The Deception (25 page)

‘Thanks, Fletcher,’ she said with gusto. His brown eyes were shining under the lights and she forced herself to focus on Steph.

‘I’ll go get us a drink,’ said Ryan, wandering towards the drink table.

Thank God, she had time to breathe again.

‘That was a little intense,’ said Steph. ‘I’d say the dress was a winner.’

Jaz had no words. What could she say to Steph to deflect her feelings for Ryan? Absolutely nothing. At this moment she couldn’t be bothered with a lie.

‘I’m so glad you’re here. You look lovely,’ said Jaz as she admired Steph’s pale pink dress.

Steph’s eyebrow rose as she noted the change of subject. ‘Thanks, Anna said you wouldn’t mind. And I’m loving being here with Ryan. Since meeting you, I’ve seen more of my brother in the past few months than I have the last five years. I can’t thank you enough.’

‘Thank you for what?’ said Ryan as he brought them champagne; he’d settled for a beer.

Steph totally ignored him. ‘Jaz, come and open your presents. This one is from me,’ she said, tugging her towards a table piled high with pretty wrapping-papered shapes.

When she glanced back to Ryan, he was already chatting to Tick. Maybe they were discussing Taylor’s training.

It took her half an hour to open all her presents. Vouchers, money, clothes and more. Her friends got together and got her a skydiving jump, which could come in handy if the Agency ever decided to hurl her from a plane. She did notice that there was nothing from Ryan, not even a card. Had he not known what to get her?

Jaz knew what he could give her, she’d been thinking about it for a while. Only thing she needed was the courage to ask. Maybe after a few more champagnes? Just watching him across the room was enough to get her hot under the collar, imagine what the sex would be like.

‘Time for cake,’ yelled Anna as she brought it out, candles blazing. As if she was still five, they all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and Jaz blew out the candles in the middle of cake a boxing ring with rope sides. She loved it.

‘Here’s my girl,’ said Pax, who wasn’t wearing a suit like she was told, but slacks and a plain button-up shirt. It was quite tame for him, except for the brightness of his orange shirt. ‘You know how hard it is to find something for the girl who has everything?’ said Pax. ‘Bloody hard, but I hope this will come in handy.’ He gave her a wink and pulled out a box from his pocket.

‘Aw Pax.’ Jaz lifted the lid off to find a beautiful Swiss army knife with heaps of attachments. Included was a leather pouch to hold it onto a belt or her pants. ‘Oh my God, I love it Pax.’ She hugged him tightly and couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Sometimes she felt he knew her better than most. ‘I could have used this a few days ago,’ she said softly before kissing his cheek.

David Guetta’s ‘Lovers on the Sun’ grew louder. Jaz saw the IPod dock set up in the corner, Taylor with the remote. He shot her a smile and raised both his arms in the air in a dance move. As the night wore on, more and more people started dancing.

Her mum was sort of dancing with Paul, doing some funky moves from their youth no doubt. They looked happy and in love. Something her mum probably wouldn’t have had if she’d stayed with the Agency. Is that what Jaz might be giving up?

‘Jaz?’ Ryan’s voice was for her ears only as he came up behind her. ‘Can you come with me?’

‘Okay.’ She would follow him into a burning building if he so desired.

He led her into Pax’s office, Anna was standing by the door with Taylor. They both grinned as if they both knew what was coming. Instead of following, they shut the office door, leaving them alone. Ryan took her into Pax’s house and to the room she shared with Anna.

He shut the door.

Right about now, Jaz’s mind was going into overload. Had he heard her birthday wish? Her knees trembled at the thought while her face started to burn. ‘It’s warm in here,’ she said. It was probably only ten degrees as this part of Pax’s house was always freezing.

‘Sorry to take you away from your party but I wanted to give you your birthday gift and it’s … um … best done in private.’

It was so damn hot in here. ‘You didn’t have to get me anything,’ said Jaz. ‘Although I do have a birthday request. Something I really want, that you can help me with,’ she said. Her chest pounded as she said the words, there was no taking them back now.

Except Ryan hadn’t really heard her. He was busy picking something up off the bed. A box.

‘Here, happy birthday, Jasmine.’

It was wrapped with brown paper and tied up with some red ribbon. Sex didn’t come in a box. She was momentarily confused before accepting the gift. She undid the bow. What could it be?

Opening the lid of the box, she found a handgun. A Starfire to be exact.

