InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hijacked Honeymoon ❯ Chapter 22

Hijacked Honeymoon

 

Chapter 22

 

“I've heard of powerful kisses, but not even yours should make the lights go out,” Kagome teased.

 

“Very funny.” Sesshomaru took her hand. “From here I can't tell if the whole neighbourhood is out or just your place.”

 

“The rest of the meal is done, so whatever the steak is ready we can eat.” She squeezed and released his hand. “I'll go find some candles.”

 

Sesshomaru surprised her by following her back inside. While she rummaged through the kitchen drawer, he peered at the neighbours who had also gone dark. His tone changed to serious. “With the electricity out, our monitoring equipment is dead.”

 

“Are you implying the electricity outage is not an accident?”

 

“It's a possibility we have to consider.” Sesshomaru stepped to the back porch to check the steaks. “They're done.”

 

She brought him a plate and he turned off the grill. “You think Hojo suspects that the Shey Group is watching me?”

 

“He may just be taking precautions. We'll still have warning if he decides to head out here. My cell phone is working.” He surveyed the table set for two, picked up his plate, his glass and his silverware and placed them back in the cabinet, leaving the table set for one.

 

“Aren't you staying?”

 

“Yes. But do you mind sharing? I may have to disappear fast and don't want to leave any clues behind that you haven't spent the day alone.”

 

“You think Hojo's coming over here, don't you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Her appetite disappeared. “You think he'll try to force me to leave?”

 

“It's too soon.” Sesshomaru must have heard the fear in her voice. Two steps within her small dining area and he had her back in his arms. She leaned into him, placed her cheek against his chest and just stayed there for a moment, feeling protected. Sesshomaru's presence steadied her. “Hojo hasn't had time to make elaborate plans.”

 

“So what would be the point in showing up here unexpectedly?”

 

“He hasn't lasted as long as he has as an undercover agent without being careful. He may be coming over to test you, to try and trick you, to see how you'll respond to him when you aren't prepared.”

 

“Okay. I can deal with that.”

 

Sesshomaru sat down and pulled her into his lap. “Anytime you want out—“

 

“I don't.”

 

“You can still change your mind.”

 

“I'm not. I just didn't expect—“

 

“Hojo is cunning. He's going to try and surprise you. he's devious and underhanded—but never stupid.”

 

Kagome listened to Sesshomaru, and although his words upset her, contradictorily. His presence soothed her. If she had to be bait, she'd rather play a more active role then sitting around and waiting for Hojo to make his move. But she supposed she didn't have much choice. As Sesshomaru had already told her, waiting was the worst part of any operation and she totally agreed. Her mind had too much time to ponder every thing that could go wrong. She had to just go with the flow. Besides, if she suddenly became assertive, Hojo would question her motives more the he already did.

 

“I haven't changed my mind. I'm okay. Sorry I was so shaky for a minute there.”

 

“It's okay to be afraid,” Sesshomaru told her. “You'd have to be an idiot not to be. Every good soldier who goes into battle is afraid. Fear is nature's way of revving our biological engines, of keeping the senses sharp and the muscles ready for fight or flight.”

 

“You're scared?” she asked, surprised that this dog of a man would admit such a thing.

 

“I'm terrified of losing you,” he admitted. “But that's what's going to keep me sharp and on my toes.”

 

“Actually on your toes isn't exactly where I want you,” she teased.

 

He grinned. Spanned her waist with his hands and gently set her back on her feet. “Don't tempt me. Now is not the time.”

 

She sighed. “Making love would be a great distraction.”

 

“Not if Hojo shows up,” he reminded her.

 

“I'm not arguing—just protesting. I suppose I should feed you…”

 

“But you're not hungry?” he guessed.

 

“Nerves.”

 

“Have a few bites and see if your stomach settles. You may find all that tension has left you starved but your body isn't reading the signals correctly.”

