by Juniper Hart
“I just needed some air,” Simone replied, studying his face through her peripheral vision.
“Me too.”
They stood in silence for a few moments, and Simone almost wished she was a smoker as she stared at her hands nervously, looking for something to do.
“So, uh… are you in the service with Josh?” she asked finally, tired of the awkward pause between them.
“No.”
She turned fully to look at him. “You don’t speak a lot, huh?”
He snickered. “No, Simone. I don’t.”
Alarm coursed through Simone, and she stepped back.
“How do you know my name?” she demanded. The man didn’t seem perplexed by the question, which only filled her with more worry.
“Because I came here for you,” he explained quietly. “You need to come with me.”
Her brow furrowed, and she shook her head.
“I don’t think so,” she replied. Even though a small voice in her head was telling her to walk away, something kept her in place.
“It’s for your own safety,” the stranger told her softly. “Don’t make a fuss.”
Simone’s mouth parted in shock. “Are you a cop?” she demanded, trying to make sense of who he was and what he wanted with her.
“Something like that.”
“That’s not much of an answer,” she told him firmly. She wasn’t as unnerved as she knew she should have been, but she was reigned more by curiosity than fear.
“My name is Theo Veriday,” the man told her. A stunning sense of déjà vu flooded Simone, although she couldn’t understand why. She was certain she’d never heard his name before, yet he was looking at her as if he had known her his whole life.
“Do I know you?”
“Not yet,” he answered amiably. “But you will.”
They stared at one another for a long moment, and any resolve that Simone had harbored evaporated under his intense stare.
“Will you come with me?” Theo asked.
“Where?”
“A safe place.”
Slowly, Simone nodded, strands of dark hair escaping her updo to fall over her cheeks.
“All right,” she agreed. “I just need to tell my friends I’m leaving.”
Theo shook his head. “No,” he said. “They can’t know I’m taking you.”
Simone’s eyes traveled down across his chest, and she noticed the red glow of something beneath his shirt. An inexplicable feeling of familiarity washed through her.
He’s the one you’ve been waiting for, something inside her explained, and the message made no sense whatsoever. But that didn’t stop Simone from following Theo out the side gate and into his waiting SUV with the tinted windows.
7
Can’t talk. Won’t be in today.
Theo gritted his teeth together before hitting send to Matthew, and within seconds, he got a response.
Seriously? We have leads on JR.
The captain eyed the message with interest, but he knew he wasn’t going anywhere, not when he had Simone Ruiz in his care.
He didn’t have a chance to respond to Matt when his Council phone chimed. It was from Lane.
I have information on the Collingwoods which might interest you.
“You’re a popular guy,” Simone commented dryly from her spot on the sofa. “Two phones. Are you a drug dealer or a pimp?” Theo scowled at her guesses. Then he realized that she was teasing him. “Why don’t you tell me what this is all about? I mean, not that I’m complaining. This is a much sweeter set-up than my apartment.”
Theo grimaced and looked around the sprawling penthouse. It was a safe house they hadn’t used in months, and the bear hoped that Simone would be safe there until he could figure out what was going on exactly.
“What do you know about Lanthcomb Corporation?” he asked without preamble, perching himself on the edge of a wing chair to face Simone intensely. Her photo had not done her any justice, and the feeling Theo had had simply looking at her image had magnified tenfold as she stared back at him with an amused expression on her face. She was not afraid of him.
He would be lying if he said he couldn’t feel full magnetic pulses flowing between them. Whatever he was feeling, she was sending back toward him. The amulet seemed to confirm what he already knew, the red stone almost ready to explode against his skin.
What does that mean? That she’s a Collingwood descendant? Lane might have the answer, but Theo knew he had to find out about Jackrabbit before he did anything else. No matter how much I want to forget about work right now.
It wasn’t just about the terrorist. Senator Michaels had Simone in his sights, which meant that his mate was in danger, whether or not she was aware of it.
“Lanthcomb Corp?” Simone asked innocently. “I have no idea what you mean.”
Theo smirked at her. “Obviously, I wouldn’t have come looking for you if I didn’t already know you know something, Simone.”
She lost her half-smile and sank back against the sofa, folding her arms over her chest.
“I don’t know anything about anything. Rachel already ratted me out, huh?” Theo watched her face twist into a combination of hurt and anger. “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Theo’s spine stiffened. “Who is Rachel now?”
Simone’s coffee-colored eyes narrowed, and she watched him carefully. “No, I’m not answering anything until you tell me what’s going on. You basically kidnapped me for a reason.”
Theo grew indignant. “I didn’t kidnap you,” he replied shortly. “I asked you nicely to come, and you did.”
“Something tells me I didn’t have much of a choice.”
“You always have a choice in life,” Theo growled. “And if you want to go, Simone, you can, but I can’t guarantee your safety once you walk out this door.” She cocked her head to the side and stared at him pensively.
“Oh? You think you can protect me?” she laughed, though there was an undeniable wistfulness in her when she did.
“No. I know I can protect you, but you need to work with me. I need to know what happened with Lanthcomb Corporation. Who runs it?”
