Circle of Desire

by Carla Swafford

  She leaned toward him. “Then a quickie it is.”

  He jerked away from her touch. “Enough. Get your clothes on.” Instead of protesting as he expected, she shrugged and sauntered into one of the bedrooms.

  Bending over, hands on knees, he sucked in the cool air. He needed his cock to soften enough to walk without hurting. The woman was remarkable. She possessed more guts than ten men and she turned him on faster than a light switch. His plan to keep her interested in him to control her was backfiring. He chuckled. He had a hell of a time keeping his mind on business whenever she drew near.

  Standing straight, his body eased enough for him to move, he pulled out his cell and keyed in a number. As soon as the person answered, he demanded, “What in the hell are you doing here?”

  “Hey, man, I’ve got to go where my master sends me,” Jason said in his good-old-boy voice. The line was quiet for a few seconds and then he added, “Meet me in the seventh cabana near the Canyon pool. I’ve got some news for you.”

  Collin pressed a key to cut the connection. He glanced toward the bathroom. The sound of water hitting tile tipped him off that he had fifteen minutes tops.

  Less than five minutes later he stood in the shadows of one of the many bright yellow and orange tents lining the edge of the pool. The sharp smell of chlorine tickled his nose. One second he was alone and the next a dark shape walked up.

  “How’s it going, old friend?” Jason held his hand out.

  Collin shook his hand briefly. “As well as can be expected.” He eyed the tall man. “How are you feeling?”

  “Another day closer to death.” Jason looked away for a second.

  Nodding, Collin understood he’d rather not talk about the cancer eating at his body. “I need to get back. What do you have for me?” The tall man standing in front of him had been a mole for the OS from the beginning of the split. For Jason to want to meet face to face, it had to be something important.

  “The news at The Circle is that Olivia isn’t dead.” Jason crossed his arms and pursed his lips as he looked down at the cement beneath his feet.

  “What details do they know?” Collin watched the door to the hotel, hoping not to see Olivia or any early risers exit. The place was nearly deserted with parties over and everyone passed out in their beds.

  “Someone said her favorite orphanage had a healthy influx of funds. They had already suspected the OS had something to do with her disappearance.” Olivia’s ex-handler stuck his hands into his front pockets.

  Normally such a move would make Collin nervous, but he trusted Jason with his life. They’d grown up together and always had a connection like brothers.

  “Fuck. Does everyone know about the orphanage?” Collin asked. He shook his head. Olivia would be horrified if she knew her secret hadn’t been much of one.

  “No. Just me and Theo. Theo is a little paranoid about his women and especially one as deadly as Olivia.” Jason checked the clock on his cell phone. “For now, he’s searching for Joe Murphy. Did you know there’s at least ten thousand Joe Murphys in the U.S. alone?” Not expecting an answer, he added, “I’ve got to go. Be aware, someone in your organization is giving out tidbits of information. I haven’t had any luck finding the person’s name. The info is being channeled directly to the top. It’s only a matter of time before Theo believes his informant and then who knows what he’ll do? If it had been anyone else, he’d send out a contract for a hit, but in this case it will be more personal and he’ll want her to have a slow and lingering death. That’s the kind of man he is.”

  “Yeah. I know.” Damn, he really thought they would have more time. “Take care of yourself.”

  “You watch your back. And remember your promise. When it’s time, you’ll do it quick. Maybe you can use it to your advantage.” The operative stared hard at his old friend.

  Collin nodded his confirmation without saying another word. Then Jason slipped out and headed around to the front of the hotel, jumping over a short fence along the way.

  Collin waited a moment longer and then entered the hotel through the entrance near the pool. He needed a few minutes to come to terms with his friend’s imminent death from such a cruel disease. As soon as he walked into the suite, he knew something was wrong. The whirl of an electronic device starting up filled the room and a small green light bounced off the wall and then disappeared. He guessed it was now dancing on his back.

  “Olivia, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” He raised his hands and slowly turned around.

