The Temptation (12 page)

My head and heart ached as I thought about my sister. If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. Never.

I reached in my bra for the lock pick set and started in on the lock again when I heard the sound of a door opening and then closing on the other side. Damn, damn, damn. I couldn’t pick the lock while someone was out there, and I might be missing something important.

The elevator dinged and I assumed whoever it had been was stepping into it now. I waited several more heartbeats before I went after the lock. I had it open in moments and looked back out into the semicircular area then rubbed my temples, trying to massage the headache away.

I heard the stairwell door open from below and my heart jumped into my throat. I let the door slip back into place and silently scrambled to my feet. As footsteps started up the stairs, I scooped up the tube of lipstick and shoved it into my purse, grabbed my shoes, and started up the stairs to the roof.

“It’s me, Steele.” Nick’s voice came over the earpiece and from below in stereo.

“Don’t do that,” I grumbled as I came to a stop on the stairs. “You scared the crap out of me.”

He appeared from below. He looked so damned hot and sexy that it was criminal. No man should look that good, especially when I was this tired and disheveled. So not fair.

When he reached me, he brought me into his arms and brushed his lips across my forehead. I wanted to relax against him, feed on his power and strength to renew my own.

He pressed me closer to him and I did just that. I let his presence fill me and complete me.

Zane cleared his throat and I heard it over the earpiece. “It’s awfully quiet up there.”

I tried to step back but Nick had a good hold on me and he was smiling down at me.

“Just doing our jobs,” I managed to get out. “How about you?”

“No luck picking up any call girls.” Zane sounded frustrated. “I must be losing my touch.”

“You’re probably projecting that married vibe and the fact that Willow might kill you if she knew what kind of assignment you’re on.” I smirked to myself. “We should have let Ryan take the inside job after all.”

“Trade you,” Ryan said.

Zane gave a low laugh. “In your dreams.”

“How’s Georgina?” I asked.

“Saw her go in a while ago,” Ryan said. “Her mic still isn’t working. Zane and Nick didn’t see her enter the lobby, so not sure where she is.”

“She must have come in when I hit the men’s restroom,” Nick said.

“I was probably talking to the waitress,” Zane said. “I couldn’t get a call girl to give me the time of day, but the waitress was all over me.”

“I’ll take over from here.” Nick took my hand and squeezed it.

I didn’t intend to go anywhere. “I’ll keep you company.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I always do.” I slipped off my necklace with the camera pendant and handed it to him.

This time he picked the lock and we settled in and made it through the night. Consistent traffic came and went from the penthouse but we didn’t see any sign of someone who might be Bachmann. The men were either too tall or too short or their faces too wide or too narrow.

No more politicians went in and out after Mackie and Jones, but a lot of beautiful women did along with what appeared to be wealthy businessmen. I did think I recognized a judge from an article in a newspaper, but despite my gift for remembering faces I wasn’t certain, and Nick hadn’t recognized him. Of course I could have missed more politicians coming and going when I fell asleep.

I could even have missed Georgina if she’d been brought up here. Damn it. I hoped she was all right, too.

Nick and I finally headed to our hotel room in the wee hours of the morning when all comings and goings from the penthouse appeared to have come to a stop. Fortunately the hotel was pretty dead at that time in the morning so I didn’t have to worry about being seen in the condition I was in. Even though he helped me straighten my hair and dress, I knew I looked like hell. At that moment in time I frankly didn’t give a damn.

When we reached our room, I kicked off my heels and stripped down to my panties, leaving a trail of clothing behind me. I tumbled into bed. I was vaguely aware of Nick climbing in with me. He hooked his arm around my belly and pulled me close to him so that we were spooned together. I felt his warm bare chest rubbing my naked back, his hips pressed to my ass, and his thighs against mine.

I felt more secure than I had in a long time. And then I was gone.

Chapter 17

Bachmann

Karl narrowed his eyes as he listened to one of his key men on the other end of the phone line.

“We just played back tapes from our bugs in his office,” Hans said. “They’re plotting to murder you. Do you want me to take care of them?”

