Jared said, with all seriousness in the same tone that someone might use to ask if he took sugar in his coffee, “Actually, no. She only likes being bossed around when she’s in bed and totally na**d.”

As Collins stood there with his mouth bopping open and closed, I buried my face into Jared’s chest and let out a silent laugh. The bloke was a total prude, and Jared knew it.

Jared leaned in closer to him, speaking quietly. “Personally, I blame the Fifty Shades trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, using the tie and the silver balls on her was a lot of fun. But, frankly, the leather crop and the cane make me a little uncomfortable. Still, if that’s what makes her happy…” He let the sentence trail, shrugging.

I risked a glance at Collins to see that his cheeks had turned crimson. Eloise was curling her upper lip at me, the picture of bitterness.

Clearly uncomfortable and itching to get away, Collins said, “Oh, I think Antonio’s signalling for me to return to the table.”

“Shame,” sighed Jared. “Well, I guess you better go.”

He couldn’t seem to get away fast enough. After shooting me one last snarl and flicking her mane over her shoulder in a dismissive gesture, Eloise followed him.

Peeking up at Jared, I smiled. “He really has no idea who he’s messing with, does he?” Thinking he could outwit Jared was just plain dumb. “I almost feel sorry for him.”

Jared just shrugged. “I’m not interested in him. I’m interested in finding out what Ava bought you. Her mischievous smile has me intrigued.”

Same here. “All right, let’s go.”

“But if there’s a crop in there, it’s going to be a hard limit for me – just so you know.”

I could only laugh at the prat.

Chapter Eight

(Sam)

Some people seemed to have a talent for making you want to strip them na**d, lather them in fish guts, and throw them into a pool full of hungry piranhas. Fredrick Collins was one of those people. Sitting at my office desk with Dexter curled up on the table beside my laptop, I pointedly ignored Collins as he hovered over me while I again surfed the V-Net for information on The Call.

When I’d agreed to fully cooperate with him, I hadn’t realised just how much of a pain in the arse he was going to be. Every training session, he watched and took notes the whole time. Every session, he was full of questions, despite that he didn’t need to know the answers to most of those questions. And every session, he repeatedly attempted to undermine me and persisted in criticising me. For someone who was there to ‘observe’, he had an awful lot to bloody say for himself. For God’s sake, he even criticised the clothes I wore – suggesting that a tank top was revealing and, therefore, would tease and distract the squad. Was he having a laugh?

It hurt – really hurt – to refrain from whipping the living crap out of both him and Eloise, but I had promised myself that I would be on my best behaviour. The fact was that having people so closely ‘observe’ the sessions and see how the squad worked was actually dangerous; it was information that could be used against us if it ended up in the wrong hands. Although he and Eloise had signed a confidentiality agreement in blood to the effect that they would never share it with anyone other than those within the Prelature, neither Jared nor I was reassured by that.

As such, we had secretly instructed the squad to not use their full strength, to not allow Collins and Eloise to see just all of what they could do and just how well they could truly do it. We had also reduced training hours and given the squad longer breaks, thus giving Collins and Eloise less to ‘observe’ and write about.

But a big issue was that Collins didn’t just observe training. He regularly examined my office, he watched over me as I worked at my desk, he asked to read my reports, and he also liked to witness my interactions with other commanders. In other words, he had become my shadow. And it was getting to the point where I was ready to smash his face into a wall. Or maybe I could just let Dexter bite him. Strongly linked to my emotions, Dexter could sense what Collins made me feel, and my snake was utterly pissed whenever he was around. In fact, he had hissed at Collins three times in the past half hour. He perceived him as a threat, and Dexter liked to eliminate threats. It was so very tempting to let him.

Although she didn’t hang around me like a bad smell, Eloise was just as much of an annoyance as Collins. She accused me of stupid crap like being too firm with the squad, though other times she would complain that I was being too lenient. She also accused me of being ‘too friendly’ with the squad, though it was clear she was insinuating that I was flirtatious – and wasn’t that the pot calling the kettle black. She even went as far as to imply that I was flirting with the squad to make Jared jealous, obviously attempting to create tension between us. It hadn’t worked, of course, which seemed to be irritating the crap out of her. Good.

When she wasn’t with Collins, she was lounging near the bat pool like she was on bloody holiday or something. When she was with Collins, she divided that time between nit-picking at me and staring lustfully at Jared…making me want to rag out every strand of that mane she seemed to love. She persisted in wearing low-cut tops and cut-off shorts. Collins had suggested a number of times that she change into ‘more appropriate clothing’, but his suggestions had been ignored.

She flirted so much with Jared that even Joy was pissed with her. I’d actually come across them arguing a few evenings’ ago. Joy had ripped her a new one and then winked at me conspiratorially. When I’d mentioned it to Jared, he’d informed me that Joy particularly hated Eloise as Joy had been his consort during the time that he had bonked the bitch. In Joy’s weird little mind, Eloise had made Jared cheat on her. Her weird little mind also saw me as the lesser evil in this case. Well, whatever.

One thing Jared was extremely good at was sussing out a person’s strengths and weaknesses. He had pointed out that both Collins and Eloise had one very big fault: they thought that they were untouchable. So silly of them. If they continued as they were, they would quickly learn that things didn’t work that way…because I made sure they didn’t.

Leaving my side – finally – Collins popped his head out of the door. “Fletcher, could you please fetch me a”

“I work for Sam and Jared. Unless the request comes from them, the answer is no.”

I smiled. Oh God, I loved Fletcher. He was just as pissed off with Collins as everyone else was. The bloke was truly talented at alienating people and making enemies.

