"So you mean to say that we stressed in vain?"
"None of them knew shit?"
"They were all just bluffing?"
"Of course they were," replied Nova, as Jason and James attacked her with question after question. They were back in Derek's Office and as soon as they entered without saying anything, Derek pressed some buttons on that same phone and now they were in a conference call with James, Jason and Officer Penton.
Officer Penton, just like Derek, had been quiet the entire time, making Nova a little nervous but she indulged herself in answering James and Jason. They seemed to be quite surprised with her, and for some reason, it didn't offend her.
"Couldn't you tell by their questions? Exactly like the ones from that newspaper headline from days before. They get too unprofessional and frank and a little too nosey when it comes to striking up some sort of controversy between celebrities. Not to mention my father, as a solicitor and my mother as a social activist have been in the media's eye from time-to-time. Not to mention Adam Watson just inherited the company from his father; it had to make big news." She shrugged as she said that, explaining things that she'd contemplated before.
"Why'd you waste time on Lee and Tory, though?" Jason asked through the phone and Nova sighed.
"We didn't. We now know that they are in on some bigger messes. That much money, the job can't be normal. I'm pretty sure it's something illegal. Even if they were laundering money, they wouldn't send that amount to themselves via bank. No, think about it, it has to be something bigger than that." She explained again, told them what she thought as of now.
Glancing at Derek, she couldn't help but feel uneasiness crawl up her spine because all he did ever since they turned their backs on the crowd was purse his lips shut and keep a straight face. She could honestly use a bit of praise at this point, considering how she just went full out all on her own, risking everything. Or if not a praise then a little something would work too. But all Derek had to offer was just a straight face.
"But why waste time when you could've gone to them immediately after they started their fiasco? Could've saved the stressing that we did, don't you think?" it was James now, and of course, thought Nova, he would think that. Because Derek had looked like he was about to lose his head when he'd been on the call with James. It had to have scared the poor lad, since according to everyone, Derek never lost his cool.
"It was necessary on my part, and I apologise for any inconvenience it might've caused. We couldn't just barge out there, stressed out of our minds trying to convince people who look for cracks in people's relationships for a living. It would've busted the ruse right then and there had we rushed to them then. So, I decided to give us some time, trying to wrap our heads around the situation before we went out there to take care of it."
"Human trafficking."
All eyes turned towards the person who said that out of nowhere: Derek.
"I'm sorry?" Nova asked him when she couldn't make any connection with the two words that he uttered and the previous conversation.
"That's it." Nova's eyes snapped back to the phone from which Penton's voice came.
What?
"That would make sense. The papers for the case mentioned human trafficking, Ms. Newton and I will make sure to work on it closely from now on. James?" Derek called out and James's voice came from the device as a 'yes, sir!'
"Make sure to go through the papers and important information. I will contact you later. Off you go, then," and saying that, he disconnected him after hearing another 'yes, sir!'
"Jason, Ms. Newton will contact you in a bit, till then you accompany James and collect all the major information that you can. Good work today, off you go as well, thank you," he dismissed Jason as well and now it was Nova's turn to stand there in silence, lips pursed with a straight face.
What in the world was Derek doing now.
She had to admit, interrupting her and dismissing those she was having a conversation with was quite offending. She had no idea why he'd decided on being so darn difficult today.
"I'm sure you know what's going on by now, Derek?" Penton's voice took Nova out of her head and back to reality as her gaze then snapped back to Derek trying to see what it was that needed some figuring out. But all she got by looking at him was a curt nod.
"Yes," he let out right after nodding, lips still pursed. Now Nova was beyond confused and she had a bad feeling creeping up.
"Then I suggest you fill Ms. Newton in on it too. I'm pretty sure she doesn't know." The way Penton's tone and voice changed, that was enough for Nova to let her guard up and get ready for whatever it was that Derek was going to drop on her now.
"Ms. Newton," Derek said when he made sure that all the calls were cut off and that he had Nova's fullest attention now.
"Shall I expect you to remember the case files? From when you snuck up to them in my room?"
