Sweet and Spicy [COMPLETED]

Party Time (pt. 5)

Ransom reached out for Kaya's hand as soon as he shut his car door. "I'm so sorry, my love. I didn't mean to shout. I got a little too into character." 

"I thought you might have." Kaya relaxed now that she knew for sure. "You don't usually yell at me." 

Ransom reached up his free hand to rest it against her cheek. "I frightened you. I'm sorry." 

"I'm fine. Really." 

Ransom's thumb stroked once against Kaya's cheek, his eyes boring into hers as if he might find the ultimate truth there. Finally, he pulled away. "Let's pick up the interns, then." 

In hindsight, it made sense that the interns wouldn't meet them in the parking garage. After all, they had lured Mr. Golde to the parking garage and if he saw the perpetrators in Ransom's car, he would undoubtedly figure out that they had played him. 

"Ransom?" 

Ransom didn't take his eyes off the path before him, turns that would lead them out of the garage. "Hm?" 

"Will this really help catch Richard?" 

"Yes." He sounded so sure. 

"What if he denies all the charges? He's been known to cut ties with people who try to expose him." 

Ransom pulled the SUV to a stop at the exit of the garage. "It won't be like that this time. I promise. This time we'll make sure he pays for what he's done." 

Hard to believe, but Kaya nodded anyway. Ransom had yet to break a promise to her. She didn't believe he would start with this one. Somehow, some way, Ransom would be able to do what others before him had failed to do. 

Even if he couldn't, Kaya trusted that he would run away with her. Would hide her where Richard could never find her. 

The back doors opened and shut, almost in unison. 

Kaya turned to see two very excited young adults, both grinning from ear to ear. 

"Did we do it, boss?" Jacob asked, all aflutter. 

Alicia tugged the black beanie off the top of her hair. "Mission accomplished?" 

"The two of you were brilliant." Ransom pulled out into traffic. "Everything went smoothly." 

"I told you I'm a capable woman." Alicia folded her arms, a smug self-satisfaction on her face. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do." 

"I certainly will," Ransom assured. 

Jacob leaned forward, his face between the two front seats. "Just please, don't ask her to do anything illegal or dangerous." 

"Why? You won't be there to protect her?" 

Had Ransom just teased Jacob? Kaya tried to wrap her brain around that. Ransom rarely teased anyone except Kaya. He must be in a good mood, or he wouldn't have put up with the interns so readily. 

Jacob, suddenly red and flustered, flopped back in his seat. "Me? Protect her? Why... why would I?" But his stuttering and a single sideways glance at Alicia told Kaya all she needed to know. 

Jacob had most definitely had a crush on the little fangirl since the first time he laid eyes on her. If only he would make a move in a forward direction about it.