Collins stuttered, “Y-yes, but”

“After all, what kind of assistant would I be if I spent my time doing things for others? There’s a NST dispensing machine in the corner of the hallway.” Judging by the clicking sounds, Fletcher had immediately gone back to typing. Disssssssmissed.

Sighing in disappointment, Collins perched himself on the edge of my desk again. “I’ve yet to see the squad’s personal files.”

Was he high? Incredulous, I asked, “Why would you see their files?”

“I need every scrap of information to complete my report.”

“But that doesn’t include their files.” And he had some nerve to ask for them.

He gave me an impatient look. “I’m here to observe you as their commander.”

“Appreciated,” I said slowly, like I was dealing with a small child, “but their personal files have no bearing on that.” He was just being a nosy bastard because he was freakily obsessed with the squad.

“On the contrary, I need to see that you keep the files updated – that you properly record the squad’s progress.” His snippy tone earned him a hiss from Dexter. As usual, Collins flinched at the sound.

“Well you’ll just have to take my word for it when I say that I do.” Planning to head back to the arena now that lunch break was over, I switched off my laptop and spread out my arm beside Dexter. Without hesitation, he began to curl himself around it.

Collins folded his arms, glaring down at me disdainfully. Pompous prick. “You have to cooperate with this investigation, Commander Parker.”

“I have, and I will continue to do so. But I will not disclose personal information about anyone without their expressed permission. Now, if the squad agree to you seeing their files – well, that’s different.” As Dexter finished winding himself around my arm, I said, “Novo,” returning him to his tattoo form. Only then did I move my attention back to Collins. “Ask them. If they agree, I’ll make their files available.” But hell would freeze over before the squad would agree to that, and he knew it.

“I could always call my superiors and have them”

“Do what you feel you need to do, Mr Collins. But don’t ever think that threatening me with anyone or anything will get you what you want. Your big, bad displays of authority are wasted on me. As you yourself said, I’m ‘reckless’.”

He flushed. “I would recommend that you do not make an enemy of me, Commander Parker.” His cautioning tone was severe, almost threatening. “As your observer here, it is in my hands whether or not you keep your position.”

I leaned forward. “Yeah? Well observe me pretend to give a rat’s arse.” With that, I stood and made my way around the desk, my head held high. Exiting the office, I waved briefly at Fletcher – who, clearly having heard the conversation, was keeled over with laughter – and advanced down the hallway. Unfortunately, Collins shadowed me as per bloody usual.

“Where are you going?” he asked, remaining slightly behind me.

“Lunch time is over. I’m returning to the arena.”

“What about Commander Michaels?”

“He’ll be meeting me there.” Jared had wanted to pay Evan a brief visit. It was something he did too often in my opinion, and each time he came out of there he was even more devastated than the last time. A part of me wanted to tell him to stop going to the cell and doing this to himself, but I understood why he did it. I also understood that the reason he went without me was that he didn’t believe he deserved my support. He was blaming himself to some degree, and nothing anyone said would shift his opinion on that.

“It was strange that he didn’t have lunch with you this evening.”

“Was it?” I kept my tone bored, ignoring what was clearly a prompt for information on what Jared had been doing.

“Usually you’re both joined at the hip.” His voice was sharp, almost bitter.

“No need to be jealous, Mr Collins.”

He spluttered. “I am not jealous! Quite frankly, Commander Parker, you are not someone who I could permanently tolerate on a daily basis. You’re simply too aggravating.”

“Why, thank you. But I wasn’t implying that you want me, I was implying that you have a little thing for Jared.” In truth, the only emotions he ever felt around Jared were jealousy, bitterness, and hatred. There was never desire there, but I liked to needle him. Tit for tat, right?

“I beg your pardon!”

“Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who wants him. And I can totally understand.”

“I do not want your mate! I do not even enjoy his company. And if you must know, I am one hundred percent heterosexual.”

Without turning to look at him, I wagged a finger. “Now, now, there’s really no need to lie.”

“I am not lying,” he stated through his teeth, his temper rising.

“Sure you are.”

“How dare you! That is a very”

I stopped dead and twirled to face him, almost causing him to crash into me. “Oh, so you don’t like it when someone makes incorrect judgements about you? Join the f**king club.”

He didn’t say another word as he followed me inside the arena, which was a very good decision on his part. Inside, Jared and the squad were waiting. A scantily dressed Eloise was already seated in the spectators’ area. Strangely, she was also completely still. Only her eyes were moving, and they were gleaming with panic. Realisation hit me, and I sighed at Harvey, shaking my head.

Shrugging, he released her of his gift. “It was just a demonstration. They’re both constantly asking for them.” No, it was his way of cheesing her off. The squad was getting sick of Collins and Eloise watching them like it was a show and they were performing seals.

Jared smiled at me, but his eyes were troubled, bruised. “Hey. You ready?”

You sure you’re up for this? If you need some time alone after seeing Evan, go home and I’ll be up in a little while.

Thanks, baby, but I’d rather be with you. Plus, I need to keep my mind on something else.

Accepting his wishes despite my reservations, I switched my attention to the squad. Having worked on their physical stamina earlier, we intended to now work on their gifts. As usual, they enthusiastically rose to every challenge, but they cleverly faked limitations or difficulties that they didn’t have, ensuring that the information that went to the Prelature wasn’t accurate enough to be used against us.

As usual, Collins repeatedly interrupted the session to ask questions such as, “Is it really important that they always suck in their surrounding energy?”, “Are they punished if they do not do it?”, and “Do they enjoy doing these exercises despite that they can harm each other?” His most annoying question came at the end of the session: “Are they rewarded when they overcome their weaknesses, or is this the strongest that the squad will ever get?”

“This squad is not weak, Mr Collins. The members are simply stronger in some areas than they are in others.” He flushed.