I don't know what I was expecting out of Mick's place, but I've gotta say, I was surprised when I took in his loft. Don't get me wrong, it was nice and all, and for an added bonus, it was clean. So, I guess all bachelors aren't hopeless slobs. Jack instantly came to my mind. Sorry, honey, I mentally apologized. Okay, so yeah, Mick's place was clean. Heck, it was even trendy and seemed to have all the amenities. Still, and I know that this might have been corny on my part, but I couldn't help but think it lacked a kind of warmth and coziness that I would have expected from a man like Mick St. John. It was cool, but hardly homey, you know?
"Nice digs," I offered, not about to voic my opinions. I mean, what was I? The editor of Home and Style? "Lived here long?" I couldn't help but notice that there were no pictures, no personal knick-knacks, nothing to suggest a 'home.' Mick resided here, but his heart wasn't here.
"A while, yes." Mick smiled at me, that comfortable, reassuring quality about him at odds with the stylish, somewhat sterile environment. Still, it did have one awesome view, that was for sure. "Is there anything-"
"Um, can I use your bathroom?" The sprite had really caught up to me on the ride over, and the last twenty minutes in the car had been a real treat, let me tell you. He gestured up the stairs, and I made a mad dash, not caring if I looked like a dork or not.
As I was washing up, I looked around. Boy, the big shower sure looked tempting. I knew I probably smelled since I hadn't put on deodorant lately, and sweating like a pig doesn't do wonders for your personal fragrance. If it was true vampires had keener senses than the average person, then poor Mick must have been having a good day all the way around. Did Mick have a washer and dryer? My clothes were ripe; I didn't exactly want to slip them back on. That'd kind of defeat the purpose.
There was a knock downstairs, and I froze up. I kept seeing flashes of the craziness at the safe house, and for a second, I was one step away from panic mode. I shook my head, forcing myself to get a grip. I mean, vamp or no vamp, Mick was way too hot to have no life, so it was kind of a big duh that he'd have company once in a while. Still, I peeked out my head cautiously, tensing to run if I had to.
Mick strolled over to the door, his posture casual. Still, I noticed he had one handon the gun shoved into his waistband. After checking what appeared to be a webcam, he let his hand drop. He didn't hesitate at all when he swung the door open wide.
Obviously,since his back was to me, I couldn't see his expression, but his voice was friendly enough. "Hey, thanks man. I appreciate it."
I edged out of the doorway, hoping for a better look at the mystery arrival. It was some guy in an expensive suit. Armani maybe? Gee, there's a lead, I told myself.
The guy brushed past Mick, handing him a bag. "Well, you were a little vague on the size, but these should do."
"Sorry, I'll measure her next time," Mick shot back sarcastically. But since he'd turned around, I could see he was smiling. "Look, like I told you, as long as they're comfortable, they'll be fine."
I decided these two must know each other, there was just that vibe, you know? Like when you've known somebody forever. Whoever this stranger was, he was comfortable in Mick's space, and Mick was comfortable with having him in his space. Was he a vampire too? He was younger looking than Mick, almost boyish, with clean-cut looks, and a polished thing going on. Romance was the last thing on my mind believe me, but it's a little humbling being all gross in the same apartment as two hunks.
"I'm Josef, by the way." Mick's friend didn't even bother turning around and looking up at me when he introduced himself. Mick glanced up, but didn't really seem all that surprised that I was standing there. What, could they smell me or something? Then again, with all those gallons of sweat my body let loose today, maybe that wasn't even a vampire thing. Of course, they might just be tough to surprise, or they could have caught me moving out of the corner of their eye.
"Josef's an old buddy of mine," Mick explained as I started my way down the stairs. "Josef, this is Leni Hayes."
"I gathered," he said dryly. "It's not exactly like this place is crawling with women. A shame, really. I might come by more often."
The comment confirmed my formed suspicion that Mick wasn't exactly a himbo type. "Nice to meet you," I offered up, a kind of automatic response.
