by Leah Brooke
Ian refastened her bra and cuddled her closer. “You’re so sweet, baby. For you, sex will always be very personal and very emotional. You can’t understand how people can have sex without feeling anything for each other.” Running a hand over her back, he hugged her close. “You’re too sensitive for this. Why don’t you go sit in the car while I move in closer?” He touched his finger to his ear and the earpiece there. “I’ll listen to them, and hopefully I’ll get enough.”
“No.” Serena shook her head. “They’re all guilty, but the sad part is that DuBois doesn’t think of himself as a traitor. He doesn’t see it that way since he’s not American. Rita’s only in it for kicks, money, and a chance to get closer to DuBois. Tom Garner is just weak. He does it for this. He wants to be dominated, but he’s afraid that others will find out. As long as he gives Rita information, she’ll keep his secret. He needs the pleasure and doesn’t know how else to get it. Pitiful.”
Serena stiffened, once again finding herself in Tom Garner’s mind, saying the numbers as he did, numbers he cried out between the strikes of the whip to his ass. “That’s all he remembers. He memorized that much for her, but he doesn’t understand any of it. He doesn’t even know how much of it he memorized right. He doesn’t care. He’s just making things up to keep her—oh God!”
Tom Garner’s cries for Rita to fuck his ass and the anguish he experienced proved too much for Serena. With a whimper, she turned to Ian and buried her face against his chest. “He’s in agony. Oh God, Ian. He can’t stand it.”
Her own body responded, Ian’s nearness making it almost unbearable.
Embarrassed to be aroused in a place and at a time when she shouldn’t be, Serena gripped the front of Ian’s jacket and took several deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I’ll be okay in a minute.”
What the hell’s going on? I thought you were watching Garner, not fucking Serena.
I think she’s in Garner’s head. I think she’s feeling what he’s feeling. I’ve never seen her this way before. She can’t handle this, Alastair. Her abilities are getting too strong. I don’t know. Shut up and let me help her.
Ian ran a hand over her back. “I know you will. I should have known you’d be too sensitive for this. I’m the one who’s sorry. I asked you to come with me to teach you a lesson and to show you that you’re not the type of woman to do this kind of thing. I’m sorry. You’re so sensitive. You’re not just reading his mind. You’re getting into his head, aren’t you? No more of this, Serena.” Touching his lips to her hair, he sighed. “I’m sorry, baby. Get out of there. Get out now.”
“No.” Looking up at him, she lifted a hand and slid it into his hair, pulling it free of its leather strip he’d used to tie it back. “I need to do this. I need to be useful. Please don’t baby me. This…ability, gift, whatever you want to call it has caused me enough grief in my life. It also brought me to you. I’m just starting to live—to really live—and I want to use this ability for good. The only way I can do that is with your help.”
Pressing against him, she stood on her toes to kiss his jaw, humbled by his admission and apology. “I can do this, Ian. I need to be useful. Please don’t take this away from me.”
Ian hugged her close, bending to touch his lips to her neck, a familiar gesture that helped center her. “We’ll see, baby. I’ll try, but I can’t stand to see you get hurt.”
Serena stiffened, the atmosphere in the small room across the street changing abruptly. “Oh God! She’s doing it. She’s using one of those things to take him.”
Ian gripped her tighter. “A strap-on? Hell, it sounds like he’s enjoying it. What the hell’s he saying?”
“She keeps pumping him for information. Oh God.”
Serena sucked in a breath when Ian squeezed her ass, the memory of the times he and Alastair had taken her there making her ass clench and tingle with awareness. “Ian? Oh God. It feels like I’m being taken there.”
Ian cursed. “Come on, baby. Let’s get the fuck out of here. Break away from him, Serena. Right now.”
“No.” She pressed a hand against his chest and squeezed her eyes closed, her breathing ragged at the violence that she felt coming from both of them. “There’s a plan to get the hostages in Ecuador. He’s telling her. He knows if word of the plan gets out, it’ll fail, but he can’t help himself.”
