by Imogene Nix
The overload of sensations had her eyes closing, simply accepting the gentle action for a moment.
He pulled away. “Please get in the bed.” He breathed heavily, his chest moving roughly, and she frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if you don’t, I’m going to strip that ugly gown off you and do something neither of us is ready for.”
She gaped. “I…”
“Please.”
Without a word she watched as he turned away, and she climbed in, settling the gown over her body then the sheets. “I’m in.”
He turned, and the ruddy glow of his face amazed her.
“Press the alert buzzer while I check the guards outside.”
She did so quietly, surprised at how calm he suddenly sounded while her brain was still trying to process the kiss and the effects of his touch and words on her body and brain.
Lying there, she inspected the ceiling and waited for him to return. When he did, his face was grim. “The guards will live, but you can’t stay here. I’m going to arrange for Sara to release you to my care. Then I’m taking you home with me. The hospital here might have adequate security, but nothing will get inside my compound.”
His eyes glinted with a light from deep within, and she knew what that meant—he’d activated every one of his cybernetic senses. For a second, she wondered if it was to deal with the issue of the dead assassin and damaged guards, or the passionate encounter they’d shared.
Michael shuffled over to the wardrobe and sighed before pulling out a robe. He flung it toward her. “Put this on and we’ll get out of here. Go to my room.”
She bit her lip. “What about Clarrie?”
Michael sighed heavily. “I don’t have the facilities in my home, so he’s going to have to stay here. But I can get him moved to the ICU, that will mean he’s under constant watch. I’ll scare up some guards for him too.”
It didn’t feel like nearly enough, but she nodded. “Okay then.”
He turned away as she crawled halfway down the bed, thus avoiding touching the now-dead assassin.
Once she had pulled on the wrap, he grabbed her close and hurried her out of the room.
Chapter 11
Michael waited as his sister entered his home office. “Indications are the man had a cyanide dental implant. You’re right about the danger Clarissa’s in. All we could find on his communicator was a directive to get her and neutralize the threat.”
“Who sent the threat, and where did it come from?”
Daniella shrugged, her golden hair bobbing as she settled into the easy chair in front of his desk. “We don’t know. It’s to a burner account and that’s since been erased. What little my people could find out was scrambled. I’ve asked David to bring in some agents. He might be able to suss out more.”
Michael sighed and rubbed his aching forehead.
“Mike, I have to ask why is she so important to you that you’d get in the middle of this? You’re already a target with the authorities since your treatment.”
He knew exactly what she meant. “She’s like me, Dani, except she was treated without permission. I don’t think it was even the result of an accident, although she’s adamant that was the only reason he chose her. I think she was groomed. He’d been sniffing around and—”
“And you’re emotionally involved, aren’t you? Have you slept with her?”
He tensed, fury coursing. “What business is that of yours?”
Daniella leaned closer to him. “It’s a question you’re going to have to field. By asking it now, I’m preparing you. You can’t go off and get angry. That will only fuel the situation further, brother.”
“To answer the question, no. Not that I don’t want to, but she’s raw and hurting. I don’t take advantage of women who need my help. While I may have hopes, I also have no intention of hurrying her or pressing any kind of advantage.”
Daniella steepled her fingers. “Mother and Father will like her. She’s soft even with the experiences she’s had. There’s something nurturing about—”
“I think it’s in her DNA. She was a nanny. And she’d make a great mother.”
“Whoa there! Just how involved are you?”
“All the way.” It didn’t hurt to say the words; instead, he grinned and felt lighter than he had in a long time. Indeed, he was sure she was the only one for him.
“Okay then, so the sooner Mother and Father meet her, the better.”
He frowned at his sister’s words. “Why?”
“Because that takes the pressure off David and me. I don’t plan on having kids until I meet the right man, and David needs time to court the woman he’s got his eyes on. You keep our parents busy and we’ve got time to do our own thing!”
Michael detected a hint of urgency in her tone. “They’ve been giving you a hard time?”
“Mother asked how long she’d have to wait for the clock to start ticking, so yes, you could say it’s getting difficult.”
He stood and roamed to his desk, placing a hand on the coffee machine. “Want one?”
“Of course I do.”
He poured two coffees while he thought over her words. Children. Until now, he’d never considered that, but the problem was, he wasn’t sure if they could, given the nano-tech that roamed through their bodies, or even if Clarissa felt the same. Discussing it with his sister seemed forward, and yet…
But from Clarissa’s physical state and her refusal to answer some questions, he thought perhaps she knew more about that. The sour taste that resided in his mouth whenever he considered how she’d been tortured increased.
“By the way, make sure you get her to wear this.” Daniella slung something silvery at him, and without a conscious thought, he caught the tiny bracelet and held it up to the light.
“What is it?”
“A tracker. That way if they do get hold of her again, we can find her.”
Michael frowned. He wasn’t keen on the tagging that he’d had to undergo, but at least this gave him time to broach that with her. He shoved the trinket into his pocket. “I’ll do it later today.”
A rap on the door captured his attention.
“Come in,” he called out.
