The King (Gentlemen Rogues Book 1) Read online

  Jason knocked on the door, and Gabe's voice was a low murmur when he said, “Come in.”

  Jason gave me a smile and said, “Good luck, bro,” and then he made a quick escape.

  When I walked in, Gabe stood and nodded at me with what he probably meant to be a half smile, but I could read the tension around him.

  "Mr. King."

  “You might as well call me Lock."

  Webb’s smile widened a bit then. “Fair enough. How is your training going?"

  "Why don't you tell me?"

  Why was I making this difficult? I was stuck there for another nine months with him. It would probably go better if I could just get along.

  I took a seat and leaned my elbows forward on my knees. "What can I help you with?"

  Gabe did smile then. And when he did, I marveled at how much younger it made him look, like he wasn't that much older than me. Maybe because he was serious all the time that’s what made him look foreboding or like he should be in charge. “I just want to know how your training is going."

  “I'm sure you get reports, right?"

  “Yes, but last night you had a change in routine."

  I ground my teeth just thinking about the woman with the braids.

  "She was well-trained sir, but yeah, I'm not going to lie. She had me."

  Gabe laughed then, and I wasn't quite sure what the fuck he was laughing at. “You took on Saffron Abott and you lived to tell the tale?"

  “You know her?"

  Gabe frowned. “Yes, of course, I know her."

  “I thought she was trying to sneak around the place to break in, so I went out to see what the fuck was going on. It’s not a big deal."

  Gabe shrugged then. “I beg to differ. I think it is a big deal. It's the first time that you’ve fully committed yourself to being here. It's the first time since you arrived that this wasn't a chore, something to be finished so you could leave. You heard something and voluntarily went looking. Or am I to believe that you were trying to make another escape?"

  "Look, I heard something. I went to investigate. It's not a big deal."

  “If you say so. How did she bust you?"

  "A strike to the balls. Not particularly fair, but as I’ve been taught, all is fair in survival."

  "How did she get to your balls, King?" He held up his hands as I began to correct him. "Okay, fine, Lock."

  “I had her in a choke hold. And then… Well, then I didn't."

  He grinned. "She is very good."

  "Tell me about it. Why haven't I ever seen her with the other trainees before?"

  "Because she's not a trainee."

  “Is she an agent?"

  He shook his head. "Not quite."

  "Okay, she's clearly exceptionally trained. Is she a trainer?"

  Gabe nodded. "Of sorts. You're going to find out exactly how good she is."

  "What do you mean?"

  "King… Lock, I mean, last night you took a leap. You defended this place like it was your own. Like you are choosing to be here, not like you’re forced to be here."

  “You can look at it however you want."

  "Okay, I will. I'm just inviting you to be more open. You're ready for your next phase of training, which will be real-life scenarios. Out in the field."

  I lifted a brow. “You're letting me out?"

  He chuckled. "Supervised, of course. You know the drill. If you make an escape, your grandfather laid out the consequences for you, I believe."

  I ground my teeth. "What is the assignment?"

  "Well, I'm going to leave that to your new trainer to explain. You’ll start tomorrow at noon."

  “I have a new trainer?" So far, we’d worked with several different trainers in special fields.

  “Your new trainer is more comprehensive and will guide you through real-world scenarios."

  "Okay, who is it?"

  He grinned then. "Saffron Abott."

  I groaned. "Is there a reason for that sir?"

  "None except that I think you two can learn something from each other. That'll be all, Lock."

  I ground my teeth. I wasn't sure why, but it felt like I was being punished. For what though, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that Gabriel Webb had a weird hard-on for Saffron Abott. The question was, why?

  3

  LACHLAN

  I should have known it wouldn't take Saint long to find me. I had just finished Operations and Strategy class when he came bursting around a corner and plowed right into me.

  “Mate, there you are. Tell me everything.” Saint bounded around me like a giant Labrador puppy.

