He stretched out beside her, laying his claim in front of Joe. Jaimie was his. She would always be his, no matter how bad he screwed up, no matter how many mistakes he made. He'd find his way back to her, because in the end, Jaimie was his world.
He locked his fingers with hers, feeling a little helpless, as he always did when she was caught in the middle of a nightmare, restless and lost in another world he couldn't travel into. He wasn't a dreamwalker like Lucas or Ethan and he didn't know what would happen if one of them entered her nightmare with her. All of them lived with enhanced psychic abilities, but they were all learning to cope with the skills, even after all this time. For him, he knew his abilities were growing. He could move from one place to another in seconds. At first it had been short distances, but now those distances were growing. It seemed that way with all of them, the psychic talents developing stronger over time and with use. Why, then, hadn't Jaimie known Joe was a GhostWalker? Why hadn't she sensed Gideon on the roof? And why was her reaction getting worse when she used her psychic abilities?
Because they were getting stronger. He closed his eyes as he brought her hand to his chest, just over his heart. That was the only explanation. Jaimie's abilities were growing and the price was higher. Her talent was highly unusual. She could feel intent and, if expanded, she could take in an entire structure. Thinking about it, he realized she'd read the energy around her entire building and down the streets. What had she been reading on the street today? How large of an area?
She would be able to find positions on battlefields, know where snipers had positioned themselves, know if an assassin was in the crowd. She was too valuable to want dead, yet someone very high up had ordered her death. Was she close to finding Whitney's supporters? She must have triggered a red flag in her search. That would be like Jaimie. She would go in where others would be terrified. She might not pull a trigger to kill someone, but she wouldn't flinch when uncovering corruption and seeking justice.
"Stop crying, baby," he whispered. "You're killing me.
I hate to feel helpless. You know that." He wasn't good at some things. Kane often had been the one wiping Jaimie's tears away when she was a child and other kids tried bullying her. Mack was usually the one that beat the crap out of them. "Wake up, Jaimie. You're here with me." He pressed kisses along her temple. Come on, honey, you're safe. I've got you.
He knew the instant she was aware of him lying beside her. He was in her mind, a place where he'd so often taken refuge in the past. He caught that brief flare of happiness, of completeness, and it settled the roiling in his stomach and mind. She hadn't written him off quite as completely as she claimed, and she certainly didn't hate him.
Every day had been endless without her unless he was in the field working. There had been a huge, empty hole nothing--and no one--could fill. He hadn't bothered to try with anyone else. It was all about Jaimie. His other half. She had looked at him with stars in her eyes, allowing him the lead and following wherever he went. She hadn't asked anything of him--until that night she left him. He was ashamed of himself, of his actions. He hadn't wanted to admit to himself, let alone to her, what kind of power she had over him.
Jaimie. Honey. Can you hear me?
There was a small silence. He could hear the low murmur of Kane and Joe talking. He couldn't hear Ethan, but knew he was somewhere off to his right in the shadows, probably clinging to the ceiling like an upside-down spider. He could hear his heart beat.
Yes. There was a sob in her mind.
I should have told you I wanted you to stay. I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but I was a fucking coward. Give me another chance with you. I don't want to go through my life without you. I should have asked you to stay.
This time he counted his heartbeats. He felt her sadness beating at him. Her regret. His heart beat double-time.
I'm not the same person anymore, Mack.
Is there someone else? He braced himself. She was going to kill him. He detested good-looking, over-six-foot Joe Spagnola, who had stayed all night with her to help her through her nightmares when he should have been there holding her.
Of course not. I loved you--love you, Mack. I always have. You don't just get over that. Well, I don't. You were my world. It took a little time to learn to just exist without you.
He knew she was being truthful, not hurtful. She was giving him facts, her tone all Jaimie and a clear reprimand. He wanted to smile, relief flooding him. Satisfaction. There was no one else. Not even Superman. I'm not going anywhere again, Jaimie.