Something about the way this Josef character was staring at me made me feel uncomfortable. No, he wasn't leering at me, not like he would be, if I looked as bad as I probably smelled. I mean, excuse the hell out of me. How many chicks come out of hiking in the desert looking like beauty queens? Not to mention the last 24 hours have been one big stress fest overall. All the same, he wasn't looking at me like I crawled out from under a rock, either. That would have been understandable. No, his dark eyes were coolly appraising me, sizing me up like I was on some kind of auction block.
Mick noticed it too, because he shot Josef a 'knock it off' look. "I just had Josef bring you over some clothes." He offered them to me.
"Thanks," I said, making it a blanket comment.
"Thank Mina," Josef informed me. "She was the only one of my girls that owned any sweats."
"Girls?" I questioned, feeling one of my eyebrows go up. Somehow, I doubted he had any daughters old enough to my age. Mara's age would have been stretching it.
"My employees." The two words were loaded with suggestion, and Mick rolled his eyes like he was appealing to a higher power. "Mick called me, and told me that he needed a change of clothes for a friend of the feminine persuasion. He pegged your height correctly, but the sweats will be a little loose because of the limited selection. My associates usually don't do casual. Mick is an obvious exception."
"Obviously." He had almost a mesmerizing quality to his voice, and I almost felt myself getting lost in the hypnotic flow. I steeled myself, telling myself there was nothing cool about a guy that apparently bought his girlfriends. "Well, thank her for me," I told him coolly. "If you haven't already."
The guy was sharp, and caught the implication of my frosty attitude. The jerk actually smirked, and I had the feeling he got a kick out of rubbing people the wrong way. When he's not rubbing them the right way, a cynical little voice in my head added. "I pay my employees well enough not to have to thank them. Call it a perk."
"I'm sure," I retorted, letting him know I wasn't impressed. Still, since he did just bring me clothes, I kept my mouth shut. I really wasn't any position to do anything else. This was Mick's apartment and Mick's buddy.
Mick cut in, not like I minded. "Leni, why don't you go upstairs and take a shower? It'll do you good."
"Translation: 'You stink,'" I countered playfully.
"Well, now that you mention it." Josef didn't even have the good grace to mutter that verbal bitch slap. Mick opened his mouth, looking like he was going to defend me, but I didn't need my battles fought for me on this level.
"Wow, be still my heart. I'm in the presence of a charm school graduate," I sniped at him. So much for keeping my mouth shut.
Mick snickered, shaking his head. To my surprise, he wasn't the only that seemed to be amused. "Just ignore him, Leni. Go on up now."
"No problem." I smiled at him, and decided to take his advice and ignore Josef. I was a little too old to get into a bicker contest with a potential vampire and definite player.
Twenty minutes later, feeling like a viable human being again, I finished drying off, and checked out Mina's offerings. It consisted off a silk dress shirt, probably one of Josef's castoffs. It made me want to reject it on principle, but I didn't exactly have much in the way of choices, did I? The so-called sweats made me snort. "Designer sweats?" I muttered. "Give me a break." Well, what can you expect from a Rent-A-Girlfriend? There was also a silk thong in the mix. I was a boxer's gal myself, and had never worn dental floss with lace before. Still, again, I'll stress the lack of choices I had at that point in time.
The feeling of my bare ass against material was a little weird, but wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't about to go out and buy out Victoria's Secret, but I'd survive the experience with minimal trauma.
Mr. Charm school had made his exit by the time I came downstairs, and I can't exactly say I was crying a river over it. "Feel better?" Mick asked.
"Oh, yeah." I flopped down on the couch next to him, stretching my arms above my head. "Now, just tell me you've got a comb and a toothbrush, and I'll be practically euphoric," I joked.
"Sorry, I don't have a lot of company," he apologized.
"Yeah, I figured." I winked, and I could have sworn he actually squirmed. Oooh, an easy mark, I hoped I had some time to have fun with this. "We could always just go to the store."
"Okay, but I'm not letting you out of my sight for a minute," Mick promised me.
I tensed up. "You think Fayed will try again?"
"He strikes me as the tenacious type," Mick drawled. "Look, I don't want to freak you out, I'm sure we won't have any problems tonight. But I don't want to cocky either."
"Yeah, I can get that," I told him. "Come on, let's get a move on. Not out of your sight, huh?"
"You've got it. Why?" Mick cocked his head, considering me.
