Ransom Ch. 06

"He's not doing anything." Kailee kept her expression blank.

Mira scoffed, "What do you mean he's not doing anything?"

Kailee changed gears angrily. "Leave it, Mira."

Mira looked like she wanted to say more, but kept her lips pursed. They both stayed silent for a few minutes and Mira relaxed back into her chair, the topic clearing from her mind. "So Jean Marc seems lovely," she eventually said, her tone light.

Kailee rolled her eyes; she was surprised Mira had waited this long to bring up the man's name. "Yes. He was very charming," she agreed nonchalantly.

Mira waited for her to continue. When she didn't, she gave her an incredulous look. "Oh, come on, Kailee! The guy was perfection in every way. Not even you can be that selective! Nadia told me she's sure he's going to ask you to be his date at the Grandeur this weekend."

"He did ask me." Kailee said casually.

"What!" Mira grabbed Kailee's arm so forcefully that she very nearly veered into the sidewalk. "Oh my gosh, what did you say?"

"I said 'no' of course."

Mira's excitement deflated instantly. "What do you mean you said no?"

"I mean, I politely declined his offer."

"But you don't have anyone else to go with, do you?"

"No. And that's precisely the way I'd like to keep it."

Mira frowned, "Oh, Kailee. The poor guy must have been devastated."

Kailee snorted. "Oh, please! Every girl there had her eyes on him. He won't have any issues finding another date." She pulled up into a parking bay near a small shopping centre.

Mira looked around in confusion. "Oh, why are we stopping?"

"I just need to duck in and get something. You wait here, I'll be back in five." She jumped out of the car before Mira had a chance to protest. The glass double doors opened as she approached and she ducked into the chemist on the right hand side. Thankfully there weren't many people around. She practically sprinted up to the counter, eager to get in and out as quickly as possible.

"Hi, can I help you?" The lady at the counter was middle-aged and motherly, a genuine smile on her face, which made Kailee feel slightly more comfortable about what she was there to do.

"Um, yeah," her eyes dropped to the floor. "I need the morning after pill."

***

By the time they arrived home, the sun had already set and Nathan had called twice to check up on them. Mira had insisted they stop in at the jewellers on the way home; she'd already bought earrings for the Grandeur Ball, but she wanted to be sure she'd made the right choice. Kailee had told her several times that the earrings she had were gorgeous, but Mira wasn't entirely satisfied with them. "I just want something that really stands out with my up-do," she'd said with a frown. Kailee honestly couldn't care less, but had nodded and tried to seem enthusiastic.

Now she sat in the kitchen with a large glass of white wine in front of her, anxiety clawing at her stomach. Anxiety, confusion, and even a touch of sadness, though she couldn't quite understand why. She heard footsteps and glanced up. Paul's eyes were bloodshot, which always happened when he'd been spending too much time looking at a computer screen. He was wearing the same as what he'd had on yesterday and his clothes were terribly creased. He looked surprised to see her sitting alone and pulled up a chair beside her.

"Hey, I thought you were hanging with Mira?"

She nodded, "I was. I think she's gone and passed out upstairs or something."

Paul smiled amusedly, "Lightweight." Kailee smiled back and sipped at her wine. "Everything okay?" he was watching her with concerned green eyes. She simply nodded back. "Look, Kailee..." he paused for a moment, trying to find words. "Nath has told me he's not looking for the guys who did this to you. He's also told me I'm not to do anything either. He's our older brother and I respect him."

Kailee nodded, "Paul, it's okay-"

He interrupted before she could finish her sentence. "But at the end of the day, I care about your safety. And if you want me to track them down, I will." His expression was dark and she realised he wanted her permission to hunt these guys down. Part of her badly wanted to see Dominic suffer, to be punished for what he'd done to her, but mostly she just wanted it to all be over.

"I think Nathan's right," she said firmly. "We should leave it."

Paul looked surprised at her answer, then shook his head in disappointment. "Okay, if that's what you want." He stood sulkily and walked around to the sink, filling a glass with tap water. He took a mouthful and then collected a small parcel that was sitting on the bench. "This arrived for you today," he handed it to her. "Must be an early birthday present."