Ian stilled, gripping Serena and shaking her in an effort to break her from Garner’s lust. She had to focus on his thoughts, not what he felt. “What hostages? Who are they?”
Serena’s sob nearly ripped his heart out. “He doesn’t know that much. He’s angry because he doesn’t know more about it. He thinks they suspect that he’s doing something wrong, and it scares him, but he can’t stop. The men who are hostages are men who infiltrated a drug cartel. He doesn’t even know which department they work for.”
She told him the dates and locations as Tom Garner told her. “He’s coming. She’s moving faster. She can’t wait to give the information to DuBois.”
Ian pulled her close again, kissing her hair as he ran his hands up and down her back. “I hear them. Just think about me. Think about—”
Serena sucked in a breath and started shaking so hard that it scared the hell out of him. “Ian! Oh God. He’s so angry. Furious. He’s thinking clearly again and knows that he’s gone too far. He has to kill her. She released him.” She gripped Ian’s arm and took off, racing toward the house. “He’s going to do it! He’s choking her.”
Ian cursed and jerked her to a stop. “Serena?”
“Ian!” She gulped in air, her eyes wide with horror. “I can’t breathe. I can’t—” Grabbing at her throat, she fell to her knees. “He did it. She’s dead. Oh, Ian! H-help me.”
The breathless emptiness in her voice scared Ian to death.
She was in Rita’s mind!
Sliding to his knees on the wet grass, Ian gathered her against him. “Let go of her, Serena. Focus on me. Now, Serena!”
Her labored breathing scared him, the weakness that had her slumping against him sending a rush of horror through him. “Damn it, Serena! Look at me. Focus on me. Let her go. I don’t want you to think of anything except me.”
Seeing her gasping for air sent him into a panic, the light in her eyes fading and becoming unfocused.
Her grasp on him weakened until her hand dropped to her side, her face as white as paper.
“Serena! Damn it, don’t you even think about leaving me. I’d walk through hell to get to you.”
Using all the inner strength he possessed, he fought to close the doors that would block her from the rest of the world, scared to death that if he didn’t do it fast enough, he would lose her. Gripping her tightly, he wrapped his body protectively around her, squeezing his eyes closed to concentrate.
He hadn’t worked with her this way enough.
Alastair had always been the one to help her.
Ian?
Ian reached out to his brother. Help me. She’s fucking dying. I’ve got to block everything. Block her. Now!
He felt Alastair’s stunned disbelief and terror but pushed it aside to focus on the task at hand. To his enormous relief, he could feel his brother beside him, and the doors slammed shut with much greater ease.
Thank God.
Is she all right? I already called Jonathan, and he’s on his way.
“I’m okay. I’m okay.” Serena’s breathing was still labored, but it had gotten better, and her voice had gotten stronger. “I can’t believe he killed her. Look! He’s leaving.”
With a curse, Ian lifted her against his chest, bent low as he rushed to hide them behind some bushes. He pulled out his phone and started taking pictures of Tom Garner scanning the area furtively as he left the scene of the crime. With an arm around Serena’s waist, he held Serena against him, alarmed at the way she slumped.
Once Garner drove away, he cupped Serena’s face, lifting it to his and drew out his flashlight again to study her features. “Look at me. Are you all right?”
She nodded, closing her eyes again and pressing her face against his chest.
I’m already on my way.
Garner killed Rita.
Yeah. I got that. Hell, you were broadcasting to me so loudly I could barely talk to Jonathan. He knows what happened and is on his way. Are you okay?
Yeah. Shit. Serena’s a mess. Christ, I’ve never been so scared in my life. She was with Rita, reading her mind—in her mind—when Garner killed her. You should have seen her. Heard her. She couldn’t breathe, and she just puddled to the ground.
Holy shit! No wonder you were in such a panic.
Ian just held her there on the ground in the dark, rocking her.
