Chapter 5 - Anton

“Tasha, please, I know you can do it. This deal will determine our future involvement with the Morozov family. You know that, please help me?” I swore to Joyce that I would get her a medical certificate for missing work, and I planned to keep my promise. I gave her the laptop. You said it was safe for her to use, right?” I added, feeling my stomach turning.

“Yes, Anton, it is safe, and I am aware of the deal,” Tasha replied, half annoyed at me. She took a deep breath and turned back to face her screen. Her fingers started moving; they glided across the keys in swift movements. It almost looked like she was moving her fingers through melted butter; they were so liquid.

Tasha spoke without looking at me. Her entire concentration was on the screen. “I will do my best and let you know once it’s done, okay? Now leave me to do my magic in peace.” I could hear a dash of annoyance in her tone, but I knew she loved what she did.

I felt my heart warm as I looked at her. I loved my sister and was grateful for all she did for us. With her assistance, we could move mountains; she was a problem solver.

Bowing, I smiled as I started backing out of her office. “I will then take leave, dearest sister,” I said, stepping out. I didn’t want to cause her any discomfort. Tasha didn’t like being watched when she worked, and I respected that.

Heading out, I decided to grab some pizza down the road. I knew this special little place; their pizzas were to die for. I also saw in Joyce’s file that it was one of her favorite foods. Maybe I could lighten the evening a little by offering her something she loved. Besides, the place hadn’t been used in a while, and I knew it only had bare necessities.

Joyce must be starving. Besides, there was nothing like pizza, cold beer, and a movie to make the day better. With a plan in mind, I headed down the street. After grabbing food and drinks, I headed back to the safe house.

Entering, I heard talking coming from the room. Thinking someone had broken in, I moved swiftly across the floor, unlocking the door hastily. But as it swung open, I saw Joyce lying on the bed watching a movie. “Oh, my,” she said, jumping up.

Feeling stupid, I looked down at the floor as I spoke softly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Glancing at her, I held out the packet in my hand. “I brought food, thought you might be hungry?” I added.

“I thought you went to work, you do work, don’t you?” she enquired sarcastically.

Shaking my head, I placed the pizza and drinks on the bed. “Yes, I do. But currently, you are my concern. So, what are we watching?”

Joyce glanced at the television, realizing it was still playing. She quickly reached for the remote and turned it off as she replied. “Nothing, just some police show.” She fiddled with the remote, looking down at her hands. She appeared a tad guilty, and I wondered why.

My heart skipped a beat, and it dawned on me that I was being overly friendly. I couldn’t allow my feelings to interfere. “Look, if you don’t want the food, we can throw it out, just say the word.” I spat, picking up the bag of drinks.

Glancing at her, I could see confusion on her face as she sat back down. I felt guilty for having to treat her this way. Yet, I knew I wasn’t supposed to be having feelings for her. Placing the bag down, I turned and headed for the door. I had to clear my mind. Plus, I couldn’t allow her to see my confusion.

Pulling the door behind me, I leaned against it, staring at the couch I had been sleeping on. There were two other rooms, but I had to ensure she stayed put. Thus, I had been sleeping on the couch. Rubbing my neck, I missed the softness of my bed.

I had to get the information from her. Heading back in, I pulled up the chair and sat next to the bed. “Right,” I said, watching her take a bite of the pizza. “What information did you manage to gather?”

Joyce glanced up at me through her lashes. My stomach made a knot as a smile crossed my face. Those eyes were mesmerizing. She placed the slice down, chewed, and swallowed. Every muscle from her mouth to her throat was perfectly formed. Even eating made her appealing.

Straightening out, she turned to face me properly. “I have a map for you, which I downloaded to your laptop. As for the other things, I need more time.”

My frustration pushed up as I listened to her. This was taking too long. I had to get her to move quickly. “What about the head of security? Surely you know his name?” I asked, trying to keep my tone level.

She stared at me for a moment as she chewed another bite. Joyce appeared to be delaying as she chewed slower. Patience has never been one of my strong points. “Joyce, we have made a deal; I am waiting,” I said a bit too roughly as I saw her flinch.

“Yes, I have a name,” she replied after swallowing hard. “I just haven’t gotten round to writing it down.”

I took a slow and deep breath, clenching my fists at my sides before speaking. “Alright, how about the guard's schedules and patrol patterns?”

Joyce spoke softly, staring into my eyes. “I don’t have that yet.”

For a second, it felt like I was floating. Shaking my head, I continued. “What about the packaging and labeling to prevent them from being searched?”

Taking another bite, she shook her head in response. I felt angry, frustrated, and vulnerable all at the same time. My emotions were raging up and down. “How about the person in charge of receiving and shipping? Do you have a name for me?”

I could hear my anger coming through as I spoke, and Joyce could, too. She shifted on the bed before shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she whispered, staring at the pizza box.

“Why is this taking so long?” I spat as I abruptly rose, sending the chair toppling over. My anger was starting to take control. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not, but I was having trouble controlling it.

Joyce jumped up and stood on the other side of the bed. “Well, it’s not easy. I don’t have access to all the systems. I am working on it, and it will take as long as it takes. Stop being a dumb brute!” she huffed at me.

Her tone, attitude, and response were infuriating. I moved around the bottom of the bed within seconds. I grabbed her shoulders, wanting to shake some sense into her, and then stopped. Looking into her eyes, I felt like I was soaring again. Her luscious lips parted vaguely, and I felt a deep desire to kiss her wash over me.

Stepping back, I shook my head. Turning, I charged for the door. “When you are finished eating, get back to work,” I spat harshly before slamming the door shut behind me.

Stepping out of the house, I lit a cigarette and tried to calm my body and mind. Pulling out my phone, I called Tasha. “Hey, sis,” I said as she answered. “I just wanted to ask if you could check on Joyce while she searched her work network. I don’t want her leaving breadcrumbs for anyone to find.”

“Stop worrying,” Tasha replied, still sounding annoyed at me. “I know what I am doing. I have installed safety methods.”

Feeling slightly better, I went back to check on Joyce. She was sitting at the small table, busy with her laptop. “I’m sorry if I spoke a bit hard,” I said, standing at the door.

Joyce turned her head sideways. She had a tight smile on her lovely lips. “It’s fine,” she replied softly. “I have added the other detail you wanted to the file.”

“All of it?” I enquired, stepping closer.

“As much as I could,” she responded, getting up and moving back quickly. “There’s just a couple of details I am still searching for.”

I stopped moving closer. “Okay,” I said, lifting my hands. “Sorry if I scared you. Please continue.”

“I’m tired,” she huffed, moving to the bed.

“Yes, of course,” I replied in a light tone. “We’ll pick up in the morning again. Sleep well.”

Moving back to the door, I watched as she got into bed and turned to the window. Closing the door and locking it, I felt a heaviness filling me. Laying down on the couch, I pulled the blanket over my chest.

On the one hand, I knew we had to get the information as quickly as possible. But, on the other hand, I had this intense need to keep her with me longer.

I woke up early, hearing movement in the house. Rolling off the couch, I glanced around the room. I couldn’t see anything out of place, and her door was still closed. I headed to the kitchen and checked all the doors and windows. Everything was locked. I must have been dreaming, I thought as I unlocked her door.

Peeking in, I breathed out hard, feeling relieved. Joyce was still sleeping. Closing the door softly, I went to prepare breakfast. I would wake her once I was done, and she could continue her search.