"How did that happen?" Saber asked. "Because that's plain scary."
Ken laughed. "It's a curse in my family. We always have twins. The men in our family find women who produce identical twins. It's either a blessing or a curse, we're not certain which."
Mari shot him a look. "Not me. My poor sister is terrified of having children and with two of them coming, I can't blame her."
Saber was horrified. "Two? I've never even held a baby."
"Neither have I," Mari confessed. "Briony hasn't either, but I told her I'd help her. Jack is really good with her."
"Jack has these books he's always reading," Ken said with a little grin. "On pregnancy, having twins, labor, and now parenting."
"He makes us all read them," Mari added.
Saber felt tears burning behind her eyes. It was so unexpected she wasn't prepared for the emotion overwhelming her. Their voices, she decided, held so much love, so much warmth. They were a family. Jack and Briony. Ken and Mari. And now children. Somehow they'd made it out of the insanity that was the life of a GhostWalker.
She wanted to ask them so many questions, but at the same time she wanted to beat back hope. Because if you hoped and then it was taken from you, life was far worse than ever before. She had escaped, but Whitney kept coming after her. Sooner or later he would catch up with her, and she would be dead, because there was no way she'd ever go back to that hellish captivity. She'd die first. How had Mari gotten out? And was Briony a GhostWalker as well? Why had Whitney let them leave? Why was he leaving them alone and not her?
Jess tugged at her until she came out of her chair and settled on his lap. "Dance with me again, baby," he said, keeping his voice soft and low. The look on her face was heartbreaking. If there was ever a moment in his life when he really considered breaking security clearance, it was right then.
Her arms circled his neck and she relaxed into him as he powered the chair onto the dance floor. He found a quiet corner where the shadows felt intimate. The music was soft and soothing. Saber relaxed into his arms, burying her face against his throat.
He spotted Logan Maxwell in the crowd, and Martin Howard at the bar. He felt better knowing they were close. Whoever was watching them would get more than they bargained for if they made a move against Saber or him. Logan wielded power with infinite skill. Ken was one of the toughest GhostWalkers in the business. Martin was lethal in any situation. Mari was an unknown to Jesse having recently married Ken, but if she was strong enough to stand with Ken, then she was welcome.
Jess wasn't losing Saber. Her running days were over, and if she was still working for Whitney, then he would see to it she knew exactly who and what Whitney really was.
"What's wrong?" Saber's whisper was in his ear, in his mind, sliding over his skin like a caress.
He made himself breathe. "Nothing, baby. I'm just enjoying holding you."
The chair swayed to the music. He knew the others could read him. They would know how deep his feelings for Saber really went, but at that moment the only thing that mattered to him was keeping her safe.
Outside, Neil Campbell would be lying up on a rooftop or in a tree somewhere with a night scope. Ordinarily Ken and Jack Norton took up sniper duty, but with Jack's wife so close to having her babies, and Ken having the only female partner available to their team, Neil pulled the task of providing cover.
The last notes of the music faded away and Jess maneuvered the chair through the crowd back toward the table. Saber stayed on his lap because she wanted a few more stolen minutes with him. The path opened up along the wall, and her legs brushed against a very good-looking man with ice-cold blue eyes, wide shoulders, and muscles in his arms to rival Jess's.
The moment she brushed against him, an electric current sizzled through her body and she had to force herself to keep from looking up. GhostWalker. Damn it. Damn it, she'd waited too long. The man was an enhanced soldier, an anchor if she wasn't mistaken, and no one was safe now. She had to get Jess out of the bar as quickly as possible and maybe--oh God, she couldn't believe she was considering it--she had to find a way for Ken and Mari to escort them to the van. Unless...
For a moment she couldn't breathe, her breath hitching, but she was a professional, and if Jess was betraying her, delivering her back into Whitney's hands, then she'd better be prepared for anything. She was surrounded, and they couldn't know that she knew. But would Jess allow her to snuggle onto his lap if he'd been told about her? She had to think. Maybe excuse herself and go to the restroom. She could be gone in seconds. Saber was an expert at disappearing. They'd have a man, maybe two outside, but she could make it out. Eventually they'd find her gear. She sighed. If Jess was really in danger, then she was leaving him vulnerable.
