“Yes.” He eased up on his grip on Schmidt slightly. “I’ll call my backer as soon as we get out of here.”
“Speaking of getting out of here,” Schmidt said. “I need to go. I don’t like being out in the open too long. Easy target.”
M was about to ask if the guy had been careful about being followed when the answer struck like a bullet. Literally. Brick dust from the artillery strike rained down around them and the high-pitched whine of ammo whizzing past her ear had M ducking for cover even as she shouted out a warning. “Get down!”
Loki was already on it, hitting the pavement while still keeping ahold of Schmidt at the same time. Unfortunately, the move was clunky and Schmidt’s head hit the wall on the way down, hard. He crumpled to the sidewalk in an unconscious heap.
M leaned in, cursing, and checked his pulse. “He’s still alive. Not hit, but out cold.”
“Dammit!” Loki ducked again as their invisible sniper rained down bullets like water. “We need to get out of here and find decent cover.”
The headlight of a nearby parked vehicle shattered, sending a spray of glass everywhere. Other patrons at the shopping center were running around in pandemonium. M patted down Schmidt, looking for any additional information that he might have failed to disclose, but found none. Head covered with one hand, she used the other to point to a large dumpster at the end of the building. “Think that’ll work?”
“Gonna have to,” Loki said. On his signal, they both sprinted like hell toward the dumpster then dove behind it at the last second, more ammo pinging off the metal Dumpster and surrounding pavement.
“That was close,” M said, breathing deep to calm her racing heart. She loved a good fight as much as the next gal, but only if it was fair. This battle was not only unfair, they didn’t even know who was shooting at them. “What about Schmidt?”
“He’ll be fine.” Loki cursed then winced. “It’s us they want, not him. The bullets go where we go.”
A street light flickered on overhead and M got her first good look at Loki. She froze. “You’re hit.”
Crimson blossomed from the right shoulder area of his T-shirt, wet and sticky in the orange glow of the streetlight. Loki squinted back at the wound then hissed through his teeth as he gave his shoulder a tentative roll. “It’s nothing. Flesh wound. I’ll be fine.”
The stain grew bigger as she watched and her doubts increased. “I think we should get you to a hospital to be on the safe side.”
“No, really.” Loki said, cringing. “Seriously. I don’t want to waste any more time. If what Schmidt said is true, then millions of lives could be in danger. I swore an oath to protect my country and my fellow servicemen and women when I became a SEAL. I’m not about to fail on that promise now.”
He reached down and ripped a strip off the bottom of his T-shirt then handed it to M. “Can you help me wrap it up?”
She found him brave and stubborn, both of which could get them killed if not tempered with common sense. Her anger rose along with her admiration for him. He was a good operative, she’d give Loki that. Damned personable too. Hell, even her brother liked him and he usually hated everyone she’d brought home from work. But Loki was also exasperating in the extreme, couldn’t take a back seat on cases to save his life, and seemed incapable of shutting up for two consecutive seconds without running his mouth about something. And then there were all his pretty words. Too pretty, if you asked M. Nobody was that slick without a whole lot of shit to hide. And yeah, he was good looking. Probably more handsome than any man she’d ever seen—all cut lines and chiseled perfection. But beauty sometimes hid the worst beasts. Unfortunately, she’d learned that lesson the hard way.
She finished tying off the strip of fabric around his injured shoulder then sat back, glad to find the keys to her car still in her jacket pocket. “We can run around the back of the building then wait until the coast is clear to head to the vehicle.”
“Awesome.” Loki’s normally deep voice sounded unusually high-pitched. “You might want to tie this thing a bit tighter. I still think I’ve got a bit of circulation to that side of my brain.”
M responded with a nice middle finger then took off around the back of the building, not waiting to see if Loki followed. He did, the sound of his footsteps pounding the asphalt behind her as they slipped through the shadows, spurning her forward. He caught up easily, his long legs eating up the distance between them in only a few paces.
“You need me, you know,” Loki said. “Whether you’ll admit it or not.”
