Circle of Desire

by Carla Swafford

  “She merely reminded me to pay attention to my surroundings.” Collin crossed his arms and stared deep into Rex’s eyes. “I trust her with my life. Understand?”

  All activity in the huge room came to a standstill, only a few whispers echoed in the room. It appeared she wasn’t the only one surprised by his statement.

  Confusion darkened Rex’s face and then his black brows rose, creasing his forehead. “You got to be fucking kidding me! You and her . . . no way!”

  Olivia looked to Collin and then Rex and then back to Collin. Why couldn’t Rex get over his hatred of her? Would Collin push her away?

  Surprised when Collin took her hand, she watched wide-eyed as he raised it to his lips. His lips felt warm. Her limbs felt like they were melting.

  “What was the question?” Collin’s eyes were smiling at her even if his mouth wasn’t. He was making a point.

  “Did you know Theo was going to bomb your building?” She no longer cared what the answer was as a feeling of lightness came over her. The man holding her hand so gently trusted her despite his second in command’s feelings.

  “Yes. We hadn’t expected it so soon.” He nodded to an operative pushing a large cabinet on a hand-truck. “Everyone knows what they’re expected to do. About fifty miles outside of Atlanta is our new Main Sector. No more living underground.”

  “But what about me? What should I do?” Did she sound as pitiful as she thought?

  Rex had heard her questions and had released a “Humph!” in disgust.

  Then she remembered something that had happened in room 999. She turned to him. “Where’s A. J.?”

  “You mean Abby?” Instead of giving her his normal glare, Rex shook his head.

  Olivia’s breath left her body. Had her friend been sicker than she thought? The thought of someone else she cared for dying brought a chill to her hands and face.

  “Tell her, Rex. You’ve got her worried.” Collin jerked his head toward her.

  “She’s better. We took her to a private clinic last night where she can recover,” Rex said. He flipped his hair over his shoulders and then smoothed it down.

  If she didn’t know better she would swear that was a nervous gesture. Before she asked any further questions, Collin pulled her away from Rex.

  “I have something for you to do. Let’s move out of everybody’s way.” He headed toward a black truck hooked up to a long black trailer.

  A door opened on the side and inside were computers screens streaming information and various pieces of equipment blinking every color of the rainbow in the confining space. About ten people stopped what they were doing and turned to stare when they stepped inside.

  “Nic, come here and show Olivia what we plan to do,” Collin jerked his head toward her.

  Confused, Olivia wondered if the security officer had been in on Jason’s decision until she noticed the stiff way she answered him.

  “Yes, sir,” said Nic in an all-business tone, pointing at a computer-generated reenactment of their strategy. Either he’d told Nic the truth and she was still angry or he hadn’t said anything and she worried about what he was up to.

  Olivia tried to stand back and not make the woman dislike her any more than she already did.

  “We’ve located the exit tunnel you and St. Vincent came out of. The scout we sent has met with success and opened it from the outside. A small detail of our operatives should rendezvous in about twenty minutes and then fifteen minutes or less they will be through and have Theo’s Atlanta Main Sector under control.”

  “With minimum fire?” he asked.

  “If they meet no resistance as you expect,” Nic glared.

  So, he’d told her. Obviously Nic was as upset as she’d been about Collin’s silence leading up to Jason’s death.

  “We’re going in?” Olivia asked.

  “No. You and I are meeting Theo at a warehouse.” Collin nodded to another operative who handed them each heavy bags. “In the back is an area where we can clean up and change.”

  The floor beneath her feet shifted. The truck was moving.

  “Where is the warehouse?”

  She followed him into a small room with two bunk beds on each side. Throwing their bags on the bottom bunk, Collin pulled on a panel, and a sink and mirror were revealed.

  “Theo wants to meet us and discuss our surrender.” He wet a cloth and tossed it to her. She looked at the damp washcloth without really seeing it. “Wash up.”

