by Amy Rench
“These people, this faction, killed Bobby because he found out,” Harper stated quietly, watching him closely.
“Most likely, yes,” Rome confirmed.
She closed her eyes and bowed her head for a moment. Then she nodded and looked up at him again, a hard resolve behind her gaze.
“Harper, we’ll find them.” He tried to instill every ounce of certainty he had in his voice. No matter how vast this sinister trek was going to be, they at least had a starting point now. And each other.
“I know we will.” Her low voice chilled him. The tone was filled with more than the confidence he’d come to expect from her. It now contained a touch of…hunger.
At the very beginning, she’d told him she was going to get her revenge. And from the way she lounged there—like a lazy jungle cat, resting now, but primed to kill in an instant—he knew it to be true. Her vow for vengeance was very much alive.
“There’s more,” she said after a quick shake of her head. Great. More. “The human experiments didn’t work quite right.”
“What the hell does that mean?” He was getting very tired of bad news getting worse.
“The human subjects would develop the psionic power and be able to heal minor injuries, just as the plants could repair themselves. But soon after…” Harper’s voice trailed off.
“What?” Rome asked, lying down on the bed, mirroring her pose to face her. Whatever was coming was the worst part. He traced his fingers over her shoulder lightly. “Tell me.”
“Soon after they used their powers”—she looked away for a silent moment and then returned her gaze to his—“they died.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“You’re not going to die,” Rome said firmly, shaking his head. No. He wouldn’t even begin to think about it. “You’re different from them.”
“How?” Harper asked quietly, narrowing her eyes in what looked like terrified but controlled anger. “How am I different? Those men did the same things I could do. I have the same serum flowing through my body. In my blood. Just like them. The subjects would die when they used their power to the fullest. The energy basically overpowered their bodies. Burning them up inside. Killing them.”
“You were able to overpower them.” He ran his hand down her arm, grabbing her hand and holding it tight against his chest, twisting his fingers through hers. “Not once, but twice. That has to mean something.” She kept silent, just staring at him. “How long is ‘soon after’?”
She just shrugged. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. I just need to stay alive long enough to make them pay for what they did to Bobby.”
“No,” Rome said fiercely, clutching her hand tightly to keep her with him. “You need to stay alive for more than that.” He leaned in closer, just a breath away from her lovely face, every pinpoint of green in her eyes lancing into him, cutting away every line of defense around his heart. “You need to stay alive for me.”
The biting thought of losing her terrified him more than her violent powers ever could. He closed the brief distance between them and sealed his lips against hers, willing her to taste his basic primal need for her. In the short time since she’d literally blasted into his life, she’d come to mean everything to him.
Releasing her hand, he brushed his fingers along her smooth cheek, her neck, her bare arm, down her ribs to her hip, all the while enjoying long, soulful kisses.
Slanting his body slightly, he rolled across the bed, fitting himself against her sinewy length. The heat from her body blanketed him as he cupped the rounded firmness of her tight rear and reached lower to tug her powerful thigh across his, nestling her closer into him.
Deepening the kiss, Rome moaned and pressed against her. He felt a shiver pass through her body as she curled her thigh around the back of his leg, encouraging further contact. Frenzied contact.
His body grinded into hers in response, answering her call. She pulled him closer and swept her tongue into his mouth, making him dizzy with desire.
He broke away, desperately needing air, and then returned to trail hot kisses along her neck to the hollow at her throat. She gasped and writhed beneath him.
A soft chime floated through his aroused haze.
What the hell was that? It sounded again, and Harper stilled.
“Oh, for crying out loud.” Harper’s low voice was raspy. Her chest heaved against his. “My download is done.”
Her what? Rome glanced menacingly over his shoulder at the damn laptop near the bottom of the bed, blinking an innocent cursor at him.
Damn it all. He almost kicked the thing across the small room.
She shifted slightly and allowed her to untangle from their more-than-eager embrace. He backed away to watch as she stretched her perfect body across the bed to pull the electronic pest toward her. He gave serious thought to pouncing on her back. She then twisted around to lean against the wall and set it on her lap, her fingers running over the keys.
He sat there, staring at her, his body still tight with arousal.
Was it that easy for her? Weren’t they just about ready to tear each other’s clothes off and get their money’s worth from this cheap by-the-hour motel room? Rome knew he had been more than ready. And he was pretty damn certain she’d been, too.
Rubbing the light sheen of sweat off his forehead, he kept his slowly cooling focus on her. Her face was tinged blue from the digital display, but it gave her eyes an ethereal glow. Unearthly sexy.
Her gaze broke away from the bright screen, meeting his own, softening and igniting all at once. A smoldering shiver laced his body. He wanted her as if he always had and always would.
“It’s not over,” she said. And then she gave him the sexiest wink he’d ever seen. Promising more.
And he’d be ready. Harper, more than anyone he’d ever known, was worth waiting for.
Clearing his throat, he rolled off the bed and grabbed two sodas from the minifridge, hoping the chilled cans would help cool him off.