"I didn'tâ" she began but decided to let it go. It won't make any difference, Derek used that term purposefully-he knew that it irked her. "Yes. Yes, I do remember."
"Wonderful! That saves me the trouble then. Now, Ms. Newton, I cannot just take your word for it. So, go on, explain to me what all you remember."
Maybe it was her, but Derek was behaving exceptionally rude today, it was like he was asking for Nova to lose her cool or something. He was almost mocking her for goodness'sake. What in the world is wrong with him?
"Watson and Co. had been facing a downfall since the start of this year. It was rumoured to be because of some disloyal workers, money laundering as well as human traffickingâ"
"That's where I'll have to stop you, Ms. Newton, apologies. Human trafficking. Now, do you remember anything about Lee Hiram from those files?" Derek asked and pursing her lips, she began voicing what all she remembered.
"Yes, of course. Lee Hiram: used to work in finance department. Joined just before Officer Penton and you went on your latest mission. Didn't have much experience but was still hired. This was what all that was in the files."
"Yes, that is correct. And what about what we discovered in the later days?" He asked on.
"He has an account that is directly connected to Tory, who is MIA, and was recorded to be sending and receiving off huge amount of money. Foul play was suspected and Jason and James have yet to inform us about anything else regarding that matter. It's alsoâ"
"âI'm afraid I'll have to interrupt you yet again Ms. Newton because we have arrived at the point of this whole going back in time thing," he said, a nonchalant air still surrounding him which greatly bothered Nova for some reason. Maybe it was because she had never remembered him being this way, this cocky for no apparent reason-or maybe there was a reason but still. It almost felt like he was either hiding something, disguising his true feelings by that disgusting attitude or it could just be...Nova doesn't know what else it could be.
"Lee Hiram is involved in gang business."
That bit of information when fell out of DerekâNova's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. One, because of the nature of the information itself and second, because of the way he said it. Any and all ignorance and obnoxiousness had cleared away from around him. He was now in full work mode. She could tell because he was no more laid back on his massive office chair but rather sat forward, his hands in front of him, fingers intertwined.
So they were getting serious now.
"He is?" Whereas Nova had wanted that to come out as a blunt question, it just ended up coming out as a fact that she could not believe. And perhaps she couldn't because...because that was some heavy accusation.
"Yes, Ms. Newton, he is. Sit down now, you're in for a lot of shocking information and you might want to be seated down to process them in." And as he said that, Nova forgot all about mannerisms and such and just did as she was told because this was indeed getting pretty freaking serious!
*
"There, you know it now," Derek said on his ending note.
And all Nova could think of was...whoa.
"How are we sure?" She asked after a minute of silence, taking all of what was thrown at her. "How do we know all of this for sure? What are our sources? How do we know they're reliable?" Sitting almost on the edge of Derek's office chair that was placed in front of him, across the big table, she waited for the answer, her hands fumbling in front of her.
"You know, Ms. Newton. Suspiciousness may come within our Job description but you seem to have quite a lot of that particular characteristic," taunted Derek yet again and although at this point she couldn't tell how long she could handle this, she still managed to stick to her wits for what seemed to be the last time.
"You call it overly suspicious, I call it cautious. I don't believe we can afford being fooled by a random wannabe cop or â or â"
"Our sources are reliable; you have my word for it â"
"I demand names."
A silence followed that demand of hers, but Nova didn't lose the eye contact that she had with Derek. It was now her challenging him, not the other way around and she was not going to back down now. She was under pressure and somehow, she tends to get bold under pressure and that's what was happening.
And it could be that suddenly she had gone a little too bold because she could swear that she saw a tiny ghost of a smile for a fraction of a second pass by his face.
"You know, Ms. Newton," this time when Derek said that, unlike the other times this day, he had an amusing glint present there in his eyes and his face. But that could still very well be just Nova.
"You always impress me at moments like these. I would say that you somehow find ways to impress me on a regular basis but at times like these, where work is involved, you impress me even more. I am left wondering if there's anything else you can excel at after this and there you go, surprising me with a pleasant, smart reply of yours. It is commendable, very commendable indeed."
