A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews, favourites and follows! So many people following! Well, heaps for one of my stories anyway... ;)
More than halfway through now. If you think it's good, let me know! If you think it's crap, let me know that too! I can totally handle it!
Stuff & Nonsense - Chapter Six
Darcy noticed Jane straight away. Which was ironic, as the woman had obviously dressed to go incognito. Jane slipped through the tables in the unfamiliar cafe and had a last, furtive look around before sliding into the booth next to Darcy.
"Dude. What the actual?" Darcy snickered.
"What?" Her boss replied, unwrapping the silk scarf from around her head and pulling off her oversized sunglasses. "Did you recognise me?"
"Did I ever. Maybe just a hat next time instead of the Hitchcock heroine get up."
"Well, I tried?" She shrugged hopelessly, turning her big brown eyes to Darcy. Darcy grabbed her in a big bear hug. "Ah! Darce!" Jane shrieked, muffled in her friend's oversized hoodie.
"I missed you!" Darcy cooed. "You're so cute!"
Jane laughed as she was released and smoothed back her hair. "I've missed you too. I can't seem to find anything. Anywhere. Even at home. It's like if you're not around, things just go randomly missing." She turned a hopeful glance at Darcy. "Have you found anything else? Something not pointing at me?"
Darcy sighed in frustration. "Not yet." She looked sadly at the other woman. "I'm sorry to say this, but I think someone's set you up."
Jane, bless her, looked like someone had hit her across the back of her head with a two by four. Her mouth opened, then closed. She leaned back and whispered hoarsely, "What?"
"It seems like someone had this in the works for awhile. When was the last time you checked your bank accounts?"
Jane frowned. "I can't remember. It's been ages, I know that. I haven't really needed to think about it since-"
"Yeah, yeah. Since you moved in with Mr Cut 'n Chiseled. Did you know there've been anonymous deposits into one of your accounts? After every Jotunn Secure press release."
"No way! No, I didn't know!" Jane turned away, confusion written all over her face. "I didn't know." She sat up suddenly. "Hang on, how did you get access to my bank accounts?"
"Oh, please, Janie. It wasn't my superior table manners that impressed you."
"Okay, fair point," Jane conceded with a small smile. She leaned toward Darcy again. "So, how much are we talking here?"
"A lot."
"Meaning-" Jane spoke carefully, "Enough that it looks like I'm being paid for services rendered."
"Bingo." Darcy felt awful. But that's why she's at Jotunn. Not to play games with the gorgeous Mr Laufeyson, but to find out where the leak was coming from. At least she and Jane were prepared now.
Hopefully the shit won't hit the fan before she can prove that it's not Jane.
"This is serious, huh, Darce?" Her friend's voice was tinged with worry. "I don't think we realised what we were getting into here."
Darcy pulled Jane into another hug. "Don't you worry Janie. You let Darcy take care of everything, 'kay?"
Darcy left the cafe feeling a million years old. Usually she had a talent for seeing the flip side and lightening up a serious situation, but this weighed heavy on her. Why would anyone set up the sweetest astrophysicist in the world? Sure, she always puts empty milk cartons back in the fridge and leaves coffee rings on every flat surface she comes in contact with, but to do this to her?
She needed to get serious about this. She felt the disappointment wash over her as she realised that whatever game she was playing with Loki would have to stop. She told herself to stop being silly and muttered out loud and incoherently, people walking past pointedly ignoring the crazy woman arguing with herself. They were flirting, at best. A little distraction for the rich CEO at worst. She wasn't anyone important in the long run. Her gut clenched at that truth. Ugh! They've barely had a proper conversation let alone any deep and meaningfuls. And, AND the fact that one day, at some point, Loki's going to work out she's not Dana.
Now that's a thought to get the stomach churning.
No, she'll have to avoid him. She sighed. They could have had something beautiful. Or hot and sweaty. Whatever.
So, what did she need from Jotunn Secure and what would she have to do to get it? Darcy began to run a mental list. She had managed to hack into most of the secure databases and she was pretty sure that whoever was leaking information was not at Jotunn. That was good. But the logical conclusion was that the information was coming from Asgard Security. Which was bad.
Which left the evidence that seemed to be pointing at Jane all the scarier.
So, head down, bum up because time was running out. Just a few more days and she'll have it, the evidence she needs to save Jane.
A few more days and she'll probably never see Loki again.
"Dana!"
The call echoed across the deadness that was the Jotunn Secure foyer on a Friday night. Darcy turned around quickly, more startled by the sound than the fact that her faux-name was called.
"Hey, Jase dude. How's it hanging?"
The lanky IT guy caught up just as she approaching the front doors to leave for the night, backpack slung over one of his shoulders. He was the complete opposite of Asgard's resident IT guy, Volstagg, who looked like he sort of fell into his chair and became one with it while working off his three screen workstation. And eating lunch. Dude could eat.
"Not bad," he replied with an easy smile. "I've been trying to catch up with you for a couple days." They walked through the exit together, both turning towards the subway. Darcy grimaced. The last three days she'd been simultaneously trying to avoid any encounters with Loki 'The Jotunn Relationships Policy is for Everyone Else' Laufeyson and not be caught glimpsing files she shouldn't really be glimpsing at.
"Yeah, I'm kinda trying to put together a publicity campaign that will impress the socks off the bosses, to, you know, make sure they realise that they need me. Forever." Scary how the lies just roll off her tongue now.
"Good stuff, eh!" He grinned down at her. "Well, due to my unsuccessful stalking attempts, this may come a little late, but hopefully you can come. A group of us are going paintballing at the new indoor place a couple of blocks from here tomorrow afternoon and we thought you might wanna join?"
