The Infatuation (Josh and Kat #1 , The Club #5) (33 page)

“Hey, Agent Sheffield,” Sarah says. “I’ve got a
favor to ask of you. You do background checks, right?”

“Yeah,” Eric replies. “Every day.”

I’m instantly pulled away from my thoughts about
Kat. I don’t recall a “favor” being part of the strategy Jonas and
I cooked up for today’s meeting. What the fuck is Sarah talking
about?

“I’d like you to find two people for me,” Sarah
continues.

I look at Jonas as if to say, “What the fuck is she
talking about?” and he shakes his head, totally at a loss.

“This isn’t a demand,” Sarah continues. “It’s just a
personal favor. But it’s really important.”

I look at Kat and shoot her the same “What the fuck
is she talking about?” look I just flashed Jonas. Kat shrugs,
clearly as in the dark as the rest of us.

“Who are the two people?” Eric asks.

“The first is a woman named Mariela from
Venezuela.”

Josh

The room warps and buckles. Did Sarah just say she
wants Agent Eric to find
Mariela from Venezuela
? My brain
can’t process what I’m hearing.

I look at Jonas. His face looks exactly the way I
feel: blindsided.

If Jonas has told Sarah about Mariela, then he’s
surely told her about Mom, too. Does that mean he’s told her
everything
?

“I don’t know her last name,” Sarah continues
calmly, “but she worked for Joseph and Grace Faraday in Seattle
during the years from…I’m guessing 1984 to around 1991.”

What the fuck is happening right now? I feel like
Sarah just punched me in the balls. I glance at Jonas again. He’s
got his hands over his face. Good idea. I do the same.

“In 1991, Grace Faraday was murdered in her home . .
.” Sarah continues, and the minute she says Mom’s name this second
time, I suddenly realize she just revealed the true meaning of my
“Grace” tattoo to Kat.

I steal a quick look at Kat, and her eyes tell me
she’s already put two and two together.
She knows.
Oh, fuck.
I seriously can’t do this. Enough with the honesty-game. It’s too
much. I put my hands over my face again. I’m shaking.

“Hang on,” Eric says. “Could you repeat all
that?”

Sarah repeats everything again slowly, including
Mom’s name, yet again, just in case Kat didn’t catch it the first
two times. “Grace Faraday,” Sarah says. “She was murdered in her
home... We need you to find
Mariela
—and if she’s not alive,
then her children.”

“Okay. That sounds doable,” Agent Eric says.

Am I hearing that right? This FBI guy is gonna track
down Mariela?

I look across the room at Jonas. He looks like he’s
in total shock.

“Awesome, Eric,” Sarah says. “Thank you. And there’s
one more woman, too. I don’t know her first name—but her maiden
name was
Westbrook
.”

Oh Jesus Christ.

Jonas and I exchange a look of pure astonishment.
This is beyond insanity. Sarah’s asking the FBI guy to find Mariela
and
Miss Westbrook? Well, that settles it beyond a doubt:
Jonas has told Sarah literally every little thing about his life,
and therefore mine: Mom, Mariela, Miss Westbrook, Dad, The Lunacy.
Holy fuck. I never thought I’d see the day. Haven’t we always said
no one needs to know about all that—that it’s best if these things
remain between us?

“Miss Westbrook was a teacher in Seattle in probably
1992,” Sarah continues, “and then she married a guy in the Navy
named Santorini who was later stationed in San Diego.”

“What do these two women have to do with The Club?”
Eric asks.

“Absolutely nothing,” Sarah says. She gazes at Jonas
in a way I’ve never seen anyone look at him before—with so much
tenderness my heart stops vicariously for him. “This would be a
personal favor to me,” Sarah says, not taking her eyes off Jonas.
“I don’t have the resources to find these ladies by myself without
having their full names, but I think you can do it.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Thank you. I’m gonna need this information as soon
as possible, please.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I can’t stop staring at Sarah—at the way she’s
looking at Jonas. I’ve never seen anyone look at him like that.
Shit, I’ve never seen anyone look at
me
like that.

My eyes are burning. I’ve suddenly got a lump in my
throat. Holy shit. What’s happening to me right now? I’m about to
lose complete control. I swallow hard and steal a quick look at
Kat. Her eyes are glistening and her face is red.

I cover my face with my hands again, too overwhelmed
to look at her anymore. I can’t process this. It’s too much.