Scoffing, she darted around a pile of boxes stacked at the rear door of one of the shops, keeping an eye out for any sign of their sniper, though chances were good they were long gone by now. No shots had been fired since they’d ducked behind the Dumpster and even now, the sound of sirens wailing in the distance grew closer.
“You’re wrong. I don’t need you,” M said, grumbling. “I don’t need anybody.”
“Wrong again.” Loki smiled, affable as ever, damn him. Did nothing upset the guy? They’d just been shot at, nearly killed. He’d been shot, for fuck’s sake, and here he was, happy as a fricking clam. “I’ve got the government connections, and the military. You’ve got the funds. Together we can catch this bastard before he does even more damage. If I lose this promotion I’ve got nothing. You’ve got your friends to fall back on. All I’ve got is me and my brother. My job is everything to me. If I lose it, I don’t have anything else. The people I work for have already told me that unless I can advance in the company and show them I’ve got the skills to succeed, they’ll cut me loose. I either bring this guy in or die trying.”
They reached their SUV just as flashing red and blue lights raced around the corner, headed straight for the strip mall lot. A large white SWAT vehicle rumbled behind them. They were always called out to active shooter situations. M waited until she had a clear path to the vehicle than made a run for it, clicking the key fob button as she approached to unlock the doors. Loki followed right on her heels and they managed to get inside and get the thing started before the cops shut everything down. With seconds to go, she backed out of her spot and took off down the road, narrowly avoiding a light pole and some overturned trash bins along the way.
It wasn’t until they were nearly back to her apartment that she finally glanced at Loki again. He was staring out his side window, frowning.
“Sure you don’t want to go to the ER?” she asked one final time. “Last chance.”
“I’m sure.” He looked over at her. “We need to make a pact here. Work together or walk away now.”
She parallel parked on the street, then got out. Loki moved a bit slower with his injury, but stood by her side as she locked up the car. “No more secrets about this case. What you know, I know.”
“And vice versa.” He held out his left hand. “Deal?”
The last thing M needed right now was a partner messing with her mojo, but Loki was right. She did need him. At least for now. “Deal.”
5
“Tell me again why we have to get all dressed up for this thing?” M said from behind the privacy screen in her apartment. “I mean I get that it’s a charity ball and everything, but wouldn’t we be safer pretending to be part of the wait staff than guests?”
Loki exhaled slowly and adjusted the gold cufflinks adorning his crisp white tuxedo shirt. “My backer is throwing the party. He wants us mixing and mingling, not clearing dirty dishes and refilling drinks. I was able to get into the national security databases earlier and from what I found, the singer’s our guy. Word on the street has it there’s going to be another info leak tonight. Best guess is it’ll happen at the party.” He checked his reflection once more in the mirror before grabbing his black tux jacket to slip it on.
He had one arm in when she came around the privacy screen and his world rocked on its axis. M was a gorgeous woman, no doubt about that. But tonight… Well, tonight she was stunningly beautiful. She was also wearing the exact opposite of the de
mure little black cocktail dress he’d instructed her to put on. Instead, she’d worn a form-fitting burgundy lace number that hinted at her luscious curves and conjured visions of steamy nights and bodies writhing in decadent satin sheets. For once, he caught a hint of hesitation in her expression.
“Do I look all right?” she asked, leaning past him to see into the full-length mirror behind him. She tugged at the delicate lace dress, fidgeting. “I know you wanted me to go with the black one, but it was too low-cut and tight and my thigh holster wouldn’t fit underneath it. Red’s not my best color, but it’s the only other fancy dress I have on hand with shoes that match.”
Loki took his time, admiring her from each side just because he could, his gaze narrowed. All right didn’t begin to do her justice in that gown. The burgundy color brought out the creaminess of her skin and despite her opinions to the contrary, the color went well with her dark hair.
Her hair, that’s what was different. She must’ve colored it again in the shower earlier. Gone was the pink, replaced by a deep cherry red that looked black until the lights hit it just right. She was exquisite. Truly beautiful. A vision he’d carry with him for years to come.