‘Do you like it? It’s all yours.’

Jaz sat on her bed, Ryan joined her. She pulled out the gun in awe. It was so new and shiny. And it was hers. ‘I love it.’

Something on the gun caught her eye. It was engraved with what looked like a bird of some sort with long tail feathers. ‘What’s this?’

‘That, I had put on there. It’s a phoenix. A symbol of fire, resurrection and immortality, also grace and kindness in Chinese mythology. It’s something that I hope brings you a long life, Jaz, and it’s also something that reminds me of you.’

With a finger, she traced the engraving. She couldn’t look at Ryan, not now. This gesture was too amazing and she was overwhelmed by this thoughtfulness. It took her a moment to be able to speak.

‘It’s perfect.’ It was now her most prized possession. Putting it back in its box, she leant over and hugged Ryan. ‘Thank you.’ Jaz didn’t want to move from this position, locked in his embrace and riding on an emotional high. She moved back just enough to shift her hands to his face. ‘How do you do that?’ she asked, searching the depths of his eyes.

‘Do what?’

She was going to say ‘understand me’ but her eyes had dropped to his lips and without thinking, she’d kissed them.

‘Jaz,’ he mumbled.

It only spurred her on, moving her tongue against his lips. She felt him stiffen, his hands went to her waist but he didn’t push her away this time.

She stopped. ‘Sorry, I wanted my birthday to be memorable,’ she said, feeling far too confident.

He cleared his throat and picked up her gun. ‘What was this thing you wanted that I can help you with?’ he asked.

Here he was trying to avoid what had just happened, thinking he was changing the subject. A wicked little grin tugged at her lips.

‘Well, we have talked about my lack of experience in the bedroom before, but I want to change all that now. I can’t go into the Agency without experience, and quite frankly I don’t want it to happen with some undesirable.’ Jaz thought she might have more of a chance if she made this more about work than her heart.

‘Jaz, I don’t think we should be having this conversation now.’ Ryan glanced around the small room as if the walls were closing in on them.

But she would not be derailed. ‘Was your first time with some lady you had to get close with for the Agency?’ she asked, hoping to God that it wasn’t. Grabbing his chin she made him look at her. ‘Was it?’ she asked again.

‘No. No it wasn’t. It was with a girl I fancied at school before I was recruited.’

‘See. My point exactly. That’s why I want it to be with you. Someone I know and trust.’

His pupils dilated. ‘Jaz, no.’

‘Why not? Would you rather I be with some low-life drug dealer?’

‘No. I don’t want that for you. But I can’t,’ he said softly.

‘Well, I doubt I’m going to have time for a real boyfriend while working for the Agency. So I wanna do this now before I’m in a position where I might have to, or I’m raped.’ Jaz thought back to that moment she was attacked by five guys and shivered. If it wasn’t for Ryan … well she didn’t even want to think about it. Shaking it off, she continued. ‘Besides, there’s no rule that says it’s not allowed between us, just for one night?’

Ryan looked up at the ceiling. She would love to know what he was thinking. A few long seconds passed, he remained silent and it drove her insane.

‘Can you not see where I’m coming from?’

‘I can, Jaz.’ His eyes found her but flicked away just as quickly. ‘But it’s not that easy.’

‘So you won’t help me?’ She sighed. ‘Then the only other option I have is Cody.’

That snapped his focus back to her. His brow creased. ‘Cody. No. He’s …’

‘He’s what? At least I know he’s keen. And he knows me and my secrets. There is no one else. Can you see my predicament?’

Ryan dropped his head into his hands, squeezing it as if that would help him think. She couldn’t do much more and begging seemed a little pathetic. She had more dignity than that. Reaching down, she picked up her gun. ‘Thanks for this, I absolutely love it and can’t wait to use it.’ She stood up and put the gun away under her bed. It would stay here at Pax’s where it was safe from prying eyes.

Then Jaz walked out of the room, leaving Ryan to his thoughts. As she joined the party, which was in full swing with everyone dancing, she wondered why this was such a hard thing for him. Was he that afraid of breaking the Agency rules?

Cody came by and put an arm around her shoulders. ‘There you are, my lovely.’ His hair was brushed back and was only just long enough to tie back into a knot. He was wearing stone-washed jeans and a black button-up shirt. It was open at the neck, revealing his suntanned skin. He shot her a cheeky grin, making dimples appear.

‘Hi Cody, thanks for coming.’

