Chapter 6

SIX

K ira sighed as she sank into the couch cushions, her chopsticks poking idly at the carton of lo mein in her lap. Maggie plopped down beside her, already digging into the kung pao chicken with relish.

“So, how’s the case going?” Maggie asked, her mouth full of spicy chicken and peanuts. “Any closer to catching the fraudster?”

Kira groaned, rubbing her temples with her free hand. “Hardly,” she muttered, her brow furrowed in frustration. “Every time I think I’m getting somewhere, another dead end pops up. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.”

Maggie made a sympathetic noise, her chopsticks pausing midair. “That sucks,” she said, her voice warm with understanding. “I know how much you hate leaving a case unsolved.”

Kira nodded, her eyes distant as she stared at the paused movie on the TV screen. “It’s not just the case, though. There’s... there’s something else.”

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” she said, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Do tell.”

Kira hesitated, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “It’s stupid,” she muttered, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t even be thinking about it.”

Maggie rolled her eyes, setting her food on the coffee table and turning to face her sister fully. “Kira, come on,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. “You know you can tell me anything. What’s going on?”

Kira took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. “I met someone,” she blurted out, the words tumbling from her lips in a rush. “Two someones, actually. They’re... they’re the clients. The ones who hired me to investigate the matchmaking agency.”

Maggie’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open in surprise. “Holy shit,” she breathed, her voice filled with awe. “Two guys? At the same time?”

Kira nodded miserably, her face burning with shame. “It’s not like that,” she said quickly, her hands waving in front of her as if to ward off Maggie’s assumptions. “I mean, not exactly. They’re... they’re interested in me. Both of them. And they want... they want to share me.”

Maggie let out a low whistle, her eyebrows shooting up to her hairline. “Damn, sis,” she said, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “You’ve got game.”

Kira groaned, burying her face in her hands. “It’s not funny, Mags,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by her fingers. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t... I can’t get involved with clients. It’s unprofessional. And besides, I’m not... I’m not that kind of girl.”

Maggie snorted, rolling her eyes. “Please,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’re a grown-ass woman, Kira. You can do whatever the hell you want. And if what you want is to get sandwiched between two hot guys, then more power to you.”

Kira peeked out from behind her fingers, her eyes wide with shock. “Maggie!” she hissed, her voice scandalized. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Maggie shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. “What? It’s true. I mean, come on, Kir. When was the last time you had a good lay? And now you’ve got two guys practically begging to show you a good time? I say go for it.”

Kira bit her lip, her mind racing with the possibilities. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice uncertain. “What if it gets complicated? What if... what if I catch feelings?”

Maggie sighed, her expression softening with understanding. “Look, sis,” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “I know you. You’re not the kind of person who does things halfway. If you decide to go for it with these guys, then you go all in. And if feelings happen, then they happen. But don’t let fear hold you back from something that could be amazing.”

Kira was quiet for a long moment, her eyes distant as she mulled over Maggie’s words. Finally, she let out a long, slow breath, her shoulders slumping with resignation.

“You’re right,” she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “If I were to decide to do that…I guess. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I end up with two hot guys fighting over me? There are worse problems to have.”

Maggie grinned, reaching out to squeeze Kira’s hand. “Exactly,” she said, her voice filled with excitement. “And who knows? Maybe this is exactly what you need to solve the case. A little romance, a little intrigue, a little danger...”

Kira couldn’t help but laugh as she reached for her own carton of food, her chopsticks digging into the lo mein with renewed enthusiasm. “You know,” she said, her voice thoughtful as she chewed, “these guys are different than anyone I’ve ever dated before.”

“Oh yeah?” Maggie said, her voice sly. “In what way?”

Kira shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Well, for one thing, they’re both successful. Like, really successful. Rex is the alpha of his pack, and Nash is his beta, and from what I gathered his business partner. Together they probably have more money than God.”

Maggie let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with appreciation. “Damn, sis,” she said, her voice filled with admiration. “You sure know how to pick ‘em.”

Kira snorted, rolling her eyes. “No. I mean, I love that they’re successful, but that’s not what attracts me to them.”

“Oh?” Maggie said, her eyebrows waggling suggestively. “Then what is it?”

Kira hesitated, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “It’s... it’s the way they make me feel,” she admitted. “When I’m with them, I feel... I feel alive. Like anything is possible.”

Maggie’s expression softened, her eyes warm with understanding. “That’s how you know it’s real,” she said, her voice gentle. “When someone makes you feel like you can take on the world.”

Kira nodded, a wistful smile on her face. “Rex is... he’s intense. Like, really intense. He’s got this presence about him that just commands attention. When he looks at me, it’s like he’s seeing straight into my soul. And that smile. It can melt clothes off your body.”

Maggie let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with appreciation. “Sounds hot,” she said, her voice filled with admiration.

Kira laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “You have no idea,” she said, her voice rueful. “And then there’s Nash. He’s... he’s different. He’s got this geeky charm that just makes me melt. He’s always making me laugh, even when I don’t want to.”

“A sense of humor is important,” Maggie said, nodding sagely. “Especially if you’re going to be spending a lot of time together.”

Kira groaned, burying her face in her hands. “That’s just it, though,” she said, her voice muffled by her fingers. “I don’t know if I can do this. I mean, dating one guy is hard enough. But two? At the same time?”

Maggie shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Hey, if anyone can handle it, it’s you,” she said, her voice filled with confidence. “I mean, come on. You’re Kira freaking Cress. You once took down a rogue vampire with nothing but a chopstick and a can of hairspray.”

Kira laughed, the tension draining from her shoulders as she remembered that particular case. “That was a fluke,” she said, her voice filled with self-deprecation. “And besides, vampires are easy. Relationships are hard.”

Maggie snorted, rolling her eyes. “Please,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’ve faced down worse than a couple of hot guys who want to share you. And besides, think of the perks.”

“Perks?” Kira said, her voice curious.

Maggie grinned, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Oh, you know,” she said, her voice filled with innuendo. “Two sets of hands. Two mouths. Two... well, you get the idea.”

Her cheeks burned, her mind filling with images that were definitely not PG-rated. “Maggie!” she hissed, “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Maggie shrugged unrepentant. “Hey, I’m just saying. It’s something to think about.”

Kira shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. “You’re incorrigible,” she said, her voice filled with affection.

“And that’s why you love me,” Maggie said, grinning. “Now, enough talk about boys. Let’s watch this movie and stuff our faces with Chinese food until we can’t move.”

Kira laughed, settling back against the couch cushions as she reached for the remote. “Sounds like a plan,” she said, her voice filled with contentment.

As the movie started again, Kira couldn’t help but let her mind wander to Rex and Nash. They were so captivating. Rex with his intensity and dominance, Nash with his humor and intelligence. They were like two sides of the same coin, each one appealing to a different part of her.

Maybe Maggie was right. Maybe this was exactly what she needed to shake things up, to break out of her comfort zone and try something new.

And if it all went to hell? Well, at least she’d have a good story to tell.