CHAPTER 4
JASMINE
“What the hell have you gotten me into!” Jasmine Murphy seethed through a fake smile. She agreed to come to Texas because of her job, and when a “coworker’ asked her for a favor she agreed. However, as they approached a table of women who looked at her like she stole something, she realized the favor was to make some woman jealous.
Harper and Jasmine had worked together on a previous mission, and because she was trying to move up in the company, she decided to do what was necessary to help. She was also advised that it would be wise to support a teammate when asked.
“Spirit. We need you in Texas.” The words echoed in her head as she took a good look at the women. Jasmine sighed, her fate sealed.
She would much rather be in sunny California sipping on a fruity drink with an umbrella than here with Harper. She finally had time off, and now here she was in the middle of some idiotic game.
“Just nod and smile, Spirit. Look pretty and don’t piss them off. This isn’t about them.” Harper responded in that carefree way of his.
Jasmine hated to be put in situations like these. She didn’t know who the women were that were giving her the death glare, and she sure as fuck didn’t care about what their problem was. She was quick to put a bitch in her place if she got out of line.
“I’m not here to look pretty. You are. And what do you mean it’s not about them? Who is it about?” Jasmine’s smile was feral and she knew that Harper was well aware of her skills. She agreed to his nonsense; but whatever game he was playing he really should’ve let her know the rules.
They walked hand in hand toward the bar where the women were gathered. Two of the three women were obviously twins, and she figured that Harper had to be sleeping with one of them, because of the obvious territorial death glares they were throwing her way.
“Well hey there, ladies. Nice to see you all.” Harper smiled in that mischievous way of his that could charm the panties off of most women.
“Harp, what are you doing here? I thought you left town.” One of the twins smiled at him, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Aww, peanut, you know how it is.” Harper shrugged.
Peanut huh? That isn’t a sexy nickname, so she’s definitely not sleeping with him.
“Huh uh. So, who’s your friend?” The curvy woman who was seated between the twins asked.
Straight to the point, I like that.
Jasmine noticed that all the women were awaiting his reply, but only one of the women was actively trying not to look at Harper. So she’s the one he’s sleeping with.
“This is Jasmine. We go way back.”
Jasmine shouldn’t have been shocked that he didn’t use her code name, it was obvious that these women didn’t have anything to do with his work life. However, it was still unnerving to hear him.
“Way back for you is like two hours, Harper.” The curvy woman responded with a snicker.
“Longer than that, cola.” Harper winked.
These damn nicknames are ridiculous, but I’m not one to talk, my codename is Spirit. Jasmine thought as she tried hard not to roll her eyes.
“Jasmine, these are my friends. This is Farren, Eden, and her sister Elyse.” Harper introduced.
“Hello. Nice to meet you all.” Jasmine was a master of the fake. She had to constantly blend in and pretend to be something or someone that she wasn’t. So, pretending to be cordial to a bunch of stuck up chicks should be a breeze.
“Hello.” They responded in unison.
The reception was cold, but she didn’t care. She was ready to get this show on the road, find the information she needed, and get the hell out of Texas.
“Harper, I’m going to go to the ladies’ room.” Jasmine kissed Harper on the cheek, and smiled slyly. As she walked away, she flipped her long hair over her shoulder and winked.
That ought to give them something to talk about. Jasmine smirked to herself as she sashayed to the restroom.
****
Jasmine made her way to the restroom through the crowded restaurant. She was a little intrigued by the women that Harper surrounded himself with. She didn’t take Harper as a swirler, not that there was anything wrong with that; Jasmine just expected him to be more of a lover of blonde hair and big boobs type of guy.
“Guess I shouldn’t be so quick to judge.” Jasmine mumbled to herself as she entered the restroom.
Jasmine took out her phone, scrolled through her contacts, and shot off a quick text. This was the perfect opportunity to check in with the agency. The agency is what Jasmine named her current employer; their official title was one that she wouldn’t dare say out loud. Her employer wasn’t funded by any government, but they definitely were doing a lot of things for many governments. The agency was a private entity, which in Jasmine’s opinion was the best way to go.
In college, Jasmine was thinking of applying for government positions because she was known for her stellar computer skills. She had made a name for herself in the technology world even though she was so young. However, when she used those genius computer skills of hers and ended up facing a jail sentence, the agency stepped in and saved her hide. Jasmine was indebted to them, but it was well worth it.
The agency made her lots of money, she was able to travel the world, and she lived for the danger. Although she was recruited for her computer skills, she had a knack for espionage. Jasmine loved the thrill of the chase, and most importantly the thrill of the kill.
Jasmine would never admit it out loud, but the taking of someone’s life gave her an unexplained adrenaline rush like nothing had ever given her before. And after her first kill, she searched; risked her life in numerous circumstances, did the daredevil thing, even experimented with drugs. But nope, nothing like the kill.
Jasmine washed her hands and peered into the mirror at her reflection. The gray contacts she wore concealed her brown eyes, and her long honey brown locks complemented her chocolate complexion. Not that she would keep her hair or contacts the same color for long.