  “You are much too excited. Nothing happened. I need a refill on my sports drinks. Come with.”

  Saint shrugged and followed me, chattering all the while. “Well, I see you're still alive.”

  “Why wouldn't I be alive?”

  His brows lifted. “How can you not know about Webb? He's a little protective and territorial over Saff Abott.”

  “You know, you're not the first one to say that to me today. What's their deal?”

  “I don't know. But what I do know is that he’s always watching her. Forever watchful, paying attention, zeroed in on her.”

  Their relationship was none of my goddamn business. And I liked it that way. Except, I couldn't help but ask, “Is she zeroed in on him?”

  Saint thought about it. “When you say it like that, no.”

  That made me uneasy. “So she's not into whatever obsession he has?”

  “Look, I don't know them well. But he is very protective. Barely lets her off campus. Unless she's with Tabs or one of the other Rogues, it doesn't happen.”

  But he wanted her to train me. So what was the angle there?

  Saint had no idea what was happening in my reverie. “So, are you going to tell me what happened last night or what?”

  “Mate, nothing really. I heard a sound, and I went to look. And there she was, all in black. Skulking about the place.”

  “So you tried to challenge her?” Humor laced his words.

  “How was I supposed to know she was a ninja?”

  “Mate,” he spread his arms wide. “This is Rogues Division. Assume everyone is a ninja. Moreover, assume everyone will kill you in your sleep.”

  “Good to know. Anyway, we fought. She is…” I struggled to find the right words. “You’ve seen her . You know what she looks like. She's fucking gorgeous.”

  Saint nodded. “Proper stunner. That body?” He kissed his fingers making a chef's kiss motion in the air. “And just to note, I've been here the last six months, and there hasn’t been a single trainee who can put her down.”

  “Why have I never seen her before?”

  “Don't know. She primarily works in assessment, ops readiness, that sort of thing. You probably just haven't come across her yet.” He shrugged. “And then there's her mate, Tabatha. That rack on her. She looks like one of those dolls my bloody niece used to love. Too full lips, the kind of eyes you picture staring at you when you're getting a blowjob. She's fucking well fit. The two of them on campus are one hell of a combination.”

  I didn't care how Saint talked about Tabatha. But I did care what the fuck he said about Saffron.

  Why?

  I had no fucking clue. The woman made me itchy and on edge. And now she was my new training officer. Shit was already complicated enough. I didn't need someone with an axe to grind determining whether or not I could make it into the field. She’d seemed irritated about something last night. Sure, I'd thwarted whatever plan she had…

  It was more than that.

  It was a feeling I couldn't shake. It felt like there was something under the surface. But what? I didn't know her, so how had I already irritated her?

  Saint was no help, slipping his hair back and tying it with that tiny ponytail holder. “You look like you’re thinking about dipping your wick, mate."

  I flipped him off. “I’m not that stupid.”

  Saint grinned at me. “Sure, you’re not.”

  At one of the replenishment kiosks set up all over the compound, I grabbed two six packs of vitamin waters. Saint grabbed a case of water and energy bars. We were just rounding the kiosk when I heard a familiar voice and I forced him to halt.

  “What's the plan?” one woman asked.

  “There is no plan. Gabe thinks he can control me, but he can't. He can't make me train him. The last thing I want is anything to do with Lachlan King.” That was Saffron. I would know her husky voice anywhere. She sounded like she was always on the verge of saying something dirty.

  The quick flash of heat that rose at the sound of her voice was quickly extinguished with a splash of ice water to the nerves. Saffron Abott. Of course. All the time I'd been here, I'd never once seen her before. And now I was seeing and hearing her everywhere.

  Let's not forget that she's talking about you. She has no intention of training you. If she doesn't train you, you don't get out of here any faster.

  Once Saffron and her mate continued straight up toward the main manor house, Saint and I continued on our way. My mate slid a glance toward me. “Speak of the devil and she shall appear… looking well fit I might add.”