"Oh," Kailee frowned. She rarely received birthday presents in the mail. Her relatives had always been distant and the last time she'd seen most of them had been her parents' funeral. She used her nails to tear the thick paper apart and pulled out a small velvet box. It was the kind used to hold jewellery. She flipped the lid open and then suddenly she was falling backwards off her chair.

"Shit, Kailee!" Paul quickly ran to her side, holding her upright. "Are you okay?"

Kailee breathed. Hard. "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy spell."

Paul bent down to collect the velvet box which had fallen from her fingers and landed on the ground. He examined the contents and frowned, "How funny, it looks just like the necklace Mum used to wear. The same heart pendant and everything." That's because it was the same necklace. Kailee's heart pounded ferociously in her chest.

"Oh, there's a tiny card in here, too," he pulled out a small piece of white card. Kailee snatched it from him and stared at the words, the colour draining from her face.

Soon x

"Paul," she looked up at her brother and tried to keep her expression neutral. "I changed my mind. I want you to find out as much about Dominic as you can."

***

"That's great news, Mr Jamieson, I look forward to seeing you on Monday." Nathan wrapped up the conversation with one of his clients. It was getting late and Paul had been on his case about making calls after business hours. His office door creaked open and Nathan looked up to see Mira in the doorway, her straightened hair now in soft, thick waves past her shoulders. He hung up the phone and turned his attention to her.

"Mira," he said uncertainly, "I wasn't expecting you." She started walking towards him, her expression unreadable. "I wanted to ask you about Kailee. Did she seem okay today?" Mira still didn't respond; instead, she approached him headstrong. Nathan opened his mouth to speak again, but Mira's hand came down hard against his cheek. The contact made a loud clapping sound and he felt an instant stinging sensation. He stood suddenly, eyes wide. "What the hell, Mira!"

"YOU!" she yelled at him, her eyes sparkling with ferocity, "I can't believe you're not tracking down Kailee's kidnappers! She's your sister for crying out loud!" she lifted her hand to strike him again, but Nathan took a firm hold of her wrist and pushed her back against the wall behind them, causing her to let out a tiny "oomph". He caught a whiff of alcohol on her breath and shook his head in disapproval.

"You're drunk."

"Don't change the subject." She became awfully bossy when she had alcohol in her system, he noticed. She even looked beautiful when she frowned, her eyes a sexy stormy blue and her glossed lips full and pouty. "Why haven't you called the police? I don't care how you know these people, they need to be behind bars!"

"Sit down!" Nathan growled at her and released her wrists, motioning towards the chair across from his desk. Mira huffed, but took a seat anyway. She flattened out her singlet which had crumpled slightly, and brushed her long hair over her left shoulder. Nathan sat back into his own chair. "Now, I'll tell you the same thing I told Paul. Their vendetta was against me. They were angry at me. It's over now."

"It doesn't matter," Mira argued, "Kailee could have been harmed! That's your sister, Nath." She shook her head at him angrily.

Nathan let out a heavy sigh. "Look, Mira, I know these guys. Jakob has a kind heart and wouldn't have let anything happen to her. I'm sure Dominic would have been leading the whole operation and, although he's a hard man, he wouldn't have touched her. I dare say she would have drove him up the wall with her attitude though." The right side of his mouth twitched into a light half smile. "The point is, it's over. As much as I want to kick the shit out of the both of them, it will just cause more dramas for all of us and we've been through enough." He let out a slow breath. "So are we okay now?"

Mira bit her bottom lip, her expression frustrated. "It's just that Kailee seems so distant lately. You're certain they wouldn't have hurt her?"

"I'm positive. Trust me, if I thought otherwise I'd be out there demanding blood."

Mira nodded slowly. "Okay." Her features softened, evident relief washing over her. Then she scrunched up her nose guiltily, "I'm sorry for slapping you."

Nathan smirked, she was the most well-mannered woman he'd ever met. "I'll live."

There was a moment of awkward silence between them and Mira looked down at her hands, then pushed her chair back, making to leave. "Wait, Mira... " Nathan stood suddenly, he couldn't bear to see her go, not yet. She looked up at him, her eyebrows raised, waiting for him to speak.

He walked around the desk, coming to stand in front of her small frame. She was angelic in every way. "I'm sorry about what I said the other night." He paused, trying to find the words to continue. Mira simply stared at him, waiting. "I don't think you're inexperienced," he looked her straight in the eyes, "I think you're intelligent, kind hearted, and gorgeous."

