Shattered Innocence

Rekindling Bonds and Embracing Choices

By the time we catch a taxi into Scotland, we are all ready to stretch our legs and walk around. The air is cool and fresh, and the castle casts a beautiful shadow across everything we pass. The mixture of old and new buildings is incredible. I've never been to Scotland before, and my eyes are wide as I try to drink everything in. I know we are here for work, but it doesn't stop me from bouncing in my seat, wanting to explore the little shops and climb to the castle and do the ghost tours.

The taxi takes us just off the main road to a side street of houses. Once there, I pay and slip out, stretching my arms up into the air. I giggle when someone tickles my side and smack their hands away, then I turn and glare at Yuri, who just winks.

"Guess this is home for a few days," I comment as we stare at the three-story house. Ivan hoists his bag into the air and takes off towards the front door.

"Yep, I made sure we could just let ourselves in so we didn't have to meet anyone. It's private and gives us the cover of tourists we need. So get settled, but keep your bags packed. Mikhail is going to work on the next location information."

"Does that mean we can explore?" I almost bounce up and down. Zack looks back at me, his eyebrow raised, and when I glance over, Nikolay and Yuri are at my side. Yuri is pretending to pray, but Nikolay just rolls his eyes.

"Actually, I set up an automatic system to work on the encoded information. It could take hours, so there's no point in watching it," Mikhail calls and smiles at me. "How about we all explore, and get some good food and some drinks? I'll get a notification on my phone if anything comes up."

"Mikhail—" Zack starts, but when he looks all of us over, his resistance crumbles. "Fine, a few hours, no more!"

Grinning, I jog over to him and kiss him. "Thanks, boss man," I purr, smacking his ass as he turns and unlocks the door for me.

"Damn woman is going to get us all arrested. I can feel it," he mutters, but I ignore him as I head down the long hallway. There is a living room to the right, and beyond that is a dining room, kitchen combo with huge glass doors that open to a beautiful Zen garden with swinging chairs, bean bags, artificial grass, a pizza oven, a grill, and even a hot tub. Wow.

Heading back the way I came, I leap up the wooden stairs two at a time. On the first floor are three bedrooms and a bathroom. "You're on the top floor!" Zack calls up.

Listening to him, I hurry up the second set of stairs, hearing the boys discussing the rooms on the floor below me. There's only one bedroom up here. It has an en suite, and it takes up the entire top floor, with a bed big enough to fit us all and skylights that let in the beautiful soft daylight. The carpet is white and fluffy, and there is a sofa to the left under one of the skylights, a flat screen TV, and a glass partition into the bathroom with a huge waterfall shower, golden clawfoot tub, and matching his and her sinks. There's abstract art above the bed, but the decor is all very simple and pretty.

Throwing my bag down, I strip off my jacket and stretch, needing to loosen my muscles. I hear footsteps but don't turn. "This room is pretty big for just me," I call out to whoever is there.

"And me," Zack replies, surprising me. I glance over as he tosses his stuff next to mine and winks at me as he lies back on the bed. "Perks of being in charge, I get to pick the rooms." His tongue darts out then, licking his lips as his eyes run down my body. "Are you sure you don't want to stay and explore here?"

"As tempting as that is," I purr as I crawl onto the bed and up his body, "I need food."

"I could feed you, though I am starving too," he admits, making it clear by the stark hunger in his eyes it's not for the same thing I am. Laughing, I smack his chest and go to roll off him, but his arms wrap around me and flip us, pinning me facedown on the bed.