  Feet spread apart, dressed in black with a sporty red trim jacket, she held the sniper rifle they’d recently returned to her and forwarded to the hotel in several containers. He’d been impressed by its microcomputer, perfect for shooting in any kind of weather. Presently she had one eye to the night sight. Damn, the woman was stronger than he gave her credit for as she was holding, elbows out, an eighteen-pound rifle and it barely moved. “You do know from this close of a range my torso would disintegrate into a hundred thousand tiny pieces, spreading blood and me everywhere in the room.”

  “Like I care,” she spit with menace. Her hand trembled and the barrel wobbled.

  “Can we talk about whatever has set you off?” He hadn’t expected her to become so angry about his turning her down.

  She shifted the rifle against her cheek, probably easing up a tight muscle. “I thought this job was too easy. What was the real reason I’m here? Have you worked out some type of trade with Jason?”

  Damn! He didn’t need this now. The sun was peeking around Camelback Mountain. They needed to get out of there.

  “No. You’ll have to trust me.” He was a crazy fucker because all he could think about was how damn good she looked holding that rifle.

  “Oh, that makes a world of difference. Not!” She made another adjustment of the pad next to her cheek. “You get me all hot and bothered and then ignore me. You never finish what you start and I can’t—” As she crumbled to the ground, Rex caught the rifle.

  “Motherfucker! What were you thinking? You’re going to fuck around until she kills you? Bloody hell! There wouldn’t be anything left for me to pick up.” Rex started breaking down the rifle, slapping each part into the shaking hands of one of his men.

  Collin knelt next to Olivia, pressing two fingers to the artery in her neck. His heartbeat matched hers as it continued to speed up.

  “What did you shoot her with?” Collin asked as he smoothed her hair out of her face.

  “The same as you did before. Twilight.” Rex sneered.

  “Damn, she’s going to be pissed again. We can’t keep knocking her out.” Collin scooped her into his arms. “Let’s go. Thank goodness we’ve got a private plane back.”

  “I’m all for dumping her out over Texas.” Rex followed, leaving the cleanup for his crew.

  “Now what has Texas ever done to you?”

  Rex’s laughter bounced off the high ceiling and turned the head of the clerk behind the desk as they walked through the lobby.

  Shifting her weight one more time in his arms, Collin nonchalantly headed toward the waiting limo. No one stopped or questioned him about carrying an unconscious woman. Handing out a few grand to a couple of employees helped. Anyway, what was one more passed-out partyer to the hotel?

  Collin settled Olivia in the backseat with her head in his lap. Her face relaxed and pale, she looked younger. He lifted her hand and kissed a finger, the same one that had been on the trigger. Thank goodness, she was a pro. Otherwise, she could’ve accidently killed him. No matter what she intended to tell him when she woke up. She’d been more upset about his refusal to sleep with her than she was worried about his betrayal.

  He chuckled. But would she ever admit she had a soft spot for him?

  Chapter Thirteen

  Olivia stared at Collin as he interrogated Mason. He was driving her absolutely nuts. When she’d woken up in the hospital bed again, he’d merely said, “No. We’re not trading you,” and then walked away. S
he’d been pissed and wanted to teach him a lesson, but until she found a way, she’d wait for an opportunity.

  In the meanwhile, he’d been telling the truth. She remained at the OS, watching Collin drill Mason on where the artifact was and who had it. What was so important about an old sword anyway?

  The door behind her opened and in the reflection of the glass separating the two rooms, Rex hesitated, making it obvious he hadn’t known she was in the observation room. Kind of sweet, the way he eyed her with distrust instead of his usual out-and-out hatred. Per the OS grapevine, Collin had given Rex a stern talking to about his attitude toward her. She wasn’t sure why Collin thought it necessary, even though it did make working with Rex tolerable. Like that would actually stop Big Foot from trying to kill her. Anyway, she still owed him for knocking her out twice, once with his fist and the latest with drugs.

  “Come on in and have a seat.” She waved her hand to the uncomfortable metal torture devices they called chairs.