Jess knew immediately that Saber had identified Logan as a GhostWalker. She didn't change expression or even stiffen, but for one split second her breathing had caught.
You're made, Logan. Even with me shielding, she knew.
I felt it when she touched me. Logan did a mental shrug. It doesn't surprise me in the least. I was shocked that the two of you had been in the same house for so long and neither knew about the other.
Saber had her arms around Jess, her palm curled along the nape of his neck, skin to skin, and she felt the current of energy arc in the air, from Jess to the stranger. She automatically tuned her biorhythm to Jess's to get the feeling for the current. The brain activity gave telepathic communication away every time. She knew exactly what part of the brain did what and where the pulses came from. He was talking to the man with the ice-cold blue eyes.
She kept the rhythm of her heart exactly the same. Her pulse didn't leap, not even when it entered her mind that she could be in a trap, with Jess as the bait--all-too-aware bait. He knew them all. And he was talking to them. If she slipped into his rhythm, she might even pick up the exact pathway and eavesdrop.
She didn't dare think that Jess had betrayed her--not for real--because if he had, she didn't know what she might do. Would she--could she--kill him?
"Saber, talk to me," Jess said. She was moving away from him. Not physically. If he didn't know her so well he wouldn't have sensed any difference in her, but he felt a jarring note, as if his energy had fit with hers and now it bounced back as if she had turned away. "What's wrong?"
She wanted to shake him. She detested playing games, but she had no choice. "Nothing." Now she sounded sulky and felt inadequate. The moment they returned to the table, she jumped off his lap. "Nothing at all." She even managed a quick, bright smile. Who smiled before they killed? She'd undergone tests most of her life, mental, psychological, physical, and emotional. She'd always been too emotional to please Whitney. He'd come close to terminating her several times, close to using her in one of the programs few survived, but by that time, she'd caught on. She knew she had to play his game and be better at it, because in her world, being the best at dealing death meant surviving.
Mari indicated the drinks on the table. "The owner sent us another round."
There was no more sipping at drinks or trusting her companions, not even to pretend. She watched Jess take his drink and lift it with a nod toward the bartender. Ken tipped Mari's glass and then Saber's. She was careful about actually putting her lips to the rim. A dusting of poison could kill in an instant. Appearing distracted by a dancer, she set the drink aside, still standing, tapping her foot to the beat.
"This is great music," she said to no one in particular, allowing her gaze to drift over the crowd. Men and women who could handle themselves had a distinct look. She touched a few potentials, men who looked good in a fight, men who carried themselves with confidence, who moved with easy, sure steps and flowing muscles. She couldn't discount the women as a threat either.
Mari was a soldier. There was no doubt in Saber's mind. She'd gone through the same extensive training Saber had, and it had been thorough. She probably knew more ways to kill a man than most individuals in the room. She'd gone through psychological and emotional testing
. She was trained extensively in weapons and hand-to-hand, but more importantly, she had been put through test after test on her ability to think in a crisis. On how to remain cool and calm, how to be as cold as ice in any given situation.
For the first time in her life, Saber was grateful for the years of training, for all the times she'd been punished for showing emotion. Jess had betrayed her, sold her out to the other GhostWalkers. By all rights she should terminate him.
"Have you met Jess's sister, Patsy?" she inquired, hanging on to her smile.
Ken nodded. "I have. I had met her before this happened." He ran his hand over the scars on his face. "She cried when she saw me. Patsy is a very caring woman."
"I haven't met her," Mari said. "I'd like to though. Both Jack and Ken talk about Jess and his family quite a bit."
"Jess always invited us for holidays," Ken said. "He has a nice family."
Saber continued to search the room without seeming to do so. There would be others in the crowd. They would want a full team if they planned to reacquire her. She pushed all sentiment away, all regret. Escape wouldn't be easy. She was small and her strength wasn't in hand-to-hand. She was good with weapons, but again, it wasn't her specialty. She could do it--would do it--because she had to. When failure wasn't an option, you found a way to get it done.