And there he goes, turning everything around with just some words. How he manages to do that goes beyond her but all that she does know is the fact that she is always left flustered against her will when he does that.
"I am flattered, Derek but â "
"Penton and I are the sources, Ms. Newton. Trustable enough for you?"
Maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it was him. Maybe he really did have some issues. Because honestly, who goes from a prick to a flirt in mere minutes. And at nothing too. It was suspicious. But it was also flattering, as she'd already said.
"Yes, Officer Adams." He looked at her for a few more seconds when she said that before diverting his gaze. It seemed like he was going to say something but decided against it at the last minute.
"So," Nova decided to continue after clearing her throat once. "Lee is involved with a gang and has been kidnapping people for that gang that later smuggles them away to either Italy or Germany or both. Tory is most probably just a pawn, might not even be in the picture as we speak. Why Lee went after me could have two reasons: either he had been planning to kidnap me as well," Nova noticed a shadow cross Derek's face at this, and she felt something weird in her chest so she looked at her fingers instead and continued.
"Or there is more to this. He's not alone; he's working for someone else too who might not be related to the gang." Concluded Nova on what all she was told just a few minutes prior to make sure that she had it all right.
"That's right," confirmed Derek. "But I would like to know-what do you think it is. Which one of those possibilities could be the case here?"
Nova thought for a while before replying. "If I take in consideration the case with myself, I believe Lee might not be there kidnapping me that night." There it was again, that clenching of his jaw as he closed his eyes for just a second, taking a deep breath in.
"Why so?" He asked, his voice a little different. A little hoarse sounding now.
"He had been on the phone with someone, remember?" Derek nodded in answer. "He was on the phone with a woman who wanted me fine. Without a scratch if I remember correctly; couldn't be a gang member, couldn't even be anyone from the gang. As far as I know, human trafficking doesn't care for little scratches-no gang cares for things like that. It has to be a side business or, I don't know, something else. Just not gang related."
After giving it plenty time and thought, Derek sighed loudly and got a little back on his chair, his hand pressing his forehead for just minutes before it went to rest on the armrest.
"I wouldn't be so sure. Could be someone with an obsession. Could be someone from the gang whose eye you might've caught. Could be gang related for many reasons other than human trafficking so I'm not cutting out the possibility of gang involvement just yet. Other than that, what I think is Tory is out of the picture. That woman on the phone, she could be Lee's boss from the gang, or could be a freaky bitch because honestly, it doesn't make much sense to me more that I think about it. The only believable and sensible explanation for that whole thing is the gang crap, and as much as I would like to see past that shit, I can't. I've tried and I can't so, we have to be careful."
Nova could only nod after hearing all that after a pause that would have made the atmosphere awkward had she not nodded along. Derek nodded at her in reply and went for the phone, pressing just one button and pulling it close to his ear.
"Yes, Penton." A pause after he greeted him.
"I have, she agrees. Yes, she's here still. Okay," and with that he was presenting the phone to her with a blank expression. It took just a second for Nova to get back in her senses and she took the phone and greeted him as well.
"Officer Penton."
"Oh, Ms. Newton, we were rather occupied the last time we were on the phone but I realised that I must acknowledge your work. Ms. Newton, what you did today is incredibly commendable. You handled the situation well and all right and that's what I expect of my officers. I did not expect you to call me at a time like this but I must admit that I was being inconsiderate. Of course Derek would panic, he hasn't worked with a companion before, not with someone in front of the world's eye and he also doesn't have any experience in relationships-not that I know of at least-so I was at fault for accusing and not at all helping but you, Ms. Newton, you handled it well... I am impressed."
After having experienced the bad side of Officer Penton, this seemed to be something so, so good, that Nova could cry in relief at that very moment. But she didn't-of course she didn't, she thanked him instead and said that he didn't have to apologise at all and that this was what Nova was hired for; that this was what she was supposed to do.
"Yes, and it is impressing that you know it. Now, Ms. Newton, coming to the case at hand. I am sure that Derek has already briefed you about Lee and his doings. From now on, Lee is our responsibility, we will get him to spill whatever beans he's been keeping buried inside of him. And he will spill, mind that. But what I need you both to do is to track the gang, get as much information as you can on it, everything. Lee has already been taken in custody but the threat is still out there and the business is still going on."