  “And she clearly isn’t a fan of mine.”

  He lifted a brow as if he didn’t believe me. “What’s with all the questions about her? Because it sounds like you’re eager for her to touch your balls again.”

  My balls ached as I remembered the previous night. “Fuck off.”

  “Can’t say I blame you. She’s gorgeous. But I’m no fool. I see the enormous Keep Out sign hanging around her neck. Besides,” he shrugged, “I like my balls… unlike you.”

  I clearly was a fool because every nerve ending in my body craved Saffron Abott. What the hell was I going to do about her?


  4

  SAFFRON

  "Okay, what gives? You’re mad and justifiably so. But you’re mad for more reasons than I can pinpoint. What's going on?"

  I was marching down the hallway toward the elevator that would take me to my residence. My grandfather's house was one of those massive country estates like you saw on Downton Abbey or other period dramas.

  To the outside world, that's what it looked like. Of course, it had been modernized over the years. There were several guest bungalows dotting the property, each with three bedrooms. They weren't overly big, but they were comfortable, and they housed our max number of trainees. Once trainees made it to full agents, some stayed here on property, moving into the main house, ten agents at a time if they chose to stay there. Most chose to go back to their lives until they were called in for missions.

  Tabs was a hybrid. She liked to stay on the property the night before missions. She said it helped her get her mind in the game. The trainers also stayed on the property. There were ten trainers, each with their specialties. I had assisted all of them at one time or another, but I’d never had to train on my own. I usually helped out with evaluations, assessments for mission readiness, etc., but all I'd ever wanted was to be a Rogues agent. Just like my parents, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather before him. Gabe knew that, but he always said no, stating that I wasn't ready. While we were Rogues Division, there were other black site organizations that handled the weightier things that diplomacy and politics couldn't solve. We all answered to Oversight. My great-grandfather had been one of the founders of Oversight, eventually leaving to start Rogues Division. It was in my blood. After all, I was what everyone like to call the heir, but Gabe handled the day-to-day management of Rogues Division.

  Hell, I was only twenty-two. And I knew he was trying to groom me and prep me to follow through with my legacy. Except no one bothered to stop and ask me how I felt about my legacy or what I wanted from it. No one asked if I wanted to be seen as me, Saffron Abott, more than just the heir. No one ever saw me as that. Every one either looked at me as Gabe's little sister, Saff, the heir, or the not-quite agent.

  I was pretty sure some of the trainers thought I didn't have what it took to cut it. Which was bullshit. I’d been stuck in my own head for so long I didn't realize that Tabs wasn't following me. When I realized her usual chattering next to me was dead silent, I stopped and turned to find her back closer to Gabe's office with her arms crossed. "What are you doing?"

  “I'm not taking another step until you tell me what the fuck is going on."

  I sighed. “I'm sorry. Gabe had no right to tear into you last night."

  Her brows furrowed and she rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? I don’t give a fuck about Gabe. He can feel free to kiss my barely brown arse."

  “It's not brown right now."

  She laughed. "Okay, I haven't had any sun today. Besides, I had to pale out for the last assignment. He was a notorious racist, and I needed to get close, so I played it very Italian." She rolled her eyes. "Arsewipe. I hated that assignment."

  “You got them though, right?"

  She grinned. "Oh yeah, we got them. Weapons charges, the whole thing. We shut down his operation. It was so satisfying."

  “God, I want that level of satisfaction."

  "Well, you can have it. It's called sex."

  I frowned and then turned on my heel and started back toward the elevator.

  "Hey, I was joking,” she called out. “What's wrong with you?"

  "Sorry, I can't think about sex right now."

  “You're still lusting after that bloke in the club?"

  A flush crept up my neck. I was certain she couldn't see it, but I could feel it as I started to sweat right under my bra strap.

  “Yeah, about that… funny story."

