Rajan's Seduction (2 page)

"I know. But he won't be following too long."

"How long?"

"A week."

"Oh no—that's not too long at all. When does this start?"

Fiorelli looked down at this desk to a piece of paper before him, he seemed to skim the info there before looking up at Xavier. "Tomorrow."

Xavier pushed from his chair and charged out the

door. He bypassed his desk and stopped in the coffee room.

"What's the matter with you?" Salsa asked.

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"We're going to have an actor shadowing us,"

Xavier admitted. He couldn't even sit down. He kept pacing the room, dragging his fingers through his hair. "I don't like it at all and the last thing I want is some civilian coming in here and causing trouble."

"Would you sit down?" Muse asked. "You're making me jumpy."

"Sorry—I just… I can't be responsible if he catches a bullet to the ass because he refuses to follow orders or does something stupid!"

Xavier didn't wait for his friends to say anything.

His mind was just whirling a mile a minute. He slumped into a chair and tried focusing on the warrant he'd placed on the top of the pile. He had to brief his men in a few minutes and he just couldn't focus.

* * * *

The rain was still pouring outside from the night

before. Eros was famous for its winter months. They didn't get snow but rain that would last days. He'd wanted to wake up and go for a run but not in that. Sighing, Rajan uncrossed his arms and flipped on the light. He turned and stared longingly at his unmade bed but instead of crawling back beneath the covers, he made the bed then walked into

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the bathroom. He was peering down his throat when his cell phone started ringing. It always donned on him he had no idea what he was looking for but that thought didn't stop him from doing it. Taking one final look down his throat, he walked back to the bedroom and answered the phone.

"Rajan, it's Percy. We're faxing you over some contracts. You need to them sign for the job shadow thing."

His agent could be heard flipping through papers. "Can you sign them and fax it twice, once to me and the other copy to the station? The number is on the contract."

"Good morning, Rajan. How was your night?"

Rajan said into the receiver. Sometimes he didn't know why he kept the man around. Percy had the manners of an over-poked gorilla on the best of days.

"Sorry. Good morning, Rajan, how was your

night?" The sarcasm wasn't lost on Rajan.

"I'll sign them and get them where they need to go."

Without another word, he hung up. If there was one

thing he couldn't stand it was a grown man acting like a bully. He was seriously starting to think of replacing Percy.

But then again his father always told him not to bite the hands that fed him. Percy was rude, over bearing and just not a pleasant person to be around most of the time. Lately the latter pushed Rajan to canning Percy.

His mood changed.

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Taking a breath he glanced at the clock. He'd asked for time with his brothers and future brother-in-law, Jamal Kendricks, that day. They wouldn't be there until after work and after Savaro and Jamal found a babysitter for their son, so he had plenty of time to rip his hair out and read the revised script. He'd agreed to play a SWAT agent who was badly injured in the line of duty and is now out for revenge on those who cost him everything. Rajan didn't know anything about SWAT so the studio insisted on him

following a SWAT team. Rajan wasn't sure how to feel about that. The team wouldn't be the safest place to learn.

But he knew he had to do it or else the Hollywood reporters would chew him up and spit him out. It would be his first English movie and he had to get it right—no margin for error.

He spent his day ignoring the rain, listening to some Robin Thicke until finally he did want to rip his hair out.

He walked to the window, peered out and frowned. Outside did not look appealing to him at all. It was wet and soggy and to make things worse, the sun hadn't come out after the rain. Where was the corny love song in that? Raking his fingers through his hair, he was going to crawl into bed when he heard his name being called from downstairs. He glanced at the bed with yearning and reluctantly grabbed his shirt, he pulled his arms in while exiting the room and

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descending the stairs.

"Jamal!" He smiled, hugging his brother's boyfriend. "Dude, you're soaking wet… and if you say that's what he said, I swear."

Jamal laughed knowingly. "Can I change into

something dry?"

"Of course."

"Good. Then I can make us dinner," Jamal said. "I left the stuff in the kitchen."

