by Amy Rench
Jeff shook his head and rubbed a hand over his face. He had a hard time thinking of Rome as a rogue agent, but this project was bigger than one agent. And one challenging woman.
He’d have to be wary of Agent Rome Lucian from now on. Just in case.
She heard a gurgling rumble as consciousness returned. The rolling and sputtering forced her eyes open, and she blinked, then took in her surroundings. She was in a car. A very loud car. The jumbling ride reminded her of the old red Volkswagen Bug Bobby had when he was in high school. The curved, dotted ceiling and the rounded rear window confirmed it. She was indeed in a Bug.
Flexing her arms, Harper pushed her weary body up to take a peek out the elliptical side window. Dusk appeared to be approaching. They were driving through a quiet suburban area. Wait. They?
Disorientation flushed through her. Hadn’t Rome come to her rescue in his Land Rover?
“Stay down,” Rome’s familiar deep voice filtered from the driver’s seat directly in front of her. “We’re almost there.”
“Where’s there?” she asked hesitantly, her voice scratchy from inactivity. Did it really matter? He could be taking her anywhere. Maybe to an even more ghastly place than before. But right now, this minute, she had a reprieve.
“I have a place just outside of town,” Rome answered, rounding a corner. She slid a little on the slippery vinyl of the backseat. “A safe house of mine.”
Safe. That sounded absolutely blissful. And highly unlikely. But what choice did she have? She had gotten in the car with him, after all. She’d have to trust him for now. Darn it.
“You passed out,” he offered quietly. “I switched cars, just in case.” She appreciated his keeping her in the loop.
Another ten minutes and they were just on the outskirts of Portland when Rome turned the car into an unfamiliar private warehouse area. Harper peeked out the back side window as soon as they slowed down to wait for the gate to glide open. Rome weaved the Bug around several of the buildings to one in the back that bordered a wooded area. The metal door of the midsized structure slid aside just enough to allow him to maneuver inside. She watched out the oval back window as the door skated shut with a loud, ringing clank.
Rome slipped out the driver’s side and walked over to a panel on the wall and punched some of the buttons. Lights illuminated the area, and a red light flickered on the little plate.
He came around to the passenger-side door and opened it. He reached down to pull the seat lever and moved the seat forward, gesturing with the sweep of his hand for her to get out.
Harper unfolded her long frame from the cramped backseat of the Bug. Stiff and achy, she stumbled a little as she crawled out. She felt Rome’s sure grip on her arm steadying her.
Murmuring her gratitude, she stretched out a little, hearing several pops and cracks. Grimacing, she glanced at Rome and saw a gentle smile crease his rugged face. She gave him a small smile in return, and then turned away to study her newest confinement. Goodness gracious. How many resources did an agent have?
“C’mon, Harper.” He placed a large warm hand on her shoulder. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” He tugged on her slightly.
She stared pointedly at the hand on her shoulder and he immediately removed it. Harper saw a pained look of remorse cross his face, quickly replaced by a reassuring one. Good. He should feel guilty about locking her away like some psychotic freak. She knew she had big problems and had done some terrible things, but she hadn’t needed him to dupe her into trusting him and then treating her like enemy number one.
“Harper, you’re safe here. Trust me,” Rome implored.
“Trust you?” She couldn’t stop the burst of laughter, but she wished she had when she started to cough a little. “You turned me in.”
He nodded as his hand started to rub soothing circles on her back. Harper wanted to punch him and sink into his comfort all at once, but held herself in check. Until she knew what he wanted and what he was going to do to her now, she had to be on her guard.
“Look, I know you hate my guts right now.” Rome met her eyes. “I know you think you can’t trust me. Hell, I wouldn’t trust me.” He removed his hand from her back to swipe it across his face, frustrated. She missed his touch. “But, Harper, give me a chance to explain. To convince you I’m on your side.”
She looked away, but turned her gaze back when his fingers brushed her jaw with a touch so light, she might have thought she’d dreamed it.
“Please?” he asked quietly. Goodness, he was intoxicating.
