Grey couldn't have asked for a better night for this mission. And that was what it was, in reality. A mission, just as important as so many others he'd been on. Maybe even more, because this involved a promise and a commitment that was intensely personal. There were no stars at all in the sky, and the tiny sliver of moon barely cast any light. The soft breeze rustling the leaves on the mature pin oaks and palm trees would cover any sound he might make, although he'd shock himself if he created even as much as a whisper. He'd used all the information he'd gathered in his one visit to the community to plot this mission on his laptop. It amazed him how easy it was to identify the weak spots in Tanglewood security as well as Drake Bostic's house. It was almost laughable what civilians, even those with a lot to hide like the senator, thought was foolproof protection. Maybe against the average crook, but not against a trained Delta Force soldier. He waited until full dark before he made
What the hell am I doing? Athena paced the living room of her small apartment, wondering why she had ever thought she could do this. She was a cop—a detective—and a damn good one. She'd even worked undercover a couple of times, so she had some decent stealth skills. She hadn't, however, breached the security of a high-profile suspect on any of her assignments. She wasn't all that good with electronics, although she'd spent the afternoon yesterday at the shabby little store owned by one of her confidential informants. It had only taken the threat of exposure to persuade him to tell her what she needed and show her how to use it. Yesterday she had scoped out Tanglewood, showing her badge to the guard and telling him she was doing an informal security check ordered by the chief. "To keep the residents happy and secure." She'd given the guard her best public smile, and he'd opened the gate for her with no problem. A few months ago, she had been a visitor to one of the homes in the
Grey kept a sharp eye on the woman stretched out on his couch. He'd been very careful with the amount of pressure he'd applied to render her unconscious, and he hoped he hadn't misjudged this time. Getting her back to his SUV had been a bitch. He'd thought about trying to walk her back, pretending she'd had too much to drink, but wasn't sure that would work. He finally thought himself back to a firefight zone, tossed her over one shoulder, and zigzagged to his point of exit. He even managed to get her over the wall and into his vehicle without anyone seeing them, miracle of miracles. And don't even ask about the magic tricks he pulled to get her car moved to his place. He had no idea who she was. The clothes she wore had no pockets, so she wasn't carrying any identification. He hadn't even been able to find the key to her car, and hadn't that taken some fast talking with the tow truck guy. All the while, by the way, cursing the added attention he might be calling to himself. But leav
"I assume you might shoot me if I try to head out the door," she said, "but is it safe to use the bathroom?" He almost laughed. He could really like her if he let himself. He minimized the document on his screen and pushed back his chair. "This way." He indicated the short hallway with his hand. "Are you planning to come in with me?" She turned her head and gave him a half-smile over her shoulder as he followed her down the hallway. "Not unless you have the idea you can crawl out the window and get away. I should point out, however, it has bars on it." She quirked an eyebrow. "Leave before I find out what the hell this is all about? Not on your life." Grey stood there, staring at the door she closed in his face. Who the hell is this woman? She had to have some kind of balls to behave this way. Practically every other woman he'd ever met would either be pitching a fit or screaming for him to tell her what was going on. Or, worse yet, dissolving in tears. Of course, none of
Athena gave the man sitting across from her an unblinking look. She couldn't figure out what the hell his game was. Other than rendering her unconscious, of course, and hauling her ass to…wherever the hell they were, he hadn't harmed her. Hadn't drawn a weapon. Hadn't restrained her from leaving, although she was pretty damn sure he'd strike quick as a snake if she tried. Hadn't made any threatening moves, although he had an air about him that said they lay just below the surface. Unexpected raw sensuality simmered in the room like a heavy fog, tantalizing their senses. She sensed danger around him, but, oddly enough, not to herself. Broad shoulders defined a lean body rippling with muscle, and he had the air of a jungle animal, a panther stealthily stalking its prey until it was ready to pounce. Every hormone in her body did a tarantella trying to get her attention. There was an electricity about him, a raw sensuality that made her want to rip off her clothes and his even as she a
"I have heard rumors here and there," she told him. "Rumors that the senator makes the bulk of his money dealing in illegal arms to terrorists. In Africa and the Middle East," she added, then leaned back and waited to see if he called her crazy. But instead, he sat there, fixing her with that penetrating gaze, his expression giving away nothing. "You think I'm nuts, right?" She shrugged. "What I expected. But what were you doing there? What were you looking for?" Although his face gave nothing away, she could sense him debating with himself exactly how much to tell her. "Where are your credentials?" he asked at last. "Where's your identification?" "What? In my car. Locked in the glove compartment." She frowned. "Now you ask for it?" "Do you have some kind of magic ignition?" he asked. "You sure don't have any hiding places on you for a key." She laughed and lifted one foot, resting it on her knee, and undid the laces on her shoe. Carefully, she opened the little pocket
Grey looked at the woman sitting across the table from him. She was almost as much a hard case as he was, but he could tell Lucky's story had moved her deeply. Some intangible something gave him the sense he could trust her, so he walked her through the basics of his plan, making sure she understood all of the risks involved. He also checked her out on some of the electronics he'd purchased. He wasn't yet ready to read her in on everything he'd found on Bostic's thumb drives, but he gave her a brief overview. By tomorrow, if his gut still told him to trust her, he'd be ready to formulate some plans with her. She knew far more about Bostic and about Tampa than he did, and it paid to take advantage of that. They had finished the pot of coffee, although they were both so fueled by adrenaline he doubted they'd even needed it. What they did need, however, was some rest so they could get to the meat of the planning. He had been meticulous about leaving no trace at Bostic's house, but with
Jesus! The contact was like nothing he could imagine. Her lips were soft and warm, pliant beneath his, molding to him. He traced the closed seam of her mouth before exerting enough pressure to force her to open. When he swept his tongue inside, the fiery electricity that shot through him singed every single nerve in his body. Her tongue was a liquid flame, dueling with his, following the erotic dance he was leading her in. When she moaned into his mouth his pulse leaped into the stratosphere. Tightening his grip on her hair, he wrapped one hard-muscled arm around her and pulled her in tight to his body. He felt the outline of her sex where his harder-than-concrete cock pushed into it, and the softness of her breasts against his chest. Her nipples pierced him like diamonds. He wanted nothing more than to rip off both their clothes and plunge himself into her. It was only the need to breathe that forced him to lift his mouth from hers. When he tilted her head back he saw astonis