Kats Rescues Ch. 05

"Fine I'm the innocent little rich girl, but I'm not so gullible that I forgot what you all were saying about Households and grace periods before you're artful diversion," I stared at Ash who only winked unrepentantly.

"Normally you would have either purchased an entire Household at once or only a few key positions that would integrate with your other regular staff or your previously established Household," Nia answered.

"Yes we are both a slightly large group or a very small one considering that you don't have any other normal servants," Ash continued.

"Also with all your legal and money troubles with your family I'm concerned that both my brother and I might not be able to devote all the attention needed to everything," Surya added to which Soma nodded in agreement.

"I wish we could get her a Shadow," Soma said almost too quietly to see.

"They won't sell one to a new client, she won't be eligible for one for a year," Ash said almost sadly like he too wished I could have one.

"What's a Shadow?" I said assuming it was a person considering it was offered by the Organization.

"It's basically a ninja that you buy as an extra layer of unseen security," Soma stated with awe tinting his words.

"Ok well that sounds cool but why don't they let new members buy them?" I looked at everyone around the table but everyone was concentrating on their dessert, the kitchen filled with the tense sound of silver on crystal. I tried to catch anyone's eye but they were concentrating down, not even exchanging looks between each other. It made me so mad I wanted to flip the table. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down, "If you don't want to tell me or can't just say so," I said through gritted teeth.

Ash sighed and placed his spoon down, he took a few deep breaths and then looked up at me with total seriousness, "Shadows are capable of taking down large corporations and small governments singlehandedly," the twins tried to interrupt but Ash just raised his hands and kept his eyes on mine. "The Organization won't give you any tools that can be used against them until they're sure you won't," he took a breath and looked away from me before continuing, "The thing is you're rich but not powerful, with just our help we'll probably be able to make you both. The fact that none of us are sterilized is both a good sign and a bad one in their eyes.

"On one hand you might want to have children and you're certainly not going to endanger the father of your child by attempting disloyalty," he couldn't keep the eye contact, "One the other hand it's a bit of a red flag that you might be too sympathetic to our perceived plight and that might make you try to do something against the Organization and at that point it's Shadows that they'll send for us. For us repossession," Nia pushed her bowl away at that, "for you, well they'd probably make sure your family could solve the Organizations problem for them after absorbing most of your fortune." I felt sick. I didn't think I'd even subconsciously thought about trying to betray the Organization but I know I never would now.

"The only thing safe from Shadows are other Shadows. I think we'll be able to make a case for you being eligible for one if this issue with your family persists after the year," Ash finished and downed the rest of the wine in his glass.

"Why in the hell would I want one?" I was mostly appalled at the idea of having a murderer as a part of my staff, I couldn't think of them as part of my Household.

"Because you want all of us to be as safe as we could possibly be," Surya answered.

"Most patrons don't even qualify for them but those that do are untouchable, their entire Households are," Soma finished.

"Ok so why didn't anyone want to tell me any of this, what was the big deal?" the information was heavy but not particularly dangerous that I could tell.

"We're not supposed to talk about ways you might circumvent the Organization. What if you had been thinking to betray them and we just told you you'd be able to with a Shadow, which you only have to wait a year and you could buy?" Nia asked quietly contributing to the conversation for the first time. I could see her point too. I almost felt ashamed that I was too much of a coward to have considered betraying the Organization.

"Am I a horrible person that I was too happy to have you all and too scared of the consequences to consider trying to betray the Organization?" I asked staring at a perfect dollop of cream slide down the side of a strawberry.

"No, that's exactly what they want you to feel," Nia said with resignation.

"Truthfully, my love, it's for the best," Ash said with sincerity, "Let us continue to work within the benevolent umbrella of your high membership status, let the Organization be the weapon we use to topple your family and secure your future."

"There are other patrons like you who really need what the Organization has to offer and have nowhere else to turn, think of them if your conscience starts to whisper that you need to take some action," Nia said, making sure to catch and keep my eyes until she was satisfied with what she saw there.

"Ok no more talk of grisly death and the end of our family before it even starts," Ash stated definitively, "I can't believe we all ate this dessert completely devoid of sexual innuendo or teasing, what a waste," everyone chuckled, thankful for the break from heavy topics. Nia gathered everyones dishes as Ash gathered the rest of the dessert fixings and returned them to the fridge. I still felt unsettled that the security I'd barely had time to appreciate could be stolen so easily. I grabbed the hand of each twin that was closest to me and used them to pull them closer, they took the unsubtle hint and cuddled close sandwiching me between them.

"Do we want to watch a movie or are we tired?" I asked the room. The twins immediately agreed but Nia and Ash seemed to confer quietly at the sink for a moment before Ash answered.

"Actually love, Nichelle and I still have a bit of work to do on the Organization order so we can get everything we need as soon as possible, and after that I am turning in, rain check?" he asked and he did seem tired. I smiled at him.

"Of course, Nia you going to bed when you're done or should we wait for you?" I turned my head so I could receive the kiss Ash was bending to press to my cheek.

"Don't wait up for me, I'm going to start making sure you are digitally secure after we get the order finalized," she bent and kissed me quickly on the lips before waving to the twins as she headed over to where Ash was waiting for her.

"So since it's just us do you want to stay down here, or we could go to the movie room though it can get cold down there if no one's been in the basement all day?" I looked up at Soma and leaned my head against Suryas shoulder.

"Why don't you get some comfy pajamas and have a sleepover in their room?" Ash said from across the room before just turning around to head upstairs Nia waggled her eyebrows in an exaggerated gesture I took as approval, before following. The twins rolled their eyes in unison but looked at me to see my answer. I felt my face flame, one of my boyfriends, who I just slept with, encouraged me to sleep with my two others while my girlfriend watched. How is this my life? I covered my face with my hands and groaned.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," with my hands over my eyes and his voice so carefully neutral I actually couldn't tell who had spoken but I thought it was Soma from the direction.

"It's not that, it's just that I don't know how I got to this situation, today feels so unreal. I feel like any second someone's going to say everything was a joke or a prank, or I'll wake up and all of you will have been a dream," I was rambling again, apparently a problem for me when I tried to talk to other people. The shoulders on either side of me shook with laughter.

"Well glad as we are to be considered a dream come true," "this is all real including the part where we'll be with you for life," I lowered my hands and looked up at them, their smiling eyes twinkled at me.

"Fine, give me about fifteen minutes to brush my teeth and stuff and I'll come over," mirrored dimples flashed at me before the twins jumped up and raced off with the exuberance of much younger boys. "I'm picking the movie," I yelled up after them causing them both to laugh out loud.