Circle of Desire

by Carla Swafford

  The man stepped toward the shadows, where Olivia guessed was another door in the darkness, but he hesitated. “You sure?” he asked in his deep raspy voice.

  “I’ll be okay. She’s quite familiar with how deadly I can be.” Theo grinned. “Aren’t you, my dear Olivia?”

  Oh, God! She was going to throw up. Yes. She knew how dangerous he could be when pushed and betrayed. Collin’s doppelgänger looked scary but she really wished he had stayed. Maybe she wanted to fool herself. Having Collin’s face, sort of, wouldn’t necessarily mean he would protect her.

  Small tremors raced through her body reminding her of the horrors she’d escaped before and never wanted to return to again. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend he wasn’t looking at her as if she was a long forgotten lollipop he planned to bite.

  Though it was useless and, yes, she was crazy for even wishing it, she needed Collin to rescue her. She wasn’t sure if she could stand up to the monster from her past.

  Please, Lord, let him know I need him. Prayer was becoming a daily thing for her since meeting Collin.

  Her need to know overriding her fear, she said, “Ryker isn’t a common name. Are you any relation to Collin Ryker?” Reckless and stupid of her but the words were out of her mouth.

  Theo glowered at her and then looked at the man as he ordered him to leave. “Now!”

  The guy didn’t budge. He had big balls not to be bothered by Theo’s evil stare.

  “Yeah. He’s my brother,” he said in a detached tone. Then he nodded at Theo and left the room.

  Looking down at the floor as if she could find the answer, her headache grew a little stronger. Collin had never mentioned a brother. The two men looked so much alike they had to be related. But a brother? He appeared several years older than Collin.

  “Such a shame. Now the cat’s out of the bag,” Theo said with his dramatic flair.

  Rubbing the spot between her eyes, she leaned over and placed her elbows on her knees, lowering her head in the hope she wouldn’t throw up.

  Theo stood and walked around to the back of her chair. She felt his hands smooth down her hair. Shivers of disgust ran through her body. Feelings she’d ignored most of the time slammed into her. She hated this man and no matter how often she worked at holding back the fury running through her, she struggled to keep her hands away from him. So she concentrated on irrelevant things. Like how it had be around five days since she had a bath. She hoped her smell disgusted him and her hair had to look like a pile of pine needles.

  He grabbed a handful of hair and jerked her head back until she was certain her neck would break as she looked upside down into his face.

  “Ryker doesn’t remember Collin like he did before. For the last ten years I’ve kept him in service at the New York sector, training, preparing him for when I’d need him. He only knows the man that would call him brother will try to kill him. But Ryker will kill Collin first. That asshole has no idea his brother’s alive. I hope the surprise is frozen on that bastard’s face when he dies. I would love to see it. The little twit has been a thorn in my side all his life.”

  Theo bent down and kissed her. She struggled and he bit her bottom lip until blood flooded her mouth.

  He moved away from her mouth and she spit at him. Blood spattered across his face. With his hand still in her hair, he pulled her up and over the chair. Trying to relieve some of the pain, she held onto his wrists, kicking and twisting in his grasp. He released his grip and backhanded her on the already bruised cheek. She landed a couple feet away.

  She spit again and this time on his teak floor. Her teeth felt like they would fall out. Every bone in her body rattled as she rolled to her knees. The thought of tackling him and beating him to a pulp was quickly forgotten when the six guards rushed inside.

  “Are you all right, sir?” The one with the markings on his wide shoulders inquired.

  “Yes, I’m fine. But I do need your help. Pull her off the floor and hold her.” Theo snatched a tissue from a drawer in the coffee table and wiped at her blood sprinkled across his face and shirt.

  Two of the men lifted her to feet, holding her tight by the arms. She probably could force them to let her go, but the other four, not counting Theo, would object with hard fists. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take of the abuse.

  “I have to say Collin had a good influence on you in one small area. You don’t talk as much or make smart comments like you did before.” He made sure to keep his distance from her feet.

  “Where did he put the sword?”

  She wondered why it took him so long to ask the question.

  “I don’t know.”

  Theo slapped the other cheek and then smoothed his hair from his face. A ringing in her ears matched the bright lights she was seeing over his head. Oh, well, both of her cheeks should match now. After he asked her the same question a few more times and she gave the same answer, her ribs and stomach followed suit. She had the satisfaction of throwing up on his beautiful floor and snazzy Gucci shoes.

  The thought raced through her mind that she felt relieved he used his fists and not his favorite weapon of choice, the knife. Then a flash of light crossed her face.

  Only one eye opened all the way but she quickly grasped the reason for the brightness. Theo’s switchblade caught the sunshine streaming through the windows as he swung it across her chest. Liquid fire followed in its wake. She screamed. In seconds, a thin line of blood soaked her T-shirt.

  The maniacal pleasure on Theo’s face warned her of what else was to come.

  She hoped to pass out before he killed her.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Two hours later, she remained sprawled across her cell floor with one cheek pressed against the cool cement, hoping to relieve some of the heat from her swollen face. She groaned when the chill seeped in. As she relaxed, she quickly remembered the numerous cuts on her chest and arms. They stung but none were deep enough to continue bleeding. Theo had planned for her to live a little longer it appeared.

  “You’re back,” a croaky female voice said.

