Thirty-one - Definitely hiding something

Her heart jumped, raced a little then it came to a calm state.

"Nathaniel..." her voice came out unintendedly softer.

"That's my name." His lips drew up into a smile. Her eyes went to them and she did not miss how different they looked in the dark. Maybe because of her closeness to it, it had a deeper colour that made his lips beckon towards her. "Are you done staring?"

"Uh?" she asked confusedly as her eyes met his.

Soon she caught herself. She was being like a fool again.

Without thinking she made to get his grip off her hand. But he wouldn't let her.

"Have you forgotten Chloe?"

"The time you said you wanted me?" He smiled. She fully recovered from her dreamy state. "No."

"Good." Chloe let out a low yelp as he dragged her into his chest with a quick motion. His face leaned into hers, his breath fannned her face as he watched her and he said, "I don't want you to forget."

Chloe was back into the trance. She could not find a snarky response that would assure her she was not totally crazy. All she could do was stare into the blue ocean looking down at her dark ones.

Before she knew it, she was growing into his hold. It began to feel like a feeling she had been waiting for all along.

Nathaniel's smile had fallen and was replaced with a kind of seriousness that studied her deeply. He studied her and she grew into his hold.

Neither knew they had maintained the position for too long.

Neither did Chloe realize that her right hand had dropped the duster and was slowly approaching his face. When her slender hand cupped the side of his face that felt good to touch, she said with a whisper, "You have such beautiful eyes."

His smile came back. Then she realized.

Suddenly she jumped out of his hold. "I... uh... I should go and clean the uh..." Her heart pounded hard as she reached for the fallen duster under his heavy gaze.

She was about to quickly race her way to the basement when Nathaniel grabbed her from the back and glued her to his chest. As he leaned on her shoulder, she sighed.

He really had gotten to her.

"Thank you," he whispered back and walked away, leaving her back with a loss of warmth.

Slowly, she turned and she watched him make his way upstairs, his shoulders swinging with class.

Chloe had no idea what to think anymore. She could not fight with her mind anymore. What she was feeling that moment was undisputable.

Another huge sigh followed and she made her way to the basement.

On getting there, she was greeted by a familiar sight and she was expecting to see stacks of cartons all over.

Wondering, she moved even further into the room and scanned it.

There was nothing.

As she scrutinized even more, she noticed something on a plastic table close to the wall.

Dirt. From outside.

It was certain. The shipment was in that room. But where?

Her legs went to the table to observe her discovery. Buttocks against the wall, she leaned closer to scrutinize the dirt. As she made to reach for the duster which she had kept in her pocket, her back came crashing onto the floor, startling her.

Surprised, it turned out she was leaning on a fake wall which had fallen apart halfway to expose part of what she was searching for.

Unlabeled boxes spread across the room in front of her and she made her way towards them.

"Ouch!" she cried.

She had walked hard into a glass and as she made to feel for its surface, a beep came and a screen came alive asking for a passcode.

Chloe snickered. They were definitely hiding something.

Since there was no way she could go any further, she backed out.

Some minutes later, she had studied the fake wall and placed it into its initial position.

As she made her way to the house, Chloe again chastised herself for falling for one of them since there was a possiblity they were guilty.

And... since they would all hate her at the end of the day.

~

"What do you mean by you can't gain access?"

"I mean I can't gain access." It was Markings again. Chloe wondered what was wrong with Agent Connnor. She preferred him any day over the screaming man she was speaking with.

"Are you even doing your job at all Pepper?"

"The shipment is guarded by a freaking glass structure with an inbuilt security code. How on earth would I gain access?" Chloe whispered almost angrily.

"Is there no way to get the code?"

"How do you mean?"

"Drug the loose one, Amir. I am sure after a good lap dance, he will be willing to tell you anything." Chloe's mouth hung open in disgust. "But... if you are too modest to do that simple thing, we have only one choice."

Chloe's dislike for the man just grew by a foot. "What is that?"

"We will raid the place."

"What?" she frowned. "We don't even have evidence."

"Then we find them ourselves."

"That would be crazy and risky. Even for me. What if the shipment is not something illegal? What will you do then? Joke with them and buy them beer after?"

"Are you being boned Chloe?"

"Excuse me?"

"Is one of the NAG brothers shagging you? You sound like you don't want them gone. Or do the three of them get to have a taste of you?"

Chloe was so close, very close to losing it. But she kept calm anyway after a deep breath. "I insist. Conducting a raid without evidence could be dangerous."

"Pepper, I am the boss here. I don't care if you think it is dangerous. Just brace yourself, one of these days, you will be seeing me and my team. And we will be breaking that glass and exposing those brothers."

Chloe resisted the urge to scream. "I still-"

"Who are you whispering to?"