She sighed and turned into him, her head finding a niche against his shoulder. Until the first time Griffen orders you into the field.
That's work, Jaimie. You aren't going to be upset when I go to work.
How are you ever going to know he isn't sending you out on a suicide mission?
That brought him up short. He trusted Griffen. He knew the sergeant major. The man was a patriot through and through and he always stood for his men. He was tough, but he took the heat from the politicians. Part of the reason Mack had agreed to the program was because they would all report directly to Griffen. He didn't send his team out lightly.
Jaimie, I'm telling you I want you to stay with me. Be with me.
And I don't doubt it for a minute, Mack. She let go of his fingers and he immediately felt bereft. My head aches and I need to sleep.
No nightmares, then.
And tell Joe I'm really not happy with him either.
Mack shifted, leaned in to kiss her temple, and rose. "She's not happy with you, Joe." He didn't bother to keep elation from his voice.
"I figured that," Joe said. "I'm going back to my suite. The place is a dump but it's home, unless your men tore it up."
"They left it intact."
Javier, he's on the move, Mack warned. "How long you figure you're staying around?"
"Until Sergeant Major pulls me off the duty. And that isn't going to be until we find the bastard coming at her."
"Sounds personal to me," Mack said.
"You bet it's personal," Joe said, for once shaken out of his usual calm. "She's mine. I've been protecting her for months. I'm not about to turn her over to you or anyone else. So forget asking your sergeant major. I'm going to find the bastard who put that body on her doorstep and whoever is targeting her for assassination. Not on my watch."
Kane and Mack exchanged a long look as Joe crossed the room, checked Jaimie's pulse, smoothed back her hair, and then, without another word, went down the stairs.
Ethan did a slow somersault from where he'd been clinging like a spider in the rafters and landed in a crouch. "You know, boss, you just might have a rival for Jaimie's affections again. And this time, I don't think he's scared of you."
CHAPTER 8
"You're not cooking for all the boys, Jaimie. You've been ill. You couldn't get out of bed for two days."
Jaimie gave a little dismissive sniff and brushed past Mack. "I want to cook dinner for them. Kane already bought the groceries for me. And why does he have that bruise on his jaw?" She glared over her shoulder at Mack.
Mack shrugged. "I think he ran into a door."
"That's what I thought you'd say. You've been glowering at each other since I've been up. Why don't you kiss and make up instead of walking around like a couple of bears with sore teeth? You always make up, and the longer it takes, the more we all have to suffer."
Mack didn't reply, but came up behind her. Close. Very close. So close she could feel the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck.
She threw her elbow back and caught him in the ribs. "I mean it, Mack. Go make up. I hate it when the two of you stomp around and growl at each other. What's wrong with you?"
"I went to Sergeant Major and asked for protection for you," Kane said.
Jaimie whirled around and found herself up against Mack's body. She felt his inhale, whether at the brush of her body against his or at Kane's admission, she didn't know. "That's no surprise."
> "It was to me," Mack said. "He didn't discuss it."
"Jaimie's my sister, Mack," Kane said, his tone one of exaggerated patience. "I don't have to discuss it with you. She left. She wasn't going to let it go. I know her, the way she thinks, and she wasn't going to drop her argument against Whitney. She was going to try to find proof for you."
"You knew he was going to watch out for me anyway," Jaimie pointed out, stepping away from Mack.
"From a distance, Jaimie. I wanted someone on you up close, where when you tripped up, they'd be able to send a report to Griffen and he'd contact me. That was the arrangement."
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Mack demanded.
"Because the sergeant major wanted something in return," Jaimie guessed, her eyes locked with Kane's. "He did, didn't he?"
Kane shrugged. "I knew what you'd do, Jaimie, and I wasn't about to let you get your neck chopped off."
"I'm not giving him my data. That's what you promised him, isn't it?"
"That and how you do what you do."
"That's too bad, Kane, because, had you asked me, I would have volunteered the information to you had I known how I do it. But no way in hell will I ever turn over my proof of Whitney's crimes to Sergeant Major Griffen. He's entrenched in the GhostWalker program and probably embroiled up to his medals in Whitney's scum."