  “But you’re not surrendering.” She wiped at her face and arms. Somewhere she missed part of their conversation. She felt so lost. “When did you find out he’d agreed to meet?”

  “Before I pulled you out of the shower.” One side of his mouth lifted. “We were a little busy or I would’ve told you sooner.” He pulled off his shirt. She worked at looking anywhere but at his beautiful chest. Would she ever get tired of looking at him?

  He dropped his pants, leaving on his boxers. She turned her back. Too many people around to contemplate doing anything though, Lord of Mercy, she wanted Collin again.

  His chuckle behind her frustrated the hell out of her.

  “One thing about Theo,” he continued, “he’s been so successful he’s beginning to feel invincible. When a person feels that way, they make mistakes, and he’s making some humdingers.”

  “I hate to say it, but Theo doesn’t make mistakes.” She pulled out a T-shirt and black pants. As she pulled off her cement dust–coated shirt, she felt his eyes on her.

  “He let you live,” he said in his usual low tone.

  Eyebrows raised, she turned as he wiped the cloth over his chest.

  “You did too.” For some reason it bothered her to hear him refer to her life as a mistake.

  Maybe he was right. Her mother had meant for her to die in that trash bin after she was born. Obviously she’d been a mistake to her.

  The next few minutes were quiet as they dressed and she fought back the ache in her chest and throat. No way would she let him see her cry over anything he said to her. The stress was getting to her. Before she realized what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around her and carefully squeezed.

  “Quit,” he whispered. “Your life is important. I’m glad I let you live and will never believe you’re a mistake. I was saying Theo made the mistake because you’re strong and a danger to him.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder and squeezed him back. Warmth and relief flooded her body. He might portray to the world a façade of coldness and single-mindedness, but to her he’d allowed the shell to crack and let her see inside. Maybe her own shell had cracked too, allowing him to see the little girl needing love.

  Her lips to his neck, she muttered, “Thank you.” God, he smelled musky and male, sex and desire wrapped in one.

  Their tender moment was broken by a knock on the door.

  “Sir, we’re five minutes away.”

  Shifting her body from his, she looked into his face.

  “What conditions did he give you?” she asked.

  One dark brow rose. “He’s allowing two bodyguards each.”

  “So me and Rex?”

  “Yes.” His barely there grin had her smiling back at him.

  “Who do you expect to be at Theo’s side?” Dread filled her throat.

  “He’s lost so many people. Could be anyone.”

  Would he listen to her now? She pressed her lips against his. She wanted one more kiss before they started fighting again. He tasted so good, his heat drew her in, wanting more, anything he was willing to give. He pressed her against the wall, his body hot and hard.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked as soon as he pulled away.

  She opened her mouth to deny it and then shook her head. “Listen. About your brother—”

  “Stop it.” He stepped back. “Whoever you saw at Theo’s Main Sector, he was an impostor and his purpose was to shake up my authority at the OS.” He opened the door and nodded to the control room. “Let’s go and see what they’ve foun
d out so far about Theo’s plans and the layout of the warehouse.”

  She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows as she walked by him. Now wasn’t the time to argue and she had a feeling Collin would have no option but to believe her when harsh reality slapped him in the face.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Olivia craned her neck looking around. The warehouse was nothing special; one large room with a three-story high ceiling and metal stairs in a corner that led to several glassed-in offices. Besides the steel double doors they entered, a single door on the back wall appeared to be the type to slide open. No other exits to the street.

  In the middle of the empty floor sat a strange large round oak table with six high-back chairs, three facing the other three. The tabletop was beaten and scratched as if a sharp object had been slammed against it in several places.

  From what she could see, there was nowhere for anyone to hide; the ceiling was solid without the expected skylights. Glaring lights did little to heat the area and Olivia hated how she felt like she was missing something important.

  “You would think Theo could be a little more original in his choice of meeting places.” Rex muttered as his gray eyes scanned the area for the hundredth time.