It opened, and Clarissa entered, now dressed in a loose pair of pants and a jumper that matched the blue of her eyes. His breath caught in his throat.
“Oh, I didn’t realize you had company.” She started to back out, but Michael gestured for her to join them.
“This is my sister, Daniella. She’s outspoken but damned good at her stuff. Don’t let her power suit put you off.”
Clarissa smiled and his stomach lurched.
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
He grabbed a third cup and placed it on the tray after he’d filled it with the dark brew. Then he took a jug of cream from the small fridge and lastly checked to make sure sugar and sugar replacements were there along with some teaspoons.
He carried the tray over and placed it on the small coffee table and settled into a chair. “Grab a seat, and we can talk about what we know.”
Clarissa lowered herself into the closest chair to him, and he couldn’t help reaching out and grasping her hand.
“That suits you. I’m glad I was right about the color.” he said.
She blushed a little, and satisfaction flowed through him.
“Uh, yeah.” She tugged her hand away, reached forward, and grasped a coffee mug before adding cream.
Daniella watched them for a moment, a gleam of deep emotion in her eyes.
“So, Clarissa. Michael gave me your full name, and I’ve run your history. According to the reports we found, it seems you were involved in an accident while on your way to the opera with Jeremy Colvert, who you’ve stated was the person who undertook the therapy without your agreement. Is that correct?”
Clarissa sat bolt upright in the chair, her face devoid of emotion. “Yes.”
“All right then. I can find a l
isting of an accident, but on the same day three other women disappeared. I’ve got my personal assistant doing some digging, but they were all about the same size as you. It’s believed they all had a suitor who picked them up and took them to places including the zoo, the movies, and on occasion, to the museum. Is that the same as your experience?”
Clarissa stiffened. “He was doing it to other women?”
Daniella pursed her lips. “I’m thinking he was grooming women, while preparing for the bio-cybernetic implants at the same time. He doesn’t have access to priority production lines that Sara had for Michael. So, he’s likely creating his own chipsets and implants. Which means he’s knowingly working outside the ‘No Harm’ standards all medical personnel must agree to before registration. My personal research has also concluded that since his accident he’s been seen in public places with a range of women. Interestingly enough, many of them have met an unprepossessing end. Car accidents, boating accidents, and the like. Mostly in situations that have raised no alarms, and his companions are either poorly connected or have no families. That in and of itself is unusual and raises questions for me.”
Clarissa bit her lip and looked away. “He’s a monster.”
“He is. But the best thing is, with your help, we can stop him, so he won’t be able to do something like this ever again. He’ll never take a woman and make her suffer the way he’s done with you.”
Michael watched as Clarissa took a sip of her coffee, closed her eyes, and held still. “Getting him won’t be enough though. He had others who were experimenting.”
Clarissa opened her eyes, and her gaze settled on Daniella.
Daniella nodded. “Yes. David, our brother, will be here soon. He’s managed to obtain a Presidential Warrant. He’s got agents who will storm the building, and they’ll find whatever records there are. I don’t think we’ll get Jeremy at the same time, but once we begin the process, his days are numbered. They’ll get records and collect evidence that will help us put him away for a long, long time.”
With a clatter, Clarissa placed her coffee cup down on the table. “Would you excuse me? I’m suddenly feeling a little off.”
She rose and left the room. Michael started to follow her, but Daniella grabbed his hand. “Let her go. The reality is huge, and she has to understand that this is the only way.”
“She’s hurting, Daniella, and my job is to heal.” He pulled away and hurried after Clarissa.
* * * *
That Jeremy would be called to account was scary, and yet it filled Clarissa with hope. That wasn’t what upset her, as much as knowing there were others. Not just one or two. Clarissa had vacillated and refused to offer assistance. She’d run while potentially other women faced the same horror she had.
She’d allowed her weakness to blind her to a reality that sickened her to the depth of her being. Clarissa wrapped shaking arms around herself, wondering if she’d ever be safe again.
The door opened behind her and Michael strode in.
“I was weak, Michael. He’s probably got another woman, or women, and is doing the same to them while I ran and hid.” She pushed her nails into the flesh of her arms, hoping for the sting to wake her up from this bad dream. It didn’t, so Clarissa refused to look at him while shame burgeoned.
“No, Clarissa. You can’t take on the responsibility for others you knew nothing about. He would have done so whether you were there or not. Besides, Daniella checked and he’s only just started the pattern again in the last few days. He was seen with a girl at the museum and another at a play. He’s clever enough to realize that he needs to keep a low profile between attempts.”
“Then why haven’t the authorities tried before?” Tears trickled down her cheeks and she swiped at them, but he stilled her hands, rubbing soft thumbs over the tear tracks.
“Don’t cry. Without you, we wouldn’t be as far along, and no one would know what he was doing. You alone, standing up, has made the capture of this monster a reality.”
She bit her lip while his tender touches left her senses swimming.
“But I should have done more.”
He didn’t argue with her, just pulled her gently forward so his lips touched hers. She opened to him, while he drew her in, swamping her senses so there was only the two of them and the ache that grew down low in her belly.