“I guess I owe you for the ride,” Harper whispered, wishing she’d made a different decision back at Bobby’s house and not used her power.
“You don’t owe me anything.” His voice rang with self-disgust. “Please, Harper.”
Well, it couldn’t hurt.
“All right.” She allowed him to take her hand and lead her deeper into the square building. She didn’t have much choice, and realized she didn’t want one. So much had happened recently, she didn’t want to think about much of anything right now.
There were many things worth noticing as she followed Rome. Though crude, the one-floor warehouse had several rooms and cavernous ceilings. Some were finished, but most were just encased by bare two-by-fours, making it feel as if she were walking through a wooden jungle.
One half-completed room they passed sported a flatscreen television with a PlayStation 3 hooked up to it. A video-game nerd herself, she decided she wanted to poke around in there later.
Spying the modest stack of video games prompted her to realize that she was supposed to be returning home to California to resume her training and getting back to her job soon. Her coach, and maybe even her boss, would call when she didn’t show up. And she had no idea where her cell phone or her backpack were. Probably in the hands of the jerks who tortured her.
But there was no way she could go back to her normal life now. At least not until this was all over. If it ever would be. A cold wash of loss rained over her. She really had nothing.
With great effort, she shook the morose thoughts from her mind and resumed her attention to her surroundings.
Moving down the rough hallway, the next space had a humongous bed that looked cheerfully lumpy with goose-down quilts. A little farther in, the area opened wide like a great room with a kitchen and another big flat-screen television in front of three huge rust-colored beanbag chairs. A tacky yellow and red striped couch was at an angle to the television behind a low, chunky wooden table. The place looked to be a work in progress. It wasn’t musty or dingy, just unused and unfinished.
“There’s a bathroom through there.” Rome pointed to a smaller area just to the side of the kitchen. The only room with a door. “I’ll get some towels.” She watched him move toward a far closet as she headed to the idyllic room with a shower.
And what a shower it was. It was at least as big as her whole bathroom in her little studio apartment in San Francisco. A double-headed shower in a waist-high tiled rectangle. She sighed out loud in enchanted anticipation.
She pushed the door shut, leaving it open just a crack. She peeled off her grungy T-shirt and bra and tossed them aside, then reached in to twist the spigots on each side to steamy-hot.
A knock sounded before the door opened wide. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Rome standing there with his arms full of fluffy foam green towels, his mouth agape. His blue eyes darkened to the color of midnight as they swept down her naked torso.
“Harper.” Her name was spoken with a raspy breath of regret and desire. “I am so, so sorry.” He set down the towels and a new box of bar soap on the freestanding wooden towel rack and moved to stand within a breath of her. A whisper of a touch caressed her skin as his fingertips glided gently down her back. Peering over her shoulder, she followed the trail of his hand.
She knew she shouldn’t be shocked to see the angry red marks there; after all, she’d experienced every single one. But to see them in the bright light of the gleaming white bathr
oom was daunting. Also a little scary that they weren’t as bad as she would have thought.
She watched him while he continued to run his fingers softly over her back. His face was a kaleidoscope of emotion. Sorrow. Shame. Compassion. Fury. And, finally, determination. Then his face cleared and his gaze snapped to hers.
“Take as long as you need,” he said quietly, turning away. He picked up the box of soap, opened it, and set the fresh bar on top of the pile of towels. “I’ll fix us something to eat.” He shut the door gently as he left.
Hot steam clouded the room while Harper removed the rest of her grubby clothes. She briefly wondered whether Rome knew just how expressive his face could be. Probably not. He was a supersecret government agent or something. They weren’t supposed to have facial expressions, right?
Stepping around the shower’s tiled wall, she was enveloped by the cascading hot spray from both showerheads. She was a tad surprised at his affinity for double-headed showers. It was a luxury she definitely wasn’t used to. But she sure wasn’t complaining.
It was absolute ecstasy.
The lavish fall of water seeped warmth into every inch of her skin, soothing and healing the plentiful aches she knew were there and some she hadn’t known existed. The pain of the last few days slowly ebbed away under the restorative tide, spiraling down the drain.