"I can hack your computer."
"You don't have the skills to hack me. And neither do Sergeant Major's little experts." She tilted her chin at him, her eyes dark and stormy.
"Maybe, but Javier does."
She smirked at him. "Maybe, but I don't think so."
Kane's jaw tightened. "You anticipated me trading for protection."
All trace of amusement faded from her face. "I know you just as well as you know me. The minute I saw that dead body, I knew it was a warning. I knew I was getting close to Whitney's protectors. Then you showed up here because of a wrong address."
"Wait a minute," Mack said. There was a note in his voice, a strain of underlying anger that had Kane moving back out of harm's way. Quiet. Nasty. That dangerous tone that made Mack who he was. "Are you telling me that Sergeant Major traded information for Jaimie's safety? He actually knew she was in harm's way and made you pay a price to protect her?"
"Mack," Kane said.
Mack's teeth snapped together. "You watch her, Kane. I'll be back later. I think I'll go have a chat with Griffen."
"You'll be court-martialed if you lay a hand on him," Kane said. "You're not going anywhere."
"Because you think you can stop me?"
"You sound like a couple of little kids," Jaimie scolded. "Let's think this through instead of punching someone. Sheesh, Mack. Are you ever going to grow out of that?"
"I'm sublimating."
Jaimie stared at him. She felt heat moving up her neck and throat to her face. His eyes were black and glittering, but filled with more than just teasing lust. Possession maybe. Whatever it was, it was all male and very compelling. Like a starving wolf. "Well, don't." She croaked the words out. It was the best she could do with the sudden dry-mouth syndrome that seemed to afflict her whenever he gave her that hungry stare.
Mack's eyebrow shot up. "You heard her, Kane. She just gave me permission to punch out a superior officer."
"I did not," Jaimie denied.
"You told me not to sublimate."
She sighed. "You're so crazy, Mack. Sit down and quit prowling around while I'm trying to cook."
She glanced out the window at the sky. The sun had set already and fog swirled in, thick and gray, covering the buildings with a veil of mist. "Are the boys out in this weather?"
"A couple of them. They change shifts," Mack said.
"I'm making lasagna. They all love that with French bread and salad. I'll feed everyone and then call the ones on watch in." She sighed. "Maybe I should invite Joe to show him I'm not that angry."
"You should be angry at that Sicilian Don Juan with his stupid tight jeans and cocky grin. You're too forgiving, Jaimie."
Kane coughed, trying to be discreet. Don't tell her that. You're trying to get her to forgive you for being so dense, Mack. Are you crazy?
"A Sicilian Don Juan?" Jaimie echoed. "Joe?" She laughed softly. "Is he even Sicilian? I thought that was his cover."
"You bought the entire Sicilian carpenter persona?" Mack rolled his eyes and then flicked Kane a quelling look.
"He's got the muscles," Jaimie pointed out. "You know, hot carpenter bod and all that. And impeccable credentials. I tried to find holes in his story, but it was solid."
"Javier said that. He tried finding out about him. I take it you lifted his prints?"
She nodded. "First thing, but then, if he's in the GhostWalker program, he's hooked up and can be anybody he wants to be." She worked smoothly as she talked, carefully putting thick, flat noodles into boiling water before turning back to her sauce.
Mack crowded her all over again. "You don't need to be looking at his muscles, Jaimie."
"I can hardly help it, now, can I, Mack? His muscles are rather obvious."
"I told you to shoot the son of a bitch while you had the chance, Kane," Mack complained. "Now I've got to put up with Jaimie ogling him. And no, there's no need to invite him for dinner. I don't want him to see the boys. Not yet."
Jaimie didn't reply for a long time. "If he's a GhostWalker, and you let him work on me the other night, then why wouldn't you trust him?"