Thanks for the help. It was hard to concentrate. I thought for sure Rita was going to take Serena with her. Hell, I’m still shaking. If you hadn’t helped me—fuck! I don’t practice that with her. I’ve been so determined to keep her out.
He’d been blocking Serena for only a short time and had almost paid dearly for his inexperience in doing so. Determined that nothing like that could happen in the future, he made up his mind to practice slamming the mental doors closed until it became almost automatic.
It’s all right, Ian. She’s okay, right?
Just get her out of here.
I’m almost there.
Focusing on Serena, he’d noticed that her breathing had gotten easier. “You okay, baby? Talk to me.”
Lifting her head, she nodded. “Ian, I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry.” Her smile held a sadness that broke his heart. “I guess you were right. I have no business doing this.”
Ian grimaced and held her against him as he got to his feet. Keeping her against him, he started back toward the car. “You did great. Too good. I’m the one who failed you.” Shaking his head at her questioning look, he pulled out his phone. “Alastair’s coming to get you. I want you away from here before Jonathan gets here. You were never here.”
Serena nodded and laid her head against his chest, her eyes narrowed in pain. “She’s supposed to meet with DuBois tonight.”
Ian scrubbed a hand over his face. “We’ve got nothing now.”
Serena chewed her lip. “We have a lot. We have Garner, and I can take Rita’s place with Jean Paul.”
“Not a fucking chance.”
Gripping the front of his jacket, Serena lifted her head. “Listen to me. I’ll take her place, give him false information and ask him when he’s making the drop. Even if he doesn’t tell me, he’ll think about the answer, and I’ll know. I can tell him that she’s a friend of mine. I know enough about her now that I can pull it off. I’ll tell him that I’m taking over for her because I’m interested in him. He’s got such a big ego that he’ll believe that.”
Ian shook his head. “No. He’ll never trust you enough to buy that, Besides, I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
Smiling, she laid a hand on his chest. “I’ll tell him that you don’t know anything about it. I’ll ask him not to tell you. I’ll beg him not to tell you if I have to. He won’t be able to resist the chance of having something over on you, especially when it concerns your girlfriend.”
Ian couldn’t believe her daring and knew that he’d have to keep a sharper eye on her in the future. The shy, cool shell she showed to the rest of the world, and to them when they’d first met her, was a far cry from the fiery, determined woman beneath.
Alastair had helped her control her abilities and shielded her while Ian had been concerned with wondering if she’d ever be able to hear his thoughts.
He’d been so wrong. Nothing mattered except protecting Serena. “So you’re going to give him fake information and try to get information from him?” Still shaking, Ian shook his head. “No.”
She smiled up at him, a smile that he could no longer live without in his life. “It’ll work, Ian, and you know it. Didn’t you just tell me that we had to do whatever it took to catch these people? Think about how many people are in danger as long as this asshole’s going around giving out confidential information.”
Alastair squealed to a stop next to them, jumped out of the sports car, and raced toward Serena. Gripping her upper arms, he lifted her to her toes. “Are you all right? What happened? Are you hurt anywhere? Say something, damn it!”
Reaching for him, Serena wrapped her arms around his neck. “I will if you give me a chance. I’ll talk your ear off. I’m fine.” Frowning, she glanced back toward Rita’s house. “I still don’t know what happened.”
Ian hustled her to the car, his stomach still in his throat. “I’ll tell you what happened. You were in her head when she died. She almost took you with her! Alastair, get her the hell out of here. Jonathan will be here any minute.”
Pausing, he knelt next to her, fastening her seat belt. “Go home and lie down. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”
The sound of sirens cut through the silent, upscale neighborhood.
“Hell, neighbors are going to be coming out from all directions any minute.” Straightening, Ian slammed the door and shot a look at his brother. “Get her the hell out of here. Watch her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
He took off toward the next block where he’d parked his own car in the parking lot of a club. He’d told Jonathan to meet him there and figured the other man would be waiting for him for a full report before talking to the local authorities.
