by Marie Harte
“J.D.’s my man.”
“Remy’s my girl. She’ll make this happen. So we agree. Together,” Max said to them both. “You two will have a much better shot at taking him down. And you’re not in this alone. We’re a team. Put aside the past and concentrate on the future. At least for this case.”
“I’m good.” J.D. shrugged. “It’s the job. I’m not sure she can handle it, though.”
“Yeah, right.” She blew out a breath. “I’ve handled a lot more than you know, Joshua.”
He glared at her. “My name is J.D. Fine. You want to flaunt that ass at your uncle again, who am I to say no?”
“Hold on.” Cole didn’t look so amused anymore. “How the hell do J.D. and Remy have the qualifications to take down this asshole? What? We’re done sending the experts? Instead we send…” he jerked his head at J.D., then Remy, “…a mouthy attitude and a hot chick with computer skills?”
Jurek sighed. “Your point is a good one, but J.D. and Remy know Carter better than anyone. I was there the night we put a lid on the ISPP, I thought for good. It was ugly. J.D. and Remy know exactly what he’s capable of, and we need an edge to find him. Carter’s brilliant, and he makes it difficult to nail him down. If we don’t catch and stop him this time, he’ll only get worse. The rumors I’ve been hearing over the years about more psychics going missing and people dying are proving true. It’s Carter, of that I have no doubt.”
Remy felt better having Jurek’s and Max’s confidence. “If Jurek’s impression of Brooks is correct, Lee Brooks is scared to death of Carter. He might not feel as if he has the option to go against him. But we could give him one.”
“She’s right,” J.D. agreed, surprising her. “Jurek knows people. He picked up some doubt and guilt on Brooks’s part. If we don’t maximize this opportunity, we’re throwing away a chance to get in under the radar.”
Unless this was all a clever ploy to lure them out in the first place. Remy thought it but didn’t say it. She didn’t need to.
Max answered her telepathically, “Exactly, Remy. J.D. is too full of anger. He’s not thinking clearly, not when it comes to Carter.” Max paused. “But you can help him.”
“Me?” What wasn’t Max saying?
“Unfortunately, yes, you. Luc mentioned this very scenario a while ago. I tried to figure a way around you, using anyone else. But according to Luc, if you don’t work with J.D., I’m afraid we won’t succeed, and Carter will rebuild his empire off of J.D.’s back.”
Luc, Max’s nephew, had the gift of foresight. A done-deal then, in her opinion. But the pressure to save J.D. all over again…
“That’s right,” Max agreed. “Because this time, if you don’t, he’ll be truly lost.”
“Why not tell the others this?”
“This needs to come from you, not Luc or the others. You have to do this for you, Remy. Get the closure you’ve been needing. Stop running from your uncle.”
“You knew about me, Carter, all of it, from the first, didn’t you?” And she thought she’d been so clever hiding her past.
“Of course. You can’t work for a telepath without giving up some secrets.”
He knew, yet he’d let her stay on. He’d let her close to his family, accepted her as part of his team.
“Thank you.”
“No, Remy. Thank you. Now stop this madman, find out how you really feel about J.D., and come back to us. Hell, I might even give you a raise if you can make it through this operation without strangling him.”
She did her best not to cry in gratitude, but J.D. saw her unshed tears.
“You don’t have to do this.” He frowned at her boss. “You can’t make her go.”
“I’m fine.” She blinked rapidly. “I can do this. We can take him out, finally.”
Payback, she didn’t say, but she didn’t need to.
J.D. nodded. “I’m in.”
“Me too.”
“Christ. Who’s running the asylum?” Cole muttered. At a glare from his uncle, he held up his hands. “Hey, I’m on board. Just tell me what you want and I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Good.” Jurek nodded. “Brooks wanted us to meet him in his summer home in Mexico. Cozumel. He’s too afraid of Carter’s reach in the States, or so he said.”
“Cozumel is touristy. Nice. Everyone blends, because everyone’s coming off a friggin’ cruise ship. Hell, Carter and his men will fit right in.” Cole huffed. “Fifty says someone tries to grab you two.”
