Page 137 of Wicked

“No idea.” I rub the back of my neck, and I hate the idea of her with another. It cannot happen. Not now. Not ever. “Want me to check?”

“No… No, that’s too much,” I growl, trying to control myself. The primal, staunch side of me wants to say, “Yes, of course I fucking do!”

“She needs her privacy,” I say, feeling sick. I do not want her on her own, especially around tanned backpackers. In lagoons. In shorts. Dancing under coconut palms.

She is mine!

“Talk to me,” I command, walking inside to get my bag and Tito. We head quickly back out and towards the jet. “Exacts and now!”

“She’s on an island in Southern Thailand. It’s called Koh Samui.”

Tito and I walk up to a jet cart that pulls up. It’s like a golf cart, and I climb on. “Get on, boy.” For some reason, Tito does. “I know we can’t hold her, and I know we can’t tell if she’s going to leave tomorrow, but anything else?”

Guys I know in NYC would shut the airport down and cordon off the island.

“We have her hotel name,” Thomas says, “and she’s there for another day. One day.”

I think about convincing the hotel to get her to stay or to act like she has to stay. We could have our local Asian fixer bribe the travel company or the hotel.

“You alright?” Thomas asks.

“Yeah,” I say, “just thinking.”

“It’s hard when you like someone,” Thomas says. It’s rare for him. The brute is a corporate animal like me.

“Yeah, try fucking love,” I growl.

“Really?” I do not reply. “Well, at least you found the one.”

“Yeah,” I say, “But will she have me back?”

“That’s up to you,” Thomas says. “Make her yours.”

The comment is unlike him, but he is right. “I know, and I will.”

I climb out of the cart, and Tito tags along. We walk to the jet, and I want the next communication off the phone and on an encrypted platform.

“I’ll send you what I need done in Thailand in five.”

“Anything you want.”

“Meanwhile, the witch… Raven’s ex-boss. Did you view her contract yet?”

“Of course. We also skimmed her emails for the last eighteen months.”

“You’re a sick bastard,” I mumble. “Remind me to never go up against you.”

“Thanks, that means a lot,” Thomas says, making a very rare joke. “We’ve found a window.”

I smile for the first time today. “Which is?”

“Her employment contract has specific clauses. Some limiting her actions!”

I nod to Nico’s flight crew, and they step back from the jet’s stairs. They smile as I hand over our passports and run inside with Tito.

“And?” I ask, walking down the aisle.

“Now, some clauses naturally limit her actions regarding laws. They also include bribery. It would appear the colorful skank has been taking grey advertising funds for bruising alternative destinations. In effect, nations could and have been paying the travel rag she is CEO of to slam their opposition. A disgusting practice. Now, I have personally viewed the window,and it is clear she is way over the line. She can be fired, immediately.”

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