Undercover Royals

9: Renewed acquaintances

I stare at Kalvin without any of Mr Garrison's teachings in play and he stares at me in a way unlike anything I've ever seen.

"Kalvin." I breathe. Beside me Annalise tenses more than a bow string.

He leaves the table to approach me, "Hello Angelica." He hisses. The half of his face uncovered by the black velvet mask, softens. His finger trails along my cheek gently, "Did you miss me, my Angel?"

"Yes." My mouth responds before I can think it through and his fingers clamp into my jaw and he leans closer. The lips of the man I've loved brush mine.

"Don't worry. I am here now." He says, his sharp features twisting "I will make sure you never miss me again. You will pay in blood for what you did to me."

In the next instant, he stumbles away from the knife Annalise points at him.

I glance at Mr Garrison, desperate to look at anything but Kalvin. I don't even want to wonder how this is possible. But he doesn't seem to get that because he's wearing a smile stretching from ear to ear. I was right, it does look wonderful on him. He could almost be considered sexy now.

His eye twitches and I realize what he wants. Finally something that's my specialty! I put on my biggest, most blinding smile and approach him and Michelangelo who looks slightly distressed by Mr Garrison's lack of antagonism at him.

"Angelica, come have a seat." He gestures to the seat that has been moved beside him, I recognise it as my office chair. That voice, so sweet and un-commanding... has Mr. Garrison been possessed?

My rear finds purchase on the seat and my smile almost slips as a hear Michelangelo's voice.

I've heard it once before, back near Bellamy's cell: It was just the prisoner making ruckus. We can leave.

From the way he grins at me, I take it he knows that I know, or maybe he wants me to know. But I don't want to know, at this moment, I do not want to be concerned with any of them, I just want to find out everything I can about Kalvin. But we're all here for business.

"Kalvin." Says Mr Garrison, "Why have you invited your friend?"

Kalvin snorts, in a Kalvin-like way, "He's not my friend. Just offering more money than you for the Asian holdings."

"I'm richer than he is." If not for the bland tone, I would almost say that Mr Garrison sounded petulant.

"That's arguable Ruspin." Says Michelangelo.

He wears a fancy silk suit that looks like it out prices Mr Garrison's car by a lot. His face is like Mr Garrison's only broader and with less forced emotionlessness. Even if he smiled, I'm guessing that it would be conniving, and make him look even more menacing.

"What price are you offering?" I ask.

"Half a billion." He says.

"In other words, five hundred million." Is my retort.

"If you're being bland." He retorts.

"I'll give you a billion." Buts in Mr Garrison, still wearing a smile, which is down-right insane, since he spending more money than he probably would to keep me alive.

Kalvin is grinning with all the money options being pelted his way.

"I'll but out." Says Michelangelo. "For now." Then he stands and nods at me, refusing to even acknowledge Mr Garrison, and stops in the arch of the doorway, between the two sentries. "Has he told you who you're really working for?"

"I know the man I'm working with." I say.

Michelangelo smirks, lending himself a villainous air. "So you know all about his work cleaning, being commanded and then working Ponzi schemes on small, upcoming businesses to amass what he has now."