  “So Mason still hasn’t broke?” he asked the obvious.

  In her attempt to get along with Collin’s second in command, she stopped the smart-alecky comment she wanted to make and merely shook her head. “In the last three days, I’ve been tempted to confess to anything, even in knowing where Jimmy Hoffa’s body is just to make Collin stop. I don’t know how Mason’s not giving it up.”

  Rex turned, forehead furrowed. “You know where his body is?”

  Cutting her eyes over to the big man, she sighed. “No. I was making a funny.”

  He blushed. “There were rumors that The Circle had a hand in that. So I thought Theo may have . . . never mind.” He turned the chair and straddled it, placing his arms across the back. “Mason’s the hardest nut for Collin to crack in a long time.”

  “Nut is a good word to use. The guy’s crazy.” Hand under chin and elbow on her knee, staring at Rex, she asked, “Why’s the artifact so important?”

  “Partly because it used to belong to Benjamin Ryker.”

  “Collin’s dad?” she asked, watching Rex suck on his bottom lip in deep thought before dipping his head. “Oh. How did it leave the family?”

  “Not really sure. I do know the red diamond in the pommel is worth a pretty tidy sum. But the story is, ‘whoever owns the sword will control The Circle.’ A bunch of shit if I’ve ever heard.” He snorted and glared at Mason in the next room. “That idiot either found a way into The Circle’s Main Sector or had inside help and took it. Thankfully we caught him before he could sell it to the highest bidder.” A crooked grin lit his features. “I bet Theo’s fit to be tied.” Rex darted a concerned look at her.

  “No. I don’t care what you think. I don’t have a direct line to Theo.” His apprehension made sense. She’d been an eliminator for The Circle. What Rex didn’t know was Theo treated her as he did any woman. Like she didn’t have the sense to get out of the way of a speeding bullet, thus she was expendable. Though she had as much freedom as any male operative, she’d known at any time he could order her eliminated and not blink an eye in regret.

  Eyeing the red-headed maniac, she wondered how he heard about Theo’s sword. During her time as Theo’s mistress, she’d seen his collection of medieval artifacts. He loved that collection more than anyone’s life. But she didn’t remember a sword with a red diamond or Theo mentioning one.

  The door on the other side of the interrogation room opened and Dr. Shelton walked in carrying a small tray with a white cloth covering it. Collin spoke to her and exited.

  Olivia stood and leaned back against the far wall with her arms crossed, not feeling comfortable with the doctor being alone with a psycho. Her gaze darted to the door as she expected Collin to return any second.

  The doctor took Mason’s blood pressure and checked his pulse, ignoring the man’s obscenities. When she pulled out a large syringe, his face turned red as he struggled with the cuffs holding him in the chair. Suddenly one of the cuffs opened and he backhanded the doc.

  Slamming her body into the door, Olivia darted to the other side of the interrogation room before Mason could work free of the last handcuff. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Rex rushing in behind her.

  With a smooth, powerful kick, her foot landed square in the middle of Mason’s chest, pushing him against the wall away from the doctor on the floor. “Get Shelton out of the way!” she shouted at Rex. The room was too small for all four of them to maneuver.

  When Rex hesitated, she knew they would be in trouble if she couldn’t convince him to leave. “I can hold this asshole off until you move her out of the way.” She blocked his attempt to grab her.

  “This asshole is going to have your heart for supper,” Mason shouted. His spittle sprayed her and ticked her off. Who knew what type of germs the jerk had? She remembered the disgusting way he’d mauled her at the party.

  “For God’s sakes man, say it, don’t spray it,” she jeered. By the look he gave her, a person would believe she’d called his mama a whore. He yelled and leaped at her. She took a deep breath and kneed him in the balls as his hands touched her neck.

  A loud “humph” and the foulest gust of air brushed passed her. Luckily she moved to the side as Mason vomited on the floor and then followed it face first, landing in his own filth.

  “The bitch has sent my nuts to my spleen,” Mason said in a high-pitched voice.