 

She didn't believe him. When he sliced a piece of steak and fed her with his fork, she forced herself to chew and swallow. While he took the next bite himself, she sipped a cola. To her surprise her stomach was already demanding more.

 

“Another bite?” he offered.

 

“Are you always right?”

 

He placed another morsel between her lips. “I've had a lot of experience.”

 

“So if you were Hojo, what would be your next move?” she asked as much to distract herself from the intimacy of the candlelit dinner as to prepare herself for what came next.

 

Sesshomaru's eyes twinkled. “If I were Hojo, I'd definitely seduce you. But since he seems inclined to distance himself from his targets, I'd say he wants to see if you'll go off alone with him.”

 

“And I'll protest a little and then agree, just like you instructed.”

 

“Don't worry. Our guys are the best. Try and get him to say ahead of time where he intends to take you. It's better if we arrive before him and stake out the place instead of tailing him. But even if he won't commit to a destination, we'll be there for you. We have boats, an airplane and a helicopter standing by. No matter how isolated you feel, you won't really be alone.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Reassuring me.”

 

Sesshomaru seemed to know exactly what to say to make her feel better. And yet sometimes she wondered if he, too, were playing with her. Oh, she didn't doubt his feelings for her. But as he said, he was experienced at these spy games. And she had no doubt he could be just as cunning and devious as Hojo.

 

Sesshomaru's cell phone rang. “Yeah? Understood.” He flipped the phone shut. “He'll be here within five minutes. Don't worry. While the electricity and monitoring devices are out, I'll hide in the closet.”

 

 

 

 

Sesshomaru suspected his close presence would help her deal better with Hojo. Under the circumstances, Kagome was doing remarkably well. She'd handled Hojo just right the first go around. Still, she was an amateur, and one mistake could put her live in jeopardy.

 

Despite Sesshomaru's proximity, Hojo could shoot her before Sesshomaru even had one whiff of suspicion she was in danger, in fact, if Sesshomaru hadn't believed that Hojo needed Kagome alive and if the stakes hadn't been enormous; he wouldn't have gone to Kincaid with her suggestion. It was difficult enough for experienced undercover agents who'd received arduous training to pull off this kind of deception, but for Kagome, who hadn't been taught how to deal with the strain and tension, it was much harder.

 

Even if he hadn't fallen in love with her, her trust in him and the Shey Group would have made him both proud and determined to keep her safe. With his feelings so strong he had to tamp down his emotions to do his job, but it wasn't easy. Before letting another woman grab his heart, he'd intended to discover beforehand if she was the kind of woman who could accept what he did for a living. But his feelings for Kagome had sneaked up on him. He had no idea what the future held for them, but no matter what happened between them, he meant to protect her with every fiber of his being.

 

As he climbed into the bedroom closet and left the door slightly cracked, he had a view of the living room and should be able to hear the conversation. He would have preferred to be closer, in the same room, but her living area had no hiding place. Settling against the back wall of the closet, he prepared to wait for long as necessary. His position wasn't comfortable, but Sesshomaru was accustomed to holding still for long periods of time if the job required it. And he could also extract himself soundlessly from the confines on the closet and close the distance to her within seconds.

 

However, it took less then a split second to throw a knife or pull a trigger. So although he made himself relax mentally, his muscles stayed tense, weapons ready if she needed him.

 

When Hojo knocked on the door, Kagome called out, “Who is it?” as if she had no idea who'd come calling. She really was good at undercover work, slipping into her role with the ease of a talented actress.

 

“It's me,” Hojo answered in a voice Sesshomaru would recognise anywhere. He had a way of pronouncing his words with extra clarity, no accent and a thread of hard undercurrents in his tone that made his diction unforgettable.

 

She unlocked the door, putting just the right amount of surprise in her tone. “Hojo?”

 

“I heard the electricity was out and came to check on you.” Hojo entered the house, sniffing at the steak dinner and the candlelit table set for one.

 

“That was thoughtful of you.”