She brought the bar of soap to her nose. Spicy and clean. Just like Rome. She was surprised when a low growl came from her throat at the thought of his scent.
Shaking it aside, Harper lathered a generous froth over her entire body. The thorough cleansing stung in a few places, but it was a small price to pay for the fresh feeling it created. Invigorating, really. She ran the bar through her hair several times, watching the soapy bubble rinse down the drain, relishing the feeling of grime sliding out of the blonde mop.
After she’d scrubbed herself off, she simply let the water flow over her, enjoying the clean and tranquil sensation, trying to stamp it into her memory just in case it was a while before she’d feel it again.
Harper reluctantly turned the water off on one side, then the other. The thick steam embraced her, caressing her dripping skin as she picked up the downy towel Rome had left for her. Drying herself thoroughly, she wrapped the thick fabric around her body and opened the door.
She spied Rome standing at the stove. Moving into the kitchen, the inviting aroma of eggs invaded her senses. A small smile broke out as she moved closer, spotting a heaping pile of shredded cheddar cheese and an open package of Canadian bacon on the counter, chopped into little chunks. He was making an omelet. And it smelled like paradise. The spatula looked odd in his large hand, but he capably flipped around the pan’s steaming and crackling contents.
“That smells wonderful,” Harper purred, leaning her toweled hip against the white tiled counter.
Rome swung his head to stare at her. His intense gaze raked across her bare shoulders, then down the towel to her thighs and back up. The swirling blue gaze virtually stripped the towel right off her freshly scrubbed body. The air between them sizzled with desire. She knew the feeling. There was something inexplicably hot about a manly man cooking.
“Uh, um…” He blinked and cleared his throat. “This’ll be ready in a minute.” He shook his head and turned his attention back to the steaming pan. “I set out some clothes for you in the bedroom. We can throw yours in the washer later.” He gave her a rueful sideways glance. “Again.”
Rapping her knuckles on the counter, she nodded with a smile and walked toward the room with the big bed. Spread out on top of the comforter were a pair of well-worn gray sweatpants and a soft cotton T-shirt. The black T sported a faded green and gold Minnesota North Stars emblem on the chest that just screamed Rome. She hardly knew him, but somehow, it was right. She tossed the towel on the floor and pulled on the clothes—his clothes. The fit was large, but comfy from wear.
Harper bent to pick up the towel and saw a pair of thick, gray wool socks on the bed as well. Donning them, she relished the cozy, cushy feel as she padded to the bathroom to spread the towel on the wooden rack. She then returned to the kitchen to see Rome setting full plates on the wooden table in front of the television. He then brought out two frosty bottles of water, setting them on coasters.
Smiling at the strange thought of a man using coasters, she sank into the nearest beanbag chair and grabbed one of the steaming plates, along with one of the nearby forks. The cheesy omelet tasted even better than it looked and smelled as she took the first scrumptious bite. It simply melted in her mouth.
“Mmm.” Harper couldn’t help the moan that escaped. “Good.” She shoved another forkful into her watering mouth.
“Cooking’s kind of a hobby of mine,” Rome said through his own mouthful. “But don’t tell anyone.” He lowered his voice and gave her a mock severe look. And added a killer wink.
“My lips are sealed.” She brought her fingers up to her mouth, mimicking the turning of a lock and key. Then she frowned. “Well, they’re sealed after I finish eating.” She gave him a playful wink back and smiled at his reactive grin.
So, he cooked. Something she was admittedly lousy at. Most everyone had a hobby. She thought his would be fixing motorbikes or snowboarding. Something rough and tough. But it was also somehow fitting that a strong, confident man like him would cook. Actual food, no less, not just reheated premade stuff. His joking about keeping it a secret was for show. He had a confidence in everything he did. And he did eggs very well.
Harper finished her omelet in silence and then studied Rome while she crunched on a piece of cinnamonsugar toast. His muscles were tensed, as if he was upset and wanted nothing but to spring away from there. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, which she was beginning to think was his usual garb. The shirt hugged his chest and shoulders like a second skin. Corded muscles flexed along his forearms as he consumed his meal. His jaw sported dark stubble and his close-cropped hair looked a tad mussed. Rugged and sexy. Like her own personal model for the annual firemen’s calendar. Being able to look at him was the one bright spot in this whole thing right now.
