7. Chapter 7

Kallen and Lake drop us in front of the apartment at my request and then disappear again. Instead of using the main entrance I walk to the emergency door at the side of the building. I had a moment not long into our journey where I remembered my shoes were still back in the parking garage, but Kallen said one of his guys already grabbed them.

It is actually probably a good thing to take the stairs of this building in bare feet anyway, there are a lot of them to climb since I don't want to take the elevator. We both remain silent as we continue up, Kacey following closely behind me.

As we ascend the stairs, each step feels heavier than the last, my legs burning slightly from the exertion. Eventually, we reach the thirteenth floor, and I walk up to the keypad next to the door. To any casual observer, it would appear similar to the card readers on all the other floors, but this one is different.

Lifting the front panel that looks like a normal card reader, I reveal the keypad hidden underneath. I entered the long code with practiced ease. I know it can be cracked given enough time and effort, but why bother when there is an easier swipe card entry via the elevator? When the device turns green, I turn the handle and pull the door open, stepping into the bright hallway.

The difference between trying to access this floor via the elevator and using the stairs is significant. There is no button that even shows the existence of this floor. When the building was being designed, the company made it clear about their superstitions and refusal to have a thirteenth floor, naming the floors to go from twelve to fourteen. However, in reality, there is a thirteenth floor, accessible only to me.

The hallway on the thirteenth floor is modern and simple, much like the rest of the building. White walls stretch up to a white ceiling, with dark carpets leading the way to a door identical to the other apartment I had been to with Nix. I reasoned that if the design worked well for one apartment, it would likely suffice for all of them.

Placing my fingers into the strategically placed cutouts on the door, I wait for a moment until I hear the satisfying click of the lock disengaging. With a gentle push, I open the door and motion for Kacey to enter ahead of me.

He steps over the threshold, his eyes scanning the interior of the apartment. Despite the simplicity of the hallway, the space beyond the door is warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the sterile atmosphere of the building"s common areas.

Following Kacey into the open-plan living and dining area, I walk to the table and begin taking items out of my pockets. Kacey places a plastic-wrapped bundle down as well, his movements precise and efficient.

Extracting my phone last, I unlock it again and scroll through my contacts, clicking on a name. It barely rings before a voice speaks down the line. Even though it is the middle of the night, I knew this contact would still be awake.

"Hey boss lady," a sweet voice greets with a giggle, "what trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Hey little Frostie, I need you to find some people for me," I say without preamble, but I can't disguise the smile her voice brings to my face.

Elsa groans on the other end of the line. "Seriously, will you ever just call me Elsa?" she complains.

I laugh. "Probably not," I tease, knowing how much she dislikes the nickname I gave her. And I swear I hear her mutter something about hating her parents.

Glancing at Kacey, I see him watching me closely, his expression unreadable.

"So, who are we finding then?" Elsa asks, her curiosity piqued.

I hum thoughtfully before responding, "Gonna need you to use the other computer for this one."

There"s a sharp intake of breath from Elsa, followed by an excited squeal. "Really?" she exclaims in a high-pitched voice, her enthusiasm palpable. "OMG, fuck yes! Playing with the big boys, this is going to be so much fucking fun!"

I chuckle at her excitement. "Yeah, the feds just picked up some people, and I need to retrieve them," I explain.

Elsa squeals again, her excitement barely contained. "Hell yeah! I"m on it!" she declares before the call abruptly disconnects.

Sighing, I shake my head and tap my phone against my forehead in exasperation. The ringtone starts again, and I answer straight away, knowing it will just be Elsa, who must have realized she was missing some important information.

"Sorry, shit sorry, forgot the names," Elsa babbles quickly, her words tumbling over each other in her haste. "Just too excited! Though really, I probably could find them even without the names. Did you want me to try? It"s a good test of my skills! It would be a fucking fun challenge too!"

I interrupt her rambling, trying to regain control of the conversation. "We don"t have time, Frostie. I need them found urgently. No distractions, no sidetracking into some random NSA rabbit hole, your name isn't Alice, just these three guys," I insist firmly.

There"s a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Elsa responds, her voice slightly deflated. "Fine," she concedes reluctantly and I can practically hear the pout in her voice.

