Circle of Danger (9 page)

What sane woman would not be excited by having a real live pirate in her bed? Especially, one who looked like Ryker. A lean build with muscled arms to hold her, and dark, thick hair to sink her fingers into as his mouth did wicked things to her body.

He raised his head and looked at her.

“I decided it would be best if I stay here with you.”

“I'm not in the middle of having a flashback.” She stopped next to the bed and almost pinched herself. He looked better than any battery-operated gizmo.

“Come on.” He lifted the sheet. His boxer briefs were navy blue. “Quit staring. Just because I'm hard doesn't mean I expect anything.”

Her gaze darted away. What was wrong with her? She never stared at a man like that before the drug screwed up her system.

Too tired to argue, she crawled in bed. Her body felt as heavy as an armor tank. Even with a foot between them, his heat warmed her back.

“Do you remember when you first came to Main Sector, you used to crawl into my bed at night? You claimed monsters were under yours.” Ryker smoothed the sheet over her arm.

“Yeah. I hadn't lived with Master but a month before I found out you were a pushover for wet eyes.”

“I did what I could to protect you.”

“You were barely an adult. Master had all the power. He sent you away to New York not long after that.”

“It was my fault. I should've fought harder for you.”

Without turning, she reached behind her back and caught his hand, pulling it over her waist.

“It was my drug-addicted parents' fault for selling me to a pedophile for money to feed their habit.”

“I should've stopped him.” His rough voice was deep with regret.

She kissed his hand and closed her eyes. Regrets never had a place in her life. If she allowed them in, they would swallow her whole.

 

C
HAPTER
N
INE

M
arie woke when Ryker eased out of the bed. She looked at the red numbers on the clock. They'd slept for five hours. She could do with ten more. Her eyelids were heavy with needed sleep; she forced them to stay open.

“Go back to sleep. I'll wake you before Doc arrives.” Ryker quietly pulled on his clothes and then glanced back at the bed. He tucked in his shirt and adjusted himself. His cock looked to be semi-hard.

She remembered waking earlier from a nightmare and Ryker pulling her close, holding her tight. All he'd done was kiss her shoulder and whisper, “Shh, you're okay. I'll keep you safe.”

For a man to crawl in bed with a female and not—well, it felt good to be held and nothing more. She turned her back, trying to relax and gain a couple more hours of rest, even without his warmth.

Her mind refused to cooperate and shut down. His reminder about those first few months of living at the compound in Atlanta brought back memories of his kindness in soothing away her nightmares. Maybe that was when she first fell in love with him. What good would it do in admitting she still was? They were both damaged and really didn't know how to have a normal relationship.

Having sex while a synthetic drug upped her sex drive didn't make a relationship. She needed to concentrate on stopping the Wizard, obtaining an antidote, and then maybe rethink her role at The Circle.

“W
ould you like for me to leave?”

Ryker moved his gaze from the window to Jack. He gritted his teeth to hold back from saying how much he would like that. If only the man offered to leave Sector forever and not just the room.

“You can return to the OS anytime you want.” So much for holding back.

“Maybe one day I will, but for now you need me here. Your concentration has been shit all day.”

After flipping the blinds closed, Ryker pushed away from the window and turned toward the computer screen. “I have a lot on my mind. Tell me again what you've learned.”

“Not much. Liam's in there now. We're hoping the two women will be more forthcoming. At first, Ice wasn't going to let us talk to the woman he hovered over, but we convinced him it was for his own good.”

“Where is he now?”

“In cell three.”

“Was that really necessary? You did tell him we only wanted info?”

Jack leaned his back against the office wall and crossed his arms. “Yeah. He wouldn't listen. It took ten guys to bring him down and three of them are with Doc now. One of them will be out of commission for a few weeks. His wrist and three ribs are broken.”

Ryker grunted and nodded. “From what I've heard, Ice was being gentle.”

“I'd hate to see him being rough.”

“What about the other woman?”

“You're not going to believe this. She's Mikolas Savalas's kid.”

“Damn, that's all we need is trouble from him and his brood.” Ryker headed toward the door.

“Actually, this should help us. We've saved his daughter. He'll owe us.”

Jack was right. Mikolas had connections all through the criminal community in the Southeast. Though Ryker didn't have much to do with pickpockets and thieves, they always had information he could use. Information often was more valuable than gold.

“As soon as we've finished questioning her, make arrangements to drop her off with Mikolas. Be sure he understands we'll expect repayment at a later date.”

“She claims she's not going back home.”