Why was Cody happy enough to break the rules for her but not Ryan? Was Cody just younger and less disciplined?

‘I’ve got your birthday present,’ he said with a grin. ‘But first you have to dance with me.’

Jaz laughed and let the frustration from being so close with Ryan ease from her limbs as Cody tugged her into the middle of the dancing crowd. He held her hand as he spun her around before pulling her back into his chest. She laughed at the expressions on his face, as if he was the dancing professional.

‘So, what is my present?’ she asked as she caught Ryan joining the crowd. He was standing next to Anna and they were chatting. She watched their lips. Anna asked if Jaz liked her present. Ryan was all smiles but she missed his reply as Cody brought her closer to him.

‘You sure you want it?’ he teased.

Jaz nodded. ‘Sure.’

‘Big finish,’ he added as he swept her through his arms and bent her back in his arms. Her back arched and she felt her hair touch the floor. Then Cody was kissing her.

The position he had her in meant she couldn’t push him away or she’d end up on the floor in a very unladylike fashion. He lifted her back up and spun her around. The room was clapping, along with the odd wolf-whistle.

When she stopped spinning, she faced Cody. She had two moves, punch him or laugh. He smiled sheepishly at her, hoping to avoid what he guessed could be coming.

‘You wanted it,’ he added.

Seeing as she’d already belted him before, she began to laugh and laugh. After all, the kiss wasn’t that bad. And the way things were going, she might just have to settle for second best.

When Cody realised he wasn’t going to end up with a fist in his face, he reached for her and brought her back to his arms for some more dancing. He didn’t try to kiss her again but they did have a ball dancing up a storm.

Anna was moving beside them with Taylor, who was clearly delighted. She saw Steph was chatting in the corner with Pax, but after a good search around the rest of the room, Ryan was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 22

Jaz obviously got out of bed on the wrong side on Monday. From the get-go everything had been shit. She’d burnt her toast at breakfast, found a hole in her black stockings, had a flat battery in her car and had to catch a lift with her mum, at school she’d had a spot test in math, which she only just passed, and then to make it all worse Minka was going out of her way to get in her face today, no matter how hard she tried to ignore her. Being eighteen sucked.

With her big biology and history books on her hip, she headed down the corridor for her next two periods before school finished. Jaz was so focused on her bad mood that she didn’t see the glint in Minka’s eye as she walked towards her with her best friends in tow.

‘Whoops,’ said Minka as she caught the corner of Jaz’s books, sending them to the ground with a thump.

Her pencil case, which had been resting on top, burst on impact, causing pens to roll across the floor like Pick Up Sticks. Jaz saw red.

Ignoring everything on the floor she spun around, grabbed Minka by the shoulders and slammed her up against the lockers hard enough for fear to flash through her made-up eyes.

‘Do you want me to fight you? Because I will. Just keep pressing my buttons, I dare you.’ Jaz shook her hair back but kept her eyes pinned on Minka. She realised her fingers were digging into her skin, enough to leave bruises.

‘Yeah, a black eye would go great with your uniform,’ came Anna’s voice behind her. ‘Jaz, why don’t you let the scared animal go before it dies of shock?’

Jaz knew one of Minka’s friends had run off to find a teacher and she didn’t need a suspension. Stepping back she released Minka. ‘Don’t piss me off unless you are prepared to deal with the consequences,’ said Jaz, as she watched Minka head off down the corridor through the crowd that had begun to gather.

Bending down, Jaz started to collect her pens while everyone went back to their classes.

‘Feeling a bit testy today?’ asked Anna as she helped.

‘A little.’

‘I’m glad you didn’t deck her.’ Anna smiled. ‘Kind of.’

‘Well, I’m trying to be more in control of my feelings. If I can resist hitting her, then I am stronger than I think.’

Anna laughed. ‘I’m glad.’ She stood up with the books and handed them to Jaz as they walked to their shared biology class. ‘Wanna tell me what’s really bothering you?’

Jaz stopped grinding her teeth. ‘I don’t know. Maybe it’s Ryan, maybe Marcus, maybe it’s my mum. Hell, maybe it’s the whole bloody lot of them. I thought I was coping.’

‘You’re dealing with a lot, Jaz. Give yourself time to deal and don’t feel like you have to cope. What you’re dealing with is not normal teenage stuff.’ Anna stepped in front of her and gripped her shoulder. ‘Talk to us, lighten the load. You don’t have to be so tough all the time.’