Confusion stained her cheeks, and she eyed him.
“How the hell would I know?” Simone demanded. “I’m a data processor. I don’t deal with the CEOs.” Theo’s sense of uneasiness mounted.
“You left the accounts open to be erased,” he insisted. “I know you did.”
“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about. If you’re asking who hacked the system, I don’t know. Sorry you wasted your time.”
Is she that good of an actress, Theo thought, or does she sincerely have no idea what’s going on? He believed she was just as perplexed as she seemed.
“How do you know the system was hacked?” he asked, deciding to take a new route. At his question, Simone pursed her lips together, and she shook her head.
“I think you’ve got your lines crossed here. Whatever you’re looking for, I have no idea. I’m just a lowly office worker.”
“And who is Rachel?” Theo asked again. Simone’s face paled, and she darted her eyes down.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Simone…” He rose and took a seat next to her. “I’m on your side here. I can see you’re not afraid of me. You came with me willingly, which tells me that your gut is telling you that I’m trustworthy.”
She didn’t meet his eyes. “Like I said, I have no idea what you’re looking for, but it’s got nothing to do with me. I should probably go.”
Simone jumped up from the sofa, but Theo grabbed her hand. She didn’t withdraw. When she met his eyes, her teeth sunk into her lower lip dangerously.
“What are you doing?” she murmured, her cheeks staining red at his touch. He didn’t release her and instead guided her back toward the sofa. She didn’t fight him, and Theo felt himself growing bolder.
“Whether you know what’s happening or not doesn’t change the fact
that if you leave here, you’re in danger,” he said gruffly. “Look at me, Simone. You know I’m not bullshitting you.”
She visibly swallowed and ducked her eyes away. “Why?” she mumbled. “I didn’t do anything.”
“I believe you,” he replied, keeping his palm firmly over her hand. “But that doesn’t mean you’re not a liability to my employer.” Her head jerked up, and she gaped at him in shock.
“Your employer?” she choked, snatching her hand back. “You work for someone who wants me hurt?”
I think he’d prefer you dead, Theo thought, but he didn’t say it aloud. “He’s not my puppet master, Simone, but he is a client who would rather deal with an untidy mess that a man named Jackrabbit has left behind. Do you know who that is?”
Simone’s confusion was clear even before she shook her head. “This has nothing to do with me. Whatever happened with Lanthcomb, whoever you work for—I’ve got a life of my own to worry about.”
Theo saw that the gravity of her situation was finally sinking, and he was somewhat relieved that she understood that he wasn’t conducting a mild interview on her. Between the building tension of the situation and the magnetic draw he felt for her, he wondered if he was going to be able to soundly make sense of what was happening.
Or am I just blinded by the fact that she’s involved with Jackrabbit because I know she’s my mate? The problem, of course, was that, like Simone, he didn’t trust anyone. Not his team, who might have been alerting Jackrabbit to their movements, and certainly not Trent Michaels, who was definitely hiding more than he knew. And I can’t trust a woman whom I didn’t know existed until a few hours ago, even if I know she’s the reason this amulet is burning through my flesh.
There was nothing Theo could really do except trust his instinct, and his gut told him that Simone Ruiz was just as much of a pawn in whatever was going on as he was finding himself to be.
“Regardless of how much you know or don’t know,” he repeated softly, reaching for her hand again, “you aren’t safe right now. Do you understand?”
“No,” Simone snapped back. Once more, she allowed him to gently stroke her fingers with his. Their eyes locked, and Theo swallowed the lump forming in his throat.
What a mess, he thought.
“So… now what? I just hang out here?” she questioned. “I can’t do that. I have to go to work on Monday. My friends— Oh, shit! I left my purse at Toni’s house. They’re going to think I’ve been kidnapped or something!”
“You can’t go back there, Simone. You were too easy to find, and you’re the first tangible person that I know of who has any ties to Jackrabbit.”
“I don’t have any ties to whoever this guy is!” she cried. “I’m just a glorified secretary— Shit, Cinnamon!” Her eyes widened even more, and Theo’s head tilted to the side.
“Cinnamon?” he echoed. “You smell cinnamon?”
“No!” She scowled and shook her head. “My stepmother. She just got a job at Harper-Morris. Even if Toni doesn’t make a stink that I’m gone, Cinnamon will, for sure. She’ll get my dad on the case… No, Theo, I have to go back for my purse at the very least! That house is filled with army personnel. They’ll be on this like bloodhounds on a scent.”
“You can’t leave.” Theo’s voice was flat. “I’ll go back for your purse.”
“They’ve probably already noticed that it’s sitting right there on the counter and that I’m gone. If you go and take it, they’ll be on you. If you don’t want to cause a stir, I have to go back for it.” Simone paused and stared at him pensively. “I’ll come back,” she said slowly. “Is that what you’re worried about?”
Before Theo could stop himself, he nodded, realizing that he was afraid she would leave and he would never see her again.
No! he chided himself. I’m worried for more than that. “No loose ends.” That’s what Michaels said. If he thinks she’s running around with information on Jackrabbit… He shuddered to think what the senator would do.