I give her the details for the guys before hanging up again, hoping that Elsa will stay focused on the task at hand. Kacey is still watching me closely, his eyes intense, and I remember momentarily that he is a US Marshal. I wonder briefly what he is thinking of all the revelations over the past few hours. Not only has he kissed a killer, but he also just heard me arranging a hacker to break a lot of federal laws.

He isn't giving any indication that he is angry or upset, his face neutral. I place the phone down on the table, Elsa is very good at what she does, so I don't expect to be waiting too long at all.

I meet Kacey"s intense gaze. "What"s on your mind?" I ask, unable to ignore the tension between us.

He hesitates for a moment before responding, his voice measured. "Just processing everything," he admits.

My stomach clenches at the thought that Kacey might simply leave now. I shouldn"t feel upset; I already have three other guys who I know want me, even if I can"t be with them. But the thought of Kacey walking away still fills me with a sense of loss, an echo of what I felt walking away from the others.

"I understand if you don"t want to stick around. I know it"s a lot to ask of you," I say, my voice tinged with resignation, unable to meet his gaze.

But Kacey moves around the table, his touch soft as he lifts my chin, guiding my eyes back to his. "Hey, little tiger, I"m processing. I"m not leaving," he reassures me, his voice gentle yet firm as he searches my eyes for something.

I can"t help but feel a surge of relief at his words, though a pang of guilt gnaws at me. "You know I"ve broken the law. You know I"m about to break the law even more. I can"t ask you to stay while I do that. I understand you doing that and staying for Lexi, but she isn"t here anymore," I whisper, my voice barely above a murmur.

A slight furrow forms on Kacey"s brow, a look of frustration crossing his face. "It stopped being about Lexi the moment Colt carried her from that house. I stayed because of this, this feeling every time I look at you, the one that makes me want to be one of your men. I want you to look at me the way you look at them," he declares firmly, stepping closer, his body brushing against mine and his words hanging in the air between us.

Before I can respond, my breath catches in my throat as his lips meet mine in a sudden, desperate kiss. The world around us fades into the background, leaving only the intensity of his lips on mine.

I respond to his kiss with equal intensity, my tongue meeting his, my hands finding their way to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my fingertips.

For a moment, I forget about the chaos surrounding us, about the dangers lurking in the shadows. All that exists is the warmth of his touch, the taste of him on my tongue, and the undeniable connection between us.

As we finally pull away, breathless and flushed, I meet Kacey"s gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. Then a memory creeps into my mind, and I frown.

"What was it that you were going to talk to me about when we got off the elevator earlier?" I ask, feeling both curious and apprehensive. "You said you needed to talk to me after you said you didn"t regret our previous kiss."

Guilt flashes across Kacey"s face momentarily, and he grimaces, enough that I start to push him away, sensing that whatever it is, it must not be good.

"Umm, I may have fucked Beck and Rick while you were at the ball," he admits sheepishly, and my eyes widen as my mouth drops open, taken aback by his confession.

"Actually, it was more like they fucked me," he continues, and a mental image of the scenario flashes in my mind, igniting a sudden surge of desire that makes my pussy throb. My mouth gapes open and closed like a fish, unable to form words, as I grapple with the unexpected revelation.

But before I can process his confession fully, my phone rings. Flustered, I grab it, knowing it would be Elsa.

"Got "em!" she announces triumphantly. "Took me less time than I thought!"

I try to smile at her enthusiasm, grateful for her efficiency, but I'm not sure I succeed with my mind completely elsewhere now. "You"re a lifesaver, Elsa," I say sincerely, using her real name this time.

She hums happily at the praise. "Anytime, boss lady, I just sent it to your phone," she replies, her tone playful.

"Thank you, Frostie," I say before hanging up, ignoring her protests. I stand for a moment, just looking at Kacey in front of me. I swallow as he starts to fidget nervously.

"Wow," I breathe, and he steps back, a look of sadness crossing his face. But before he can say anything, I grab his shirt and yank him back into me for a fast and dirty kiss.

"Now I need a cold shower and a change of underwear before I can do anything about rescuing the others," I say, shoving him back again after a moment. He barks a surprised laugh, his eyes wide as he watches me walk away toward my bedroom.

"Don"t think for a moment I have forgotten about that letter either, Ash," he calls after me, and my steps stumble as my stomach drops to my toes, but I keep walking.