A slow burn traveled through Karl from his scalp to his chest. Yes, that was exactly what he would take pleasure in—having John and Charles taken care of in a brutal and painful way. However, it would not be a good business decision. Right now he needed John and that sniveling dickhead, Charles. He had more dirty work for them to do.

“I’ll handle it,” Karl said to Hans. “Just keep me informed and if necessary I’ll turn it over to you. I don’t think that will be the case.”

Karl disconnected the call. Heat burned at his collar. So they wanted to kill him. Not an altogether surprising development but of course one he’d have to deal with.

Despite the fact that it was three
AM
, Karl dialed John’s number.

“Hello?” John sounded both sleepy and wary. Karl was certain that John knew that all of Karl’s calls were blocked so the call could be from him.

“So, you are plotting to kill me.” Karl said the words slowly with enough malice in them that John should be sitting up straight in bed right now.

“Of—of course not.” John sounded wide-awake as he said the words in a loud whisper, obviously not wanting to wake his wife. “Just a minute. Let me go to my study.”

Karl’s patience was nearly non-existent as he waited.

A door closed in the background. John no longer spoke in a whisper as he said, “I would never plot to kill you.”

“Don’t fuck with me.” Karl’s tone was hard. “Let me fill you in on a little secret. Should anything happen to me and I should die in any way, I’ve arranged for all data and photographs to be released to every major news service. Careers will crumble and lives will be shattered. That includes yours.”

He thought he could hear John swallow. “You don’t have to worry. That won’t happen.”

“I am not concerned.” Karl put ice cold into his words. “But I may have to teach you another lesson. You need to learn what happens when you fuck with me.”

“Really, that’s not necessary.” John’s tone had raised a notch with a slight edge of panic.

A knock and a woman’s voice in the background. “Who is it?”

“Nothing.” John cleared his throat and spoke louder. “Go back to sleep.” When it was quiet again, John lowered his tone. “I’ll do anything. Just don’t kill anyone else or release the photos. Please.”

Karl smiled to himself. “Oh, you’ll do whatever I tell you to do.” He had no doubt about that.

Chapter 18

X marks the spot

Ryan, Nick, Zane, and I met in the sitting room of our suite early the following afternoon. Georgina hadn’t checked in with any one of us and I was starting to get concerned. But she was an excellent agent and knew how to handle herself. We just needed to give her more time.

“I’m sure Bachmann’s operation is being run out of that penthouse.” I sat cross-legged on the couch, my elbow on my knee and my chin resting in my hand as I thought over the problem. “Now to get in there and find out.”

Zane thrummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “That’s going to be tricky.”

“But it has to be done.” I had just taken a shower and I pushed damp hair from my brow. “We may have to come at it from the outside.”

Nick looked thoughtful. “You may be right.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair. “That or pull the fire alarm.”

“Or better yet, both.” I raised my head. “We pull the fire alarm, distract Bachmann, and have enough time to rappel to the penthouse windows before emergency crews arrive and anyone notices us.”

“That should do it.” Nick nodded. “We’ve got the gear in the van.”

“Everyone have black to wear?” I asked. “And balaclavas?”

Zane grinned. “What self-respecting spies wouldn’t pack black with masks?”

“Arm yourselves and prepare for the worst,” I said. “We just need to watch out for our sister and get her out of there.”

Wearing black jeans and a black T-shirt, Zane brought up our gear in a suitcase. Nick and I were already dressed in black and had on black gloves. I hadn’t put on my balaclava just yet—I’d wait until we were on the roof. My Glock was holstered on my right, in a sheath on my left was a folding knife, and I had pocketed a glasscutter.

Zane went to the stairwell door to the penthouse and waited there. Nick and I went to the rooftop and secured our rappelling gear and pulled on our balaclavas. We each took a different side of the penthouse and waited for Ryan to trip the alarm when we gave him the signal. The moment the alarm started blaring, we went over the edge.

My breathing came fast and hard. I didn’t dare look below at how far it was as I eased down the side of the building to a picture window. I had to pick the right window or I’d lose the element of surprise.

