collect that reward?”
Rock swallowed hard and looked at Lani, who gazed back at him coolly. “I thought—”
He cut himself off before he said too much and revealed his vulnerability.
Rock cleared his throat as he composed his thoughts. “I thought Lani and I were going to get a chance to reconnect and work together again.” That sounded neutral enough.
“Yes, of course. While you engage in a public battle with Sol. It’ll be delicious fodder for the gossip rags. And, as I said, distract everyone from what’s really going on.” Nelson pushed his glass back and stood, taking the cue that he was intruding too long on Rock’s hospitality.
“Lani will spend the night here, just in case there’s trouble. But she can’t be seen leaving in the morning. Blackledge must think he’s found her himself.
“Lani will fill you in on the mission details and the other agents who will be involved. You’re going to love Tate. Everyone does. I should be going.” He looked Rock in the eye and smiled.
Rock made a move to stand.
Nelson held up a hand. “Don’t bother. I’ll show myself out.”
Rock watched Nelson walk to the door, where he paused. “We’ll be in touch. Expect your handler to be contacting you in the morning.”
“I don’t need a handler. I have Lani.”
“All new spies get handlers, Powers. Impartial handlers who plan the mission without letting bias and emotions come into play.
“Your handler won’t give a damn whether you come out alive or dead. He’ll only care whether you accomplish what we ask. Lani, here”—Nelson nodded toward her—”is not what I’d call impartial. She’s too concerned with the state of your precious hide.”
Rock’s heart leaped with hope, but the rational part of him wondered whether Nelson was just leading him on to get his full cooperation.
“This isn’t fun and games, Powers. Remember that.” Nelson let himself out.
Lani stood and walked to the window, watching him drive off.
Rock came up behind her. “You stole more than our certificate of marriage when you ran off. You stole the plans to Outlandish Marauders.”
She turned to face him. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly at the edges in a faint smile. “I don’t suppose there’s any point in denying it now.”
She seemed almost too cavalier with her admission. Rock recognized a skilled diversion when he saw one and he was being intentionally diverted now. What else was she hiding?
“I should be pissed. I am pissed. Betrayal is such an ugly thing.”
“I wouldn’t call it betrayal. I like to think of it as commitment to cause and country, which includes you.”
“Do you?”
“It was all for the greater good.”
He ran his hand lightly along her arm and caught her hand in his. “So it was all just an act?” He made his voice low and sultry, laced with the hypnotic tone that won audiences over and created the perfect diversions for his illusions and magic.
This was a diversion and an illusion, too. A test to find out whether their chemistry and her desire for him were real. He was certain she hadn’t faked that. There was one way to find out for sure.
He could see desire welling up and sparkling in her eyes now. The pattern of her breathing had changed, too. He took a step into her, standing so close his chest brushed hers, sending waves of need through him. “Do you want to talk about Outlandish Marauders?”
“There’s time for that later.” She looked into his eyes.
Though he should have been furious and hurt, standing so near her, he wanted her. He loved her. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to plunge into her and make her cry out in ecstasy. If she didn’t love him, he at least had to know she was attracted to him. Then maybe there was hope. This new, treacherous, dangerous, deceitful Lani grew more enticing and intriguing by the minute.
One way or another he was going to break this Lani and find out for sure whether she ever had, or ever could, love
Rock swallowed hard and looked at Lani, who gazed back at him coolly. “I thought—”
He cut himself off before he said too much and revealed his vulnerability.
Rock cleared his throat as he composed his thoughts. “I thought Lani and I were going to get a chance to reconnect and work together again.” That sounded neutral enough.
“Yes, of course. While you engage in a public battle with Sol. It’ll be delicious fodder for the gossip rags. And, as I said, distract everyone from what’s really going on.” Nelson pushed his glass back and stood, taking the cue that he was intruding too long on Rock’s hospitality.
“Lani will spend the night here, just in case there’s trouble. But she can’t be seen leaving in the morning. Blackledge must think he’s found her himself.
“Lani will fill you in on the mission details and the other agents who will be involved. You’re going to love Tate. Everyone does. I should be going.” He looked Rock in the eye and smiled.
Rock made a move to stand.
Nelson held up a hand. “Don’t bother. I’ll show myself out.”
Rock watched Nelson walk to the door, where he paused. “We’ll be in touch. Expect your handler to be contacting you in the morning.”
“I don’t need a handler. I have Lani.”
“All new spies get handlers, Powers. Impartial handlers who plan the mission without letting bias and emotions come into play.
“Your handler won’t give a damn whether you come out alive or dead. He’ll only care whether you accomplish what we ask. Lani, here”—Nelson nodded toward her—”is not what I’d call impartial. She’s too concerned with the state of your precious hide.”
Rock’s heart leaped with hope, but the rational part of him wondered whether Nelson was just leading him on to get his full cooperation.
“This isn’t fun and games, Powers. Remember that.” Nelson let himself out.
Lani stood and walked to the window, watching him drive off.
Rock came up behind her. “You stole more than our certificate of marriage when you ran off. You stole the plans to Outlandish Marauders.”
She turned to face him. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly at the edges in a faint smile. “I don’t suppose there’s any point in denying it now.”
She seemed almost too cavalier with her admission. Rock recognized a skilled diversion when he saw one and he was being intentionally diverted now. What else was she hiding?
“I should be pissed. I am pissed. Betrayal is such an ugly thing.”
“I wouldn’t call it betrayal. I like to think of it as commitment to cause and country, which includes you.”
“Do you?”
“It was all for the greater good.”
He ran his hand lightly along her arm and caught her hand in his. “So it was all just an act?” He made his voice low and sultry, laced with the hypnotic tone that won audiences over and created the perfect diversions for his illusions and magic.
This was a diversion and an illusion, too. A test to find out whether their chemistry and her desire for him were real. He was certain she hadn’t faked that. There was one way to find out for sure.
He could see desire welling up and sparkling in her eyes now. The pattern of her breathing had changed, too. He took a step into her, standing so close his chest brushed hers, sending waves of need through him. “Do you want to talk about Outlandish Marauders?”
“There’s time for that later.” She looked into his eyes.
Though he should have been furious and hurt, standing so near her, he wanted her. He loved her. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to plunge into her and make her cry out in ecstasy. If she didn’t love him, he at least had to know she was attracted to him. Then maybe there was hope. This new, treacherous, dangerous, deceitful Lani grew more enticing and intriguing by the minute.
One way or another he was going to break this Lani and find out for sure whether she ever had, or ever could, love
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