Ryker glanced over to Jack as they walked down the stairway to the interrogation rooms. “There's no choice. Make sure you hand her over to her father, not one of his men. I don't care if you have to tie her up and put a bow on her.”

He opened the observation room's door and stopped. Marie stood inside listening to Liam question Katerina Savalas. Instead of concentrating on what the young woman was saying, Ryker couldn't take his gaze off Marie. She wore a simple green top and blue jeans. With her hair pulled back at the nape of her neck, she looked wholesome and beautiful and way too young to be involved with The Circle. Nothing on the exterior betrayed what her life had been like or what they had done hours ago.

Even reminding himself she was twenty-one, he still felt like a pervert as he wanted to shove her against the wall and sink into her. Would he ever have enough of her now that he knew what she felt like? That she tasted of sunshine and smelled like spring flowers?

Shouting and banging pulled his attention from Marie. He noticed Liam and Katerina looking at the door. Ice stood in the doorway of the interrogation room, his neon-blue hair in his face, his chest heaving, and a panicked look on his face.

“Where's Mai?”

“She's eating lunch.” Liam slowly rose to his feet. “Is she your girlfriend?”

Ice shook his head. “No.
Imouto
.”

“Ee— What?” Liam asked.

Ryker pressed the speaker button. “Liam, take Ice to his sister and check on his guards. They'll probably need Doc.” He then turned to Jack, who had rushed in during all the shouting. “Don't you have an interrogation to do? Don't forget to take her back to her family. Make sure the old bastard knows he owes us. I'll have Liam listen to the recordings and give me a report.”

“I haven't forgotten.” Jack shot him a frown and left the room.

“What about Ice's sister?” Marie asked. She shifted her weight and crossed her arms.

The circles beneath her eyes confirmed she needed more rest, but Ryker sensed she would resent any suggestions concerning her in a bed.

After Doc had examined her that morning, he told them what they'd already suspected. The drug was weakening but would continue to cause her to act “irrationally” for some time. How much longer was anyone's guess. She needed the antidote. In the meanwhile, they were still working on something to help her body cope.

Damn, he needed answers on the Wizard's whereabouts. Someone had to know where he set up shop.

“We've finished questioning her. Ice can take her home.” He watched as Jack sat across from the Savalas girl. She scooted back in the chair and wrinkled her nose as if she'd smelled rotten garbage.

“Were they shot up with the drug?” Marie's question was filled with concern.

“No. From what they said, and after Doc's examination, they hadn't been injected or dosed with anything. Ice's sister gave us a couple good leads though. But the other woman had a little more information, and we're hoping to confirm what she said.” He nodded toward Katerina.

“Well, I need to see Charlie and now is as a good of a time as any. Let me know what you find out.” Marie stepped around him toward the door. Charlotte Sweet, called Charlie in the garage she managed for The Circle, was her only female friend.

Ryker grabbed her arm and breathed in deeply her light scent. No other woman smelled like her, like summer breezes. “You need some rest.”

“I'm okay. Charlie called, worried about me. It'll do me some good to talk with her and relax.”

“You know how I feel about—”

“That's your problem, not mine.” She pulled her arm away from him and strode out the door.

M
arie knocked on the apartment door marked C13 and waited for an answer. Ryker hated it when she spent time with Charlie. Who did he think he was? Charlie wouldn't get her in any more trouble than anyone else in the organization.

A woman with soft brown curls around her face peeked through the crack in the door as she opened it as far as the chain allowed. There was no crime in The Circle facility—who in their right mind would dare?—but Charlie had grown up in the slums of Atlanta and refused to leave her safety up to chance.

“Fuck, Marie. You have some crazy timing.” Charlie, known as a wild woman, went through men as fast as gas through a 454 engine in a muscle car. Marie knew for sure that she had a heart of gold and was the
best
of friends.

“I can come back later.”

“Shit, no. I forgot the time. Give me a second.” She slammed the door.

Marie grinned. Not offended by her friend's behavior or language, she patiently waited. The deserted hallway was unusual. On most days the underground barracks for single Circle operatives were jam-packed with people coming from or going to their shifts. The same barracks she'd lived in until Ryker decided she needed to sleep near him. With that thought her skin prickled. She leaned against the wall and pressed a hot cheek to the cool sheetrock.

Then she heard voices inside Charlie's room. One voice was much deeper than the other.

The door opened and a half-clothed male stumbled into the hallway.