Darcy hesitated, stomach burning, then said, "It's been ages since I've paintballed- you're not, like, pros or anything?"
Jase laughed, "No way! I haven't even done it before!"
She looked away. Shit, she really liked these people and the deception was starting to weigh on her.
"Come on," he pressed. "There will be refreshing alcoholic beverages after..." He waggled his thick eyebrows at her.
Darcy finally laughed. "I'm in. I'll be needing those after, regardless!"
Darcy was channelling her inner Chuck Norris as she walked into Paintballs! Saturday afternoon. Spotting Jase, Olivia and another girl from reception with four other IT guys, she jogged over, slapped Jase on the back and announced, "It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and I'm all outta-"
Wait, that wasn't an IT guy, that was-
"Ohheyloki." Shit.
Of course the sexiest man known to Darcy's ovaries would be here. Of course he would.
"Dana. Good to see you," he grinned, flashing all of his pearly whites. He then strutted and leaned on the wall. Strutted. Dammit, Loki!
Darcy pointed back towards Jase, taking a step away. "Just 'scuse me for a sec, will ya?" She turned and grabbed the arm of the man solely to blame and dragged him away from the group. "Jason. What. The. Hell."
He knew immediately what she was on about. Smart boy. "I couldn't exactly tell the big boss, 'Ah, no, you can't come paintballing with us,'" he hissed in her ear. "He overheard me telling the reception staff and said he'd love to come."
Darcy resisted the overwhelming urge to stamp her foot in frustration. So much for avoiding him. A whole afternoon with Loki all sweaty and masculine and heroic looking and stuff. Ugh, she always had a weakness for action heroes. Mmm, Jason Bourne...
She managed to get through the safety briefing and to suit up without turning into a pile of goo until Loki tossed her a blue armband and said, "My team, Lawson." Catching the stretchy material and pulling it over her left arm she maturely responded with a dirty look and poked out her tongue. He just smirked. The smirky smirker.
They entered the paintball arena, which was a huge warehouse with fake buildings and ramps climbing up the walls and Guns 'N Roses blaring over the speakers with 'Welcome to the Jungle'. A pre-recorded voice counted down from ten and as it reached one, the lights went out and the black lights came on.
"Awesome!" Darcy shrieked in delight as her armband, vest and paintballs began to glow. Adjusting her helmet and visor, she dove into the fray. Red team were going down. About five minutes into the fifteen minute session she spotted a familiar silhouette. Taking aim, she shot Loki in his very fine backside and relished the yelp he let loose. Who cares if he was on her team, who could resist a target like that? He spun around and immediately took off after her. Darcy shrieked again and let loose a couple more rounds, only one catching his shoe before she twisted and took off up a ramp. Heavy footsteps followed her up and she reached out to grasp a pole to swing her body more sharply around a corner. A sharp tug and a misstep left her suddenly on her backside, and Loki began to drag her into a corner vantage point. "Loki!" She screeched. "I'm sorry!" He let her go, panting and flat on her back, only to straddle her. She began to flail and he ripped off his helmet, unclipped hers and pinned her arms down, weapon useless on the floor.
"Loki-" she moaned. His nose brushed her ear and she gasped at the sensation.
"How sorry are you?" He whispered huskily. He pulled back to look at her, eyes sharp and bright in the glowing lights. She could blame the atmosphere, the adrenaline or the thrill of being caught, but Darcy knew she had wanted this man the moment she clapped eyes on him nearly two months ago.
She stretched her neck up and kissed him. He froze for a moment, but before the thought to pull back in embarrassment could fully form in her head, he responded. Oh, and how! She knew the nickname Silver Tongue didn't only apply to his way with words. His skilful lips played with her own and when he nipped at her lower lip, she opened with a gasp. He slanted his mouth for deeper access and his hot tongue came out to play with her own and they both moaned at the sensation. Loki stretched out on top of her, wedging a long leg between her thighs and Darcy couldn't stop her back arching for more contact, her arms pulling uselessly against Loki's tight grip. His mouth left hers and travelled down her neck. Darcy could swear that her skin was scorching beneath his touch and then he bit the skin between her neck and shoulder. She let out an embarrassingly loud moan, thanking the powers that be that the music was turned up to ground-thumping. He ground his hips into hers and breathed out her name.
Wait. Not her name.
The music wound down and the fluorescent lights flickered back to life, leaving Darcy staring up into Loki's dilated green eyes. He was still leaning on her wrists, as if he had forgotten he was holding her down and then he said something.
"Huh?"
Dana was looking all dishevelled and sexy and Loki spoke without thinking it through.
"Dinner with me."
She blinked up at him, her expression turning from stunned to confused."Huh?"
Bugger. Not smooth, Loki. He closed his eyes to compose himself for a second. As much as he could with Dana's left leg wrapped around his right. He tried again. "Come to dinner with me, Dana. Please."
There was that look again. She looked like she wanted to say something so badly, but couldn't. The look which, although silent, spoke volumes to Loki. Dana was hiding something. He felt her slender wrists tug beneath his hands again and was almost tempted to hold her down until she either complied or told him what the hell was going on. But his mother raised him better. Pulling himself off her, he allowed her to sit up.
She studied him for a moment longer, blue eyes revealing nothing, until she replied, "Yeah. Okay." Then she fisted her hand into the front of his vest and pulled him in for another kiss.
At that moment, she could have revealed that she was Tony Stark's illegitimate love child formerly known as David who enjoyed cage fighting in her spare time and Loki still wouldn't have stopped kissing her.