No ratings.
In which Kit asks for a favor and Jet's avoidance shifts to a connection with Luca. |
There are seven missed calls on Jetâs phone. All from the same number. âStill think itâs a telemarketer?â Kit is smiling. Jet rolls his eyes. Breakfast is over and Rome and Talay have left with full stomachs. The painkillers and hangover pill Jet had taken earlier have finally kicked in, and his phone hasnât stopped buzzing since Jet turned it back on. âIf Luca calls an eighth time,â Kit is still smiling. âYou should answer.â That gets Jetâs attention, and his brow furrows. âWhy?â âBecause,â Now Kitâs other eyebrow rises to join the first one. âItâs rude to ignore other peopleâs calls.â As casual as Kitâs words sound, Jet hears the faint buzz of another emotion underneath. Kit obviously feels hurt at being ignored. Strawberries and cigarettes. Guilt gnaws at Jetâs insides, mingling with the annoyance already brewing there. Luca is a distraction, but a very persistent one. Jet sighs, turns his back to Kit so he canât see the expression on his friendâs face, and taps the number thatâs called him seven times. Itâs answered halfway through the first ring. âSeven really is a lucky number.â Lucaâs voice walks the fine line between flirtatious and triumphant. âAbout time you answered my calls.â Rather than point out that he left Luca barely two hours ago, Jet asks a question instead. âWhat do you want?â âThatâs not very nice,â Luca sounds more amused than offended. âI brought you home, made you breakfast, the least you can do is say âthank youâ.â âKai brought me home,â Jet corrects him. âBut you did give me breakfast, so thank you. How did you get my number?â âYou gave it to me,â Lucaâs amused response catches Jet off guard. âLast night. Not that you were in any condition to remember that.â Kit is leaning against the bar, and the look on his face tells Jet he can hear both sides of the conversation. Jet glares at him, flipping him the bird as he goes out onto the balcony. He locks the door for good measure. âIs that the only reason you called? To get a âthank youâ?â Lucaâs chuckle is a warm, rich sound. âHow aboutâŚsince I got you breakfast this morning, you get me dinner tonight?â âNo,â the word comes out of Jetâs mouth before he can stop it. âI mean, not tonight.â âI told you, you canât get away from me that easily.â Luca doesn't sound at all offended. âAnd I still say youâre the best decision I made last night.â âYouâre annoying.â âI know.â Luca is clearly still smiling. âSo if not dinner tonight, then when?â âI don't know.â Thereâs a note of regret in Jetâs voice that he canât quite hide, and he hangs up before either he or Luca can say anything else. No distractions, Jet. No distractions. âźď¸âźď¸âźď¸âźď¸ Inside the condo, Kit glances down at his own phone. The call history hasnât changed: eighty-seven outgoing calls to the same number, eighty-seven voicemails. From his first meeting with Talay in the mall, all those weeks ago, Kit has continued to call and leave voicemails, and received no reply. Heâd even gone into details sometimes, saying he was working a case and really needed a favor because there were resources he didnât have access to and couldnât necessarily request through official channels. That had worked in the past. It wasnât working now. Strawberries and cigarettes. Maybe there was another way. Kit scrolls through his contacts for a second, then sends a LINE: KITKAT: I need a favor. BEL: Conversations that start like this donât usually end well. KITKAT: Very funny. I need your sisterâs number. She could have access to information on OmniVentures. BEL: You sure thatâs the only reason? KITKAT:[middle finger]My brother talks too much. Do I get your sisterâs number or not? BEL: Let me call her. Thereâs a better chance sheâll answer the phone. âźď¸âźď¸âźď¸âźď¸ Luca doesnât call or text Jet for the rest of the day, but Kai doesâto confirm their morning run. Even though heâs complained less every time theyâve done it, this time Jetâs little brother seems to be looking forward to running at five-thirty in the morning. Maybe heâs eager to run off additional nerves about returning to OmniVentures, which Jet doesnât blame him for having. As he pulls up in front of Kaiâs dorm, Jet wishes he had asked why his little brother had needed the confirmation. Kai isnât the only person who gets in the car. Luca gets in, too. Behind the driverâs seat. âThis is why you texted me yesterday?â Jet raises his eyebrows at his little brother, hoping no one else can hear his increased heartbeat. âWhat?