Circle of Desire

by Carla Swafford

  “As usual I ticked off Theo but this time I went too far. I called him a liar. Well, not straight out, although he understood what I meant. I knew my mouth would get me in trouble, but I had hoped to last through a fun day.” She watched for A. J.’s reaction and was beginning to doubt her intuition until the brunette burst out laughing.

  “I’d given anything to be a fly on that wall. Of course, then those tacky wall coverings would knock me off.” A. J. grinned, her brown eyes blinking innocently.

  “Tell me about it. Have you seen his newest surcoat? Who wears surcoats, for that matter?” Olivia had never had a girlfriend but could easily see how she and A. J. could become close friends.

  They then flopped on the couch and talked about their jobs, Theo, and men in general. “When I walked in earlier, you were crying. Was it about a man?” Olivia asked.

  A. J. rubbed her eyes as a heartrending looked pulled at her face. “Today is the anniversary . . . he died.” On a deep breath she shook her head. “I was feeling sorry for myself. You know how hard it is in our job . . . other male operatives are so self-centered, wanting a quick lay and nothing else. Then, if you try to date outside the sectors, the rules are so strenuous and the guys never understand why you can’t talk about your job.” She shook her head.

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.” Olivia then told A. J. about sleeping with an OS operative but not that he’d been the head honcho himself.

  The woman stared at her hard. “Yeah. I think you do understand. You love that guy.”

  Hell, even A. J. saw the symptoms. No matter how many times Theo had said she’d changed and she wanted to argue, she had, and it was all Collin’s fault. Never had she been so obsessed with a man. All she could think about was stealing the sword and taking it to him. Perhaps she could convince him to let her stay with the OS. Damn it! There she went again, acting pitiful.

  After a swallow of the sixth cold beer A. J. had handed her, she asked, “Do you want to help me break into Theo’s bedroom? Actually his dressing room.”

  “His secret safe?” A. J. waved her beer in the air.

  “Some secret, huh?” Olivia giggled and then covered her mouth. She never giggled.

  Rolling off the chair onto the floor laughing, A. J. held up her beer, miraculously not spilling a drop. She held her ribs with her free hand. “Okay. No more beer. We need to sober up if you want in the safe.”

  Olivia groaned.

  A. J. burped.

  Her new friend’s surprised expression had Olivia doubling up. After a few moments, she tried her best to regain control, but as soon as she looked at A. J. again, she burst out laughing. “Sure. Sober.”

  Chuckling, A. J. then released a snort.

  By the time they regained control and took turns in the bathroom, they began planning their assault on Theo’s dressing room safe.

  Crap! Crap! Crap!

  How did she get herself into these situations? Hanging upside down outside Theo’s bedroom window at two in the morning wasn’t necessarily a safe or smart activity.

  It had all started with trying to find a way to contact Collin but as expected, all transmissions in and out of the Main Sector were tracked. And of course, her leaving for a short trip was out of the question.

  When she was about to give up all hope she found an ally in The Circle and it wasn’t her ex-handler, Jason. That traitor treated her as persona non grata and had warned her that she would be suspected of lying if she told Theo about his involvement with the OS. He’d even added, “Only liars fuck the enemy.” He’d only confirmed what she’d always known, he was a prick.

  Her new ally was A. J., Theo’s enforcer.

  Five hours later, she was hanging upside down while A. J. fed the line from the roof until she could peer through the open window into Theo’s bedroom. With all of her blood rushing to her face, she had to fight the need to throw up the six-pack and two pots of coffee she’d downed earlier.

  She signaled to lower her a little further. With one hand on the sash, she pulled herself head first into the window, keeping an ear out for anyone moving inside. She shoved the curtain to the side and looked around, and then wiggled onto the window frame. Her hand shook a little as she worked at unclipping herself from the feed line. She dropped the rope outside the window, making sure it hung from the roof in easy reach for her escape.