Nova nodded her head even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yes, Officer Penton Sir," she said.
"...Good then, Ms. Newton," Penton said after a little pause. "Tell Derek to send me the reports. And don't forget to tell him what I just told you as well. I will now be going, evening."
Bidding her farewell as well, she disconnected the call and handed the phone over to Derek. Glancing at him for a fleeting second, she looked at the phone on the table again before passing on what Penton left for him.
"Officer Penton said to give him the reports. Also that Lee is their responsibility now, we are to look deeper into the gang and try and bust it."
When Derek didn't say anything to that Nova raised her gaze to look at him. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw him looking at her already. He had this...intense look on his face as he did so too. As much as Nova was feeling things in her stomach and chest alike, she still couldn't find it in her to look away.
But before she could give in to the giddy feeling, she stiffened in her seat when she remembered how weird Derek had behaved earlier. And now that the case talk was over, she could ask him about it. Could ask what in the world was going on with him.
As she opened her mouth to argue with him however, Derek beat her to it.
"Last test."
And just like that, whatever warm feeling she had been feeling a while ago left her in an instant.
"I thought we were past this. Derek, I â "
"-Not just yours."
That shut her up. Not just hers? What was that supposed to mean?
"What do you â "
"It was a test for us both. You passed it with flying colours, Ms. Newton. Me, however, I can't say about surely." Nova gritted her teeth at the interruption but didn't say anything. Yet.
"That's what Penton meant when I interrupted you all of a second. That's what he was indicating at least."
"How do you know if I passed it or not? Or anything about yourself? He didn't say anything about that; I don't remember him saying anything about that." It was clear Nova didn't want to buy whatever Derek was selling because this was too unexpected.
"Trust me, Ms. Newton. I know Penton too well. He was the one I worked under when I was still training. It's clear as day to me. But that's not what you should be focusing on anyway. You passed the last test, go and celebrate!" Something about the way he said it made Nova feel something bitter. And this was the last straw.
"So this is it then?" She asked, her undeterred mask on.
"What do you mean?" Derek asked back, playing dumb. He had to be playing dumb because if he genuinely didn't know then Nova's anger was going to skyrocket.
"This is why you've been acting like a prick this entire time?" She gave a moment to him if he wanted to say something. Because now if he interrupted her, she wasn't going to take it easy.
Nova scoffed when he didn't say anything. "And now you don't have anything to say. Honestly, Derek, I want to know. Was this â this stupid test â was this the reason why you made a fool of me today? Why don't you say something now? You had plenty to say just a while ago, couldn't wait for me to finish, isn't that right? But now here you sit, completely mum when I'm asking you why you've been acting like a â like a complete â " she couldn't say it, she realised, and that left her angrier. Now at herself a little too.
"Say something!"
"It wasn't about the stupid fucking test, Nova, just know that much. I'm not petty," Derek finally said something.
"Oh, but aren't you though? Then what was it about. What was it about if not the test? Because I can't for the life of me figure you out. Everything is fine, Derek, I'm telling you-everything is perfectly fine. I don't really mind anything but mocking me and without any reason? Now surely you cannot be expecting me to be okay with that?"
"I was not mocking you, Nova," Derek clearly lied, thought Nova.
"Oh don't you start lying now too, Derek, or I swe â "
"But I â "
"Let me speak!"
That shut him up. Good, as it should.
"You mean to tell me that you were just smiling at me for no reason, that you weren't making fun of me when you asked oh-so-sweetly if I 'still remember the files' or if I 'still know' other bull crap? You must take me for a fool, expecting me to believe all that. Seriously, Derek, what was it? I really want to know because it was so out of the blue, Derek, I would never expect that of you but-but you-," she couldn't speak more than that it seemed, that was her limit.
"Say something," she all but whispered this time.
It took him a while to actually say something now and that short while had Nova thinking of she was overreacting. Maybe he was playing with her? Weren't couples supposed to have playful banter together? But then, they weren't a couple in front of Officer Penton and Jason and James. They were all colleagues. The ruse wasn't on in front of them. He had to be mocking her. He had to be.