â Kaiâs face is all innocence, but the rush of his words give away his guilt. âLuca heard that you and I run every morning and asked if he could come and I didnât see a problem with that.â âIs there a problem?â Lucaâs face is invisible, since heâs seated behind Jet, but the amusement in his voice is unmistakable. Apparently, everything to do with Jet amused him. âNo.â Jetâs pulse speeds up again. âHeads up would have been nice, though.â In the passengerâs seat, Kai throws anxious glances first in Jetâs direction, and then Lucaâs, but doesnât say anything. Jet keeps his eyes on the road, but can see Lucaâs smile in the rearview mirror every time he glances at it. That smile and the intensity of those black eyes makes Jetâs blood tingle. He tightens his hands on the steering wheel. No distractions. When they get to the park, Kai is the first one to scramble out and begin warming up with more enthusiasm than usual. He has on the same style T-shirt and shorts he wears every time they run, but it catches Jetâs attention this time because of the sharp contrast to what Luca is wearing. The jacketâa sleek, deep redâhas the symbol of a jungle cat in mid leap, legs extended forward and body gracefully arched. The matching pants taper down his legs, extenuating every sinew and muscle. Clearly, Lucaâs good taste extends to athletic wear as well as casual. âRight,â Kaiâs voice sounds deliberately casual. âI feel like running by myself today. Iâll meet you guys back here inâŚhalf an hour? Maybe longer?â He runs off before either Luca or Jet can say anything. Jet turns back to Luca, giving his running outfit the once over. âYou went with Puma?â âAre you making fun of my track suit?â Luca tries to look offended and fails completely. âNo,â Jet reaches toward the end of Lucaâs waistband. He catches the tiny hitch in Lucaâs breath as he pulls the little piece of cardboard attached by a small plastic hoop free from the fabric. âBut you forgot to take the price tag off. You wonât be needing the jacket.â âAll right then,â Luca shrugs, removing the unnecessary article of clothing and tossing it back into Jetâs car. Thereâs no shirt under that jacket. Lucaâs grin widens as he sees Jetâs involuntary swallow. He takes a deliberate step forward. âAnything else?â âYeah,â Jetâs answering smile is also dry. âTry and keep up with me.â Luca doesnât have to try. His strides are long and powerful, and he out distances Jet easily. Jetâs lungs are on fire. Sweat stings his eyes, the burn an echo of his protesting muscles. Luca glances back, calm and composed. His expression sets Jetâs teeth on edge. This is not a damn competition. Jet drops his gaze, forcing his focus to narrow on the rhythm created by his feet. This run feels less like exercise and more like a chaseâan infuriating chase that Luca controls. Jet needs to keep up, prove he can match the pace. When Jet finally raises his eyes, Luca has stopped just ahead of him, leaning against a tree. The sheen of sweat glistening on his skin makes the muscles on his arms stand out even more. Heâs barely winded. âYouâre pretty good.â Jet manages, aware of just how out of breath he sounds. Lucaâs answering chuckle makes Jetâs spine tingle. âYouâre not so bad yourself.â Jet forces his breath to slow, aware of Lucaâs eyes locking on his pursed lips. Luca is studying him, the expression on his face a mixture of amusement and something else that does nothing to help Jet slow his heart rate. âI didnât know you were a runner.â Jet finally breaks the silence, lowering himself onto the grass. He knows it will be harder to run back unless he stays on his feet, but his legs donât seem to want to support him at the moment. Sitting isnât good enough. Jet allows his body to drop back onto the grass, his gaze locking on the shifting leaves of the tree overhead. A light breeze dances across his skin. He closes his eyes. Luca sits down next to him. âThereâs a lot more you can find out about me, Jet. All you have to do is ask. In exchange, I want to know everything about you.â Jet opens his eyes. âJust stick to running for now.â âFine by me.â Luca leans back on his elbows. âI was coursa campestre at uni.â âA cross country runner?â Jetâs automatic translation makes Luca raise his eyebrows. âYou speak Italian.â âI learned it growing up.â Jet shrugs. âIt helps when youâre COO of a company that operates in both Bangkok and Modena.â Luca waits for Jet to elaborate, then continues speaking when he doesnât. âI didnât just go to uni in Italy. I spent half my life there. Where else do you think my name comes from?â âYour parents are Italian?