Eternally Bound: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set

by T. J. Michaels

  “Well hello, handsome. How are you?”

  “I’m great, but I’d be doing better if you were having breakfast with me.”

  “Breakfast? I…uh…” She had to what? Come on, girl, think of something!

  “Have you eaten already? I know it’s a bit late.”

  Whew! He’d just bailed her out. She guessed she should be thankful considering the state of her frozen brain. Wait, what did he mean by a bit late? Her first glance at the nightstand clock convinced her that the cheap plastic thing was lying. She couldn’t wait until her things arrived from Denver so she could have a clock that was reliable. There was just no way she’d slept the morning away until eleven o’clock! Time to get moving if she was going to be on time for her appointment at Pam’s. Damn, she hated rushing.

  “I can’t do breakfast today. I have a hair appointment in an hour, then I’m going to work.”

  “Where’s your hair appointment?”

  “Arboretum Mall. My friend Pam has a salon there.”

  “Well, why don’t you meet me at Le Peep restaurant? It’s at Arboretum, right?”

  “Yes, but by the time I’m ready and get over there, we wouldn’t have much time to eat.”

  “You’re not just blowing me off, are you?” Justin asked directly but playfully.

  “Oh please!” Delaine laughed. “I might have taken the time back when I was twenty, but now, handsome, I wouldn’t bother to blow you off. I’d just tell you to go suck wind.” Her tone was good-natured, but she wasn’t kidding.

  “I’ve never met a woman more subtle,” he chided in return. “How ’bout a rain check?”

  “You’ve got it. Next weekend?”

  After two hours of sitting in Pam’s beauty chair getting her hair done while spilling the details on the great time she’d had at Duke Mansion, Delaine finally made it to work.

  She flashed her badge at the front door and stopped to speak amicably to the security guard before making her way to the elevators. From the numerous monitors on his desk the plant looked all but deserted, thank goodness. Nothing like surveillance on a Saturday afternoon. Humph, it reminded her of a bad song title. Surveillance was her favorite part of every assignment. So why didn’t she feel exhilarated?

  *Because you would rather spend the afternoon with our mate.*

  ‘Hush, Sapa, nobody asked you. At least not this time,’ Delaine whispered in her head, unable to keep the grin out of her voice. She received an answering chuckle. God, how weird people would think her if they knew she had a chuckling black mountain lion in her head. And the lioness seemed to understand her heart better than she understood herself. But there was no way between here and hell she’d admit it to the big, arrogant fur ball.

  She put her game face on, stepped into the elevator and froze to the spot.

  * * * * *

  “Hello, Ms. Jeris.”

  Eewww! Baker’s voice slid over her like oil. Black, thick, crude oil. The last person in the universe she wanted to see occupied her elevator. Sapa sprang to the forefront of her mind with a snarl, ready to lend her speed and strength should there be a need.

  ‘It’s all right, Sapa. I’ve got it under control. Go scout the building and see who’s down in The Vault.’ As soon as the thought was completed, Delaine felt the great hunter’s presence dim in her mind as she took off to perform her task.

  “Hello, Mr. Baker,” Delaine said brightly behind a perfect smile. “How are you?”

  “Fabulous, thank you. What floor are you going to?” His eyes practically glowed when his hand brushed against her as he reached for the control panel.

  “Headed to my office. There are a couple of pieces of the process that are eluding me. I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around them,” she said in the most confused voice she could muster. “Thought I’d work on them while it’s nice and quiet around here.”

  Both their offices were on the ninth floor, and that button was already lit. Damn it! The man’s timing sucked. She’d been on her way to Research and Development one floor below. Since R&D took up the entire eighth floor and none of those people were in the building, technically she didn’t have any business on that floor. She’d have to snoop later. And what the hell was he doing here on a Saturday afternoon anyway? From what she knew of him, probably the same thing she was.

  The elevator doors slid closed and Delaine busied herself looking for something in her purse when the first image from Sapa flew into her head.