"Just be glad I'm pregnant and don't need tampons." I wriggled my eyebrows, and stuffed my feet back into my boots. Yuck. Double yuck. I was going to have to re-wash my feet, and do something about these boots. They smelled mighty funky after their hard day's use. If they weren't from Jack, I might be tempted to toss them, but I'd never willingly part from anything he gave me. "Let's roll."
"By all means." Like the old-fashioned gentleman he was, Mick extended his arm, and I took it with a small giggle. Things were starting to look up, but I told myself I couldn't trust the sentiment. Tomorrow, I'd have to face the world, and the prospect of testifying against the man who had not only killed the only man I've loved, but tried to destroy me and my unborn baby.
Mick must have felt me shiver, his hazel eyes on me, searching for possible causes. We exited the apartment, and he locked it via the electronic way. I wonder what he did in a black-out. "Leni, besides the obvious, is something wrong?"
"I'm just scared, you know?" He punched the buttons for the elevator. "How can I face Fayed? I mean, he terrifies me. If that makes me a coward-"
"It makes you sane," he assured me. "Fear is what keeps us alive, Leni."
I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to give me the 'courage isn't the absence of fear, it's persistence in the face of fear' speech? I've heard it like a million times."
"No speeches, Leni. For one thing, you'd just have some smart-ass retort," the way he said that made it seem like he thought that was an endearing quality, "and for another, you're a smart girl. You know what the right thing is, and you'll do it. Not for yourself, but for Jack. And someday, you can tell your child you stood up to a murderer, stood up for the man you loved."
We entered the elevator, the doors closing behind us, and I gave him a mock glare. "You should have gone into politics. You have a way of making a great sales pitch."
"I'm too shy." Not to mention, being a vampire and a lot limelight probably don't mix too well, I added mentally. I wondered what Mick did as a human. Had he chosen this vampiric existence? Somehow, I doubted it. He wouldn't have been so squeamish about taking blood if he was all cool about his nature.
"He likes you," Mick said out of left field.
"Who? Josh?" The doors opened on the parking garage. I had no trouble spotting Mick's car. It really was a beauty.
"Josef," Mick corrected. I gave him my best 'are you friggin' kidding me' look. He seemed to think that was a riot, because he laughed. Not just a small tee-hee, but a real laugh.
"If that's him liking somebody, I'd hate to see him in dislike mode." I wasn't exactly joking. I wasn't afraid of him, because Mick would never allow someone dangerous to me within twenty feet of my person, or my baby, but this Josef wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy either. Kind of funny, if you liked that sort of disparaging wit thing, but not exactly on my list of people to hang with anytime soon.
"You didn't fall all over yourself over the wonder that it is him," Mick explained with healthy sarcasm over the last part. "Most women fawn over his looks and his money."
"What, is Material Girl their theme song?" I asked. Mick just shrugged, smiling. He was in such a funk earlier, I was glad I was distracting him. "So, he likes it when a girl can't stand him?"
"I don't think you feel quite that strongly about him, do you?" Now it was my turn to offer nothing but a shrug. He opened my car door, and that was impressive. Even Jack, sweetie that he was, didn't bother with stuff like that.
"This car rocks," I told him, changing the subject. "Too bad gas prices are a bitch right now."
Mick made a sound of absent agreement. "Um, about sleeping arrangements, I uh, well, the thing is, I don't have a bed."
Does he sleep in a coffin? I wondered. If so, that must be real morbid. "You don't sleep in a bed? What, is it against your religion?"
"Oh, uh, nothing like that." Okay, he's definitely flustered. He probably doesn't have to explain this all that often. He started the car, and eased out of the parking space. "It, uh, well, my bed broke."
"Really?" I couldn't resist some good-natured teasing. "I guess you do have company once in a while, huh?"
The poor guy actually choked. I had to bite back the laugh that bubbled up my throat. Was he a Victorian child or something? "N-no, nothing-nothing like that. It's just…it was just really old. Yeah, really old."
"Mick, I'm not your mother, you don't need to make excuses to me. Your sex life is your own business."
"But, you don't understand. It's not-"
I held up a hand. "Say no more, you're just embarrassing yourself." He let out of a sound of frustration. Oh, this was gonna be fun.
