‘Have you interpreted for someone before?’ I ask. He mentioned a Deaf ex-girlfriend, so maybe he has, but it’s a definite skill, and I get the feeling that this is too important to risk a misunderstanding. Ethan took a written statement from me already for that exact reason.
Dhiren’s lips twitch. ‘Yes.’
My brow furrows. What joke am I missing?
‘I’ll explain, I promise.’ He looks earnest enough, although no explanation is immediately forthcoming.
I give a wary nod, knowing there will be a lot of fingerspelling, and we might have to switch to written communication at some point anyway. He seems keen to try, so why not let him have a go? ‘Okay, treasure, let’s try with you interpreting.’
Ethan has taken a laptop out of his backpack and now places it on a small side table in front of me, some sort of official Soldati Security document on the screen. “I’d like you to sign an NDA.”
A non-disclosure agreement? Are they trying to keep us quiet about the explosion? The rumours in Wargate were that the new task force is very different from the previous one—unbiased, for one thing. But maybe that’s not true.
‘Why?’ I ask.
Ethan leans forward, forearms on his knees. “Because I think you can help us with an ongoing investigation, but I can’t tell you anything about it unless you sign that first.”
I stare at him, trying to read how much truth thereis in that statement. His body language is calm, his pine forest scent is stable, and he’s not using any alpha power right now, although there is the golden glow of a mate bond in the centre of his chest.
Since there’s no hint of deception, and the idea of working with the task force instead of being on the other side of the law is more appealing than I’m willing to admit to anyone, I pick up the laptop and read through the NDA. It’s standard, so I add a digital signature.
He takes the laptop from me, taps a few times on the touchpad, then puts it back on the little table. “This is a contract to protect you should you assist us in the investigation. It does not constitute any obligation on either side.”
Dhiren has been fingerspelling several words already, so I show him the signs for them while I consider what Ethan’s really offering here.
‘I’d like to know what the investigation relates to first.’ Even if there’s no obligation as he says, I know better than to sign a contract without the full picture.
Ethan gives a slight nod to Dhiren, then sits back in his chair.
Dhiren’s fingers tremble slightly. ‘My real name is Rajesh Puli. I work for Soldati Security.’
What. The. Fuck.
‘I go by Raj. Ethan and I were in the SAS together, along with most of our pack. I’m Ethan’s beta.’
I shoot to my feet, needing to pace to figure out what the hell I’m feeling. The sitting room that seemed so large when we came in, with its ornate ceiling and elaborate chandelier, is too small now. My chest is tight, my blood heating.
I know we barely know each other, but I thought there was a genuine connection between us. I hate the idea that he was just using me to get information because I didn’t make a secret of my crush on him.
At the far end of the room, I spin and faceRaj, my handmovements sharp. ‘Were any of our conversations real? Do you even have a Deaf ex-girlfriend?’
He nods immediately, his hands tripping over the words. ‘I’ve been as real with you as I could. I started learning BSL as a teenager, then met Aarya two years later. She was my first girlfriend, and was Deaf. Even though we were only together for six months I kept learning after we broke up, although it’s been a long time since I was able to use it in earnest. Languages come easily to me. In the armed forces, a huge part of my role was as interpreter for whichever team I was assigned to.’
I pace some more, absorbing that, before facing him again. ‘Is the only reason you’ve been talking to me to get information?’
‘No,’ he signs emphatically. ‘You’re fun to talk to, and your messages always make me smile.’
I stop and take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my pounding heart. I hate feeling like I’ve been duped. Part of me wants to walk out of here, fly home, and leave these two to whatever investigation they have going on.
The larger part of me wants to know who Raj really is, because I’ve been drawn to him since we met. My dragon side has already decided we’re keeping the tiger and doesn’t care what name he uses. The rest of me is curious enough to at least allow him to explain his side of things.
I take my time crossing the room and sitting back down. My hand movements are still jerky, although calmer than before. ‘How much of the real you do I know?’
He leans closer, a slight smile on his lips. ‘Dhiren is the friendly, easy-going part of me. One layer of many.’
‘And now you’ll let me get to know the other parts?’ I understand that he’s telling me this because of some task force operation or other, but that’s not what’s important to me. I want to know who he really is, whether that means my fledgling feelings for him grow or die.
‘As friends, yes.’ His handsare firm.