  The Vault was empty, all of the tunnels that led to the labs were dark with the exception of two of the fifteen. Images streamed into her head of what looked like janitors or interns cleaning the floors and such. Excellent.

  As Delaine continued to fumble in her purse, the cool handle of the gun on the bottom of the large bag teased her fingers. When Baker’s jade green eyes traveled from her face down to her breasts and then lingered, she wished she could just put a slug in him. God, the man made her skin crawl. Okay, she needed a distraction. She tried to engage in polite conversation, but it turned out to be a true test of her patience. He said very few words and kept his eyes plastered on her chest until he had the gall to let them stray to the vee at her crotch. Nasty bastard.

  Almost to the haven of her office, he sprung a doozey on her. “Why don’t you come to my office? Perhaps I can assist you with the piece of the process that’s, ah, eluding you?” Oh joy, an offer she couldn’t refuse.

  They stopped at her office, grabbed her documents then headed down the hall to his. She’d been inside before but not while he was in it. This was the most help he’d been since the day she met him, and god knows she’d been more than content without his aid.

  Okay, time to do the process analysis dazzle. Spitting out everything she knew about the manufacturing process for Zalactin, minus a couple of key parameters and components, she sat back and let him take the lead.

  The bland expression on his face screamed bored, loud and clear, but his eyes flashed green fire. The man was either turned on or pissed off, she couldn’t tell which.

  He quickly filled in the missing pieces she’d deliberately left out and she gave him a big toothy smile as she packed up her stuff and left. Ducking into her office, Delaine wished it was farther from Baker’s. The docs she and Baker worked on were deliberately spread out on her desk.

  An hour later a quiet knock sounded on her open door.

  “I’ll be leaving now. Have a good evening, Ms. Jeris.”

  She looked up and found a too-good-looking Baker in her doorway. “Thanks, Mr. Baker, you too,” her voice fading on a distracted murmur. Her head snapped up from the papers she pretended to be reading as she said, “Oh, and thank you for your help earlier. I think I’ve got it now.” She motioned to the dataflow diagram on her whiteboard and flashed him a satisfied smile.

  The second she heard the ding from the elevator she tucked her gun into the waistband of her pants, pulled her sweatshirt down over it and stuck her head out of her office door. The coast looked clear, but she backtracked past Baker’s office just to make sure. She knocked on the door. No answer. The doorknob didn’t budge. But she had the feeling someone was watching her.

  ‘Sapa, is Baker in the building?’

  *He is gone, yet you are still not alone.*

  ‘What does that mean?’ But Sapa didn’t answer. Fine. She didn’t have time for this. Striding toward the elevators, Delaine snapped open her secure cell and hit the send button.

  “Okay, Geri, I’m getting ready to go down. The homing beacon is active. If you don’t hear from me in two hours, send in the cavalry.” She snapped the phone closed, flashed the encryption key against the elevator’s control panel and braced herself for the plummet down to The Vault.

  * * * * *

  Justin watched Delaine disappear into Baker’s office and felt his stomach knot up with disgust. Baker was the slime ball of the earth. So this is what she meant by “go to work” on Saturday, eh? A smile kicked up on the side of his mouth because it’s exac
tly what he would have meant if he’d said it to her.

  Even in her loose-fitting sweats, the woman was impressive. Nice wide hips, slender waist and an ass to die for. Damn, she looked as lovely as she had last night. Then she’d been all sultry and soft, a high-heeled goddess. Today, with her hair down in all those twists and curls he liked so much, sweats and sneakers, the woman was all business, ready to kick butt and take names. But still lovely.

  Relief coursed through him when Delaine waltzed out of Baker’s office seeming none the worse for wear. Glad for the atrium in the middle of the building, he sat two floors up, able to reposition his scope to see into Delaine’s open door. She appeared to be working. Her mouth was pulled down into a frown as she concentrated on something on her desk. She leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms over her head, arching her back on a yawn. Damn, that was sexy. He wondered what it would be like to be the one making her arch and stretch like that. His cock stirred and he cursed.

