We drive together in silence for a while as we study our new identities. Scarlett Prince is twenty four, she enjoys the outdoors, she is talented in archery and riflery, and she was once a security guard at a jewelry store, she sounds a lot like Evangeline Johnson. Killian Jones, a pirate name, I might add, is twenty three years old, he was a drill sergeant at a military camp, enjoys riflery, sports, and athletic events and was born in London, England but moved to New York as a child. He has come to Ocean Texas' apple orchard in order to get away from his family and find himself. Our biographies are always so sappy.
"Where exactly are we going?" Kingston asks quietly, breaking my concentration. "I've never been on a mission out of state before."
"Yet you are our number two agent?" I question, shaking my head. My father should've let Kit come on this mission, he has so much more experience.
"You're right, I have little experience as an agent- but at least I've never fucked an associate," He grins.
I glare at him, crossing my arms.
"Oh pigeon, I was only joking," Kingston knocks my elbow with his. "I'm sorry."
"Don't call me pigeon."
"Alright kitten, put the claws away," He smirks.
"We're taking the jet into Tennessee and then riding a bus into Texas. We can't fly into Texas because it'd be much too suspicious considering Scarlett and Killian are broke."
"Then I guess we will become quite acquainted with one another," Kingston smiles.
I scrunch my nose, "Yay."
*
We eventually land in Nashville, Tennessee after boarding the jet. We spend hours and hours on debriefing and prepping for our mission, and we dash over to our bus upon a final goodbye to our team.
The bus is like a large shuttle with a bathroom located to the very back. The last time I rode one of these, I was headed to California to intercept a serial killer who had an obsession with killing surfers and taking their boards.
"Sorry, bus is oversold," The bus driver grumbles, checking his watch.
I glance at Kingston with a worried look, holding my bag to my chest.
"Come on man, I promised my fiancé-"
"Your fiancé?" I giggle. Shit, I've ruined it.
Kingston blushes. "Baby, I wanted to wait to do this in Texas but I just can't wait," He stutters. "I love you so much and you're truly the reason I get up every morning and walk your dumb dog and tolerate your devil cat," Kingston takes a knee and I begin to cry. "Scarlett Prince, my darling, my one true love, will you marry me?" Kingston pulls out a ring.
Fuck him, he would have a ring. My mind goes blank and I forget what people do in these situations.
"Scar, baby?" Kingston grabs my hands.
Passengers outside of the bus all stare out through their newly opened windows with anticipation. The bus driver is standing now, watching us quietly.
"Yes!" I squeal, jumping into his arms. "I love you, Killian."
A chorus of aw's escape the bus as an older couple volunteer their seats for the newly engaged love birds.
Kingston kisses me passionately, hugging me quickly after. My body ignites.
"Oh, how sweet, you guys deserve this seat much more than Herbert and me," The old woman coos, grabbing her hand bag and pulling her husband from the bus.
The bus driver motions for us to board as he stows our luggage.
"Here my love, take the window seat," Kingston beams.
I slide into the seat, my body sizzling with sensation. I haven't been kissed since Tanner. "Thanks."
"How did you two meet?" A woman besides us asks.
"Tell her, sweetie!" Kingston urges with a sly grin.
I nod slowly, "Oh this story- it's a good one!" I force a smile.
The woman waits eagerly.
"Killian and I lived in apartments that were opposite to each other and he was always playing this obnoxious, loud music. I could hear it from across the hall!" I explain.
Kingston shrugs with a guilty look.
"Anyways, I usually just ignored the music but I had had an awful time at work one day and I was very angry!"
The woman nods with understanding as her husband perks up to listen.
"It was about ten at night and I decided to go on over there. I had never seen Killian, so I decided to bring my dog for protection. When I knocked on the door and Killian opened, my dog burst into his apartment and knocked me over into Killian's arms." I blush, curling a piece of hair around my finger. "Anyways, Sparkles, my dog ran out of his apartment, down the stairs and into the streets of New York. He helped me find her but it took about ten hours of hunting." I laugh, smiling up at Kingston.
"How funny!" The woman smiles, turning to her husband to explain the beginning of the story.
"Oh babe," Kingston whispers into my ear, setting his hand on my upper thigh, "Sparkles is an awful name."
"Well, when's the wedding, my darling?" I whisper back, swiping his hand away.