As if sensing her gaze, he took a deep breath, but kept his eyes on his own plate.
“I didn’t know they’d hurt you,” he said quietly. “I mean, I did. I know exactly what they do there, but I…” His voice trailed off and he took another bite. His jaw was hard with tension as he chomped hard. She watched him swallow and sigh heavily through his nose. “I didn’t know what to do, Harper. Your power—or whatever it is—it’s like nothing I’d ever seen. It scared me.” He took another deep breath and unleashed his blue gaze upon her. “I’m so very sorry.”
Sitting there, enraptured by him, Harper had no idea what to say. It’s okay? No, it wasn’t. He’d betrayed her. He’d just admitted it. As alone as she was now, that wasn’t something she could just forget. She took the last bite of her toast and set her plate down on the wooden table with a slight thud.
“You said to trust you,” she said softly, squinting with the aching thought. “Then you turned on me.” She watched him wince ever so slightly.
“You should have told me,” he countered.
“It shouldn’t have mattered,” she shot back. He whipped his glance away from her. Trust was trust. Wasn’t it?
“You still should have told me,” Rome persisted, turning back to her. A puzzled look crossed his face. “How can you do…that?” He wiggled his hand around, obviously referring to her power.
“I don’t really know,” Harper answered, leaning back into the chair. Its tiny foam balls wrapped around her nicely, as if she were sitting in a cloud. “Bobby left me a syringe of something. Some kind of serum.” She could practically hear her brother’s last words. “The men who killed Bobby tracked me down. We fought and the serum was injected into my arm by accident.” She could practically feel the intense fire racing in her head to consume her mind. See the fierce energy surge through the air toward the men. Killing them in less than an instant. �
�Right after that, I felt this power run through my body. It made my mind burn. And I killed them. Just like you saw at Bobby’s house.”
She kept her weary gaze on him, hoping he didn’t see her as some monster. She still hated that he’d betrayed her trust, but she didn’t hate him. In fact, she rather liked him. More than she knew she should. But she wasn’t sure she could ever trust him again.
“I never believed you were dangerous,” Rome finally said after a moment of soaking in her words. He clenched his jaw, a sign of tension she was coming to recognize. “Then I saw what you could do. You tore up that room. Killed those men. With some kind of semi-invisible force that came from your body.” He shook his head slowly and faced her once more. “That’s dangerous.”
Tightening her lips, she vividly recalled the scene in Bobby’s house. The bright sunlight filtering in. The guns pointed at her and Rome. The thought of being captured. She hadn’t meant to kill anyone. It made her sick to her stomach. She’d never even thought she was capable of something like that. Heck, every fish she’d ever caught, she’d set free.
But in that moment, just like at the Barracks, she’d come to know what was truly meant by “life or death.” It was them or the bad guys.
She’d chosen them.
And he’d chosen the bad guys.
Harper suddenly realized she shouldn’t be there. With him. The little respite he’d given her was now over.
“You’re right.” She shook her head sadly. “I am dangerous.” She looked around the room, searching for answers. This afternoon, she was able to control the power somewhat. That was good, right? She wouldn’t need his help now. But somehow that made her feel more alone than she ever had in the cold, dark cell. More than his betrayal had. She swung her gaze to meet his unreadable one. “I guess I’d better go. Thank you for helping me escape.” She began to wiggle out of the low chair.
“Harper, wait.” Rome rested his warm hand on her wrist, halting her antsy movement. “I can’t change what I did. I was just doing my job. My duty. You need to understand that.” He lifted his hand away from her and shook his head. “But you also need to understand this: There’s something about you. Something…I don’t know. I just know that I want to help you. Help you get your answers.” His imploring look captured her completely. He genuinely seemed out of his element. Well, they were on even ground there. “I know I said that before, but you weren’t telling me everything. Now I know what you were hiding. And I want to help you. Now more than ever.”