As he jogged up the stairs, Rajan entered the

kitchen and peered into the bags. There was meat wrapped up tight, a bag of rice, another bag with red beans and a box of beer in one bag. In another he found some Jamaican spices, eggs, scallion and a few other things he didn't recognize. He stuck the beer into the fridge and looked into another bag. Finding some grapes he took them out,

washed them and broke off a stem. By the time Jamal returned dressed in a pair of Rajan's jeans and a graphic tee, Rajan was sitting on the counter munching on some grapes.

"You had to find the grapes." Jamal laughed.

"No duh!" Rajan shrugged with a smile. "How are you, Jamal? I haven't had time to talk to you lately. I swear I never wanted to be that man who never had time for family and recently I'm beginning to think I failed miserably."

Jamal stopped rummaging through his bags and

looked up into Rajan's eyes. "Been good… Great actually.

Savaro is wonderful. Our son is doing great in school. I know I'm injured but things couldn't be better. I get to go back next week anyways."

"Oh right. How's your arm feeling?"

"Better. I have one more deep tissue massage—

which I'm not looking forward to." Jamal ripped the package dumping the meat into a bowl. He stuck it under the tap and turned on the cold water on it. "Savaro is a good man, you know? I don't think I ever told you guys this before. But I never thought there were any of them left."

Rajan laughed. "And he just had to be my brother."

"Don't worry, Raj. George raised some good men.

You'll find someone. I would stake a bet on it. Just know if you need anything…"

Rajan shoved the final grape in his mouth. "I know.

I should leave you to it because if I even try and help I'll just mess everything up."

Jamal chuckled. "Yes, we both know you ain't got no
yard
in you."

Rajan made a face. "I have plenty of… of…
yard
."

Jamal burst into spasms of laughter then and Rajan

felt his cheeks heated up.

"Trust me, Raj. Ghetto is the last thing you are."

Rajan smacked him in the arm and exited the

kitchen with his brother's boyfriend still laughing behind him.

* * * *

Rajan sat at the desk waiting for his brothers. From time to time a delicious smell would worm its way into the den and he would wonder what Jamal was making.

Whenever Jamal walked into the kitchen, the brothers would leave him to it because they knew he would be making something yummy. Even Savaro, a trained chef, would run out because Jamal had a certain flair to his cooking. Shaking his head, Rajan glanced down at the contract he had to sign to shadow a SWAT team. He read one line over and over.
Century SWAT is not responsible
for any injury or death that may occur during this job
placement.
He blinked, thinking perhaps it was a bad idea.

Perhaps he should just do his research on the internet like everyone else and leave the SWAT business to the

professionals.

Taking a breath, he was putting his signature on the contract when a delicious scent wafted into the room. He looked up to see Jamal with a steaming plate. Tilting his head, he smiled. Jamal walked across the room and sat on the edge of the desk, extending the plate.

"Okay," he said, handing Rajan the fork. "This is oxtail and rice with red beans. I know Savaro never made you guys this!"

Rajan laughed at the smirk on Jamal's face and

accepted the fork. He removed a piece of the meat and stuck it in his mouth. Chewing, he moaned.

"Good right? This would put hair on your…" Jamal trailed off as Rajan reached for the plate. "But that was…"

Jamal started.

Rajan held the plate away from Jamal, growling at

him.

"Fine—I'll get another plate. You know sometimes, I swear you and Sav were raised by bears!" Jamal laughed and left the room.

Rajan chuckled.

He was halfway through his plate when the front

door opened and he heard voices and footsteps coming through the house.

"Something smells good in here!" Laird called.

"Jamal's cooking again," Savaro announced.

When they finally stuck their heads into the den,

they all had plates, piled high. They slumped into the sofa across from Rajan's desk and Rajan frowned.

"You guys hit the kitchen before saying hello?" he questioned.

Savaro waved a fork at him and Laird waved a bone

at him. Rajan shook his head, sitting up in the chair. He looked down at the contract again giving them time to eat.