“Yeah. I wouldn’t take that bet,” J.D. agreed.
Jurek continued. “We’ll arrange the transportation, lodging and security. Max, a few details to iron out?” He stood. “I have to get back, but I’ll call you later today.”
He walked to the door, stopped, and waited.
“J.D.?”
J.D. stared at her, then shook his head. “Your funeral.” As soon as he said it, he seemed as if he wanted to take back the words. “Remy.” He glanced at Cole and scowled. “Sainte. Watch your step.” His eyes visibly glowed before he turned to join his boss and left without looking back.
“Whew,” Cole breathed after they’d left. “What’s got J.D. so hot and bothered, do you think?”
Remy said nothing but saw the look that passed between uncle and nephew. The distinct pause, as well as the prickly buzz she felt, warned they spoke telepathically.
“Cole, I need to talk to Remy for a bit. Why don’t you make yourself scarce?” Max suggested with a glance at the door.
“No problem. And Remy? About that date. Tonight at seven work for you? Text me,” he ordered and left the room with a swagger.
Max sighed. “I know he’s a grown man, but sometimes I just want to put him over my knee like I did when he was a boy.”
Remy smiled. “Come on, Max, you’re not that much older than Cole.”
“No, but I used to watch him for my sister when Cole was just a baby. That boy got into more trouble…” He shook his head. He’d raised Cole and Alex after their parents had died.
“I can imagine,” Remy murmured. When she saw him studying her, she firmed her mental shields and pulled on her professional mantle once more. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
He sighed. “You know what I want to talk to you about—J.D. Are you going to be okay working with him? I know I’m pushing you, but I think it’s the only way to make things right. That day in my office, you two surprised the hell out of me. I’ve never seen J.D. so out of control before. Or you, for that matter. I don’t want to see either of you hurt.”
“I know. That’s the last thing I want.” She paused. “Even if Luc hadn’t foreseen me helping, I’d do this. I‘ve been running for a long time, never feeling safe. I should have left here months ago, but I just…I wanted to stay.”
“I’m glad.” Max stood and moved to her side to squeeze her hand. “J.D.’s angry at you.”
“I’ve noticed,” she said dryly.
“But it’s not all anger.”
I’ve noticed that too.
His grin told her he’d heard what she hadn’t meant to share. “Yes, well, you both have feelings for each other. But he’s mired in the past, not sure what he thinks he knows and what his heart tells him can’t be true. You have a hard road ahead of you, in more ways than one. But you’re a strong woman. If anyone can beat Carter and carry J.D. out of the fire, it’s you.”
She glowed with pleasure. “Thank you, Max.”
“Believe it. I don’t just say things to be nice. Ask Cole.”
They both grinned.
“But I will warn you to be wary of my nephew,” he advised. “He’s got something up his sleeve, so watch out.”
“Cole and his practical jokes.” But he hadn’t been kidding about a date, had he? She hoped not. She had some issues to put to rest before she could focus on the mess of J.D. and her uncle. Talk about the Monday from hell.
She left the office and went in search of some much-needed coffee, yet all the while, her thoughts re
mained on J.D. and how much she still liked thinking of him as “her Joshua”. Man, she had it bad.
J.D. ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He didn’t feel like searching the databases for Hunter’s missing criminal or for the information Jurek needed to appease some dumbass governor who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. In fact, he couldn’t have felt less like surfing the waves of energy that normally took him to new heights. He couldn’t stop seeing Cole and Remy alone in that office, looking entirely too comfortable with each other.
Why the hell should he care? He kept asking himself that question as jealousy rode him hard. Remy could have any man she wanted. He knew for a fact women liked Cole. Hell, he’d seen the man in action. He liked the guy. Usually. And who was to say Cole and Remy hadn’t already been together at some time in their past?
He broke a pencil in half as he stared at the computer monitor. None of his damned business. His feelings for Remy were all in the past. He’d fuck her, forget her, and ignore the ache in his gut whenever he remembered her winsome smile.
Hunter Greye paused in front of his door and stared at the broken pencil in his hands. J.D. hastily covered the pieces and frowned at the big man.