  As she’d thought, the open window was in Marie’s dressing room. Theo would never be so careless. His was next door without windows. The man thought no one would dare infiltrate the sector, much less his private domain.

  A small hallway separated the rooms from the rest of his private suite. She eased into the hallway, guided by memory and the small night-lights mounted near the floor, and stepped softly toward the other door while listening for any sign of movement from the bedroom. If Theo kept the same routine, he’d been in bed hours ago and wouldn’t be waking for a few more.

  She finally reached the other dressing room and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. First, Theo’s favorite cologne engulfed her. Taking a couple deep swallows, she dared her stomach to rebel at such a critical time. Second, she hated the feeling of pitch black emptiness surrounding her. Not waiting a moment more, she unhooked the flashlight from her harness, flipped it on, and took a step forward. She jumped when lights flashed on the floor and traveled toward the far wall and continued along the molding until she could see.

  “Shit!” She hadn’t expected Theo to go so modern as to install motion-activated lights. That was new. She hoped like hell he hadn’t changed his safe and added an alarm too.

  After turning off and hooking the flashlight back, she pushed several tunics to the side, uncaring if she wrinkled them, and eyed the large safe. He still used the old-fashioned dial combination. Nothing looked different, but was it a trap?

  A cool breeze tickled her neck alerting her a second before a hand covered her mouth. Then a strong arm hooked her around the throat, lifting her off the floor. She was dead meat now.

  “What in the hell are you doing in here?” The soft voice was so not Theo’s.

  Olivia stood motionless.

  Collin grumbled, “I can’t believe you’ve gone back to him. What price did you demand? A bigger rifle? Money?”

  She dropped her hand and triggered a release with a finger. Cold steel slid carefully out of her sleeve into her palm. Reaching behind her with the knife, she pricked a space between two of his ribs where the blade would do the most damage if she pushed.

  “I was getting you a present, and if you don’t let me go, I’ll do more than draw blood,” she warned in a whisper. With relief, he let her go, but then his arm slid down her chest, allowing his broad hand to skim over her bound breasts. She’d found years ago, it was best to wear a sports bra to rappel down the side of a building.

  She turned to face Collin. It took all her concentration to keep the excitement off her face and out of her voice. Desire to hug him with all her might was tempered by the knowledge he hadn’t come to take her back. Considering he wore all black while standing in the middle of Theo’s dressing room made it obvious his plans had more to do with Theo and the sword.

  “A present, huh?” he asked with a hint of amusement.

  “You’re such an ass. Yes. Before you escorted me out of the OS, that was all I heard, that you wanted the sword.” She kept the thought of how stupid it sounded to herself. Though she knew what people believed could make the difference in succeeding or not. Theo believed the sword could protect him in his position. Collin believed he could take over The Circle with it. What did she believe? That she could win a man’s cold heart with a piece of steel.

  “Then let’s get to work.” He pulled a small glass bottle out of his pants pocket.

  “Is that acid?” she asked, not even wanting to think about the possibility of him breaking the bottle while he’d carried it so close. She had a few vials of the stuff in a special case at home. Then she remembered, Collin’s people had wiped out her place, wh
o knew where they were now?

  “Yeah. The fastest way to open a safe.” He leaned over and peered at the seam of the metal door.

  “There’s one other faster way.” She elbowed him out of the way and began turning the dial.

  “How did you get the combination?” His question hung in the air between them with the silent accusation of from Theo.

  In a whisper, she answered, “He’s the least imaginative man I’ve ever known. Even if he changed it, it will be similar.” Theo had used his birth date. When it didn’t open, she tried changing the order of the numbers.

  “Try zero-four, zero-three, seventy-six,” Collin whispered in her ear and placed a hand on her waist. Did he think he had to remind her he was still nearby? Heat from his body scorched her side and perversely she wanted to move closer to him. Oh, yeah, she hadn’t forgotten he was there.

