Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Leaking Information

Ransom's uncle's research needed to be used wisely. Kaya didn't know the whole plan, but she trusted Ransom to use it in a way that would produce results.

She did not, however, expect to see the evidence of bribery on the 6 o'clock news.

It was Jade that pointed it out first, with a declaration of, "Who leaked this?!"

"I don't know," was Kaya's only reply. Jade didn't need to get in the middle of all this. She had enough problems of her own.

Kaya wasn't an idiot. She had seen Kestrel hanging around the building. Somehow, Kaya felt that living in Jade's house was putting a damper on Jade's relationship with Kestrel.

"Where has this information been?" Jade pulled up a search engine on her phone. "Took them long enough to leak it. Think about all the junk you had to go through!"

Kaya offered a tight smile. This wasn't how it was supposed to go down, was it? How did she politely excuse herself from Jade's rant to head upstairs and ask Ransom about it?

"...I mean, what has my cousin been doing?"

Perfect. Kaya rose to her feet. "I don't know. Should I go ask him?"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Jade rose to her feet and pointed to the door. "Let's go!"

Not exactly how Kaya had foreseen that going, but taking Jade with her didn't really hinder her plans. It did get her into Ransom's place so she could ask what was going on. Jade's presence wouldn't change much.

"Okay, let's go." Kaya followed Jade out the door and into the elevator.

Jade punched Ransom's penthouse code into the keypad. The elevator ascended.

A little scary, knowing that Jade could invade Ransom's place whenever she wanted. At least Kaya had someone to keep her accountable.

The elevator doors opened to allow them into Ransom's penthouse.

Jade stepped out first, dipping her head back and forth in search of her cousin.

Kaya followed more hesitantly. Through the entryway. Into the living room.

Arms wrapped around her from behind, holding loosely but firmly. "What brings you here?"

"Jade and I had questions." Kaya relaxed into Ransom's hold. "Only you can answer them."

"Oh, really?" Ransom pressed a kiss to Kaya's temple, then her cheek. "What do these questions pertain to?"

"Ew. Gross. I don't need to know this much." Jade appeared on the stairs, racing back down to the living area. "Let go, please."

"She's my girlfriend and you, dear cousin, are trespassing."

"Doesn't make this any less gross." Jade reached them and swatted her hand at Ransom's arm. "Let go. Let's talk."

Ransom sighed, pressed a kiss to Kaya's hair, and extracted his arms from around her. "I'm assuming you have questions about the news."

Of course he knew. Ransom always remained a step ahead of them.

"It isn't a mistake." Ransom settled in a chair and folded his hands in his lap. "I released the information on purpose, to see how the media would spin it. I've received interesting results."

That didn't seem like the whole story, but who was Kaya to question it? It wasn't her plan to mess up.

"Are you aware what this is going to do to your reputation if people know you leaked it?" Jade folded her arms.

Kaya rolled her lips together. She hadn't thought of that. What would happen to Ransom when this all ended? What would people think of him and what would they say? Would protecting Kaya be the end of his long-cherished career?