  Tabs was all ears as she grabbed my arm. "Oh my God, did he find you? Did he text you?"

  "How is he going to find me? I left him nothing."

  “I don't know. The way that guy was obsessed over you, maybe he asked the bartender for your credit card information and tracked you from there. It's very hot."

  "Um, that's very stalkery."

  She waved a hand. "You aren’t reading enough romance novels. That's how it works."

  “That’s not what I'm dealing with."

  "So what's up?"

  "That guy, he's here."

  Tabs laughed. "No, he's not."

  “Yes, yes he is. He's a trainee. That's who I fought last night."

  The elevator dinged and the doors opened, and Tabs remained perfectly still, staring at me.

  The doors of the elevator closed and I charged at her in frustration. "Say something."

  "Sorry, computing. It can't be him. You would have known if he was a trainee."

  I shook my head. “I don't know all the trainees by sight. He took me to his flat, so there's no way a trainee would even be off property. Even if he had permission. This place was real. It was a lived-in place. He had photos of him and his brother, and family, and other stuff. It was a real place."

  Tabs swallowed hard. "Oh God, do you think it was a test from Gabe?"

  Heat flushed my whole body in a rush, sending the bead of sweat rolling down my back. "No. He's not that diabolical. Him, willing to send someone to seduce his sister? That's… That's gross."

  "No, not like that. Do you think he's testing letting out the trainees? We should find out more about him."

  "We should, I agree. But, Tabs, that's not the problem."

  "What's the problem?"

  "The problem is, he didn't fucking remember me."

  Tabs laughed. "What?"

  "He didn't remember me."

  "Wait, from what you told me, how could he not remember you?"

  “I don't know. It was three months ago."

  "How much sex do you have to have for someone to not remember you?"

  “I don't know, but he doesn't remember."

  “I refuse to believe that. He's fucking with you."

  "No, Tabs. I saw his face, he was genuinely confused. He had no idea who I was. When I stepped into the moonlight, he looked at me like he'd never seen me before."

  "Look, I saw him that night. I will go and assess. But I promise, it's not the same guy."

  "Tabs, I had sex with this guy." I slid my gaze around because I was terrified that Gabe was going to hear or there were prying ears nearby. I stepped into the elevator and shook my head when she tried to talk to me, reminding her that the elevator was tapped. When we made it upstairs to the kitchen, I grabbed a couple of mugs for hot chocolate. And as I was preparing it, pouring the milk, she was still staring at me, slack-jawed. "No, this is… That isn’t cool."

  “I don't know why he doesn't remember me or what the fuck happened, and I don't know why he's here. It doesn't make sense that he was a recruit. I was in his house. Unless it's… Oh my God, unless he was a trainee."

  Tabs started to pull back on her initial thoughts. "Wait, hold on... Except he couldn't have been a trainee. That was three months ago, and Gabe wants you to keep training him. If Gabe wants you to train him, it means he's not a full-fledged trainee, which means that he was cooped up sometime after that night."

  “I don't know, Tabs. It's one hell of a coincidence."

  "Maybe it's not a coincidence. Maybe Gabe does know about you guys and that's why he picked him up."

  "But why pick him up and then not tell me, you know?"

  “Your brother is a dick. I'm sure he didn't see any reason to explain it."

  “Fuck, Tabs, I don't know what he's doing here. But now I have to train him, the man that I shagged once. Okay, several times. Point is, I have to train him every day and pretend I don't know him."

  Tabs ran her hands through her hair as I started to pace. "Hey, we'll figure this out. You and me, we will come up with a plan."

  "What's the plan? Because I don't know what to do."

  "Well, we have to find out why he doesn't remember you."

  "Um, yeah, I want to just ask him, 'Hey, so we shagged that one time. You don't remember me. You made me feel like you saw straight into my soul, but somehow you forgot me?' It was a game, Tabs. Had to be. You know guys like this. I was a game."