Eighty-Sixed [manxman]

VII | Bourbon Kiss | [m]

VII

| Bourbon Kiss | [m]

-

I woke to the bright midday sun shining through my window, illuminating the cream walls to reflect a honey gold hue. Shuffling back down into the blankets, I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth of the sun's rays contrasted with the chill of the A/C. Then, it hit me.

Eyes shooting open, I sat straight up and grabbed my phone to check the time. Thirty minutes until noon. How had I overslept by that much? If one of the girls hadn't barged down the door, then Kinsley or Vin certainly would have. Fumbling with my phone, I saw a text message from approximately two hours ago.

Harlow. Good morning, Alec. I gave you a few hours of paid leave this morning to catch up on some sleep. I'm not due to leave until this evening, so I'll have the girls. Rest up and enjoy the morning.

Dropping my phone back onto the bed, I rolled out and put my feet to the floor. Harlow only extended the courtesy, because I had sat with him the night before. A favor for a favor. Harlow seemed like the type to exercise at least that much fairness with his employees, at least the ones within his home.

Scrubbing down my face and clearing the sleep from my eyes, I padded into the bathroom to get myself presentable and face the day. Once emerging from my room, I found Harlow and the girls playing in the courtyard. I thanked him for the break, for paying me to sleep in, and went about my daily duties. Harlow left that evening, as scheduled, and I took the opportunity to begin my next search of his home. I raided two of the rooms Harlow marked as off-limits on my map and didn't find a damn thing.

Those rooms looked too clean, if anything. Nothing that could be construed as suspicious was there. All the computers or technological systems were fully shutdown, and I felt certain if I booted anything on, Harlow would receive an immediate notification. Before the first flash of the screen, the security scurrying around Harlow's mansion would descend on me and cart me away, if not shoot me on sight. Giving up, I turned in for the evening and resigned myself to a new search when Harlow was back home. Those searches were more dangerous, but they bore more fruit.

If I didn't have something new to report to Garcia soon, there'd be hell to pay. Alum Springs PD wasn't my biggest fan as it was, so there was no reason to push them unnecessarily, especially Garcia.

Harlow arrived back home on Wednesday at lunchtime, joining the girls and I for sandwiches, celery, and popsicles before beginning the day's math lesson. Harlow floated in and out of the girls' study throughout the lesson, as though he checked whether the lesson had ended yet. He wanted something--something from me. But I didn't have the first clue as to what it might have been.

By the time I transitioned the girls into afternoon quiet time, I'd gotten sick of seeing Harlow's face appear every fifteen minutes. Hearing his footsteps from a few yards down the hall, I stepped to the doorway to meet him. Harlow jumped.

"Yes?"

"What?" he asked, blinking innocently.

Raising a brow, I folded my arms over my chest. "You've only stopped by every few minutes and wandered back out like a sad puppy. What do you need, Lord Harlow?"

At being called out, Harlow grinned boyishly. "That obvious?"

"Either that obvious or I have an astounding gift."

"I just wanted to ask if you'd have dinner with me tomorrow night."

It was my turn to blink. "Sure," I said. "You know I'm always happy to help with the girls--"