“So, what were you downloading?” He walked to the other side of the bed and plopped down next to her, but kept as much distance as he could manage. Her fingers brushed his as she took the Coke, sending a sizzle down his arm. Pulling back fast, he opened the can and took a long, cool drink, ignoring the tickle of fizz as it burned down his throat.
“Some of the files in the Harpie folder had extra levels of encryption,” Harper answered after a big gulp of her own. He watched her read as she pushed the laptop lower on her thighs so she could place the can between her legs. Holy shit. Didn’t she know he was trying to simmer down? “I had to create a little program to decode and extract those files.”
Rome stared as she leaned over and set the laptop on the floor. Then she stretched her arms high above her head, pulling the fabric of her T-shirt taut against her chest, clearly outlining her perfect-sized breasts.
His gaze fell to the hem of the shirt as it lifted an inch or two to reveal tight abs rolling under silky, tan skin. He couldn’t wait to taste the tempting flesh there.
“This next download will take some time,” she said, bringing her arms back down to rest on her thighs. He had to shift his position on the bed a little when she reached between her legs for another swallow. “Maybe we should get some rest. I think my eyes are about to stick shut from reading that screen.” She scrubbed her face and turned those eyes to him, taking his breath away with their emerald allure.
“You’re right,” Rome said, looking for a place he could sleep that was a safe distance from her, where he wouldn’t be sorely tempted to ravish her body. He couldn’t find one.
“I’m showering first,” she declared as she stood and sauntered to the tiny but surprisingly immaculate bathroom.
He tried so hard not to think about her stripping off those clothes and standing in that tiled stall, the hot water running all over her naked body. Shaking his head, he tried to change the subject in his mind to what they should be concentrating on instead of how much he wanted to jump in the show
er with her. She obviously didn’t need to trust him to have sex with him. But surprisingly he realized he wanted her trust first.
“Harper,” he called softly. She halted, half in, half out of the bathroom door with a questioning look. “I think we need to get a second look at the facility where Bobby’s lab was. Put some proof with that data. After we shower and rest, let’s plan.”
“Sounds good to me,” she agreed, and laughed playfully. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. Keep the bed warm for me.” And then she gave him another one of those scorching winks that boiled his blood and seared his insides before disappearing behind the chipped door of the bathroom.
A deep moan escaped his lips. She was obviously flirting to lighten the mood, but just the thought had him very close to bursting through that door and joining her, keeping her warm instead of the sheets. He was going to offer to sleep on the floor, but it sounded like she planned on sharing the queen bed.
Lying flat on his back on the ugly bedspread, Rome knew that he wouldn’t be getting much sleep with Harper’s tempting body next to his under the sheets.
He just couldn’t decide whether the night was going to be ecstasy or agony.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Harper crouched on the moist, leafy ground, waiting for Rome to return. Disabling the perimeter cameras of the Five Watch facility without anyone noticing was his task. He’d been gone for about five minutes and she expected to be alone for precisely five more.
Watery rays of sunlight gently filtered through the moss-draped trees around her. A misty drizzle cast a light sheen among the brush that was providing her cover.
She’d never been in this area in the daytime. The only two times she’d come to Bobby’s lab, it had been the dead of night.
She hadn’t even known there was a vast facility adjoining the lab in the front. Bobby’s lab was underground and seemingly far from the gray buildings she could barely make out in the distance. Apparently they connected through a myriad of hallways. But there was another concealed bunker about a hundred yards from the entrance she’d used to get to Bobby’s lab.
That was where she and Rome were headed.
Over a package of surprisingly tasty store-bought cinnamon rolls, they’d decided this morning that they needed to find some tangible evidence of what was going on. They trusted Bobby’s notes, but wanted to see for themselves exactly what they were up against.
She glanced at the timer counting down on her digital watch—4:30 blinked back at her. Rome had been very specific about the timing. And gone over and over it before they’d even left their tawdry motel room this morning.
Mmm…this morning. Waking up with Rome spooning her had been, well, heavenly. The combination of warmth and strength and the vulnerability in his sleep had nearly undone her. When he’d been kissing her the night before, she’d never wanted anyone or anything more in her life than she’d wanted him. Not even an Olympic gold. She still didn’t fully trust him, but my goodness, she was fully attracted to him. But when they made love, she wanted plenty of time to explore his delicious body. And this morning they’d had other things to contend with.
Another glance at her watch—2:10. She had to clear her mind or she’d jump him the second he returned.
As much as she’d initially wanted to claim vengeance on her own, she’d come to realize that she couldn’t do this without Rome. Harper knew nothing about this spy stuff other than what she’d seen in movies and the video games she played. She desperately needed his expertise and endless resources.
And not only was he trained in this kind of stuff, but his steadfast support was beginning to mean a lot to her. She’d lost so much already. She didn’t think she’d survive losing Rome, too. Even if she did have a limited life span.
His betrayal still stung. And she still wasn’t ready to forgive it. Yet she was smart enough to know he was a real asset. She needed him to help her get revenge for Bobby, given she didn’t know how long she had to live.