Mira's eyes fell to the floor shyly. "Nathan... "

He caught her chin lightly with his fingertips and gently lifted her gaze to his. "Come to the Grandeur with me tomorrow."

She frowned slightly. "I already told Carl I'd go with him."

Nathan felt a pang of jealousy and anger run through him. Like hell she was going to the ball with a Duchenne. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and slowly began pulling her into him. If she wanted to pull away, he'd let her. But she fell into him without any reluctance at all. Perhaps it was the alcohol making her so willing, but he didn't care. He brought her soft body up against his own built one and he could feel the quick pounding of her heartbeat against his chest. He breathed in the scent of her sweet, floral perfume and then slowly dipped his head down, bringing his lips agonisingly close to hers. Mira's eyes fluttered closed in hesitation as his mouth continued to hover. "Tell him you changed your mind," he whispered. "That you're going with someone else."

"Mmmm..." Mira's eyes remained closed, her head tilting upward, anticipating the touch of his lips. He didn't leave her waiting. He gently kissed her at first, teasing her lips with his. She moaned softly, her lips parting and allowing him to explore her mouth sensually with his tongue. He could taste champagne on her breath and deepened the kiss further. Her body leaned into him and he wrapped his arms protectively around her, kissing more and more forcefully. Her hands clenched at his shirt, drawing him as close to her as she could; it seemed as though their bodies couldn't get close enough. Wanting more, he broke the kiss, bent his knees and grabbed her by the hips, collecting her up into his arms. Mira let out a tiny exclamation of surprise before wrapping her legs around his waist and running her fingertips through his hair. Nathan looked at the goddess of a girl in his arms and couldn't help but smile in appreciation. He turned on the spot and began carrying her towards the adjoining door which led to his bedroom. "Where are you...? Oh!" Mira jumped slightly in his arms as he used his right leg to push the door open.

The room was dark aside from the bedside lamp which dimly lit the bedspread. Nathan carefully lowered Mira onto the mattress and she let her legs drop from his waist, self-consciously tugging at the hem of her skirt which had started to slide up her thighs. He couldn't help but smile at her innocence. She looked up at him nervously from the flat of her back. Her cheeks were flushed, most likely a combined result of the kissing and her bashfulness. His lust grew at the sight of her, lying on the bed waiting for him. Slowly he joined her, placing his knees on either side of her hips before leaning down to kiss her again. Her gentle hands found his lower back and, hesitantly, she started untucking his shirt. He reached behind him, caressing her hands before taking hold of the material and drawing his shirt over his head. He tossed it onto the floor and turned back to find Mira drinking in the view of his bare chest. Her fingertips brushed over his abdominal muscles and he felt his dick pulse in response. Mira must have felt it too, because her eyes widened slightly and her fingers suddenly stopped moving.

"Nathan... " her voice was barely a whisper and he saw a flash of uncertainty in her eyes.

"What is it?" He brushed a lock of blonde hair back from her face.

She bit her lip shyly. "I'm nervous."

Nathan cupped her face in his hands and shook his head in amazement at the loveliness of her. "You're safe with me," he said softly. "I promise I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to."

She smiled lightly and brought her hands to fall atop his. "I know, I trust you."

They lay there for a moment, staring at one another and he could still feel her heavy heartbeat against his torso. Then, slowly he started to shift down the bed, his hands softly tracing her sides as he moved, caressing her waist, her hips, and then her legs. He could hear her soft, relaxed exhales as she responded to his touch. Her skirt was already high up on her thighs from their movement, and now he started to gently slide the material higher, carefully watching her face for any objections. Her eyes watched him curiously, her lips slightly parted and he didn't break eye contact with her as her skirt was lifted up to her waist.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," he said with sincerity. She nodded her understanding and then his fingers found the hemline of her cotton underwear. He drew the material down and she slightly raised her hips to allow him to fully remove them. His lips traced her thighs and calves as the underwear was trailed down to her ankles, over her feet and onto the carpet. Mira's legs stayed together, her body slightly tensed at the sense of being exposed. Rather than remove his own pants, Nathan moved to lie next to her, gently rolling her onto her side and nestling in behind her. She looked back at him, confused, and he softly brushed her neck with his lips. He brought his arm around her and traced her upper leg with his fingertips, then moved his hand gently between her legs. He was relieved to find her already wet; as his forefinger gently touched her, she let out a deep sigh and her legs relaxed, parting ever so slightly. He traced slow circles around her clitoris, drawing more and more sighs from her and when he moved his finger inside her, she moaned loudly and ground her ass into his groin. He wanted nothing more than to fuck her sensually right then, but this was Mira. And she deserved to be treated like a queen.