Jamal joined them soon. Setting his empty plate aside, Rajan finished signing the papers. He stuck them in the fax machine and sent them twice; one to his agent and the other to the Century Police. He then turned to face his brothers and future brother-in-law and took a breath.

"I've called you all here because I have a teeny, tiny problem."

"You all right?" Laird questioned.

Rajan nodded, bracing back in his chair and stapling his fingers atop his stomach. "Nothing like that. I'm fine.

It's just this new role I signed up for. They're forcing me to go and shadow a SWAT team for a while and I just—I

don't want to go in there and get in their way."

Jamal chuckled. "I'm pretty sure they won't mind."

"What are you talking about?" Savaro asked Jamal.

"Cops are notoriously territorial. Whoever you're shadowing is going to be an asshole. Plain and simple."

"You are not helping!" Laird pointed out.

"True, but who's to say this guy would mind

someone shadowing him for a movie? I mean seriously,"

Jamal continued as though Laird hadn't spoken. "Sav, they're adults."

"That doesn't mean anything," Savaro replied.

"Adulthood doesn't matter when one feels one's territory is being invaded."

"You don't seem to mind it when I invade your

territory," Jamal's voice dipped into a low, husky voice.

Savaro looked shocked but Rajan was the first to

burst out laughing.

"You two want some privacy?" Laird asked, still laughing.

Savaro groaned.

Shaking his head, Rajan cleared his throat. "And as much as I'd love to invade some of their territories, I'm fairly certain I'm not scared of some men throwing a few tantrums over being followed around by an actor. What I'm nervous about is the whole being gay thing."

Jamal laughed. "Well, Raj that's none of their business. You're going there to learn, not to bone. Just don't bring it up and since they can't just ask you problem solved."

"Yeah." Savaro placed his plate on the edge of Rajan's desk and then eased back in his seat. "Problem solved. Jamal's right. And even then, they can't hate on you because you're gay. There are laws against that."

"Whoa!" Laird held up a hand and turned to peer closely at Savaro by leaning in. "Did you just say
hate on
you?
"

"Yeah, so what?"

The guys burst out laughing leaving Savaro staring

at them for a bit before a frown creased his features.

"
Et tu
, Raj?" Savaro made a face. "
Et tu?
"

"But seriously," Rajan said. "Thanks for the help guys. Lately, I've been on edge for no apparent reason really. Now I think I should get something to drink."

"I'll come with you," Laird said.

The two walked from the room and into the kitchen,

Rajan opened the fridge to grab some juice from a large jug. He turned to see Laird pulling glasses from the cupboard.

"I wanted to say something to you," Laird admitted.

"All right."

"Being gay isn't a disease, you know," Laird continued. "If you go there and this joker is giving you any flack you let me know. Got that?"

"I'm not a baby anymore, you know Laird."

"I know. I know you can fight your own battles. But I'm your brother, your
big
brother, and it still steams me to know anyone is giving you or Sav and now Jamal and

Leroy a hard time. Just promise me you'll do what's right and if it doesn't help you'll come to us."

"I always do." Rajan smiled, leaning in to tap his forehead lightly against Laird's. "Don't be so worried."

Laird gave him a smile but Rajan knew what it

meant. It wasn't a toothy smile like Laird was known for but a smile that didn't spread his lips at all. The smile said Laird was not happy with how the conversation ended but he was willing to let it go. They re-entered the den with the others.

By five in the morning, Rajan was up, showered

and peering at himself in the mirror. He had to make sure he dressed neutral. He needed to not stand out. They didn't put that in his contract but the last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself. Normally he wouldn't tie back his long, dark hair but he made a point to slick it back and tied it up. He removed the t-shirt he wore since it showed off the tattoo against his arm and slipped into a dress shirt with long sleeves. With the clothes deal settled, he went to the kitchen and made some breakfast but couldn't eat anything. Just the thought of food made him physically ill.