I honestly never thought Jonas would find a woman
he’d tell about Mom and Dad and The Lunacy, too. And I certainly
never thought, if he did, that woman would nonetheless look at him
like Sarah’s looking at Jonas right now. I swallow hard, forcing my
emotions down again. I’m so happy for my brother right now, and so
fucking relieved for myself, I feel like crying, which is a fucking
crazy thought. Holy shit. Jonas is gonna be happy. Sarah loves him,
warts and all. I swallow hard again. This is fucking
incredible.

But wait.

My joy for my brother is suddenly derailed by an
overwhelming sense of panic for myself.

Kat.

She knows too much.
She knows things I never
tell anyone—things I don’t want her to know. In the taxi after
Reed’s party, Kat already told me she knows about my parents,
thanks to Jonas telling Sarah. “It happened a long time ago,” I
said breezily, dodging the subject like I always do. But now she
knows I’m not quite as unscathed by everything as I let on—that my
tattoos aren’t just quippy doodles on my skin or youthful, drunken
attempts at being profound. Now she knows my skin is inked with my
life’s greatest sorrow.

She knows.

And yet.

Kat gave me her “application” to “The Josh Faraday
Club,” didn’t she—even though she knows I’m more scarred than I let
on? She did it because she wants to see the scars, whatever they
are.

“What’s the name of the school where Miss Westbrook
worked in Seattle, Jonas?” Sarah asks Jonas. “That might be helpful
for Eric to know for his search.”

There’s a beat. Jonas isn’t answering her. He looks
like a deer in headlights.

Aw, Jonas.

“St. Francis Academy,” I say, answering for my
brother.

Jonas flashes me a grateful smile and I grin at him.
Some things will never change.

“Okay. I’ll do my best,” Eric says.

“Thank you,” Sarah says. She puts her arm around
Jonas’ back and squeezes him tightly, and he leans into her,
completely at ease in her tender embrace.

“Okay,” Agent Eric says. “I’ll go talk to my boss
right now. I’ll give you guys a call later.” He nods at Kat,
reassuring her in particular. “I promise I’ll give it my all.”

“I know you will, Eric,” Kat purrs. She shifts her
eyes to me and leaves them there. Oh my God, she’s looking at me
like she sees right through me—like my invisible shield has somehow
vanished and I’m laid bare for her. “
I have full faith in
you,
” Kat says.

Josh

“Henn, pass the ketchup,” I say, but I can barely
concentrate on my burger.

Our meeting at the FBI was un-fucking-believable in
countless ways, not the least of which is the fact that Kat’s
application to The Josh Faraday Club is burning a hole in my
proverbial pocket. And heart. And dick.

“You crushed it, Kat,” Jonas says. “You were
amazing.”

“Absolutely,” Sarah agrees.

Henn passes the ketchup to me. “Who’s the fucking
genius now?” he says. “Damn, girl.” He puts his fist up and she
bumps it with hers, a huge smile on her gorgeous face.

Kat fantasizes about me while masturbating?

“To Kat,” Sarah says, raising her beer, and the rest
of us hold up our beers in Kat’s honor, too. “You’re the reason
Eric started taking us seriously,” Sarah says. “No doubt about
it.”

“Aw, thanks,” Kat says. “But it was definitely a
team effort.”

We all raise our glasses again and drink to “the
team.”

She wants to feel my hard-on sliding deep inside
her?

I clear my throat. “So how are we gonna get the
money, Henn?” I ask, pointedly not looking at Kat. Shit, I’m hard
as a rock right now. If I look at her, I’m not gonna be able to
stop myself from grabbing her and kissing the hell out of her right
here and now, in front of everyone. “I thought you said most of
those accounts are set up for in-person transfer only.” Fuck. I
can’t stop imagining Kat masturbating.

Ever since I saw you in that hallway,
she
wrote,
I’ve taken self-love to an art form.

I shift in my chair, trying to relieve the throbbing
of my dick in my pants, but it’s no use.

“They are,” Henn says. “Which, obviously, means
we’re going to transfer the money in-person.” He pauses, shooting
Kat a meaningful look. “Hello, Oksana Belenko.”

Kat grimaces sharply. “Oh, I dunno—” she begins.

“You’ll be fine,” Henn says. “I’ll set you up with a
passport and a driver’s license—”

“I don’t know if I can—” Kat says, sputtering.

