22. Typhon

22

TYPHON

E liza and I spent the next week in Brighton. While I made occasional trips to Shere and London, I was with her for dinner every night.

Each time I left her, I was filled with dread. And, according to Kima, I was more irritable than I'd ever been in all the time she'd known me.

We hadn't moved into the house next door to her studio yet but planned to in the next few days. My biggest challenge was setting up my own personal command center. While I could check in with my team from anywhere in the world, monitoring them was difficult.

I wanted to discuss the subject with Eliza and propose that I put an office either on the third or fourth floor. There were two other things I wished to talk to her about, and only one related to our living quarters—installing a workout area.

The other was Kima. I wanted the two to meet as soon as I could make arrangements. However, I hadn't yet determined how much I would tell her about how she came to be a part of my life.

As I'd said to her the day she had the run-in with her mother, she read me well. I wouldn't lie to her except by omission when it was absolutely necessary. Did this qualify?

My reason for not wanting to get into specifics was solely related to Saint. I'd told El it was best not to delve into what caused the animosity between her cousin and me, adding there was no reason for us to drudge up something that couldn't be undone. She'd accepted what I said and informed me Saint had not elaborated on the reasons he and I would prefer not to discuss the other and, more, not be forced to be in the same room.

So how did I tell her about the vow I'd made to my mentor and Kima's stepfather without her guessing it was what stood between Saint and me?

Maybe I was planning this with an overabundance of caution, but I'd do everything I could to keep El from feeling she was in the middle. She'd made it clear that if I forced her to choose, it wouldn't be me she stayed with.

"What's on for today?" she asked, coming into the kitchen, where I was preparing breakfast for us both. It was something we took turns doing, or at least that had been the plan. We'd said whoever was up first would handle it. There hadn't been a day in the last fourteen when she got out of bed before me. She did make up for it in other ways, however. Mind-blowing sex, of course, but she also frequently prepared dinner.

"I should pay a visit to Shere, which brings up something else I'd like to discuss with you."

She sat down and sipped the tea I placed in front of her. "Go on."

"There's someone I'd like you to meet. I work with her in Shere, but more, I'm her guardian of sorts."

"I'd love to meet her." Eliza rested her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. "Would you like to invite her to dinner, or should we make arrangements to get together there?"

I leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"What was that for? Not that I'm complaining." She raised her face to me, and I kissed her lips.

"You being you is all."

She smiled. "So? When and where?"

"I'll discuss it with Kima—her name, by the way—and ring you later this morning. I'd like her to visit Brighton, but I'll let it be her decision. If she does come here, it might be best if she stayed the night."

"Of course. Whatever's best."

I smiled and shook my head, which El noticed.

"There's something you're not saying." She dug into the bowl of yogurt and fruit I'd also set in front of her.

"Kima was the daughter of a man I served under. Before he died, he asked me to watch over her and her mother."

"You're a good man, Levi." She rested her spoon on her bowl and reached for my hand.

"She and I have a big-brother-little-sister relationship. She often reverts to a sixteen-year-old when she's around me. I assure you, she is not that way in our professional environment."

El kept her eyes on me and was smiling. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the back of it. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"Your dimples are especially deep when you talk about her. It's the same when you mention Casa Melro. She's obviously someone very important to you."

"God, you make things easy on me."

"What was our agreement? To know whatever we each do is with the best intentions for the other."

I leaned forward, but not close enough to kiss her. "I love you, Eliza Fox."

She studied me long enough that I worried I'd said the words too soon, but when she launched herself at me, nearly knocking the chair and both of us to the floor, covered my face with kisses, and between each one, said, "I love you, Levi," I knew everything was right in my world. Missions, mafia syndicates, stubborn operatives, demanding coalition leaders, and things that happened years ago could all be damned. Eliza loved me and I loved her. What else mattered?

She settled herself on my lap with her arms around my neck. "You know, I've never said those words before. Not romantically, anyway."

"Neither have I."

"Truly?" she asked. "Wait, I wasn't suggesting you weren't being honest. It was more of an exclamation. Like, ‘wow.'"

I chuckled and kissed her. "I knew what you meant. Do you want to know why?"

She rolled her eyes, but her smile was wide. "Best intentions and all that."

As I made the one-hour drive from Brighton to the command center, I thought about the way I'd left things with Nemesis, and about the meeting I'd had with Z afterwards.

He assured me Nem hadn't learned about my connection to the Italian syndicates from him. No one, not a single person in Unit 23 or any other branch of SIS, was aware of that work. That Nemesis seemed to, still rankled. However, there was no way for me to ask her about it without confirming her suspicions, if that's what they were.

If the working relationship was different between her and me—exponentially so—I might have considered confiding in her. But it wasn't, so I couldn't.

Considering I'd stormed out of meetings with her before, her attitude toward me was no different the next time I ran into her. She didn't like me, and the feeling was mutual. It had become the status quo at the command center, so no one else there thought anything had changed.

I pulled in and parked near Kima's cottage like I typically did, but when I knocked, she didn't answer, so I sent a message, asking where she was, and seconds later, she came out the front door of the main residence with Hornet trailing behind her.

I glared in his direction, which from this distance, would either appear intended for Kima or neither of them would notice. When he turned to go to the cottage he was now sharing with Reaper, I felt relief. I'd warned him away from Kima once, and that should've been all that was necessary.

"What's with the two of you?" I asked when she was close enough that no one else could hear me.