â Jet is curious in spite of himself. âMy dad is. âLucaâ is Italian, âFabricantâ is my dadâs name, and âSopasitsakunâ is my momâs. They met when my dad was on vacation in Chiang Mai. Now they spend half the year there and half in Milan. What about your parents?â Jetâs expression closes up. âThey died. Car accident.â âOh,â Luca is unsure what to say for a minute. âThey werenât the ones you taught you Italian then?â âKitâs family did.â Jetâs voice is quiet. âHow did you know Kai and I ran every morning?â âI heard it from you,â If Luca is surprised by Jetâs abrupt change of subject he doesnât show it. âThatâs one of the many things you said the other night. I told you, youâre very talkativeââ âWhen Iâm all liquored up,â Jet finishes for him. âI know.â âYou want to know what else you said last night?â Luca grins. âFirst, you told me you hated cheesy lines and I should go awayââ âThat I remember.â Actually that had been one of the last clear thoughts in Jetâs head that night, but thatâs not something heâs going to say out loud. âAnd then,â Luca continues as though Jet hadnât spoken. âYou said something about a shark, and your brother and your sisterâyou said a lot, actuallyâand how you had no one to talk to about it. So I said you could try talking to me and thatâs when you gave me your number. Iâm a little hurt that you didnât ask for mine. Then you were hungry and when I asked what you wanted to eat you said an omelet because that was your favorite breakfast. And then you told me how to make it. In detail. After that you said you wanted your car and I asked you where it was and said Iâd drive you home. Thatâs about it.â âYou also said I was the best decision you made all night.â The words are out of Jetâs mouth before he can stop them. Lucaâs grin widens. âYou remember that too, huh?â âIt was one of the first and last things you said.â Jet says it to the grass, rather than look Luca in the eye. âSo it kind of stuck with me.â âI made an impression, then.â Lucaâs shoulder brushes against Jetâs as he sits back up, and Jetâs heart starts turning somersaults. âI meant it, you know. What I said the other night, and just now. I want to get to know you. All of you.â Black eyes lock with dark brown ones. Jet can see Lucaâs pulse beating in his throat. âYou havenât even made it around the park yet?â Kaiâs voice cuts through the tension. Jet looks up to see his little brother standing just in front of him, a light sheen of sweat on his face, arms crossed and head tilted to one side. âWhat happened to meeting back at the car?â Jet flips him the bird, and Kai flips it back. âItâs been half an hour. â Kai shrugs. âThe carâs this wayâ Luca smiles at the two of them as he gets to his feet. âWhy donât we head back to it, then.â He winks at Jet and starts running back the way they came. Kai gives Jet a sidelong glance. âSoooo,â His voice wavers on the edge of casual curiosity. âDid you two actually run or justâŚtalk?â Jet raises an eyebrow. âWhy did you invite him?â âYou said it wasnât a problem. Maybe next time I should definitely let you two run alone?â Kai grins at his older brother, and Jet flicks his forehead. âOw! What was that for?â âMind your own business,â But Jet smiles to take the potential sting out of his words. âListen, when you go back to OmniVentures todayââ âIâll be careful!â Kai looks annoyed again, and Jet notices the dark circles under his little brotherâs eyes. âI told you that!â âI know. But thereâs something else I want you to do.â Jetâs face sobers and he looks his little brother right in the eye. âDo you think you could find financial information that doesnât add up?â Kaiâs eyes narrow. âWhy?â âBecause,â Jet keeps his voice low, aware of potential eavesdroppers in this public place. âFraud is something thatâs difficult to explain away.â âNot just fraud,â Kaiâs jaw sets. âChalam killed our parents.â âI know.â Jet reassures him. âBe we canât prove murder as easily as we can fraud. All we need for that is the right financial information--something that canât easily be explained away.â Kai nods. âIâll find what we need. What was the other reason?â Jetâs brow furrows. âOther reason?â âWhy you came back to Bangkok.â Kai clarifies. âI already told you. I missed Mali,â Jet smiles at his little brother. â And I missed you.â âHey!â Luca has stopped just ahead of them. âYou two coming or what?â Instead of running ahead of them on the way back, Luca matches his pace with Jet and Kai. Jet canât help but notice that Luca runs slightly closer to him, allowing Kai to pull ahead. Luca casts Jet a sideways glance, and the rhythm of their feet syncs, the same as their breath, as Lucaâs words echo in Jetâs head. I want to get to know you. All of you. "24. Q&A" Read from beginning: "1. Ignored" |