  The scope now set on Baker’s door, he watched the man lock his door, stop at Delaine’s for a second and then head to the elevator.

  Justin packed up and headed for the stairs. But not before taking one last look at Delaine in her office. If only he could go down and talk to her. But he knew he was the last person she would expect to see here. But he wanted so bad to see her. Was drawn to her until his throat clogged with the urge to run for the stairwell, down to the ninth floor and around the atrium to her office. Just to inhale her natural scent, touch her hair. And he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

  For the first time in his life, Justin despised his job.

  A quiet beep sounded on his earpiece. Baker was making a call. By the third ring, Justin pressed a series of numbers to kick off the tracer program Derrick had written to attach to Baker’s cellular signature. Both of them would hear the call.

  “Sarah Ann, this is Baker. I’m at the facility. I’m leaving now to make our appointment. Do you understand?”

  “Y-Yes, sir.”

  The call was disconnected. Two more phone calls revealed Baker’s plans for the next couple of days. And little did he know, Justin would be right there with him at each of his destinations. So much for spending time with Delaine this weekend. Strangely enough, knowing he’d see her when she came back to work made him look forward to Monday morning for the first time in his entire career.

  Chapter Six

  “Justin? What are you doing here?” Delaine’s eyes went wide for a split second then her instinctive game face snapped into place. Thank goodness her body knew what to do because her brain had completely checked out.

  “Hey, beautiful! It’s nice to see you. What are you doing here?”

  “I asked you first,” she countered, unable to think of anything else to say.

  “I’m a contractor for Quality Control. I’m usually up in the QC labs.”

  “Really? I don’t recall you saying you worked here in our previous conversations.” A grimace almost peeked through her painted-on smile when Sapa began to growl. And she was growling at Delaine, not Justin. The man had called her every day since they met and she’d purposely avoided the subject of work. The guilt was eating her alive.

  “We didn’t really talk much about work. You told me you were a production process something-or-other but I didn’t know you worked in this facility. There are several pharma and biotech companies in South Charlotte these days. But you’re a contractor, right? How long will you be here?”

  Was that a flicker of guilt in his eye? Maybe it was her own conscience getting to her. Whatever it was disappeared so quickly all she had to go on was her own unease as Sapa’s thoughts insinuated into her head.

  *You will tell him in time, Suta, but not today. Ask him to lunch.* Before Delaine knew it, she was doing exactly what Sapa told her to. Now that was a first.

  “Uh, how about lunch, Justin?” His smile lit up her world.

  *Very good, Suta. You have just made our mate very happy.*

  ‘Will you stop calling him that?’ Delaine blushed in her head. Sapa just seemed so sure, but she just wasn’t. It wasn’t a feeling she was familiar with.

  *Ceasing to call him mate will not make him any less ours.*

  ‘Damn it, Sapa…’ Justin’s deep voice snapped her out of her private conversation.

  “Listen, I just need to return these samples to the lab and I’ll meet you…uh, where?” he asked.

  “I’m parked in Lot J, Slot 2. Say, ten minutes?”

  * * * * *

  “Derrick, I’m in deep here. I just ran into Delaine Jeris in a secured elevator. I can almost guarantee she was on her way down to The Vault.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because that’s where I was going, damn it. If she hadn’t gotten on that elevator I’d be down there right now looking for evidence. And I have a feeling she’s thinking the same thing.”

  “And how’s that?”

  Justin wanted to say “relieved” but held his tongue. The last place he wanted Delaine to be was down in those labs. The thought of her running into Baker down there made his gut clench so tight he had to fight to breathe. A subject change was in order.

  “I’ve managed to keep out of Delaine’s sight while managing to watch her all week.”

  “It’s not your job to watch her. You’re after Baker, not a piece of Jeris’ ass.”

  “Last I checked you were my partner, not my boss, Derrick!”