His hands slid from her face, over her shoulders, and around her waist. Their bodies touched, hip-to-hip and breast-to-chest.
She was a mass of quivering sensations, her nipples tightening to nubs as they dragged against him, even through the layers of clothing.
The kiss changed, deepened until he ravished her, lips and tongue working, hands kneading her butt, and she curled her hands in his hair.
It lasted forever but was over too soon. When he pulled away, she heaved, trying to suck in oxygen to fill her empty lungs.
“Michael…”
“This isn’t a one-off attraction, you understand that, don’t you?”
She nodded, well aware that what she wanted was more than the simple act of sexual intercourse. The hunger that had kept gnawing at her belly grew with each touch.
But she wasn’t ready yet. Too many things had happened. Too much loss and pain had been heaped upon her. She needed time to understand and trust him fully with that.
“You don’t have the stuff in your head that I’ve got.”
He sighed and laid his forehead against hers. “Whatever baggage you come with, I’m up for. I want to be with you. Only you. I don’t care what it takes, so long as you want to be with me too.”
Tears pricked again. No matter what he thought he knew, he didn’t have the experience of the nightmares, the pain.
She tugged away, but he held on. “Michael, you don’t understand. I’m broken and not sure I can ever again feel safe. I have nightmares and—”
He cut off her words, his soft finger sliding along the seam of her lips. “We’ll work through it together. That’s what partnerships are about.”
Clarissa wanted so badly to believe him, but he wanted more than she was sure she could give. She sighed. “Let’s take it one day at a time. That way if you feel you can’t cope with my problems, there’s no harm, no foul.”
His lips firmed, a flash of fire in his gaze, and she refused to see what her vision screen described as dissatisfaction and anger.
* * * *
The tiny, hand-held communicator in Michael’s pocket blared, and he dug it out and checked the screen, while he kept his other hand firmly twined around Clarissa’s.
“David’s here. We need to go down and meet with him and Daniella in my office.”
He felt the tiny jerk of her hand, as if she tried to disengage herself from him before she spoke. “Okay.”
He placed a small kiss on the knuckles where their fingers intertwined.
“What was that for?”
He grinned at the surprise in her voice. “To keep you there.” With those words he led her out of the room and down the staircase toward his office. “You know, I’m not sure I want to keep this house.”
She glanced around her. “But why? It’s beautiful and old.”
“You like it?”
“It’s lovely, and I’m sure it reminds you of where you grew up.”
He barked with laughter as she spoke, each word carefully considered. “Not really. My parents were into white walls and extensive artwork. I bought this when I finished medical school, but suddenly the dark walls and antiques don’t strike me as very family friendly.”
She stopped. “Family friendly?” Her words were stilted as if something stuck in her throat.
“Sure. We could take a look at the properties closer to your parents. There’d be a few I think might be of interest.”
He waited for her to answer.
“I’m not ready for any of this.” Her mutter made him smile until he reached the door of the room where he’d met with Daniella earlier. What lay ahead would tax Clarissa, and he wasn’t
sure how else to allay her fears.
In silence he grasped the doorknob and pushed it wide. She entered the room, and he sucked in a deep breath then followed her.
Clarissa sat down in the seat she’d vacated earlier. Daniella eyed him as he entered, and he gave a tight smile before giving his brother David a quick, manly hug and slap on the back. “Glad you’re here, David.”
They settled into seats, and Daniella introduced David to Clarissa. His brother gave him a swift ‘this is your girl?’ look, and Michael grinned at him.
“So, what have you learned?” Daniella reclined back in her chair, pinning David with a direct gaze.
“As you know, I got the warrant, and the agents are heading for the location right now. They’ll enter and execute their search-and-seize warrant, as well as taking those on the ground into custody.” David glanced down at his small palm unit, nodding tensely. “The person who broke into Clarissa’s room at the hospital has been identified, however it would seem he was an ancillary staff member at the hospital.”
Michael stilled. “Clarissa said there’d be contacts at the hospital.” He turned to her. “You were right.”
She screwed up her face at his words.
David harrumphed, and they returned their attention to him. “He worked in a custodial role and had clearance to access all sections. Security is currently investigating how no one questioned him being in catering at that time and how the two guards weren’t tipped off.”
Michael frowned. “So, Colvert’s likely got at least one person, and maybe more, at the hospital? They’ve probably been on the lookout for her since she escaped. Status on Clarrie?”
David smiled. “My men describe him as in it for your girl here. He’s been demanding updates every five minutes and wants to know when he can connect via link. I’ve told my men I’ll arrange it later today. Apparently, he threw a hell of a tantrum until a time was settled on.”
Clarissa grinned. “He’s a good man and just worried about me.” She leaned in. “He won’t get in trouble, will he?”
David reached out and patted her hand. “No. We don’t take action for people who are worried about their friends. Actually, he was a veteran of the later African wars of early 2097. He’s entitled to a lot of support and that will see him right. He didn’t know, which is why he was living on the street. Once my men explained it to him, he was thankful you were there for him, so he’d get the chance. He’s got a family, and we’re going to try and hook him back up with them.”