  “He always said there was safety in doing what’s been done before. Something about knowing all the hiding places and the mistakes,” she stated as Collin examined every corner.

  She dug her hands into the pockets of her lightweight trench coat. The MP5 beneath the material pressed against her side, giving her the reassurance she could protect Collin. Not that he needed protection as he carried at least two pistols and a knife, all hidden on his body. Watching him strap them on earlier had made her wet. Just thinking about it now, she squeezed her legs together and struggled to keep her mind on keeping an eye out for Theo and his thugs.

  She hated to even think what Collin’s reaction would be when Arthur Ryker showed up. It didn’t take a genius to know Theo planned for Collin’s brother’s emergence from the grave as a way to throw Collin off. He hoped to make it easier in taking back the OS.

  Over her dead body.

  What worried her even more was that she knew Theo and he never did anything halfway. So who would be his second guard?

  In Theo’s dramatic timing, the large sliding metal door in the back of the building screeched open. Theo walked through first. Was he brave or crazy for taking the chance of an ambush? Olivia didn’t have to guess. The man was certifiably nuts. He wore all white and the robes looked to be from medieval royalty. His white hair brushed his collar. Some strands blew across his face as the wind outside whipped through the open door. Those piercing blue eyes cut over to Collin and stayed. Theo obviously had counted on Collin not believing her tale of seeing his dead brother.

  She also watched Collin. Her heart drummed faster and faster. How would he feel to discover his brother alive after all these years? And the man responsible for hiding him—Olivia had no doubt that Theo had a hand in it—loving every moment. When Collin’s usual passive face bleached white, she stepped nearer to him.

  “What’s the asshole doing here?” Rex asked in his deep voice behind them.

  Rex knew Ryker was alive and hadn’t told Collin?

  When she looked at the big guy, she noticed his gaze wasn’t on Collin’s brother but the other man walking in to stand next to Ryker. Nearly as tall as Rex, the guy had a shaved head and his eyes were such a light blue that they looked almost white. His bottom lip was pierced with a gold loop and his sleeveless shirt revealed one arm covered with tattoos. He sneered at Rex.

  “Someone you know?” she asked in a low pitch.

  “Yeah. My turncoat asshole of a brother.”

  Jack Drago? Why had Theo brought him out of New York? Was he as crazy as she heard? Well, he was with good company if that was the case. She shook her head and looked over to Collin. He’d regained his composure, but couldn’t take his eyes off the other man with the eye patch.

  “Let me introduce my two guards.” Theo stretched out his hand to the left. “Jack Drago.” And then with a kingly flip of his wrist, indicated his right. “Arthur Ryker.”

  Ryker stared at Collin as if he wanted his heart for dinner. Such hatred rolled off him in waves. Olivia moved a hand beneath her coat, touching the gun, calming her nerves with the knowledge she could protect Collin. This did not bode well for the meeting.

  “Hello, brother. I thought you were dead.” Collin remained still.

  “I’m sure if I had been, it would make life simpler for you.”

  Collin frowned. “Theo, how long have you known he was alive?”

  “I’ve known from the beginning. Ryker understands I saved him. I was there to pull him from the fires of hell. I’ve protected him from the enemies of The Circle. If not for me, he’d be dead.” Theo’s tone said more than the words.

  Then it struck Olivia, had Theo set up Collin’s parents’ death? It certainly would’ve been a win-win situation. Kill his partner and raise the child in his image.

  Her gaze darted to Ryker. Was he brought up in the pervert’s image? Did he prefer young girls too? Theo’s cutoff was fourteen. What about Ryker? Would his be younger? Shit! She hoped not. To have to kill Collin’s brother would be difficult but not impossible.

  Theo swept his arm to the table. “Thought it only right to sit at the table that represents our organization.”

  “Organizations,” Collin corrected.

  Theo nodded his head and then sat in the middle of three chairs nearest him.

  Collin opened his long wool coat and lifted Excalibur and placed in the middle of the table.