Kima rolled her eyes. "Which part of me saying I'm bored out of my mind did you miss?"

I raised a brow.

"Stop it, Typhon. We're friends."

I nodded once and followed her into the cottage.

"I'm here to invite you to dinner," I said after we stepped inside.

"Where?"

"Brighton."

Her eyes lit up. "I was afraid you were about to suggest we eat at the pub."

"I was also thinking you might want to spend a day or two there."

She threw her arms around me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Where's Poseidon?" I asked, wondering if I needed to inform him Kima was leaving with me.

"Home, I suppose."

"Does anyone work here?"

"Can we leave now?" she said rather than respond.

"Sure." I considered asking after Oleander, but if Poseidon wasn't here, perhaps she wasn't either.

Before getting in the car, I stepped away to ring El. When I told her I was on my way back and bringing Kima with me, she squealed in delight. I adored her unabashed enthusiasm and excitement. There'd been far too little of that in my life.

"Tell me about her," Kima said after I'd pulled out of the gates of the estate. "You must know her better now, given you've been with her three or four times longer than when you first mentioned her."

"I could turn the car around, you know."

"But you won't."

"This is certainly good practice for when we have a daughter," I said under my breath.

When I glanced over at Kima, her mouth gaped and the color had left her face.

"What?" I asked.

"You're already talking about having children?"

We hadn't, and I had no idea why I'd said it as if we had. "I was joking."

She folded her arms. "Don't poke fun at things like that, Typhon."

"My apologies."

"Accepted. Now, what's she like?"

"Smart, funny, gorgeous, talented, kindhearted, loving…Shall I go on?"

"What are her talents?"

"She's a sculptor. In fact, she has a studio in Brighton, where you can see some of her work. She also paints."

"Does she know what you do?" Her tone was solemn because the subject was.

I nodded. "The basics. She does have some familiarity with SIS. Primarily MI6."

"By way of what?"

I sighed. "A cousin." Kima knew nothing about Saint's involvement on the day her stepfather died, and if that information was ever leaked to her, I'd kill whoever had done it.

"I can't wait to meet her."

When I rang El before we left, she'd asked what type of food Kima fancied. I'd responded that anything outside of pub food would suffice. I receive a message a short while ago, saying she'd reserved a table at our favorite taperia . They served traditional Spanish food and nothing remotely pub-like.

I pulled up behind the regency house, as El and I called it. "She's still at the studio," I said, motioning for Kima to follow. When we rounded the corner, I saw a car parked in the loading zone and the man who it belonged to—Saint—standing on the sidewalk, talking to Eliza. If the two hadn't spotted me, I might've considered turning around. When I caught a glimpse of his expression, coupled with his body language, I was certain we should anyway, if only to keep Kima away from him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

I handed her my keys. "This will get you into the house via the rear entrance, which you saw when I parked. Wait there for me."

"Yes, sir." She meant no disrespect in her response to me. The tone I'd used was meant to convey an order, which she immediately responded to.

Eliza stepped forward, she and her cousin cheek-kissed, then he got in his car, turned it around, and drove past me on his way to the main thoroughfare. I didn't look in his direction, and I doubted he looked in mine.

"Sorry about that," El said, meeting me halfway.

I shook my head. "You needn't be."

"He's a bit put out with me."

I raised a brow. "Over?"

"My lack of sharing my life with him, for one. Two is the visit Nigel paid him."

"Let me guess. Your father blamed Niven for your refusal to allow them to move into your apartment."

"Precisely."

"Why should he be put out with you about that rather than your father?"

El wrapped her arms around my waist, and I reciprocated. "He's displeased because I didn't tell him about Millicent's visit." She looked over my shoulder. "Where's Kima?"

"Waiting for us at the house."

"I just need to lock up, then I'll meet you over there."

"I think she'd like to see the studio, if you wouldn't mind."

While El didn't squeal this time, she did smile and clap her hands. "You fetch her, and I'll tidy up a bit."

When she turned to walk away, I grabbed her hand. "Get back here and kiss me."

Apart from the looks of astonishment I saw on Kima's face from time to time, our dinner was going splendidly. After the first few minutes, the two women were engaged in lively conversation, giving me a few minutes to excuse myself to check a message I'd received. It was delivered via the secure app and was from Gerlando Battaglia, don of the Sicilian Syndicate, requesting Benito Carpinelli's services. This time, I couldn't refuse. Like the last hit I'd actually carried out, the man in question was as big a scumbag as his boss.

El's eyes met mine when I returned to the table, and her expression turned somber. If we were alone, she'd likely ask what was wrong. With Kima present, I doubted she would.

"A work-related matter has been brought to my attention," I said, leaning down so only Eliza could hear me. No doubt, Kima could as well. "I need to leave tonight." My hand was on her shoulder, and she covered it with hers.

"I understand, Levi."

"I'd like Kima to stay here, in Brighton, with you, if you don't mind."

"I do not, as long as she's okay with it."

She nodded when I glanced over at her.

"Walk me out?" I helped Eliza with her chair, then told Kima she'd be right back and that I'd be in touch.

"I'm sorry," I said once we were outside the restaurant.

"I do understand. To be honest, I've been grateful for the time you've been able to spend with me of late."

"I'll return as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting."

After we kissed, I asked El to go back inside. Once she had, I left, cursing the day I'd made the decision to go undercover as much as the day I decided to join SIS.