Nathan's fingers continued to tantalise her, and as he teased, she dampened further. He loved the feel and the smell of her as she coiled in his arms, opening her legs wider to give him more room to move. While his finger delved deeper, his thumb continued to rub against her clitoris. She began squirming in his arms, the pleasure overwhelming her. She rolled onto her back, her desperate eyes capturing his as his fingers continued their torture. Her legs began to roll about, while she struggled to contain the sensations. Nathan caught one of her legs with his own, pinning it to the bed and making her still.

"Nathan..." she breathed, her voice high and strained.

"I've got you," he murmured in her ear. He slipped another finger inside her and increased the pace of his hand. The combined sounds of his fingers dipping inside her with the heightening of her moans caused his erection to further strain against his pants. Mira's back arched and her mouth opened wide as her orgasm hit. Nathan caught her open mouth with a passionate kiss and allowed his fingers to gradually slow. She pulsed around his fingertips and her body tensed and relaxed as wave after wave rolled over her. As he kissed her she let out tiny, blissful moans, coming down from her climax. He gently slid his fingers out of her and pulled her tighter into him.

"You are so beautiful," he coaxed in between kisses. She smiled sleepily and let her head nestle into his chest. He collected the blanket from the end of the bed and brought it over their bodies, his arm wrapping protectively around her. He listened to her breaths as they slowed into slumber, and then he too allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.

***

Kailee fingered the heart pendant, tracing the curved edges. She'd watched that necklace wash down the drain the first day of her entrapment. How had he managed to get it back? Perhaps he'd just bought a new necklace, it wasn't hard to find a heart pendant. Yet, it was the same size, the same weight, and the clasp was perfectly intact.

Her head was pounding. She'd consumed a good three quarters of a bottle of wine last night. Paul had been suspicious as soon as he saw the card, but Kailee had brushed it off and said it was likely Jean Marc, her newfound admirer who had sent her the gift.

"Seems a little eager for someone who's only just met you," he'd said, not entirely convinced.

Kailee felt terror in the pit of her stomach. The note had said 'Soon'. Did this mean Dominic was going to come after her? Or was this just his way of scaring her, of making her pay for shooting him? She'd asked Paul to find out where he lived, where he worked, what events he attended. But she'd made it perfectly clear he wasn't to take any action.

"Kailee, we're leaving in five!" Mira's voice travelled up the stairwell.

She stood and faced the full length mirror. She had chosen the dress out months before, a full length black and red gown with small loose straps that sat off the shoulder, a slight dip at the chest to show just a hint of cleavage and a daring back that dropped all the way to her hip bones. It accentuated her slight waist and the curve of her hips, while still maintaining elegance. She'd scooped her hair up nicely, with the exception of a few dark strands which fell in soft waves down her perfectly made up face. Anyone who saw her tonight would never tell she was a wreck of nerves inside. She looked down at the necklace in her palm. Part of her wanted to get rid of it now that it was associated with Dominic, but it was her mother's necklace. She wouldn't let him take that memory away from her. She brought the chain around her neck and did the tiny clasp at the back. The little heart sat perfectly above the dip in the dress.

"Kailee!" Mira's voice rang out again.

Kailee took a deep breath and then made her way out to join the others. Mira looked beautiful in a deep blue gown with lace detail; it was a modest and classic look that suited her well. Her brothers were both in black tuxedos and Nathan wore a dark blue tie to match Mira's dress. As she descended the stairs she noticed Nathan place a gentle kiss on the tip of Mira's nose and she couldn't help but smile. She was still angry at her brother - she was positive he was withholding some major details from her - but these were two good people who deserved to be together and she was happy for them. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Paul came to her side and collected her arm in his. He gave her a peck on the cheek and then spoke in a low tone so only she could hear, "His full name is Dominic Malikov and he won't be at the ball tonight."