The Agency

XXVIII. beggar

He gritted his teeth and ignored her comment. How she could still read his emotions so easily over the phone was beyond him. "I'm planning to go on a trip to Jamaica with Stephanie for a week."

"Hm, that's interesting," Virginie murmured, her voice unreadable. He hated how good she was at controlling her emotions. He thought he was adept at keeping a poker face but then he met her. Virginie could keep a straight face through anything. She could say the sexiest thing and still look like she was reciting 14th century English folklore. She turned Alex, on the other hand, into a 12 year old boy giving a PowerPoint presentation in front of the whole school. "Did you call just to brag? I wish I was going to Jamaica. Would be nice to sit under the sun for a little bit. What does that have to do with me?"

"Don't you have to come with me?" When there was silence, he tried again. "Like to make sure that I don't die or anything? Or did I not get the international plan?" He tried to add a joke to relax but he was nervous. Virginie was usually on top of his security, rearranging her schedule to make sure that she was surveilling whatever event Alex was going to. Why was she seemingly unconcerned with his trip out of the country? That would probably be where he was the most vulnerable.

She burst into laughter. "Did you not read any of information that was sent to you about the terms of this arrangement?" He said nothing. He had skimmed over the file, which was stupid, especially for a lawyer. It wasn't his fault though. He couldn't focus on it because Stephanie had been begging him to take her to Broadway to see Hamilton. "Since you're an idiot, I'll tell you what you missed. I can't come with you since I have another mission here. There are some agents stationed in Jamaica right now and they will be keeping a close eye on you and protecting you if need be. Sweet of you to think of me, though, princess."

Alex's heart began to race. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I cannot be alone with Stephanie for a week. I just can't do it. C'mon, Alex, think of something. Try to convince her to come with you.

"Are you still there? This is sudden. Why are you even going? Trouble in paradise?"

"Something like that," Alex grumbled. He didn't want to let her know that she had been the star of his latest fight with Stephanie. She would try to get out of her internship and find some other way to protect him so that he could save his relationship. But he didn't care about it if it meant losing Virginie. "What's going on with your relationship?"

"Oh, Robert? He was arrested but they couldn't hold him. I know you and Ethan just arrested him to fuck with him. Please don't do that again, by the way."

Alex took a deep breath. The sight of her pressed against the wall by Robert's drunken hand flashed in his mind and he pressed his fist into the smooth texture of his couch. The thought of the fucker made his blood boil. "Please tell me he didn't hit you again."

"I told you that he doesn't hit me. I'm fine, Alex. I can take care of myself."

Why is she lying to me? I know that he hits her. Ethan told me all about him. The question is: why is she staying with him and allowing him to do this to her? If I can convince her to bring him along, I can keep an eye on them and stop him from doing any more harm to her. "Why don't you take him to Jamaica?"

There was silence over the line and then, "Why would I do that?"

Say something! Come up with something quick! "It could show him that you're committed to him in a different way. We've both been working hard and our partners think that the focus isn't on them. I think this trip is the perfect way to send that message."

"You just want me to come so you won't be alone with Stephanie, don't you?"

FUCKING HELL. "No, I just thought you needed a little bit of R&R after that fiasco a couple of days ago."