She knew she should feel something about her imminent death. But somehow, she felt that the moment she’d decided on revenge, she realized it would end in a oneway ticket to mortality. And surprisingly, she was okay with it. As long as she got vengeance first.
A slight rustling of brush to her left spurred her out of her absorbed thoughts. Glancing at her watch, she saw the digitized numbers count down from ten. Rome slipped through the leafy barrier with hushed ease.
“I’m surprised I could even hear you,” she said softly, flicking her gaze back to see the seconds tick down to zero. Amazing.
“It was on purpose,” he said quietly with a smile, hunkering down right next to her. “I didn’t want to scare you.” He placed his hand on her shoulder, warming her through the fabric of the black microfleece coat he’d given her to wear. “Are you ready?”
Sure, she was ready to break into a supersecret underground government facility that, unbeknownst to everyone but the two of them, was being used by a traitorous faction with unscrupulous plans, willing to murder in order to keep their secret.
“Yes,” she nodded, knowing it really didn’t matter whether she was ready. They were doing this. For Bobby. For his research. For the good of everyone. They would put the wrongs of the faction right. “Let’s go.”
He returned her nod, taking her hand in his and pulling her up to stand with him. A light tug on her hand and she followed closely behind him, shifting out of his clasp to rest her hand lightly on the small of his back as they moved quickly yet quietly through the thick covering of trees.
A thrill of anticipation prickled through her blood, much like she experienced just before a race. Adrenaline pumped a sense of purpose into her, eliciting a confidence she knew she was going to need to get through this.
Sooner than she expected, they reached the wellhidden bunker. It surprised her to see just how close it was to the secret entrance she’d used not too long ago to sneak into her brother’s lab.
Rome held up a hand, motioning for her to stay put. Nodding, she watched him move with ghostlike steps toward a rocky area covered with thick green moss.
Harper relished watching him and was impressed at how stealthily he could maneuver, considering his muscular bulk. She imagined it wasn’t much different than the smooth way she cut through the water. They were more alike than they were different. She loved that.
Whoa. Love?
Where the heck did that come from? Wait. At the café, she’d said she loved him. In jest, surely, but she’d never slipped with the L word before. Ever.
“C’mon, we have sixty-five minutes.” Rome’s reminder shook her out of her shock, causing her to jump. “Hey, are you okay?” In an instant, he was beside her, rubbing her shoulder under the backpack she was wearing, sporting a sincere questioning look.
“Um, right. Yes, I’m fine,” she stammered, and gave him a smile she hoped backed up her words. He narrowed his eyes at her, clearly undecided whether to believe her.
“You’re sure?” he asked, his hand roving to her back in comfort.
She nodded crisply, gesturing for him to proceed as she reset her watch timer for the sixty-five minutes he’d bought them by shutting down surveillance. Or whatever he did.
He gave her a long, pointed look before turning toward the now-open door to the underground facility. After a quick shake of her head to clear her muddled thoughts, she followed him into the darkness.
Admittedly, she felt more than a little uncomfortable breaking into a facility like this. The worst she’d ever done was sneak into the living room while her parents were watching Jaws, after they’d forbidden her from seeing it. Yet, at the same time the fear spiked her adrenaline and got her heart pumping as though she were swimming a sprint.
Once again, Harper kept her hand on his firm back as they maneuvered down through the dimly lit corridor. The passage walls pressed in on them and the moist smell of packed soil sifted into her senses. Earthy dust grazed the back of her throat after she took a deep breath.
After a few moments of winding, the natural dug-out walls became smooth gray concrete and squarely structured. Their booted footsteps sounded deafening once on the level surface. Well, hers did, anyway.
This morning she’d hacked into several government provisioning databases to pull up the basic building plans of the facility to give them an idea of the layout. Then Rome had chosen this route when they devised this plan, thinking it would be the most deserted. He explained that the Five Watch was most likely confident in their anonymity and covert surveillance. So, he’d said with a wicked smile, they probably wouldn’t be counting on a seasoned agent and expert hacker to come aknockin’.
After running through several ideas together about where to head once they’d broken in, they’d concluded that the best option was to check out some offices or labs for files and hard evidence, then go through the ceiling’s service ducts to see what they could witness firsthand.
Though their knowledge of the facility was limited, his familiarity with infiltrating secure organizations was considerable, so she didn’t feel like they were going in blind.
But planning was one thing. Actually doing it was another. Especially with a novice like herself.
Rome stopped at a corner and peeked around it. His slow, easy movements were impressive. According to the building plans, offices were down this hallway, but Rome believed that the Five Watch may have made their own modifications by adding more laboratories.
She waited in silence, throwing an uneasy glance over her shoulder, chasing shadows. Ahead of her, Rome began moving forward again, rounding the corner as quiet as a summer breeze.
Following him closely, she once again marveled at how silently a tough guy like him could walk down a dim, sterile hallway. Every step she took sounded like a bass drum to her, but his strides were featherlight.