The curtains weren’t drawn. Apparently Bachmann—or whoever was in here—wasn’t concerned about anyone looking in from the top floor. I peered into a window on one side of the column and saw a bedroom. On the other side of the column was another empty room.

I chose the empty room on the right and pulled a glasscutter out of my pocket. Glass squeaked as I cut in a deep, large X, weakening the glass.

“Ready?” I said into my earpiece as I stuffed the cutter back into my pocket.

“Affirmative,” came Nick’s voice.

“It’s a go,” Zane responded.

“On my count.” I took a deep breath. “One…two…now!”

I pushed away from the building and swung toward the window with the X, feet first. My feet hit the X dead center. The glass shattered and sprayed the room. At the same time I swung into the room I released my line, allowing my feet to land on the floor. I disengaged and in seconds I had my Glock in a two-fisted grip.

No sounds came from the other side of the door. I opened the door and saw that the room was still empty, then slipped inside.

The alarm was blaring and I hoped that it had masked the sound of shattering glass.

With the barrel of my Glock pointed up, I slipped into the next room, made sure it was clear, then hurried to the next door and listened. This time I heard talking.

“You should just leave her here,” came a man’s hard voice.

“And have the authorities find her when they come through?” The answering voice sounded angry but I wasn’t sure if it was Bachmann or not. “Are you an idiot? Not only could she identify me but she will also come in quite useful. Of that I am sure.”

Rori. They have to be talking about Rori.

“I can kill her,” the first man said.

“No.” The other man answered in a growl. “We need her.”

My heart beating like crazy, I slowly opened the door and saw that I was looking into a sitting room with furniture covered in slate gray and gold fabric. Two men, one with a ponytail and the other about Bachmann’s size, had a woman between them and were dragging her toward the front door of the penthouse.

Rori. The woman was my sister.

She was struggling but the man who was Bachmann’s size put the muzzle of a gun to her head and she stopped trying to get away. “Fight me anymore and I will be done with you.” It was definitely Bachmann’s voice, his Swedish accent strong. At the same time I saw that a piece of his ear was missing.

Definitely Bachmann.

I had my weapon trained on him. I could blow his brains out right now. But he had a gun to my sister’s head.

“Bachmann.” I stepped out of the bedroom, my gun raised and still aimed at his head. “Let her go.”

“Lexi Steele.” He turned and faced me, Rori still in his grip. I wouldn’t have recognized him if it wasn’t for his voice, he looked so different. He sneered as he brought Rori around, gun pressed to her temple. “You can take off that mask. I know it’s you.”

“Lexi?” Rori said in disbelief. “That can’t be her.” Tears stained her eyes and I wanted to kill Bachmann now.

I didn’t take off my mask. I didn’t budge. “Let her go.”

The ponytailed man covered Bachmann as he moved toward the door.

“Now is not the time.” Bachmann said as he eased out the door with Rori. Zane would be out there and I hoped he could do something.

I pointed my weapon at Ponytail as Bachmann disappeared through the front door. Backing up, Ponytail started to follow when Nick stepped into the sitting room. Now we both had our weapons trained on Ponytail but Bachmann was gone.

With no hesitation I pulled my trigger and Ponytail went down, a bullet through his brain.

Nick jogged to my side and we headed through the front door. The stairwell door was closing and Zane stood there looking pissed as Bachmann and Rori disappeared from sight.

“I couldn’t get to him without the danger of him shooting Rori,” Zane said.

“I know,” I said, fury in my tone. “Same here.”

Bachmann had to take the stairs because the elevators couldn’t be used when a fire alarm was tripped. I started to head toward the stairwell but Zane shook his head. “He said he’ll kill her if he hears the door opening and he’ll leave her body behind.”

The thought send a sick chill through my belly.

“Ryan is still out there.” I pulled off my balaclava and Nick and Zane removed theirs. “Ryan, have you been getting all of this?”

“Already ahead of you.” Ryan’s tone was hard. “I’m on my way to the stairwell now.”

I wanted to say, “Be careful,” but I knew it wasn’t necessary.

Sounds of emergency vehicles and shouts came from around Ryan over the earpiece.