 

“Steak potatoes? Isn't that heavy food for your dinner?”

 

Sesshomaru contained a groan, realizing that Kagome would have probably chosen pasta, fish or chicken for dinner. He also reminded himself that Hojo was a trained observer who depended on his instincts to survive. Luckily Kagome covered well.

 

“Mom loved steak and I thought I should use up what's in the freezer—especially with the electricity off for who knows how long.”

 

“It should be back on soon,” Hojo told her.

 

Did he come by that information from a phone call to the electric company or because he'd ordered the power turned back on? And if so, who had done hid dirty work, and could the Shey Group connect him to the deed? On second thought, Sesshomaru's people probably couldn't ask questions without revealing that they watching the FBI agent.

 

“Well, I'm glad you came,” Kagome told him as she scraped her plate and set the dishes in the sink. “Would you like some dinner? I could cook another steak on the grill.”

 

“No, thanks. I ate right before the electricity went out” he shrugged. “Good timing, I guess.”

 

Kagome filled the sink with soap and water. “I've been thinking about us, about getting to know each other better.”

 

“And?” Hojo came up behind her and spoke in her ear. Sesshomaru didn't like the other man advancing so close to her. If anything bad went down, it lowered Sesshomaru's chance of protecting her, but since he sensed no immediate danger, he just tensed, waited and listened.

 

At Hojo's sudden proximity, Kagome jumped a little but went on washing the dishes. “I wish we could spend more time together. You work all the time.”

 

“I'm right in the middle of several important investigations for the IRS. We're trying to prove money laundering, racketeering and a Mexican connection that comes through Texas.”

 

Hojo had told Kagome he worked as an accountant for the FBI. And in truth this was his genuine cover that the Bureau had established for him. But Alabama wasn't exactly a hotbed of big-time crime, and Sesshomaru figured Hojo had inveigled this assignment strictly for the purpose of meeting Ni Ru Higurashi's daughter—which seemed likely since Hojo had once been assigned to guard her father. The competent manner in which Hojo worked inside the FBI as a traitor infuriated Sesshomaru, almost as much as the way he played fast and loose with Kagome.

 

“But if we'd gotten married,” Kagome gently argued, “We would have been on our honeymoon and you wouldn't have been working.”

 

Hojo's tone sharpened. “We aren't on our honeymoon, are we?”

 

“My point was that since you'd planned to take off this week before, why can't you do so now? Kagome finished washing and drying the dishes and turned around, holding the dishcloth between her and Hojo like a shield.

 

With her body language projecting exactly the opposite of her words, Sesshomaru feared Hojo might sense something was wrong. But as if realizing her mistake, she tossed the dishrag aside, squared her shoulders and tipped up her chin as if ready to do battle.

 

Her tone was firm, insistent. “I want to spend more time together. And I can't do that when you're always working.”

 

“I'm here now. We could go for a drive,” Hojo suggested, his voice once again silky smooth.

 

Sesshomaru forced himself to breath. He didn't want them to leave. At least here in the house he could monitor the conversation and stay close. Once they went on the road and began to move, the operation would turn dicey. As a trained agent, Hojo would recognize any tail that came too close. They'd have to switch off pursuit cars with a frequency that took a lot of coordination and could allow for screwups, especially on short notice.

 

“With the traffic lights down, I'd prefer to stay here,” Kagome told him.

 

Good girl. She'd come up with the perfect answer, thinking fast on her feet and giving Hojo a reason to remain here that was difficult to counter.

 

“Seriously, couldn't you arrange to take off a few days?” Kagome persisted.

 

“I already told you that my work is at a delicate stage. Now is not a good time…”

 

she fisted her hands on her hips. “And when will be a good time?”

 

“I'm still saving my vacation for a wedding and honeymoon, but—“

 

“Oh, Hojo, you've just given me a terrific idea,” Kagome's voice echoed with exuberance.

