Greyson raised an eyebrow. "You gonna bitch all day or can we get down to business?" He dismissed his pretty secretary and she scurried out of the office, but not before throwing me a smile.
I'd been meaning to ask her out. Maybe I'd do that tonight when I got back from whatever errand Greyson sent me on.
It had been a while since I'd had a good lay, and she seemed keen on me. She was always smiling at me. That would do just fine.
Hell, I might even take her out for dinner. Who knows?
"Sit down." Greyson crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. For the first time, I could see just how little sleep he was getting. The bags under his eyes, the worry etched into his face.
This war was getting to him. Fighting with the in-laws on top of civil unrest in the city wasn't doing him any favors. He needed all the sleep he could get.
"You look like you haven't been getting any rest," I said. I was concerned.
"I haven't. But maybe you could help bring me some peace." He ran a hand over his face and looked up at me, his eyes bleary.
I knew I was the only one he let his guard down with. I had a feeling that even Joanna didn't know how stressed he was.
He had a baby coming soon.
Real soon.
"What do you need?" I asked. I'd been busting his balls, but I was ready for anything.
"I need you to make a little trip. Got a lead on our runaway. She's holed up in some kind of 'collective' over in Chicago."
Kathryn. His little sister. She'd taken off as soon as she graduated, the very night of, actually, and no one had heard from her since.
"I thought they weren't pursuing her," I said. Her father had said, multiple times, that she could rot for all he cared.
"They aren't. I am. She's my little sis, Janson. You know how important that is." I saw just the hint of vulnerability in Greyson's eyes. He may have been heir to the throne, but he was nothing like his old man. He loved his family.
"I do. Which is why I took all the pleasure in the world when it came time to beat your ass for sleeping with mine."
"Yeah, I deserved that shit." He shrugged it off like it was nothing. I had respect for the man. He did things he shouldn't have, and he knew it. But he always made up for his mistakes.
He always made it right and took the punishment. There was a reason he was my best friend.
"So what do you want me to do, haul ass to Chicago and get her?" I asked, crossing my arms. I'd have to ask Lily out when I got back. Even if I did, though, I knew it was going to be an exercise in futility. Most women were afraid of who I was. Of what I liked.
She’d probably be no different.
"I wish it was that complicated. Kathryn has always been a lot more stubborn that that. She won't just come without a fight. You'll have to use force, if necessary. But try everything else there first."
I knew he was right about Kathryn. I remembered watching over her as she grew up. She was always feisty, even as a teenager, but now that she was legally an adult, I couldn't imagine her being so easily swayed.
"This might take a while. I'm going to have to figure out a place to stay," I said as I ran my hand over my fist.
"Call your cousin up, what's his name?"
"Declan," I answered.
"Yeah, call Declan up, see if you can use his penthouse. Tell him the family would appreciate it, and that I'll compensate him for his inconvenience. I don't want anyone else there, though, Janson. This needs to be done quietly."
I nodded, and he continued, "Take your time. Convince her. Even then, that might not be enough." He chuckled. "Remember that time I came in with a black eye because she punched me? I wouldn't let her go to the junior high Halloween dance that year. Mom and Dad were out of town, and she hadn't finished her homework. She knows how to hit, I'll say that for her. Kathryn’s always been very assertive. You might just have to hogtie her in order to bring her back.“
He'd taken her under his wing early on, and she was his favorite. I watched his heart break as she left, thought she'd come back, but she didn't. Greyson must've been searching for her all this time.
"You think you can do this for me?" he asked.
“Of course, but I need a favor.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“I need you to send someone over to release Henry.” I cleared my throat.
“O’Caughlin?” he asked.
“Yeah, that’s the one,” I answered.
“Say no more.” He knew I’d been ordered, knew exactly what was going on. “You just do what you need to.”
I nodded. I understood exactly what he wanted.
I was to convince her, and then, if not, I was to steal her away.
I had a feeling it wasn't going to go over well at all.
Kathryn
I threaded my way through the sea of bodies and hazy mist of smoke in the little row house. The smell of marijuana, alcohol and shit I couldn't even identify was so suffocating that it was threatening my senses.
It was always like this. Every damn night. I couldn't remember a moment where I got any real peace in all of this shit. I couldn't sleep unless I was high or the music drowned out the noise.