"I've only met Patsy, and I really like her."
"She thinks Saber is too young for me," Jess said. She was pulling away from him. He could feel her withdrawal as surely as if she were already gone. Something close to panic pressed on his chest until he could barely breathe. He had never panicked in his life. Not once. Not in training, not in combat, not when he'd been captured and tortured. But panic filled him until he could barely think straight.
"Saber." He said her name in a low voice. "Look at me."
She didn't even turn her head his way. She kept that soft, dreamy look on her face, the small half smile, and she looked as if she was very interested in the dancers.
"I'm listening."
Even her voice was perky, damn her, but he knew. He knew with every fiber of his being. Look at me now! It was a command, sharp and firm and demanding.
Startled, her eyes met his in shock.
Do you honestly believe that I would betray you? Don't look at anyone else. Look at me. Do you think I brought you here so that bastard Whitney could take you away from me?
He was furious with her--that she could believe such a betrayal. And hurt. God, it hurt like a son of a bitch. He wanted to shake her, so much so that he didn't dare put his hands on her. The table vibrated beneath his palms. Ken shot him a quick inquiry, but Jess ignored him, holding Saber's gaze. Answer me, damn it, is that what you think of me? That I would hand you over to him after living with you for nearly a year?
She moistened her lips, her only nervous gesture. She didn't even blink, but stared him right in the eye. Her gaze shifted back to the crowd. His heart slammed hard in his chest, one jolt and his stomach felt as if he'd been sucker punched.
Ken shifted slightly, better to protect Jess if need be. The gesture irritated him. The damn wheelchair again. I don't need protection and certainly not from Saber.
The table's shaking. Ken's voice was mild.
She thinks I betrayed her.
That would be a natural reaction. She's spotted the team. She knows Mari and I are part of it. She's not stupid, Jess. If she's running from Whitney, she has to think this is a setup. What would be the chances it's a coincidence?
Get rid of the ego and focus. Jess winced. He heard the echo of that thought and ducked his head, even as he still held Saber's gaze. He let out his breath and tried to see things from her point of view.
"All right, baby. Let's see if I can clear a few things up for you. Ken and Mari are part of a Special Forces team known as the GhostWalkers. Mari escaped from a research facility run by Dr. Whitney. Ken, Mari, and a few of the others came to help because you and I have been under surveillance. I don't know if you're on the run and Whitney's found you, or whether he's watching me, but either way, I figured we needed help."
There was a dead silence as she stared at him, shocked that he'd disclosed as much as he had. Did she dare believe him? She glanced at Mari, but her gaze jumped back to Jess. In spite of herself, her pulse quickened and hope leapt. Was there a chance he was telling the truth? If you're lying to me, Jesse, I swear I'll kill you before they take me. She deliberately spoke in his mind to let him know she had power too.
"Fair enough, Saber. But you tell me the truth. I laid my cards out on the table. I expect you to do the same."
"How many of your men are here?"
"Five. And a sleeper hanging back."
She inhaled sharply. He had called in a full team. Each GhostWalker would have a different skill and they would be lethal. "You have a lot of friends." She couldn't hope to take them all. She wasn't that kind of warrior. Sending up a little prayer that he was telling the truth, she caught at his watch. "Let's go home." Because if we're going to discuss this, I want it to be between you and me. I don't trust anyone else. And I don't feel safe surrounded by that many enhanced soldiers.
He flashed a small, encouraging smile. At least she wasn't making a break for it. They're supposed to make you feel safe.
"Well, it's not working." She slid out of the chair, avoiding getting too close to Ken. He was a big man and obviously strong.
"We'll escort you home," Ken said. "And leave you alone once you're settled in and your security is on."
Jess nodded and wordlessly followed Saber out of the club.