  “The date when The Circle was created?” She dialed the numbers and released her breath when the clicks signaled their success. The three-by-five door swung open and inside documents and long boxes perfect for jewelry filled the array of pigeon holes. On the bottom shelf rested a long silver box. Engraved on the top was the word, Excalibur. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “That’s what Dad and Theo called it.” His eyes had a faraway look to them.

  She remembered he grew up in The Circle, living in the treacherous atmosphere but with the support of a strict father and a loving mother. When she came into the organization, he was away at college and just as well since Theo had her sequestered in his suite, seeing to all his perverted needs.

  He pulled out the box and popped open the clips. Inside was the black velvet–covered sword. “Check the hallway. We need to get going. It’s taken us too long as it is.” With efficient movements, he closed up the safe.

  Desire to argue was quickly forgotten when she heard a thump and muffled scream on the roof.

  “Shit!” She reached for the door. “Let’s get moving.” Checking one way and then the other, she waved him to follow. Instead of the window, she turned toward the front door. With what she heard from above, her planned escape had been compromised. Hopefully A. J. was okay.

  At the last corner before reaching the door, she heard whispering. Pressing her back to the wall, she glanced at Collin. He did the same with the velvet-wrapped sword held to his chest like a knight standing at attention.

  Then Olivia heard a door open, followed by a girl’s voice. “No. I didn’t hear anything, master, probably one of your bad dreams. Let me warm you some milk and you’ll feel better.” A young girl came around the corner and gasped, covering her mouth, eyeing Collin with a mixture of fear and appreciation. It was Marie. Before Olivia could make a move to silence her, Marie placed a finger to her lips.

  “Go. I’ve stopped him from investigating the noise for now, but the guards are most likely on their way to tell him what they found on the roof.” The blonde clutched her robe tight. “Leave now.”

  Well, wasn’t that a surprise? The girl had a head on her shoulders and didn’t appear timid at all. Olivia had a feeling she was an excellent actress and Theo deserved everything she dished out. With a nod toward Marie, Olivia stepped toward the hallway door when the girl stopped her.

  “Wait.” Marie placed her hand on Olivia’s arm.

  Cringing from the unexpected touch, Olivia moved a step closer to Collin. “What? We need to go.” Was the girl changing her mind and playing a trick?

  “I overheard Theo talking on the phone about some secret weapon he’s bringing in to annihilate the leader of the OS. Sorry, that’s all I know but I wanted to pass it on,” Marie whispered into her ear.

  “Okay. Thanks.” Olivia wasn’t sure what to make of Marie’s help and information, but she knew they didn’t have a minute more to waste and within seconds she’d led Collin to an unpretentious door down the hallway from Theo’s suite.

  “A closet?” Collin asked with concern for her sanity clearly written on his face.

  “Yes and no.” She stepped inside and shut the door behind him. The room had what she knew Collin expected: boxes of toilet tissue, rags, furniture polish, brooms, and mops. Reaching beneath the bottom shelf, she pressed a button and the far wall slid open. She caught a couple brooms and a mop from falling inside the dark cobweb-filled tunnel. “I made this discovery a few years after coming here. I was hiding from Theo and found it by mistake. Maybe it was a maintenance hallway or something your dad designed and Theo had forgotten.” Slapping at a cobweb, she ducked inside. Once she turned eighteen and Theo had replaced her, there hadn’t been a need to use it again.

  “Why didn’t you use this way to get in?” Collin asked as he followed her down the slight incline.

  “Though I know the way in from the closet, I haven’t found a button or lever on the outside.” They emerged from a small alcove outside the Main Sector. Security lights lit the ground in spots, while the full moon brightened the sky to an eerie gray.

  “I bet you drove Theo nuts disappearing whenever you wanted.” He placed his arm across her waist and held her back as he looked around. The woods surrounding the Main Sector were about twenty yards away, giving the cameras on the walls a clear view. “Wait.”