“I brought you a visitor.” Hunter smirked then walked away.
Hell. Cole lounged in the doorway wearing a smile J.D. itched to wipe clean. With his fists, or maybe some electric shock therapy.
“Mind if I come in?” Cole asked.
J.D. frowned. “I just saw you a few hours ago. You couldn’t have shared this then?”
The hard features that looked so beautiful feminized on his sister’s face made Cole irresistible to most women. He was almost as good-looking as J.D. The bastard. J.D. wondered if Remy saw the square jaw and deep-green eyes, and thought them fascinating. She’d claimed not to be swayed by a pretty face. She’d made an exception for him, or so she’d once said.
God. Stop thinking about her already. He blew out a breath. “Look, man, I’m busy. Can this wait?” He turned his irritation back to his monitor, hoping Cole would get the hint and leave him the hell alone.
Unfortunately, Cole shrugged and plunked his ass down across from J.D.’s desk, on the only chair not covered by a stack of paper. “No problem. I’ll be quick.”
J.D. waited. Cole remained silent. Swearing to himself, J.D. glanced away from the computer screen to see his friend—soon to be ex-friend—laughing at him.
“What the fuck is so funny?”
“Never seen you unhappy with a computer before. Nice to see you’re almost human.”
“Ass. What do you want?”
“I’d say the truth, but, you know, I don’t think you know what that is.”
J.D. let out a breath. “This is about Remy, right?”
“Yeah, it is. You and she nearly fried each other a few days ago. Now you’re both playing nice. I like her and you. And this Carter dude seems like a bad guy.”
“You got that right.”
“I don’t want to see this op go sideways because you two have a history. So I’ll tell you what. Why don’t I go down to Mexico in your place? According to Remy, he’s after her, not you. Better for all of us if I—”
“Stay the hell out of it. I got this. I’ll handle Carter and Remy. She and I have a few things to work out. We don’t need you interfering.” That nagging jealousy that Remy might prefer Cole worked through him again, and he pushed his hands from the desk, linking them together so he didn’t wrap them around Cole’s throat.
Cole buffed his fingernails on his shirt and studied them carefully. Then he glanced up at J.D. with a guileless expression. “I think you dropped something.” He leaned down and picked up half of the pencil J.D. had snapped. The thing must have rolled to the floor. Terrific.
As expected, Cole froze for a moment. Picking up on J.D.’s raw emotion, no doubt. Cole returned the pencil to the desk, trying without success to hide a knowing grin.
J.D. snapped, “Oh, fuck you and your tele-touch shit. I’m busy.”
Cole chuckled and stood, then moved to the door. “If you change your mind about going to Cozumel, let me know. But don’t try to reach me tonight. I’ll be busy. I’ve got a date…with Remy.” The bastard walked out with a wave and shut the door behind him.
J.D. stared at the back of the door. Anger surged, never as banked as he’d hoped it might be, not since seeing Remy. “Date, my ass,” he said as he realized Cole had deliberately baited him. But why?
He wanted to think clearly, to figure out why her dating would bother him so much, but all he could envision was Remy wrapped in Cole’s strong arms.
His fury found its way through his keyboard and traveled through to the computer, the monitor, and blew the surge protector before he reined it in.
An alarm sounded outside his office. “Shit.” He drew back his power and hurried to use the fire extinguisher to put out the flame in his desktop. Thank God he’d backed up everything periodically throughout the day. Still, Jurek was going to chew him a new one.
He hadn’t lost control of himself in years. But since seeing her again, he couldn’t seem to stop losing it.
Hunter flung the door open and stuck his head in. “Good meeting with Cole, I take it?”
“Get out. Can’t you people see I’m busy?” J.D. shouted as he shot another blast of the extinguisher at the tiny flame creeping along the power cord.
Hunter shook his head and left. But the real problem wasn’t going anywhere but out on a fucking date. Max Buchanan’s asshole nephew and the witchy temptress working for him had plans.