  “Whoa, slow your roll, Justin,” Derrick said firmly. Justin didn’t miss the long drawn out sigh from his partner before he continued. “Look, Jus, I’m just concerned about you getting sidetracked. We’ve been boys for ten years and I’m just looking out for you, man.”

  Justin felt contrite for his outburst to his friend. Well, almost. Delaine was nobody’s business, except his.

  “I appreciate your concern, Derrick, but I’m all good. I can handle it. I know what my job is, but part of that job is to not get caught. If I rush this I could blow it. Listen, I think Delaine is being followed and I want you to check it out for me. I’ve seen a woman around Delaine, ducking in and out of Baker’s offices…”

  “So?”

  “…and down in The Vault.”

  “Aw, hell.”

  “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I’ve already sent you a digital of the woman. Check her out and get back to me.”

  Justin clicked the cell shut, dropped off the sample cart and headed out of the building to Lot J. He was amazed no one was on to him yet. If he was lucky, it would stay that way until he could get the goods on Baker and get himself and his woman out of here in one piece.

  He shook his head and sighed. He already saw Delaine as his, and he couldn’t tell her a damned thing about what he suspected was going on in this place.

  * * * * *

  “So where do you want to go?” Delaine asked as he slipped into the passenger side of her Jag. As soon as the door shut Sapa started dancing around her head as she did every time she heard this man’s voice. It was damned disconcerting to have her spirit guide behave so giddily. Even when talking on the phone the lioness pranced, growled and rolled around like a loon. Amazing. Sapa’s actions mirrored what she wished she could do. She looked toward him and his smile twisted her brain. Lord, could she even string two words together?

  They pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the highway. “It’s cold as I-don’t-know-what outside. Pam told me about this place on South Kings Street called Austin’s. If you’re up for some nice, hot Caribbean food we could go there,” she suggested kindly. His startling blue eyes darkened to a sultry midnight hue, glittering as if she were the treat of a lifetime.

  “Nice and hot?” his voice smooth as silk. “Yeah, I think I could go for some of that.”

  “Lord, you are such a flirt,” she grinned back.

  “Guilty, baby.” His hand reached across and slid underneath her cloak to rest on her thigh. The skin tingled but she didn’t flinch or pull away. His fingers felt like they b
elonged there, even when her breathing took off and her grin split her face in two. She knew she was blushing so hard, her scalp felt on fire, but she just couldn’t help it. It might have been forty degrees outside, but underneath her coat was at least ninety-two!

  ‘Sapa, send me some relaxation or something, quick! This man is sending my temp through the roof!’

  “So how’s your process hierarchy thing going at work?” he asked, his thumb tracing lazy little circles across her knee.

  Her face fell, like she’d been doused with cold water. No need for Sapa to help her calm down after all. What could she say to him other than the typical oh-my-project-is-fine? She certainly couldn’t say “oh, well my surveillance is going fine, I’m on to the bad guy and I’ve managed to elude the woman who’s been following me.”

  “You all right, Del?”

  A tremulous smile replaced her giddy one. All she could afford to spare him was a glance as she said, “Sure, Justin. Just great.”

  * * * * *

  Justin could have kicked himself in the teeth. His question about her work had put her completely on edge. And that was the last place he wanted her. He knew what it was like to be asked that question. He hoped Delaine wouldn’t go there and ask him—he didn’t want to lie to her. But she was a smart woman and would probably pick up on his hedging sooner rather than later.

  When they pulled into the parking lot at Austin’s, before she could get out of the car, he turned in his seat, reached for her and practically hauled her into his lap. Justin poured everything into that kiss. Everything he couldn’t say and everything he wasn’t supposed to feel rippled through him as his lips unerringly found hers. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so anxious.

  Delaine pulled back with an alarmed expression on her face. Breathing ceased and he just knew he was busted. Why else would she be looking at him like that? Then the deep lines in her forehead softened. He leaned into her hands as the smooth leather of her gloves glided over one side of his face.