 

Uh-oh. Sesshomaru had no idea what she was going to suggest. He had trouble getting past the wedding and honeymoon stuff with Hojo, but she hadn't mentioned any terrific plan to him. Whatever she was thinking, he wished she'd told him first. Clearly she was eager to force Hojo's hand. To get him to move on with his plan. Her idea of asking the man to spend more time with her might have accelerated the situation. But what was she up to? Sesshomaru's gut clenched as he waited to hear what she would say next.

 

“What?” Hojo sounded curious.

 

“Why don't we skip the wedding and do our honeymoon?” Kagome said blithely, as if unaware that to Sesshomaru her words would feel like a solid uppercut to the jaw.

 

What the hell was she thinking? Hojo and Kagome had been planning to honeymoon in Egypt.

 

Sesshomaru had told her not to leave the house with Hojo and now she wanted to leave the country? Was she out of her mind? Leaving the United States would put her in enormous danger. Not to mention that she was implying she wanted to make love to Hojo!

 

Sesshomaru's blood roared through his ears. He'd never expected her to do more then follow his directions, and he realized he'd lost control of the situation, something that seemed to happen all too often with Kagome. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he fought for calm.

 

Hojo's tone turned bitter. “I cancelled our hotel reservations.”

 

Hojo must be feigning disappointment. Sesshomaru understood he was simply pretending to object because Kagome had practically just delivered herself to him in handcuffs. But of course, if he seemed reluctant, Kagome might be all the more eager to go. She was too smart to fall for reverse psychology—though she would do so if got her what she wanted.

 

“So, we'll make new reservations. Our plane tickers can be changed, and if there's a charge for altering the dates, I'll pay for that,” Kagome offered. “Think, Hojo. This would be a chance to get away. To get to know each other much better.” When she reached out and ran her finger up and down Hojo's chest in a sensual gesture, Sesshomaru restrained a curse. He wanted to charge out of the closet and deck the other man.

 

Strict discipline kept him locket in place, barely breathing as he waited for Hojo's answer. The lights suddenly came back on, but Sesshomaru felt as if darkness was choking him.

 

Head spinning with doubts, anger and worry over Kagome actually leaving the country, Sesshomaru had difficulty steadying his thoughts. He forced air in through his nose and out though his mouth. Finally he reached a semblance of calm and concluded that once again he had let the green-eyed monster do a mega takeover inside his head.

 

Kagome hadn't so much as hugged Hojo. She hadn't kissed him. There was no sexuality between them at all. Sesshomaru had better keep his head on straight and bury those jealous thought. Kagome simply wanted this mission to be over and done. She'd told him so. And now she'd forced the issue.

 

And in truth, besides putting herself in danger, her plan wasn't all that bad. By forcing Hojo to make a move, they would know what he was doing and when. They could check out the Egyptian hotel ahead of their arrival. Plant a guide to take them to the sited, control the situation.

 

“Let me ask my boss for the time off and I'll see what I can do to parcel out my work.”

 

“That would be great.” Kagome ushered Hojo to the door and endured his oeck on her cheek. “I can be ready to leave as soon as you give me the word.”

 

As Sesshomaru watched her smoothly get rid of the man, he buried his jealously. She had enough to deal with without trying to reassure him. And deep in his heart he knew that she would never make love Hojo. She simply wasn't that kind of woman. Open and honest, Kagome didn't play coy games.

 

Sesshomaru trusted her to do what was right. And if things didn't work out between them, it wouldn't be because of Hojo. Her former fiancé had nothing to do with Sesshomaru's feelings for Kagome, or hers for Sesshomaru. If she and Sesshomaru didn't stay together, it would be because Kagome didn't love Sesshomaru. Nothing more. Nothing less.

 

As she locked the front door and Hojo's car pulled away, Sesshomaru stepped out of the closet. She ran to him, flung herself into his arms. Icy cold and shaking, she held on to him with a death grip. And if he needed proof that she needed him, he had it. “It's going to be okay.”