  “What in the hell is going on in here?” Collin stood in the doorway, arms crossed, scowling at her.

  “Hey, don’t look at me. He started it.” She pointed to Mason. The man had rolled over onto his back with his knees to his chest. His regurgitated supper smeared from face to knees.

  “Rex, give Dr. Shelton over to Rick.” The bald orderly stepped around Mason and took her from the big guy. “Take Mason to the showers and clean him up. Get someone to help and keep a gun on him. Then you can do what’s needed to make him talk. I’m tired of fooling with his ass.” The other orderly stood nearby Mason holding a Glock two-fisted, arms straight out. Collin returned his attention to Olivia. She really wished he hadn’t. The man looked as if he would love nothing better than to dump her cold, lifeless body in a ravine. “You.” He jerked his head toward the door.

  Did he really believe she would meekly do as he said? Hell, no! She hadn’t gotten to be The Circle’s lead eliminator without some guts.

  “Is this how you thank the person who saved your precious doctor’s life?” Hands on hips, she huffed.

  That was when her stomach protested the horrible smell in the tiny space. A clammy and cold feeling washed her face. If she didn’t get out of here, she wouldn’t be responsible for what happened next.

  “Olivia?” Collin reached for her and she stepped back not wanting to be sick on him. She clamped her mouth shut, in effort to hold her stomach back by not breathing anymore of the foul air.

  When he scowled at her, she knew he misunderstood her reaction.

  She closed her eyes hoping that would help, instead the earth shifted and she swallowed, instantly regretting it. Her knees buckled, but then a light-headedness engulfed her, causing her to feel like she was floating on air.

  Unable to hold her breath any longer, she tentatively inhaled. It was fresh and clean. Warmth flooded one side of her body. She opened her eyes. He’d picked her up and they were in the hallway. Collin looked down at her in his arms, his dark eyes filled with worry. She liked that, him worrying about her. Had anyone ever worried about her except in how she would kill them? Why did she have to ruin her vulnerable moment with that thought?

  He continued to carry her, turning several corners and causing her stomach to roil with each turn. The OS was a freaking maze. They came to a huge double door she’d never seen before. At least eight feet wide and definitely castle worthy. He stopped next to a box on the wall, shifted her until she leaned against him and the wall. He then spread his hand on the glass, a blue beam flowed down his palm, and with a two-tone beep the doors drifted open.

  “I’m okay now. I
can walk.” She’d enjoyed being in his arms, but the feminist side of her said to protest.

  The man had his ignoring routine down to an art. When he picked her up and stepped into the huge room, she gasped. It was a fucking castle. Or at the least, it wouldn’t be out of place in any stone and mortar stronghold a person could find in freaking England. Heavy furniture and tapestries everywhere with gargoyles of all types and sizes. What was up with that? Did he have a fetish for them?

  “You can put me down now. I feel better. I won’t barf on your . . . my God! Is that a silk Persian rug?” she asked, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

  She stared at the beautiful brown and blue design as they left the room. He hadn’t hesitated when they walked over it, but she recognized it. One similar to it was sold by Christie’s a few years ago. She’d wanted it so much but the bidding had reached a few more million than she had.

  The wide hallway was lined with shelves that lit up as they walked by. Displayed on the glass were objets d’art that appeared old and rare.

  Using his shoulder, he opened another wooden door about half the size of the first set. The bedroom was as large as her suite. In the center sat a huge bed covered with a royal blue comforter and several matching pillows. She’d expected the bed to be on a platform and drapery all around it, considering the tone of what she’d seen so far. Though large, the bed looked normal and almost out of place. She checked the ceiling. No mirrors but a beautiful mural of stars and a quarter moon were painted realistically.

  Instead of dropping her in the middle of the bed, he continued to a small door off to the side. Inside was a well-appointed bathroom consisting of a separate shower and bath, and a double sink, mirrors everywhere, and another door that probably led to the toilet. The man didn’t believe in doing anything halfway.