  Even having Collin touching her through layers of clothes had her heart racing more than their near capture. Eyes narrow and cold, he still held the sword in his other hand. The velvet had fallen from the blade and the sight gave him a medieval appearance, especially with his black clothes and ferocious look.

  “Unless they caught it in the last eight years, there’s a small three-foot wide area the cameras don’t cover.” Regretfully she moved along the wall. Touching him would have to wait. “There. See the two sweet gum trees twined together like lovers?”

  “Yeah.”

  She imagined he didn’t miss anything. “From the wall to the area around the tree is the cameras’ blind spot.”

  “Good. I left a car on the road east of here.” He charged into the woods.

  As she followed him, the moonlight flickered in and out of the trees. Everything felt weird, surreal. She’d sealed her fate. If Theo had any doubts the OS had taken her by force before, no matter how true it had been, he would certainly know she betrayed him this time. No turning back. She looked at the man leading the way. His broad shoulders moved with each slice, the thick humidity not slowing him down.

  She grinned. Feeling light and carefree, her smile widened. She enjoyed working alongside Collin. The sensation was weird and wonderful. Would it last? If Theo had anything to do with it, no.

  Then Olivia remembered Marie had said something about a secret weapon. What was Theo up to?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Collin pulled up in front of the small cabin he’d rented under a false name in the Smoky Mountains. The woman next to him examined the surrounding area with a suspicious eye, probably expecting him to give her back to The Circle.

  “I still say we would be safer at the OS headquarters.” She stepped out of the midsized car and headed toward the front door.

  “Headquarters is in lockdown. No one can get in or out during the next forty-eight hours.”

  He had many reasons and one was to make sure that Theo didn’t try anything crazier than he already had. Rex would take care of their people in Atlanta, while Collin made his next move from Tennessee. That was the agreement he and Rex had made when they met at a rest stop near the Tennessee border. Plus knowing that the sword was with Rex and in a safe place, Collin could plan his next step to take over The Circle.

  “Do you plan to hide out in the mountains and let Rex do your dirty work?” she asked, arms crossed as she glared at him. “I hate wildlife. I want the city where I can take a decent bubble bath and a decent meal.”

  Who yanked her britches and tied them in a knot?

  He shook his head as he lifted a box and duffle bag from the trunk. One glance at her and he concentrated on navigating the steps to the front porch. The pink in her cheeks and her eyes shiny
with anger only made her more beautiful.

  His body tightened and ached to find relief in that hot body of hers. Hard to believe it had been less than two weeks since they had made love. Hell, he had a hard time believing she’d only come into his life less than six months ago. She’d become an important part.

  As she stood next to him, he inhaled the scent that was all Olivia—sweetness and tart rolled together. It was time for him to pull back and chill. The thought of letting her get too close scared the shit out of him. She would know he wanted her and how she affected him. And she was trained to use every advantage.

  After unlocking the door, they walked into the living room and paused to take in the sight through the wide glass panes. The dusky mountains in the distance and the tree-filled valley below them were breathtaking. They could pretend they were alone in the world with such a view.

  “There’s only one bedroom. I’ll take the couch.” He nodded to the brown leather sofa sitting in front of the large flat-screen television and fireplace.

  “Fine!” She slammed the bedroom door behind her.

  What was that about?

  He shrugged and dropped the box on the kitchen countertop, then the duffle bag behind the couch before returning to the car for more supplies. He wasn’t sure what her problem was but he knew the next week was going to be interesting. He needed to keep his mind on preparing his final plan of attack against Theo, but there was no way he could keep his hands off Theo’s ex-mistress.

  Unsure of why she let the man get to her, she pulled out the snub-nose revolver she’d stolen out of his supplies. He was crazy if he thought she would go weaponless for long. Then again, she hadn’t been completely unarmed. She lifted her shirt and pulled out the wicked-looking knife from its scabbard attached and tucked into her pants. A. J. had provided the weapon. Knives were silent killers if used correctly.