Glee filled him. He was ecstatic as he turned on her CD player and stripped off his clothes. He wanted to hear her voice, that sexy, husky whisper that crawled over his skin and into his body, but the music would do and at least he could smell her. He lay in her sheets and rolled around before hopping up to drag open the dresser drawers. In the top one he found treasure.
Silky thongs and lacy bras in all colors. He selected several and pulled them out along with two pairs of boy short underwear cut high along the butt. Holding them to his nose, he inhaled and then rubbed them over his body. Every time he saw her now he'd picture her wearing silk and know he had touched them, held them to him, rubbed his shaft until he came again and again with them. He lay back and began, using an almost transparent blue pair wrapped around the length of him, while the music played and his body hummed. He pictured her tied down and helpless, waiting for his attention after the others had beaten Calhoun into a bloody mess. Maybe he'd take her right there by the body. He'd take his time, making her pay for that kiss in the park. Tonight was going to be perfect. His body arched, his hips jerked, and he watched with satisfaction as he sprayed his cum all over her sheets and underwear.
CHAPTER 9
"You haven't said a single word all the way home," Jess said. "I thought we were going to talk."
"Not in the car." Saber knew she sounded clipped, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to believe in him, but betrayal in her business was a way of life. It would be like Whitney to engineer a way to make her fall in love so she could see how futile it would be for someone like her to try to have a life.
Jess glanced at her as he pulled the van into the garage. She held herself stiff--away from him--as though if he touched her she might break. So he didn't, although it was hard to fight his instincts. He turned off the car and sent word. We're in for the night. Saber isn't going to be going to work. I'll have her call the station and take a sick day. Thanks, everyone.
They sat in the dark when he switched off the lights. Saber sighed and took the plunge. "I know once Whitney decides he wants you, there's no way to fight him. He has so much power, so much money, and all the newest gadgets available to him. He has research centers set up all over and if one place is discovered, he just moves on to the next. If I don't keep running, I'm vulnerable."
"They took one down just recently. He isn't untouchable, Saber."
"Yes, he is. None of us exist, Jesse.
If he wants us dead, we're dead and no one's the wiser. He's building an army and he's got tentacles everywhere. We'll never be safe, either one of us. I know how easy it is to kill someone." She glanced around the large garage uneasily. "I don't want to talk out here."
"Even if he got a bug inside, the frequency would be jammed." It wasn't that she looked scared, more...defeated. Whitney had been the one constant adult in her life and he seemed all-powerful to her. "Come on. I'll give you a ride into the house." He knew he shouldn't have offered, she wasn't ready yet to trust him all the way, but she looked vulnerable and fragile and he wanted--no, needed--to comfort her.
Saber opened the passenger door as he hit the lift button, choosing instead to hop out on her side. The moment her feet hit the ground, she knew they were in trouble.
Jesse! She couldn't help the warning, even as it occurred to her he'd sprung a trap. There were no witnesses to see her taken. She'd been stupid. So stupid. She wanted to believe him so much she'd just gone quietly back to the house, and now she was trapped in a small space with no help.
Three men. They were big too. They emerged from the shadows, grinning like apes, standing shoulder to shoulder, menacingly, silently. Just their silence was a threat. The huge, ham-like fists were opening and closing as they slowly spread out. She heard movement behind her and knew she was trapped between the men and the van.
How many, baby?
His voice was calm, reassuring, and it steadied her because he was on her side--there had been no betrayal. She was trained to hear, to feel the rhythm in people, and she knew a lie when she heard one. Jess wasn't lying. He was fighting with her and he was in a wheelchair. She couldn't just escape. She had to win, to defeat. No one could be left standing to get to Jess.
Three in front, one behind me. She had to get to Jess and protect him. They would hear the lift as he lowered it to get himself out of the van. Take the van out of here, call for help. Your team has to still be close.
Are you out of your mind? I'm not leaving you. I'm coming out.
He just had to be a hero. It would make it more difficult to fight, trying to protect him while she fought her way free, but she recognized that there was no arguing with him. And the men were moving in on her. Wait. I'm going under the van and out the back. Don't draw their attention until I'm there.