short notice, but I
can’t wait to get Sapphire out of this car and somewhere safer.
Russell and the rest of the team are in an identical car. I ordered them to take an
alternate route to the hotel. One Rolls-Royce is conspicuous enough, thank you very
much.
I’m sitting on the right side of the three-person seat in the back, next to the window.
Sapphire lies beside me, asleep with her head resting on my lap. It’d been impossible
to wake her up during landing. I’d had no choice but to carry her out of the bedroom
and strap her to the seat next to me.
She woke up for three seconds after arrival in China. That’s it. Needless to say,
it worried me. I’d done a scan of her vitals to make sure she was alright. Physically , she’s fine. A scan into brain activity had proved something else I’d been suspecting.
Sapphire hasn’t had enough time to become accustomed to being in a human body. Add
to that the fact that her mind is also working at warp-speed, and you have hypervigilance.
It’s a state of constant hyper-feeling, if you will, and it’s hell to get used to.
Everything she perceives is magnified. Her feelings are being pushed to the extreme.
God, she is strong. I’d seen little glimpses of her hypervigilance, but she’d kept
it under control so far.
It’s no wonder she’s exhausted, though.
I’d just finished scanning her and raised my head to notify everyone that her vitals
were fine, for the most part, when Gage opened his mouth and beat me to it.
He’d been scanning her at the same time I had.
I close my eyes, blocking out the view of Hong Kong outside, and breathe slow. In
for three counts, out for six. Over and over, all the while telling myself that there’s
something bigger going on. Sapphire is being hunted and I have to remain in control
to do my job. There’s no time for petty, ridiculous jealousy.
But the motherfucker scanned her. He’d been inside her like that.
He's done it to countless people. So have I, and it’s not lost on me that the only
reason it bothers me now is because it’s her .
Sapphire shifts and mumbles something in her sleep. I open my eyes and focus on her.
A lock of hair is laying across her cheek. Shifting again, she groans and her pert
little nose twitches.
I allow myself a small smile and reach to move the hair away from her face. The silky
strands slide across my fingers. I let one finger linger on her cheek, caressing her.
She lets out a soft sound and moves her face closer to my hand.
Movement from the front catches my attention. It's Gage, head turned toward the back.
His eyes are on my hand and where it is. He doesn't seem happy about it.
He wants her.
I know. I want her, too.
Neither of us can have her, but if one of us is going to...
There's no fucking doubt about it—it's going to be me.
Need proof? She woke up for a few seconds again once I'd gotten her in the car. Her
little hand had wrapped around my wrist, silently asking me to be the one that sat next to her. Once I had, she'd wasted no time getting
comfortable, laying her head on my lap and going back to sleep.
Was I pleased? Yes. Am I worried about it? You bet your ass I am. Would I have let
Gage sit next to her instead of me? Hell the fuck no.
The car turns onto Argyle street and merges with the heavy traffic. I’ve been here
many times before. It’s one of Hong Kong’s busiest thoroughfares. We pass Tung Choi
Street and the jam-packed Ladies’ Market. Row upon row of stalls filled with merchandise
can be seen from the entrance alone.
We’re facing off against an unknown enemy, the mission is close to being compromised,
and the thought that goes through my head right then has nothing to do with any of
that.
Man, I wish I had time to take Sapphire shopping there. She’d been at the power plant
ever since waking up. There's so many things she hasn't had a chance to do—
The sound of a massive blast echoes around
can’t wait to get Sapphire out of this car and somewhere safer.
Russell and the rest of the team are in an identical car. I ordered them to take an
alternate route to the hotel. One Rolls-Royce is conspicuous enough, thank you very
much.
I’m sitting on the right side of the three-person seat in the back, next to the window.
Sapphire lies beside me, asleep with her head resting on my lap. It’d been impossible
to wake her up during landing. I’d had no choice but to carry her out of the bedroom
and strap her to the seat next to me.
She woke up for three seconds after arrival in China. That’s it. Needless to say,
it worried me. I’d done a scan of her vitals to make sure she was alright. Physically , she’s fine. A scan into brain activity had proved something else I’d been suspecting.
Sapphire hasn’t had enough time to become accustomed to being in a human body. Add
to that the fact that her mind is also working at warp-speed, and you have hypervigilance.
It’s a state of constant hyper-feeling, if you will, and it’s hell to get used to.
Everything she perceives is magnified. Her feelings are being pushed to the extreme.
God, she is strong. I’d seen little glimpses of her hypervigilance, but she’d kept
it under control so far.
It’s no wonder she’s exhausted, though.
I’d just finished scanning her and raised my head to notify everyone that her vitals
were fine, for the most part, when Gage opened his mouth and beat me to it.
He’d been scanning her at the same time I had.
I close my eyes, blocking out the view of Hong Kong outside, and breathe slow. In
for three counts, out for six. Over and over, all the while telling myself that there’s
something bigger going on. Sapphire is being hunted and I have to remain in control
to do my job. There’s no time for petty, ridiculous jealousy.
But the motherfucker scanned her. He’d been inside her like that.
He's done it to countless people. So have I, and it’s not lost on me that the only
reason it bothers me now is because it’s her .
Sapphire shifts and mumbles something in her sleep. I open my eyes and focus on her.
A lock of hair is laying across her cheek. Shifting again, she groans and her pert
little nose twitches.
I allow myself a small smile and reach to move the hair away from her face. The silky
strands slide across my fingers. I let one finger linger on her cheek, caressing her.
She lets out a soft sound and moves her face closer to my hand.
Movement from the front catches my attention. It's Gage, head turned toward the back.
His eyes are on my hand and where it is. He doesn't seem happy about it.
He wants her.
I know. I want her, too.
Neither of us can have her, but if one of us is going to...
There's no fucking doubt about it—it's going to be me.
Need proof? She woke up for a few seconds again once I'd gotten her in the car. Her
little hand had wrapped around my wrist, silently asking me to be the one that sat next to her. Once I had, she'd wasted no time getting
comfortable, laying her head on my lap and going back to sleep.
Was I pleased? Yes. Am I worried about it? You bet your ass I am. Would I have let
Gage sit next to her instead of me? Hell the fuck no.
The car turns onto Argyle street and merges with the heavy traffic. I’ve been here
many times before. It’s one of Hong Kong’s busiest thoroughfares. We pass Tung Choi
Street and the jam-packed Ladies’ Market. Row upon row of stalls filled with merchandise
can be seen from the entrance alone.
We’re facing off against an unknown enemy, the mission is close to being compromised,
and the thought that goes through my head right then has nothing to do with any of
that.
Man, I wish I had time to take Sapphire shopping there. She’d been at the power plant
ever since waking up. There's so many things she hasn't had a chance to do—
The sound of a massive blast echoes around
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