"Because I didn't listen to you last time when I should have. I'm going to be a lot more careful this time around. We have to think this bargain Kane made with Griffen over very carefully. If he's capable of bargaining for your safety, he isn't the man I thought he was."
Kane shrugged. "As long as she's safe, Mack. I don't want her anywhere near Whitney. The way the man treats those women is criminal. And I'm not convinced he doesn't have more orphans locked up somewhere, experimenting on them. I'll pay whatever price Griffen wants to keep Jaimie out of Whitney's hands."
She turned around and rested one hip against the counter to study Kane's face. He was handsome in a tough sort of way, even with the lines etched there. "What happened there, Kane? In Whitney's compound. I know you were assigned to guard the place . . ."
"I wish I'd been assigned to guard the place. That's what I thought. That's what we all thought. But it was for something altogether different. Whitney ran tests on all of us and he paired a few of us with some of the women being held there."
She swallowed hard. She'd hacked into Whitney's files and she had several condemning files. Had Kane really been asked to get one of the women pregnant? She couldn't imagine him doing something like that.
"I'm not discussing it, Jaimie, not yet. It's all too raw and I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do yet."
"Jaimie! Get down here now." Javier's voice came through the intercom. "You're being hacked. Double-time it."
Jaimie threw the spoon back in the sauce and pushed past Mack. She leapt across the room in two long bounds, landing at the top of the stairs in a crouch and then jumping to the landing below. She was comfortable using her enhanced genetic skills. Mack noted her body was fluid like a cat's as she leapt the remaining distances. He didn't use his cat skills; he used his teleportation speed, flashing from spot to spot and landing right with her.
"The alarm should have gone off upstairs. I've been waiting for this," Jaimie said, seating herself beside Javier. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Did you touch anything?"
"I turned it off just now," Javier admitted. "It scared the hell out of me."
Her fingers raced over the keyboard at an enormous rate of speed. Javier seemed to know exactly what she was doing, his fingers were flying as well. To Mack the screen was nothing but numbers and red lines streaking in various directions.
"He's been nosing around trying to get past my security, so I set up a nice little trap and the idiot fell for it."
"He's good," Javier pointed out, his eyes glued to the data flowi
ng across the screen.
"Yep, but I'm better," Jaimie said. "I knew he was going to make his try soon. I put out bait and he took it. I'm going to find out exactly who he is."
"Will he know you've traced him?" Mack asked.
"He's bouncing all over the place," Javier hissed.
"He doesn't know we're tracking him," Jaimie said. "I just need another minute to get him. He's hacking into the trap I set and if he makes it in before I get him, he'll be gone."
"I take it you made it difficult?"
"You bet. I want to see how skilled he really is. He's moving through the walls fast."
"He's a pro with resources," Javier added. "Only a few in the world are good enough to hack into your system, Jaimie."
Mack marveled at the speed their fingers flew across the keyboard. Their eyes were glued to the screen. It all made sense to them, but to him it was a jumble of code and nothing more. That didn't stop uneasiness from creeping into him. He felt hunted. Watched. Something evil moving in the room.
Twice Jaimie's breath hissed out and once Javier hunched lower over the keys as if that small movement would increase his speed and dexterity.
The tension in the room coiled tighter and tighter, stretching nerves taut. Mack could hear breathing, feel the blood pounding in his veins, the knots forming in the pit of his stomach. He looked around, into every corner, half expecting someone to come jumping out at them. His hand actually crept toward the knife at his belt.
"I'm almost on him," Jaimie hissed. "I've got you, you toad."
Mack's gut reacted with more knots and somewhere in his brain a warning flash went off. He cleared his throat. "Jaimie, shut it down."
"Are you crazy?"
"Do it, Jaimie," Kane said. "Shut it down."
"Javier, that's an order," Mack snapped and caught Jaimie, jerking her away from the computer. "Pull the plug. Do it now, do it fast."
"Whose side are you on?" Jaimie demanded, twisting around, trying to get back to her chair. Mack kept his arm around her waist, lifting her off the ground to keep her from the keyboard.