J.D. gritted his teeth and finished putting out the fire, then left his office. He ignored the security guys frowning at him and continued out the building. Had Cole really thought he could change J.D.’s mind about going to Mexico? Bullshit. “Change my mind? Yeah, right. Time to change yours, buddy.” A few shocks to his system would show the man J.D. meant business.
Friend or no friend, Cole had no business involving himself with Remy. She belonged to J.D.…until he decided what to do about her.
Chapter Six
Dinner and a movie. A nice way to end a tension-filled Monday. Except Remy’s stress hadn’t gone down, but up since she’d joined Cole on their first date. She stood inside her living room and stared as he drew closer, their time coming to an end. She’d actually enjoyed the film, though her appetite had left her. Even the crème brulee hadn’t been enough to tempt her to overindulge.
She’d been frank with Cole about her expectations tonight—that this would be a friendly, casual, not-quite date, yet he’d acted overjoyed to take her out anyway.
“I really appreciate you doing this.” She wrung her hands as she stared up into his laughing eyes. He didn’t have the same perfection J.D. had, but Cole’s rough masculinity was its own kind of beauty. She knew his social life had never been less than active. “I hope you didn’t have to cancel any dates for me.”
“Don’t worry. There’s enough of me to go around.”
“So it says on the bathroom walls.”
He laughed with her. “I like you, Remy. Now why don’t you tell me what’s really going on with you and J.D.? Because when I told him about our date earlier, he had visions of tearing my head from my shoulders.”
“He did?” Why that gave her pleasure, she didn’t want to think about. “I mean, well, we have a history. Young love gone wrong.” Way wrong. “It was all innocent and years ago. There’s nothing between us now.”
“Uh-huh.” He crossed his arms, looking a lot less than believing.
“Really.” Why did she have to explain herself? “I don’t appreciate the third degree. I had a nice time tonight. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cole’s lips quirked. “I know you hate to hear this, but you are so cute when you’re mad.”
“Shut up.” She tried to glare at him and ended up smiling. “You’re so annoying.”
“Yet women love me. It’s part of my curse.” He dropped his arms to his side
s and closed the distance between them. “Now tell me what you need. A friendly ear? A warm hug? For me to tell you again how cute you are when mad? Or how hot you are, and that all the guys at work want to do you?”
“Cole.” She flushed.
“Yeah. It’s that sexy innocence. You’re a beautiful woman, Remy. And I’m your friend. So come clean. What’s really with asking me out on a date?”
“I need you to kiss me.”
He blinked. “Why?”
“Because you’re handsome?”
“I am, but that’s not why.”
She rolled her eyes. “Forget it.”
“Now, now. I can’t have you telling everyone I’m a tease.” He drew her closer, his warmth welcoming. “You want a kiss? Okay. Just promise you won’t zap me if you don’t like it.”
She tentatively put her hands on his shoulders, amazed at how much larger he was up close. “I won’t, I swear.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “I won’t lie and say I haven’t been wanting to do this,” he confessed before settling his mouth over hers.
Remy stilled as his soft breath met hers. He kept his hands on her face as he deepened the kiss. A gentle trespass, but no more than she allowed as he sipped at her lips. She felt a spark of interest, but it was nowhere near the intensity of what she’d felt with J.D.
Cole tasted like crème brulee, and he kissed with a smoothness that spoke of experience. He moved carefully with her, and she appreciated his consideration. He was a good friend, but nothing more.
“Not bad,” he said as they parted. He studied her. “But not great either, hmm?”
Remy blushed, wishing she hadn’t been so obvious.
Cole laughed and pulled her closer for a hug. “I’m teasing you, Remy. Relax. Be honest—our kiss was pleasant, but it didn’t rock your world.”
“You could tell?” She swore she’d felt something hard brush her belly when they hugged, but she didn’t want to be presumptuous and think she’d aroused him. Could she? Had she?
“You kissed me back, but you aren’t breathless. No squirming, either. Definite tells. I have enough experience to know these things.” He touched her nose and pulled away. “I’m betting you don’t. Do me a favor. Make J.D. work for his kiss. Trust me, he can stand to give you a little romance. And you’re worth it.”
