and not betraying that trust.”
“I want access to Boris again.”
“Why?”
“He has the answers. He’d know why the FBI has an interest in him. Give me an hour with that male and we don’t have to involve anyone who could harm Kat in any way. Official channels would put her in harm’s way. They can’t get to him and discover she gave up his name to me.”
“Does she know he’s in Medical? She took a few tours. Did she see him?”
“She wouldn’t have been allowed access to the basement area where he’s being held and I kept close tabs on everyone she spoke to. I interviewed them to see what she talked about, trying to figure out why she was really here. She never asked about humans besides the mate hunters. Sunshine had that discussion with her. She never toured Medical either. I double-checked.”
“We need to tell Justice.”
“He might talk to the Senator and ask him to make inquiries. No. You said I could trust you.”
“This is bigger than the female losing her job. Boris seems to be more of a problem than we thought. What if he had help from inside the FBI with his extortion scheme against the NSO? We paid him a lot of money to recover other Species. We need to find out everything we can to make certain that isn’t a possibility.”
“I don’t know enough about Kat to understand all the risks she faces but I won’t chance it. I refuse to allow her to pay for leaving that note. She wanted to help me.”
Fury shoved his hair back, the frustration clear in his features. “Fine. You want access to Boris?”
“Yes.”
Fury stood, paced. “I got an update today on his condition. He’s not stable enough to leave Homeland and be transferred to Fuller.” He paused, studying Darkness. “He could die if you aren’t careful. He’s not in the best health, especially after the last time you had a talk with him.”
“Understood.”
“I wouldn’t mind if he died but I’d hate to try to explain why you were covered in his blood or why I put you there. We’d both be in front of Justice. Do you understand?”