He didn’t tell her that though, not yet. Their partnership was still too new, too tentative. He’d spooked her enough with that ill-advised episode in the kitchen when he’d damned near taken her up against the wall. No. They were working together now, to solve what was turning out to be a far more important case than he’d ever imagined. Lives were at stake. Any personal feelings or attraction he might be harboring for the beautiful M would have to wait until all this was over and the world was safe again. Then, maybe…
“So?” she asked, giving him an exasperated stare. “Is it that bad then?”
“You look fine,” he said, turning away before she saw just how much she affected him. “Ready?”
“Fine? That’s all I get, huh?” She rolled her eyes and walked over to grab her coat from the closet. “You look like a walking cliché in that monkey suit.”
“Low. Kevin Low,” he said, chuckling as he helped her with her jacket as best he could with his injury. His fingertips brushed the soft skin of her shoulders and his breath caught in his chest. Loki cleared his throat and frowned, shoving his unwanted awareness aside. They were partnering up to get this mission done. That was it. “At your service.”
She snorted. “Let’s go get this over with, super spy.”
They walked into the tastefully decorated ballroom of the convention center downtown about half an hour later. Loki helped M from the back seat of the car then instructed the driver to meet them back there at midnight. He figured that would give them plenty of time for dinner and the charity auction afterward, during which they could hopefully pinpoint their mole and take them down before any more harm was done.
Loki checked their coats at the station inside the lobby then led M into the ballroom itself, where a good-sized crowd of about a hundred or so couples mixed and mingled while a small live band played in the far corner. Against one wall was a lavish buffet and open bar and against the other were tables set up to hold the abundance of donated items for the auction.
M suggested they hit that area first, to avoid the lines for dinner and to check out all the items while everyone else was distracted with food. Loki had to admit that his backer had outdone himself with the ball. The room was decorated in tasteful shades of white and gold, with overhead lighting in pastel shades of purple and blue, casting an ethereal glow over the entire room. On each table were massive floral centerpieces towering at least four feet high and blooming with lush lilies and roses, and a large dance floor had been set up in front of the area where the band played. At the front of the ballroom was a large stage where the MC for tonight’s auction would raffle off everything from jewels and vacations to dates and dances with the city’s most eligible bachelors. As part of the cost of attendance tonight, everyone had to donate something to the cause. And there was Todd Martin’s grinning face—all white teeth and golden boy looks—grinning back from a large placard on an easel behind the table. He was, of course, donating the performance of a song of the highest bidder’s choice as his item. Given he had one of the top ten songs on the billboard charts right now, he’d make some teenage girl’s dreams come true. He’d also, if Loki’s luck stayed strong, squeal like a pig when cornered and confronted about leaking intel about the arms-deal Loki’s client had spent months orchestrating between a US-backed coalition and Chinese militants against the new communist party rising up in the East.
“He looks too young and innocent to be a spy,” M said, staring at the kid’s image on the poster. “Then again, people always tell me I don’t look like one either.”
Loki gave her another appreciative once-over. Yep. That dress was made for her. Fit like a glove and made her look like a ripe cherry ready to be picked. His mouth watered and his lips tingled, wondering what her skin would feel like beneath his hands, if she was ticklish anywhere, if she tasted as sweet as the vanilla and cinnamon scent of her perfume suggested.
Another couple squeezed around them in the crowded room and brought Loki’s mind back to reality. No matter how attractive he found M, this wasn’t the time to start thinking with his cock instead of his brains. There was too much on the line tonight.
The lights in the room dimmed and the MC for the auction took the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fifth annual Wonderland Charity Ball and Auction.” Applause rose as the MC introduced himself and the corporate backers for the event. “And now, while you all help yourselves to the delicious food on the buffet, let’s get things started by auctioning off a few items of jewelry.”