He tried to put thoughts of Serena out of his mind, but now that the crisis had passed, he kept playing the scene over and over in his mind.
The panicked look on her face right before she looked up at him.
The love and trust in her eyes as he took her in his arms.
She’d counted on him to make everything right.
It was a heady feeling, one that he would never forget.
Thinking about her trust in him and her confidence that he could help fix everything nearly took him to his knees.
She’d needed him, and he hadn’t been able to help her because of his own insecurities and stubbornness.
He’d practice with her until helping her block everything out became second nature to him.
And he’d keep her safe. He needed her too damned much.
She was so strong in so many ways but, in other ways, completely defenseless.
He could have easily lost her.
As he approached Jonathan, who stood leaning against Ian’s car and watching him, Ian remembered the way Serena’s eyes had lit up when she talked about the plan she had for DuBois.
She wouldn’t be happy if he took that excitement away, but how the hell could he let her put herself in danger?
Her happiness was important to him, but her safety was even more so.
Somehow, he had to convince her to forget about helping them and stick to her painting.
Inwardly wincing at what he suspected would be Serena’s response to that, he carefully schooled his features and closed the distance between him and Jonathan.
“The cops got there about three minutes ago.”
Grim-face, Jonathan nodded. “You heard the murder take place?”
“Yes, although I’m going to have a hell of a time explaining why I was here. I also took some pictures of him leaving the scene.”
Jonathan drew a pair of leather gloves from his pocket and slipped them on. “Send them to me. I’ll take care of it. My main concern is catching DuBois. I’m not sure how you’re going to do that now.”
Ian sent the pictures from one of the burner phones he and Alastair used when they were on an assignment to Jonathan’s before opening his car door. “I’ll get back to you on that. Don’t worry. I’m not about to let him get away with treason.”
Jonathan straightened, smiling coldly. “I’m going to go check out the murder scene and then have a talk with Garner. I’ll have his confession by dawn.”
Ian knew Jonathan’s tactics well enough to know that, within minutes, Jonathan would have a team of men joining him to pick Tom Garner up. “I don’t doubt it at al
l. His fingerprints will be in Rita Savon’s home, which he could explain away by admitting to an affair.”
Jonathan nodded, his lips thinning. “Let me know what you plan to do with DuBois. I don’t like surprises. Speaking of surprises, what’s going on with Serena Abbott? I saw her with you at the party the other night.”
Ian smiled at that to hide his displeasure at the mistrust in Jonathan’s voice. “If you start getting invited to these parties, you’re not going to need me anymore.”
Jonathan’s eyes hardened. “I wasn’t invited, and you know it. I stood on the terrace and watched the way you and Miss Abbott finessed DuBois. What does she know?”
“Just that he’s a pain in the ass and that the two of us don’t get along.”
Jonathan’s gaze sharpened. “So, were the rumors correct? Is she psychic?”
Ian allowed a small smile, not about to give Jonathan or anyone else any information about Serena. “Don’t tell me that you believe in psychics now?”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Jonathan eyed him steadily. “I try to be open-minded.”
“You?” Ian closed his car door and rolled down the window. “For you, everything is black and white.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Do you really believe I’d be comfortable living with a woman who could read my mind?” Hiding his discomfort that it might very well become an issue, Ian put the car in gear. “She’s my lover, and that’s the end of it. She doesn’t know any more about me than anyone else, and I plan to keep it that way.”
“I sure as hell hope you don’t lose focus or that hard edge that I count on.”
“I won’t.”
As he pulled away, he gritted his teeth, anxious to get to Serena.
Jonathan was wrong.
He wouldn’t lose his focus.
Having Serena in his life had sharpened it.
There was more at stake now than ever before.
* * * *
Alastair glanced at Serena every few seconds as they started for home. “Are you all right now?”
Nodding, she turned to smile weakly at him. “Yeah. That was pretty scary. Poor Ian. He’s already upset that I want to help. He doesn’t think I can do it. Now he’s going to be even worse.”