Jasmine never looked the same more than a few months at a time. She wore weaves, wigs, and sometimes braids. Her hair was always a different color, as well as the contacts she wore. It was amazing how different she looked with just a change in hair and eye color, and of course a few make-up tricks always helped.
She touched up her nude lip gloss, and adjusted her dress. I’m looking fine tonight. Jasmine smiled at her reflection and blew herself a kiss. She headed for the door, but stopped dead in her sexy strut when her phone beeped.
Agency: You need to stay where you are for the time being.
Jasmine: the time being?
Jasmine didn’t like the sound of that at all. Her handler at the agency always gave specifics, they never, not once were so cryptic in the amount of time she should be in one place. And that fact made her feel uneasy about the situation. Something was going on, and she was damn sure about to find out what.
Agency: Yes. Do not return to your residence. It has been compromised. Stay put.
Jasmine knew that that was a direct order, but she wouldn’t just sit idly by while someone dictated her movements. Yes, she worked for the agency, but they very rarely made demands. Usually, they gave her an assignment and a time frame; Jasmine would complete the assignment in any way that she deemed appropriate in the given time, and that was it.
This was the first time in eight years that she was told to “stay put.” And she didn’t like it one bit. It was time to get to work, and find out just how her residence was compromised.
Jasmine sauntered back toward where she left Harper, and his fan girls. They were all still there chatting, but she wasn’t fooled by the fake smiles. Jasmine could practically see the tension radiating from all of them.
“Sweetheart, I think we should see if our table is ready. I’m starving, and you did promise to feed me.” Jasmine was talking to Harper, but she stared at the one twin that was obviously his ex.
Harper’s thick eyebrow raised, and Jasmine could only assume that it was because of her calling him by a pet name. She was just going with whatever game he was obviously playing; it wasn’t her fault that she wasn’t informed of the rules. I’ll just make up my own rules.
“Alright.” His deep voice was even, but she knew how to read body language, and the tightening of his jaw told her he was pissed.
“I will check you guys later.” Harper addressed the women. And again Jasmine barely contained the eye roll.
The women all said their goodbye’s, and Jasmine posted on her best fake smile. She wanted the women to know that she wasn’t at all intimidated by their little glares and dirty looks. She was a grown woman, and she didn’t owe any of these bitches a damn thing.
“Bye, ladies, it was… interesting to meet you all.” Jasmine didn’t give them a chance to respond as she sashayed away grabbing Harper by the hand and leading him to the hostess stand to get a table.
****
“What the hell was that, Spirit?” Harper’s anger tinted every word. But Jasmine didn’t know why he was mad at her. She knew that he was pissed, Jasmine just didn’t think it was directed toward her.
“It’s your little game, Phantom.” She sneered his code name. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch now.” Jasmine chuckled unrepentant. If he wanted her to pretend to be his date to make some chick mad, then that’s exactly what she was going to do.
“I asked you to come here because we need to meet a contact. It had nothing to do with you making anyone jealous.”
“Then why the hell were you holding my hand then?” The only person in the world that could confuse Jasmine was Harper Price.
Jasmine had checked out Harper, like she did with everyone that she worked with at the agency. She was one of the few people that knew he was a genius, and his bad boy idiot act was just that… an act. But at this moment, she knew that she had missed a huge piece of the puzzle.
“I was holding your hand because the guy that we’re meeting is a fuckin’ sleazeball, and when he sees a female with someone he thinks it’s a challenge. This show was for him, not the ladies you just met.”
Jasmine didn’t understand why Harper was still so pissed. And to be perfectly honest she no longer cared. She had her own shit to worry about, and just maybe this contact of Harper’s could be the key she needed to unlock what the hell was really going on, and how someone knew where the hell she lived.
Jasmine ignored his little comment about the birds that were squawking after Harper, and decided to address the real issue, “So if I’m a challenge to this guy, then what does that mean?”
Harper narrowed his eyes at her, but again Jasmine didn’t give a damn. She needed the information on who this contact was, and if he had information that could help her.
“That means he will try to get close to you, and you can use that to your advantage and get more out of him. He’s not just going to willingly give us everything we need.” Harper responded slowly like she was dumb.
Jasmine hated when he did that shit, “I’m not an idiot, Price. What information is he supposed to have?” She questioned sharply.
She could pretend to be a lot of things, nice wasn’t one of them. At least, not for an extended amount of time.
“He could know who in the hell hacked the agency, and got all of our names and addresses. That’s what information he has.”
“How long have you known that the agency had been compromised?” Jasmine was angry she had been in Texas for two days, and literally just found out that she was compromised.
How in the hell did Harper know that the entire agency had been hacked? And what the hell did that actually mean. Was somebody composing some type of hit list? Jasmine knew that she could take care of herself, but she needed to know what she was up against.
“I’ve known a week.”
If it had been a week, and Harper still hadn’t found who was responsible, they were all in deep shit. And Jasmine wouldn’t go down with the rest of the people at the agency. She would do what needed to be done to get herself out of this shit. Fuck everybody else. I refuse to go down with this sinking ship.