“I’ll come back,” Simone insisted, and Theo believed her.
“It’s a moot point. I’m coming with you.” He half-expected an argument, but she only shrugged.
“You may as well,” she replied, rising slowly from the sofa. “You’re my ride, remember? Ah, yes, and my car is there, too. Yeah, we have no choice but to return.” She nodded toward the door. “Should we go then?” Simone asked. When her gaze rested on his face, though, Theo could clearly read that she was hoping for a delay. The tan of her face didn’t hide the furious blush exploding over her cheeks.
“Maybe we should,” he agreed, rising slowly to pull her closer. Although their chests were not quite touching, Theo could feel the frantic beating of her heart, and he sighed, raising his free hand to move a wisp of hair away from her face. She looked down, a bashful expression shadowing her eyes, but Theo lifted her head back toward him.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” he told her gently, his voice a sensual purr. “I know you can feel whatever this is between us.”
“I-I don’t do things like this,” Simone mumbled, trying to look away again.
“Things like what?” Theo teased her, laughing. “Get questioned by your mate about your ties to terrorist organizations?”
She looked at him, her eyes bleary and perplexed. “I feel like you’ve put a weird spell on me, like I can’t think straight.”
A spell. Interesting choice of words. He held her in his sight and inhaled her deeply, feeling the warmth of her presence overwhelming him.
“I know the feeling,” Theo rasped, wanting to put his lips on her, but he knew he couldn’t make the first move; not like that. He waited with bated breath for her to lift her lips to him, his own pulse racing to match her heart rate. Simone seemed frozen, debating between her secular views and the otherworldly phenomenon which had taken them both over.
With reluctance Theo could feel, Simone pulled herself out of his grasp, flooding him with disappointment.
It’s not the right time, he reasoned. She doesn’t know what’s going on, and we have time, don’t we? The question filled him with apprehension.
Even if they could unravel the tangled web of treachery in which they’d found themselves, Simone was a witch at best, which meant that their time would be limited… unless Theo found a way to turn her.
It was forbidden, of course, and he knew he couldn’t afford to think like that. Then why would the fates be so cruel as to give him a mate he couldn’t keep?
8
“Are you kidding me?” Toni breathed when they entered the house. The party was twice as boisterous and the guests three times as obnoxious as when Simone had left. “Where the hell did you go? I was worried sick about you!”
She flashed Toni a half-smile and sauntered past her toward the kitchen, where she’d left her purse, to recover it.
“I got… detained,” Simone replied smoothly, shooting Theo a meaningful look over her shoulder. Toni glanced at the strange man and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” she demanded. “We haven’t met.”
“No,” Theo agreed. “We haven’t. You got everything, Simone?”
She nodded and turned back toward the entranceway.
“Where are you going now?” Toni yelled, her face paling. “Wait! Can I talk to you for a second?”
Simone swallowed a sigh and slowly pivoted back toward her friend. “Can it wait? I’m not feeling that great.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Toni snapped contemptuously. “Funny how that happened. Upstairs, please.”
Simone shot Theo an apologetic look, but secretly, she was grateful that she wouldn’t find herself alone with him again so quickly. She didn’t trust herself around him.
He had the most profound, exhilarating effect on her, one which made her want to strip off her clothes and drop herself onto his lap. She’d never been one to believe in love at first sight, but whatever was happening between her and Theo was impossible to ignore.
Not that I want to ignore it. I want to do unspeakable, uncharacteristically dirty things to his—
“What the hell has gotten into you and Rachel?” Toni exploded, slamming the door to her bedroom.
“What?”
“One minute, you were fine, and the next, she’s off having an anxiety attack in the corner and you’re disappearing with a stranger! Who is that guy, Simone?”
“Theo? Oh, he’s a friend of mine,” Simone said quickly. “I hadn’t seen him in a while, so we were just getting caught up.”
“You’re just going to leave then? And get ‘caught up’ with your buddy?” Toni demanded. Simone felt guilty, seeing her chagrin so clearly.
You came here to support her, she thought, and you’re leaving without spending any time with her at all. No wonder she’s pissed. But Simone knew she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Even if she had wanted to stay, there was no way that Theo would allow it.
She blinked to herself. Had she really just thought that? That she needed his permission? Simone stuffed the defiance down, her inherent desire to fight against everything that controlled her taunting the back of her mind.
“I’m sorry, Toni. I really shouldn’t have come in the first place. Parties really aren’t my thing, you know?”
“Yeah,” Toni sighed. “Mine either.”
For a fleeting second, Simone considered inviting her along with them, and she managed to shut her mouth before the words spilled out. Have you lost your mind? You can’t bring her with you. You need to be in hiding.
“I’m really not feeling that well, Toni,” Simone said again, laying the foundation for calling in sick over the next few days. “Can I call you later?”
“Whatever.” Toni knew that call would never come, but at least her indifference got Simone off the hook.
“You’re the best,” Simone told her, giving Toni a quick hug and hurrying out of the room before the hostess could change her mind. When she got the main floor again, Theo was nowhere to be found, and panic seized her.