"I wasn't mocking you, Nova; contrary to whatever you have convinced yourself to believe. I wasn't, and I don't know how to make you believe that â "
"Just give me a reason then. Why did you say all of that like that, why did you keep cutting me off constantly as if whatever I said didn't mean anything, as if whatever I said was just stupid and â just â just tell me. Why?"
And maybe she really was overreacting but she didn't care. She was hurt and she couldn't control her feelings. She had a pride and that was hurt, he may not have intended on it but her feelings had been hurt. And neither he nor she could do anything about it. All that Derek could do was give a decent explanation.
"I wasn't mocking you, Nova. I wasn't. I was...I guess I said and did all that because I knew what triggered you," as he said that, he lifted his gaze up to meet hers and she could see confusion on his face. And it seemed like he whatever he was saying was coming out of him without any filter. That would mean it was genuine. "And what pushed you to your best. If you think that's twisted then maybe it is. And I'm sorry if it hurt you-"
"It did." She pulled her gaze away from him to look behind him at the massive glass window and saw how the sun was starting to get down.
"I didn't mean to," she looked back at him at that. "I should have been more considerate about it, I should have thought it over, should have paused to think how it would affect you. It's my fault that I didn't and I'm truly sorry about it."
Nova took a moment to process all of that and try to calm the anger that she had been feeling. And when she was sure that yes, the apology was accepted and that it could really be sincere-no, she was certain that it was sincere because she saw it written on his face. She had to look for it obviously, look for it through the blank face that he currently had on right then, but she found it on the softest crease between his eyebrows. She found it in the way Derek's thumb kept fiddling with his ring.
"...It's okay," Nova said after a minute of thought. "It's okay if you're sorry."
"I am," and it showed with the way his eyes got big. "I'll try and be more considerate from now on."
"Then it's all good," she said, a small smile finding its way on to her lips and eyes. Before she could say anything else, the phone rang again and Derek was a little late to pick it up, his eyes on her before he went ahead to pick the phone.
"Yes, James?" He spoke into the phone and Nova dropped her gaze on her fingers, a warm feeling spreading inside her. It was something about the honesty in Derek's eyes and the way he handled the situation. He could've lashed out as well, he could've ignored but noâhe handled it so well that now Nova was thinking that Derek was number one example of husband material. Maybe she needs someone to slap some sense into her because what in the world is she thinking?
"Alright, great work," the sound of Derek's deep voice brought her back to reality and away from her cringe thoughts. "I shall speak to you about this more later. See if you can find any advantage and report back to me tomorrow. Yes, Good Evening."
And then he was putting the phone down. Nova didn't raise her gaze now, she couldn't it seemed for she was already feeling eyes on her. It was Derek of course, and she almost let out a shriek when she felt a hand enter her line of vision. When a forefinger and thumb held her chin with such delicacy, she couldn't help looking up at him and she wondered when he got away from his chair and across the table and this close to her. His eyes scanned the whole of her face and his must have been just inches away from hers because she could see the blues of his eyes so, so clearly that she was amazed, lost.
His eyes stopped on her lips for a quick instance before going back to her eyes only to look at her lips again. Nova sucked in a quick breath when she felt his thumb brush against her lower lip, her eyes stuck on his face and she had no idea what was going on with her stomach. There seemed to be literal butterflies in there and she had a hard time believing that she was actually feeling the butterfly effect for herself. She never really thought that she would, she didn't even give it any thought ever, really.
"Good, huh?" Derek spoke and god darn it she felt it travel across her body, down her spine. For some reason Nova felt the need to wet her lips and it was obviously a bad idea to work on that feeling because along with wetting her lips she felt the touch of Derek's thumb too.
She sucked in a quick breath before looking up at Derek's eyes, then back at his lips and then closing her eyes as she pulled him through his neck to kiss him. Derek returned the kiss almost immediately, his hands finding their way on her waist and as she tried to pull him closer, she was being pulled on her feet instead. While a second before she had been seated on the chair in front of the big office table, she was now standing against Derek who stood against the aforementioned table.