“Ah, damn, Charlie. I hoped to have another round of fun.” The man dropped his shoes and jabbed his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. With his tousled chestnut hair in his eyes and well-defined abs, Marie remembered seeing him working out in the gym. He was one of the pilots for The Circle's helicopters.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Later, Tom. I'll make it up to ya.” Charlie slid her hand down the man's bare chest and grabbed the waistband of his jeans and jerked. “You better be ready to keep up.”

The man hissed. “Be careful. I'll keep up all night, baby. You tell me when.”

She kissed him hard and then shoved him in the chest toward the stairwell.

Charlie turned toward Marie. “You look like crap. Come in and I'll fix you a margarita.”

Marie watched Tom stagger away. Then she followed Charlie into her rooms.

Each set of rooms in this part of Sector consisted of a large living room–kitchen combination along with a bedroom and bath connected to it. Plenty of room for The Circle operatives as more time was spent on the job than off. If an operative wanted a little more room to stretch, the facility included exercise and game rooms with areas to relax and watch large screen televisions.

Marie made herself at home and sank into the sofa. Worn but in good repair, the leather sofa cupped her aching body. Charlie handed her a tumbler filled with her favorite drink before sinking into her own leather recliner. Before pushing her feet up, the mechanic lifted her butt and pulled a man's tighty-whities from under her, tossing them to the side.

“I told him grown men don't wear those ugly things.” She grinned as she took a long swallow of her drink.

Thankfully, Marie didn't have a mouthful of drink when Charlie said that. They burst out laughing and then took several sips, letting a few quiet moments pass, grinning big at their own private thoughts. Marie liked Charlie for that reason. She didn't have to talk all the time. No driving need to fill in silence. They became friends two years ago when Jack brought her into the fold. Charlie had been beaten up pretty bad by some guys. What little Marie was told, they had claimed Charlie was unnatural in her talent for fixing anything mechanical. That was it. The men felt threatened by a woman's ability to do a better job than they did.

“How's it going, living in the mansion?” If not for Charlie's eyes sparkling with curiosity, Marie could write it down as interest in an old building. But knowing Charlie and her sex drive, she wanted to know about Ryker and his bedroom antics.

“I have my own bedroom and it's twice the size of your whole apartment.” Marie said it more to pick on a friend than to do anything resembling bragging.

“You know what I meant. He's no Liam Kelly but with those scars, the man would have many layers worth pulling back.”

Marie shook her head. Most times, Charlie acted carefree and relaxed with her sexuality, but bring Liam into the room and she became tongue-tied and bashful. She would look anywhere but at him.

“You've never told me why you won't look Liam in the face.” If not for the drink, Marie doubted she would've ever asked her friend that question.

With a dreamy look in her eyes, she said, “It's stupid, really. He's so fucking beautiful. I feel so guilty for looking at him. Like I'm going to dirty him.” Charlie looked at her axle-greased nails. “How would he feel being touched by a woman like me?” She ruffled her short curls. “I heard his ex-wife was beautiful. How could he look at a woman who dressed and looked like a boy?”

“Well, you don't look like one now.” Marie referred to the short white T-shirt Charlie wore that outlined her perky breasts and showed off her flat stomach, and the skinny jeans that made her legs look longer than they were already. A pair of zipped- up work overalls covered her trimmed body most of the time. “You need to find a way for Liam to see you in your off-duty clothes. That would get his attention.”

“I'm not Liam's type. Enough of me. Does the big hunk like it slow or fast? Rough or gentle? I bet he can pick you up and—” Marie blushed. “Hot shit. He did, didn't he? You're so lucky to be the height you are. Do you have any idea how few men can pick up a woman like me? It sucks being five feet and thirteen inches.”

Marie choked on her drink. Charlie slapped her back. The help was almost as bad as choking.

“Stop. You're killing me.”

“Sorry. I forget my own strength.”

Marie chuckled, forgiving her. In an effort to change the subject back to Charlie's crush, she said, “I don't understand what you see in Liam anyway. He's such a player, going from one woman to another . . .” She covered her mouth, her face hot with embarrassment. Charlie's habit of going from one guy to another was as bad as Liam's womanizing. Only Marie guessed Charlie hoped to find a substitute for the man she really loved. Liam.

“Stuck your foot in it, didn't ya?” Charlie started laughing as hard as Marie.

“But you leave them happy. I don't know how you do it, but you're still friends with every one of them.”

“It's a talent.” She wiggled her long fingers. “These are not only talented in fixing any mechanical contraption made, but they can make a man want to slap his mama for not warning him about me.”