M and Loki made their way across the room to the buffet and each fixed themselves a plate. While his backer had gotten them tickets to the event, all the tables had been sold out, so he and M stood against the wall to nibble their food while they watched the bidding ramp up on stage. A large flat screen TV behind the stage showcased each item being auctioned for the crowd to see. Up first was a sparkly emerald and diamond tennis bracelet.
Loki devoured his food quickly, glad to have something in his stomach at last. He’d not eaten all day. Neither had M that he knew of. They’d been too busy researching Todd Martin and his parents. Turned out that not only had the Marcagonoffs been in the KGB, they’d been top advisors to Putin and his cronies before leaving Russia and defecting to the US. And while he’d not had the security clearance to get access to most of the intel they’d shared about the Kremlin’s illegal activities over the years regarding weapons dealing and black-market sales of nuclear weapons to terrorist organizations around the globe, he’d seen enough to understand why the US Marshall’s service had basically erased any evidence of Martin’s parents’ existence. In truth, it was a wonder they’d survived this long, even in Witness Protection.
“That’s pretty,” M said, lifting her chin toward the next item up for auction—a ruby ring.
“You like jewelry?” He gave her a sideways glance. “Didn’t take you for the glitzy type.”
“I’m not.” She dumped her trash in a nearby bin then crossed her arms, leaning back against the wall beside him. “I just said it was pretty. That’s all.”
“So are you,” Loki said, before he could stop himself. Jesus. What the hell was wrong with him? He never mixed business and pleasure and he wasn’t about to start. Nor did he act like a randy schoolboy around beautiful women. He was always the suave, debonair, Cary Grant type. Quick with a snarky comment or brilliant insight, never letting them see the vulnerable man underneath. Now, here he was with M, who according to his reports might quite possibly be one of the most dangerous women in the world, and he was practically tripping over himself with lust for her. He tossed his own trash away then took a moment to get his shit back together again. “I mean, I prefer this look to the punk one from the other night. More stylish and less shabby.”
Her full lips tightened slightly at his backhanded compliment
and regret jabbed the soft spots between his ribs. God. What was it about this woman that turned him into a jabbering idiot? He’d be lucky if she didn’t knee him in the balls before the night was over. Lord knows he’d do the same in her position.
“You just can’t help being an ass, can you?” Her brittle tone confirmed her hurt. “I was trying to be nice to you because we have to work together here. But forget it.” She looked him over from head to toe. “Your pants are too short, your tux jacket needs to be let out about a quarter inch in the shoulders to fit properly, and you have a glob of teriyaki sauce on your shirt.”
“Fuck.” Loki scowled down at himself then grabbed a clean napkin and a bottle of seltzer water from the buffet table. Apparently, he’d been so ravenous with dinner he’d not noticed spilling half of it down his front. Smooth move, dumbass. Moving back into his spot beside M, he poured some water onto the napkin then tried to get the spot out of his shirt. All he managed to do was smear it around more.
She didn’t seem to notice his botched efforts, just stared straight ahead at the auction. They’d moved on to a stunning set of sapphire and diamond earrings that Loki estimated to be worth at least a quarter of a million dollars. Not too shabby.
Finally, M sighed and reached over to take the napkin and bottled water from his hands. “You really are hopeless aren’t you? Let me do this so we can get on with things.”
Loki stood still as she dabbed the front of his shirt with the damp linen napkin. Her touch was light and warm through the wet fabric, causing goose bumps of pleasure through his abdomen and lower still. Her quiet murmurs of “oh” and “mmm” didn’t help either. All he could picture were those deft fingers tracing over his flesh, stroking him, heading lower…
“You’re ripped,” she said, her fingers tracing the ridges of his taut abdomen as she continued to rub the wet napkin against his skin. Her eyes met his and heat flared in their aqua blue depths. A slow smile blossomed on her garnet red lips, wicked with erotic promise. “I don’t usually get so involved with men while I’m working, but with you it seems a shame not to take advantage of all this…” She pressed lightly against him and there was no way he could hide his growing arousal from her. “Yeah, it would be good between us. So, so good…”
Norse Security: The Complete Series Page 22