Nova was flush against him; she couldn't even feel anything other than Derek's chest against hers. She was sure her feet weren't even touching the floor now.
She pulled away to look at him only for him to pull one hand away from her waist and place on the nape of her neck, angling her head and dipping in for another kiss. This kiss wasn't gentle, it was...passionate, at least that's what it felt like to Nova. Derek nipped at her lower lip and she parted her lips. The touch of his tongue on hers was something else, something divine, something other worldly because Nova was sure she saw stars. And just like that, the kiss converted back to something sweet.
Nova felt the ground beneath her feet now, Derek's hand that was on her waist was rubbing slow circles around the thin material of her shirt and she felt it all over her body. She pressed the side of her face more against his hand that was on the nape of her neck, his thumb brushing against her cheekbones as he kissed her lips once, then twice and then with a light, sweet pressure for the third time. Nova felt a sigh leave her lips when he pulled away this time.
Opening her eyes, she saw his opening at the same time, the blues in them a sparkling dark blue, just like the ocean in moonlight and she almost gasped at the beauty of it all.
"You're beautiful," Nova couldn't help but tell him. His beauty was of that kind, the one you couldn't help but admire out loud. Freeing her grip from around Derek's coat, she lifted her hand up to place it on her favourite part of his face. His scar.
He didn't flinch this time; his eyes were locked with hers the entire time, not even following the movement of her hand. She broke the eye contact to look at the side of his face, right where his scar lay, right below his sculpted cheekbone. Her fingers brushed against the rather soft skin of his burn mark, her thumb brushing against it as her fingers found their way behind his ear, playing with his soft hair.
Everything about him was soft yet rough. It was just beautiful. He is beautiful.
She pulled him for one last time with a soft tug on his hair and he obliged. A soft peck, that was all she placed there on his lips and then, turning his face the slightest bit, she kissed him there, on his scar.
"Beautiful," she whispered.
When she looked back in his eyes she saw his gaze roaming about the entirety of her face only for them to stop at her eyes. And then there it was, that soft smile that was so, so rare that it always managed to awe her every time she saw it on him. She could never help the tiny smile that would escape her lips when she saw him smiling.
Derek's smile only widened when he saw her lips tilted upwards as well, and he placed both his hands on either side of her head, his thumbs brushing her cheeks as he dipped one more time â this time to place a lingering kiss on her forehead and now the butterflies in her stomach were going haywire, there was no telling if they were inside her or if she was amongst them.
"Beautiful," he repeated lowly when he pulled back, looking at her like he wasn't sure she was real. Before she could feel sad about that new thought that entered her head, Derek pulled away, his hand guiding her wherever he planned to go. And he was sure to tell her where exactly before she could even ask.
"Home."
-------------------
A/N:
Whew! Hola, hola amigos! Yes i am still alive and breathing and so is this book. Before anything, let me just put a little emphasis on the fact that this chapter is the longest that I've ever written. Honest, no kidding. 5k+ words. Damn, how did I manage that.
Anyways, coming to the chapter...I'm not so sure about it because things were planned and they happened but some things that weren't planned also happend so like...I kind of have mixed feelings about it. I also realised that I can't write kissing scenes for shit so I apologise for the cringe contentâI'm still new and trying lmao
Also, hOW HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN?! OH MY GOD LONG TIME NO SEEEEEEDCTGSSAEWWHILBDEEHWO
Last time I updated I was still phantomfantasy I think. Yeah it's still me I just changed my username because the previous one seemed too cringe.
Moving on! Hope you liked the chapter! I'll try to update faster because at this point I'm kind of desperate to finish this book seeing as only just a couple more chapters are left out. Maybe 5 or 6 at most. So yeah.
Also do you guys mind if I, like, skip through the...'it' scene if it ever was to come? Like if you want me to write then I could try...but it'll be soft, I'll tell you that. Derek and Nova aren't really wildâYEAH TIME TO GO EVERYBODY! HAVE A NICE DAY/NIGHT! SEE YOU NEXT TIME, MUAH!
-Z.