  Theo’s eyes glowed and his fingers twitched with a fanatic desire to grab the sword. His belief that it represented his authority to rule The Circle and the OS held him in its grasp.

  After Rex and Olivia sat on the chairs across from his brother Jack, Collin took his seat across from Theo. The way everyone watched each other and moved without any sudden movements, the tension reached out and held each person in its grip.

  “So you’ve decided to not only bring the sword back to me but bring the OS back into the fold. I’m glad to see you’ve come to your senses,” Theo smiled in a fatherly way and then looked over toward Olivia.

  She really wished the old man wouldn’t do that. His every move was being analyzed by those around them and they could easily judge her as an accomplice. Rex leaned over and glared at her as he growled. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. The big guy knew they were setting up Theo but either he was a better actor than she thought or he had forgotten.

  “As my message said, I’m willing to discuss the possibility,” Collin said in his usual soft voice.

  Sitting with his hands folded on top of the table as if he had all day long to chat, Collin started the discussion of the pros and cons. Their conversation became a buzz in the background as Olivia watched the other players on each side of Theo.

  She caught the hate-filled looks Ryker shot at his younger brother. Jack’s frown deepened the furrows in his forehead, and instead of looking angry, he appeared concerned about his older brother.

  Minutes passed and twice Collin had to speak to Rex to calm him down. Each time he did, Ryker made a smart-ass comment. All the family squabbling brought a gloating look to Theo’s face. As any good leader would say, know your enemies’ weaknesses and exploit them in every way.

  In a split second, Rex’s chair clattered to the floor as he hollered at Jack, “You betrayed us, you bastard!”

  Ryker stood, pointing as he shouted at Collin, “Jack did what was needed. You’re the traitor to everything our father had built!”

  Then they all were screaming over each other, shaking their fists and pounding the table.

  Worried the men would begin swinging in any minute and really she had enough of their arguing, she pulled the trigger on her MP5 and sprayed the wall to her right.

  The room fell quiet. She cleared her throat. “Okay. We understand. Everyone ha
tes everyone here. Let’s hammer out this treaty and move on.”

  Theo’s grin spread wide and he stood, slowly clapping his hands. “That’s my girl. She has the brains of a man and the taste of a two-dollar whore.”

  Collin’s chair screeched on the cement floor as he stood, pushing it back. “Leave her out of this.”

  She wanted to place her hand on his arm but Theo would interpret it to his advantage. Just by taking up for her, Collin had already given Theo an edge.

  “You always had the white knight syndrome, my boy.” Theo smoothed the front of his robe. “That’s why you will never lead The Circle. Do you really think it was coincidence that Olivia was in Seattle at the same time as you? And that you were fed her location? It was all planned. She knew just how to play you. I knew you would see her as a challenge even though she’s so easy to fuck.”

  Theo returned to his chair and leaned back, his smug grin ate at Olivia. Collin wouldn’t believe Theo, would he? She had no part in the meeting. Unless Theo had set her up. Would he take a chance on Collin killing her?

  “Actually, Olivia was in Seattle to kill an OS operative. Did you think it was coincidence that Ned Grandly died the day you met her? She’s very good at her job. No mess considering the body landed in the water. No fuss, no muss.” The old man tented his fingers in front of his mouth, probably to hide a grin.

  Numbness spread through her limbs. Once again Theo proved he’d lied about everything. All this time she’d thought with each kill she rid the world of another psycho. How could Theo do this to her?

  She reminded herself, this was Theo and he did enjoy playing God.

  “I’m aware you’d set her up. As I’ve set you up today.” Collin remained standing, watching Theo as realization sunk in the old man’s brain. “By now, the Main Sector of your empire is now under my control.” He hoped their plan had worked.

  Tired of all their maneuvering for position, he glared at the old man.

  Theo stood and turned to Arthur. “What are you standing here for? He’s taking your legacy from you again!” Theo’s whole body shook.