“You
can
,” Henn says. “Today proved that.
Indubitably. Don’t worry, Kitty Kat.” He touches the top of her
hand. “I’ll hack into each account and shave thirty years off
Oksana’s age—they won’t even question you’re her for a second. And
then I’ll walk into each and every bank with you, right by your
side.”

“But will she be safe?” Sarah asks.

“I’ll make sure of it,” Henn says.

“So will I,” I add.

At my words, Kat’s eyes flicker to me and my cock
hardens even more. The right thing to do is pull her aside and kiss
her for the first time in private—but I’m not sure I can wait.

A waitress walks by and Kat flags her. “Double
Patron shots all around, please.” When the waitress leaves, Kat
lets out a long exhale. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Kat, are you sure?” Sarah asks. “You don’t have to
do this.”

“Yes, I do. This ain’t no casino heist, fellas—and
very pretty lady.” She winks at Sarah. “This is about taking these
guys down so they can’t hurt you ever again, Sarah. It’s a
no-brainer.”

Holy shit. She’s blowing my mind today—first, with
the FBI guy, and then with her application, and now with this.
She’s willing to impersonate Oksana Belenko to steal The Club’s
money? I wouldn’t have thought it possible when we first started on
this bizarre adventure, but Kat’s turned out to be every bit as
valuable to the team as any of us—far more valuable than me,
actually.

“We’ll create an offshore account,” Jonas is saying
to the group. “And funnel everything into it at the last possible
moment.”

“
Two
offshore accounts,” I say pointedly. “I
think we’re gonna have to take a little
finder’s
fee
on the deal—don’t you think, bro? Maybe one percent?”

A light bulb goes off on Jonas’ face—as usual, my
brother can read my mind.

“Fuck yeah,” Jonas says. “Great idea. Yeah, five and
a half mill sounds about right for our commission. Kat and Henn,
you guys will each get a cool mill off the top. You’ve both earned
it.”

I nod emphatically. A million each is exactly what
I’d had in mind.

“Are you
serious
?” Kat squeals. “You’re gonna
give me a
million
dollars?”

“You deserve it,” Jonas says.

Kat squeals again and leaps up to hug Jonas,
jiggling her tight little body with excitement, and then moves on
to kiss Sarah full on the mouth.

Oh, Jesus. That’s it. I give up. I’ve got to kiss
this woman right now. Waiting ’til we’re alone is a fucking pipe
dream. Whatever she wants, yes, I’ll do it. I don’t fucking care
anymore. She told me her shit, I’ll tell her mine. I’ve got to have
her, no matter the price.

Kat’s done kissing Sarah and now it’s my turn. She
bends down, obviously intending to chastely kiss my cheek—but I
stand abruptly, grab her face, pull her sexy little body firmly
into mine, and devour her lips. My tongue slides inside her mouth
and instantly leads hers into sensual movement.

Kat yelps with surprise and throws her arms around
my neck, her tongue responding to my entreaties with extreme
enthusiasm.

I press myself into her even harder, suddenly
overcome with so much arousal, I can barely stand, and she runs her
hands through my hair.

Oh, God, I’m light-headed. Every nerve ending in my
body is in overload, surging with pleasure and relief. Oh, God,
yes, she tastes incredible, better than I’d even imagined. And she
smells fucking amazing. Our tongues swirling and intertwining feel
electrically charged. Oh my fuck, if we were alone in my room the
way I’d originally planned to finally kiss her, her clothes would
already be off and my cock inside her. It’s just that good.

But, shit, we’re not alone.

Fuck.

Contrary to every primal urge coursing through my
body, my lips release hers.

She pulls away from me, her lips red and her eyes
smoldering.

I clutch my chest and smile at her. “I feel like
I’ve been waiting a lifetime to do that,” I say softly.

“Why the hell did you wait so long, Playboy?” Kat
breathes, pressing herself into my hard-on.

“Gee, I wonder why.” I press my forehead against
hers, grinning broadly.

“So does this mean you’re finally gonna tell me?”
Kat says.

I nod. “You win,” I whisper, almost inaudibly. “God
help me, you little terrorist, you win.”

Kat laughs and sits back down, grinning from ear to
ear, a living portrait of victory, but when she sees Henn’s face
across the table, her face instantly falls.

“Oh, Henny. I’m sorry,” she says.

Henn shakes his head. “No, it’s great. You’re both
the best.” He swallows hard. “Indubitably.” He tries to smile.