corrected, “might have upset me?”
“She’s always doing something to upset you.”
“That’s not true, she’s my friend. For goodness’ sake, I’ve known her for years.”
Johnny shook his head. “Duration does not a good friend make. Stop being blind and look at the way she acts around you, the woman’s a viper.”
“You’re only saying that because she broke up with you.” She knew Rachael wasn’t always an easy friend but he was going too far.
“No, I’m not, she’s a capricious, malicious piece of work.”
“Then why did you go out with her?”
Johnny gave an exaggerated sigh. “Because sometimes I’m a very shallow man, Kait. I saw a chance for an easy lay and I took it. Successfully I might add, the woman knows exactly what her body is capable of, and it’s capable of a lot.”
“You’re disgusting.” But Kait couldn’t help smiling.
“Yes, yes I am.” He grinned back. “Come on back to the party.” Standing, he held out a hand to help her up.
Kait walked back with Johnny. Ryu was on the dance floor with Marielle, both of them laughing. Ryu’s eyes caught hers for a moment as she stepped into the light. She glanced over her shoulder longing for the safety and anonymity of the shadows. How was she going to cope working with a man who drove her insane?
Chapter 7
Ryu pulled his t-shirt over his head and dropped it over the towel rail. Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed. It had been a long night. First the kids’ show then the party, lots of new people to meet. Always having to be on his game, trying to see below the surface. Someone he partied with tonight was making deals with criminals. But who?
Pretty Marielle, friendly Johnny, sexy Rachel, the bossman or, God forbid, Kait. He sighed again. Instinct shouted it wasn’t Kait, but how much was because he was attracted to her?
He was too tired to go through everything tonight. Maybe his unconscious would pick up something his conscious mind missed. After a quick shower, he climbed thankfully into bed and pulled up the covers.
Sleep was soon a dark wash through his mind. His eyes flickered behind closed lids as memories played…
Curiosity had got the better of him, again. A fleeting glimpse of activity on level three and he’d felt the itch to investigate. Now here he was, outside the last secure door debating the wisdom of going in. The debate was pointless. He stroked a hand over the metal panel, white paint chips catching on his calloused fingertips. What were they hiding?
Time to find out. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he set to work on the lock. A tight smile tugged at his lips as danger sang like static against his skin. His fingers sensitive to the slightest vibration, he unerringly changed the angle of the lock picks. Silence hung heavy in the empty corridor as he made short work of the mechanism.
The click of the lock disengaging seemed overloud. He froze, nothing stirred. A steadying breath controlled his surging adrenaline. Life didn’t always turn out the way he wanted, but this, this made it all worthwhile.
Exhilaration, serving his country under the radar, knowing his actions made a difference. The lock picks vanished back into his pocket and he turned the handle. The door swung open on silent hinges. He frowned, disturbingly silent for a compound full of squeaky doors.
He slipped into the room. His eyes widened, horror turning his blood cold. In the centre of the bare concrete block room, sitting on a rough wooden table, were tubes of pale green chemicals surrounded by twisted wires. Bomb! The realisation exploded in his brain. The small red numbers on the timer attached to the front clicked over, 06:23. He had less than ten minutes to get the hell out.
“ Shit! ” The word was more exhalation than speech.
No time to disable the bomb. Neither his training nor his inherent difference would stop him dying if he was near that thing when it blew. His only option was to run as if the
“She’s always doing something to upset you.”
“That’s not true, she’s my friend. For goodness’ sake, I’ve known her for years.”
Johnny shook his head. “Duration does not a good friend make. Stop being blind and look at the way she acts around you, the woman’s a viper.”
“You’re only saying that because she broke up with you.” She knew Rachael wasn’t always an easy friend but he was going too far.
“No, I’m not, she’s a capricious, malicious piece of work.”
“Then why did you go out with her?”
Johnny gave an exaggerated sigh. “Because sometimes I’m a very shallow man, Kait. I saw a chance for an easy lay and I took it. Successfully I might add, the woman knows exactly what her body is capable of, and it’s capable of a lot.”
“You’re disgusting.” But Kait couldn’t help smiling.
“Yes, yes I am.” He grinned back. “Come on back to the party.” Standing, he held out a hand to help her up.
Kait walked back with Johnny. Ryu was on the dance floor with Marielle, both of them laughing. Ryu’s eyes caught hers for a moment as she stepped into the light. She glanced over her shoulder longing for the safety and anonymity of the shadows. How was she going to cope working with a man who drove her insane?
Chapter 7
Ryu pulled his t-shirt over his head and dropped it over the towel rail. Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed. It had been a long night. First the kids’ show then the party, lots of new people to meet. Always having to be on his game, trying to see below the surface. Someone he partied with tonight was making deals with criminals. But who?
Pretty Marielle, friendly Johnny, sexy Rachel, the bossman or, God forbid, Kait. He sighed again. Instinct shouted it wasn’t Kait, but how much was because he was attracted to her?
He was too tired to go through everything tonight. Maybe his unconscious would pick up something his conscious mind missed. After a quick shower, he climbed thankfully into bed and pulled up the covers.
Sleep was soon a dark wash through his mind. His eyes flickered behind closed lids as memories played…
Curiosity had got the better of him, again. A fleeting glimpse of activity on level three and he’d felt the itch to investigate. Now here he was, outside the last secure door debating the wisdom of going in. The debate was pointless. He stroked a hand over the metal panel, white paint chips catching on his calloused fingertips. What were they hiding?
Time to find out. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he set to work on the lock. A tight smile tugged at his lips as danger sang like static against his skin. His fingers sensitive to the slightest vibration, he unerringly changed the angle of the lock picks. Silence hung heavy in the empty corridor as he made short work of the mechanism.
The click of the lock disengaging seemed overloud. He froze, nothing stirred. A steadying breath controlled his surging adrenaline. Life didn’t always turn out the way he wanted, but this, this made it all worthwhile.
Exhilaration, serving his country under the radar, knowing his actions made a difference. The lock picks vanished back into his pocket and he turned the handle. The door swung open on silent hinges. He frowned, disturbingly silent for a compound full of squeaky doors.
He slipped into the room. His eyes widened, horror turning his blood cold. In the centre of the bare concrete block room, sitting on a rough wooden table, were tubes of pale green chemicals surrounded by twisted wires. Bomb! The realisation exploded in his brain. The small red numbers on the timer attached to the front clicked over, 06:23. He had less than ten minutes to get the hell out.
“ Shit! ” The word was more exhalation than speech.
No time to disable the bomb. Neither his training nor his inherent difference would stop him dying if he was near that thing when it blew. His only option was to run as if the
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