Licensed to Kill

Chapter 34

The parking lot was crawling with cops and agents. All the club-goers had long since run off. Only two dancers had stuck around to answer questions about the fighting. As my eyes scanned the crowd, I couldn't see Dallas or Matt anywhere.

I jerked my arms free from the agents who had dragged me out of the club and I marched over to Director Jordan. He was standing with his hands on his hips in his usual suit and tie, observing the scene. My escorts came running after me, but Jordan halted them with a wave of his hand and told them it was alright.

He turned his attention to me with an unreadable expression and gave a curt acknowledgement. "Agent Dobreva. Interesting choice in apparel."

I cringed at the awkwardness of the situation, talking to my director while wearing the standard stripper's uniform. How classy of me.

I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hug the robe tighter around my body out of embarrassment.

"Would you care to tell me what the hell is going on here?" I brazenly asked, practically getting up in his face about it. "I – we – had everything under control here until all these cops and agents crashed the party! Why are you here? And where the fuck are Dallas and Matt?"

Jordan tried to raise his hand to silence me the same way he always hushed everyone, but I wasn't having it.

"No!" I shouted at him, placing my hands firmly on my hips. "Somebody better give me some information right now, or so help me-"

"Natalia!"

He cut me off and surprised me by using my first name. He'd never called me by my first name before. He'd always been strictly formal about how he addressed everyone.

"Agents Carver and David are fine," Jordan said sternly, though the hint of sorry in his eyes told me that he understood why I was furious and that he was sympathetic to my situation. "They've been taken to an emergency room to get checked out. I'm sure the prognosis will be fine, too, because they only appeared to have a few cuts and bruises. You need to calm yourself down. Go sit down and drink some water. Cool off."

Oh, he thought I was going to lay off after only hearing that much? That wasn't near enough information to satisfy me. I wasn't about to go "cool off." I was going to be up Director Jordan's ass until he had me arrested, if that's what it would take.

"I will not go 'cool off'," I hissed, glaring at my superior. "You're not telling me anything! I think I have a right to know what the hell just happened in the middle of my mission!"

Jordan returned my icy stare and fired back. "Listen to me, Agent! You will watch the way you address your director! Do you understand me?"

I wasn't about to back down. If it was a fight he wanted, it was a fight he was going to get.

"I have never treated you with anything other than respect, because you've earned that!" I hollered, getting mere inches from his face. "And the least you could do is show me some respect back! I know I've damn well earned it!"

Jordan's angry expression seemed to soften and he took a step back, folding his arms and sighing deeply. Had I struck a nerve behind his stone wall of emotions?

He looked tired. Real tired. Like he'd been awake for a week straight. His eyes were bloodshot and he hadn't shaved. I wondered what had had him so strung out. Had he been trying to track me down for the last few days? Was he stressing over Matt's and my situation?

"You're right," the director finally said. "You're right, Agent. You deserve to know what's going on. Have a seat."

He gestured to the open trailer behind us and we both sat down on the edge. All around us, the parking lot, club, and back alley were still bustling with activity.