*
We spend some hours on the bus talking and other hours in silence. You never get used to the odd feeling associated with voluntarily putting yourself into enemy territory. We arrive in Ocean, Texas around eleven at night.
"We better head to a motel, yeah?" Kingston offers me a hand as we step down from the bus.
I nod sleepily. "The orchard is interviewing workers tomorrow at noon, so we can go over the map of the place in the morning."
The driver hands us our bags, "Congrats on the engagement," He mutters.
"Thank you, sir," Kingston replies, giving the man his money. "Come along, love, let's go find a place to sleep."
"There's a motel just around the block," The driver points, "Shouldn't be full."
"Thank you," I reply quickly, grabbing Kingston's hand. "We need to hurry- remember who all lives in this town?"
Kingston and I rush over to the motel. We're both worn out and have no desire to pull our guns.
The motel is small and barely lit, cars are parked tightly into their lots. "Shit, it might be full." Kingston mutters, rubbing his temples.
"You could just propose again, someone is bound to give up their room," I simper.
He rolls his eyes and picks up my bag, ushering us through the double, wood doors.
"Hi," I greet with a tired smile, "Do you have two available rooms?"
The woman behind the desk glares at me from behind her purple rimmed glasses. "One room left."
"Can we rent a rollaway bed?" I give my nicest smile.
"Do we look like the Hilton?"
I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms. The older woman does the same.
"We'll take the one room, please," Kingston replies quickly, stepping in front of me.
The woman blushes, "Sure thing, sugar."
I glare at both of them.
"Relax Eve, we're engaged," Kingston whispers down my neck. He thanks the woman and leads us to our room. "You have to be charming if you ever want to get your way," Kingston advises.
"Shut it, Killian."
Our room is quaint. A queen bed lies in the middle of the green carpet, a wooden dresser lines the wall. The wallpaper depicts little cherubs and roses. Our bathroom has a bathtub with no curtain, a small sink, and a fluffy, white rug. A vase of rotting roses sits on the bed stand.
"Looks like we got the honeymoon sweet," Kingston laughs.
"I'm going to clean up before bed, would you like the first shower?" I glance in the bathroom, "Or.. the first bath?"
"We could take one together and save water," He suggests with a smirk.
"I'll be out in a few." I roll my eyes and grab my things.
As I dig through my bag, I begin to notice a common theme; sex. My bag is filled with tight clothes and condoms. Marcel couldn't cut me a break. For the record, I'm not going to be picking apples, Kingston and I are both trying to get positions on the security team at the orchard. I suppose I will have to bang every male in security to get the desired information.
I've never enjoyed sex, mainly because it has always been forced upon me. The first time I had sex for pleasure was with Tanner. Sex has always been my way of contracting information and trust with the enemy. I suppose it's sad. I never thought much of it until I began to realize that I was in love with Tanner Rinaldi and that having sex with other men made me feel like a possession.
I start the bathtub and pick through my toiletries. I stare at the box of condoms that sit next to my black lingerie. It doesn't feel good to have to use my body to get what I want. My father had always taught me that it was the most effective way to achieve results. He would always say, as I went through training, "After Marcel makes you look irresistible, you will be irressistible. Let the man take control of your body so that he feels in control. Always let him believe that he has the power, then when he's not watching, take everything he has."
I comb through my hair with my fingers and slip into the tub. I try to wash away the emotional baggage that I carry on every mission. I know I will have to have sex with these men, I know that I will not enjoy it. I know that I will have to let his hands go between, above, inside, around- I submerge my head into the water. Sometimes I just wish for my innocence back.
*
Kingston sits on the ground with his legs crossed and papers sprawled around his feet. "Are you done in there?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"I heard you crying." Kingston looks up slowly.
"I wasn't crying," I defend, blushing. I can't help but cry when I think of what the new men will do to me.
"Are you nervous?" He looks back down at his papers.
"Yes."
"Are you afraid of what they will do to you?"
I watch as he shuffles through his pages. He continues to stare downwards.
"They always do things to me," I whisper. "And I have to let them... I have to initiate it."
"I'm going to clean up now." Kingston stands and walks past me into the restroom.
I nod and walk to the bed.
"I'll sleep on the floor," He volunteers. He closes the door once more.
I pull the thick comforter from the bed and lay it on the floor, surrounding it with pillows. I crawl under the sheets of the bed and lay my head gently. I imagine Benedict at the end of my bed as I drift into a troublesome sleep.