  Olivia hated to move her jaw, but she needed some answers.

  “Yeah. Who are you?” she asked, cringing from the pain shooting across her face and down her neck.

  “How soon we forget.” The person coughed up a lung and then said, “A. J.”

  “Shit!” Olivia found if she placed her other hand on top of the opposite cheek off the floor, the pain wasn’t so great when she talked. So Theo had put A. J. down there too. “I’m sorry about this mess.”

  “I don’t regret it,” she coughed again, “much.”

  “When Collin breaks me out,” Olivia’s stomach rolled with the pain, “I’ll get you out too.”

  Again, when did she become a helpless female who expected a man to pull her out of a jam?

  “You’re kidding, right? You’re in here because of him. Men look after themselves. I learned that five years ago.”

  The sadness in A. J.’s voice conveyed a lot of what was left unsaid.

  Olivia had always believed the same before meeting Collin so she understood it completely. True, Collin had disappointed her before, but for some reason she felt deep inside this time would be different. Those days in the cabin had been special to both of them, even if he never admitted it. While Theo alternated between beating and cutting her, she realized she needed to believe in Collin to survive.

  “Is there anyone else in the other cells?” Olivia forced herself to move, standing on wobbly legs. She slid her feet on the cement floor so not to jar any area of her body.

  “No.” A. J.’s voice was nearer. She probably was looking out the small barred window in her cell door. “The day before you showed up, they moved a guy out of the last cell. I heard the guards mention something about transferring him to the New York sector.”

  “Did you know Collin had a brother and he worked for The Circle out of New York?” Even saying it out loud sent chills down her back.

 
; “You’re kidding. I heard his brother died in the car explosion with his parents. I guess that explains why Theo handled problems out of that area.” After another coughing fit, A. J. asked, “How did you hear about it?”

  Olivia tested a loose tooth. Hopefully it would tighten up if she wasn’t hit again anytime soon. Funny. Most likely she would be dead. “For some reason, Theo had him waiting for me when I was brought into the room. He’s near enough the spitting image of Collin to be his twin, except he had a lot of scars on his face and wore an eye patch.” She still couldn’t believe Collin had a brother and hadn’t told her.

  “Not a twin. Arthur Ryker’s just nine months older.”

  “Shit. I had hoped Theo was jerking my chain. No wonder I thought it was Collin at first.” Olivia thought of the man’s harsh features, a man who’d lived through an explosion and probably watched his parents die a horrible death. With Theo as a guardian who probably perverted every memory he had to ensure he hated his own brother enough to kill him. “What do you think—”

  “Shut the fuck up! I’m tired of you two gabby females!” The guard pounded on the outer door.

  Not wanting to press their luck and needing a little time to form a plan, she stretched out on the cot this time, tenderly resting her aching body. As A. J. had said, she couldn’t depend on Collin, though deep inside she knew better. In fact, Theo probably hoped he would try to rescue her.

  She closed her tired and grainy eyes. Talk about mixed emotions, she wanted Collin to prove A. J. wrong and show up as the hero. But then Theo would kill him. Her throat tried to close up with the thought. Every inch of her body ached as she fought the desire to curl into a ball and cry.

  With her track record, Collin most likely had moved on and chalked her up as a good way to spend a few days in hiding. She shivered.

  She sure missed his warm body.

  Collin struggled into a pair of loose-fitting woodland camos, forcing the left leg, bandage and all, into the pant leg. He’d already worked up a sweat from pulling on a black T-shirt over his bandaged shoulder.

  Six days had gone by since they were ambushed and who knew what was happening to Olivia? No matter how self-sufficient she thought of herself, Theo was on a rampage, ordering the death of five OS operatives and even three of The Circle’s. It was only time before news came in about Theo eliminating his top assassin.

  Rex still hadn’t discovered what they meant by secret weapon. It could be anything from a nuclear device to chemical or biological weapons or even a person inside the OS. His top personnel worked furiously for an answer and in the meanwhile they’d stepped up security. Collin had decided not to wait around until hell broke loose. He needed to save Olivia as he would any OS operative. At least that was what he wanted to tell himself.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Rex stood over him with hands on hips, scowling as Collin gingerly lifted his foot and pulled on a sock.

  “What the fuck does it look like?” He finished with the last sock.

  “It looks like I’ll have to kick your ass if you think you’re leaving this room.” The big guy kicked Collin’s boots across the room, out of reach.

  He lifted one eyebrow at Rex’s childish behavior.

  “How will that stop me?” With careful movements, he slid off the bed and stood, clutching the back of a chair.

  “Collin. Friend. I’ve got bad news.” Rex shuffled his feet.

  So it happened. Theo killed her. He crumbled into the chair.

  “When?” Collin saw the folder. “Fuck, man. What did Theo do? Send pictures of her dead body?”

  Rex shook his head. “Photos. Yeah. I wish I had killed her.” Then he handed the brown folder over.

  His hand shook as he took the folder. He’d seen some of Theo’s work and usually the body would be unrecognizable. In this type of work death was a big possibility. So he’d never allowed himself to become involved with another operative to the point he had with her.

  He flipped to the first picture. For a split second his face felt cold as if all the blood had drained away. Then a rush of heat followed when he turned to the final five shots. In a rush of black rage, he threw the folder across the room. The photos landed haphazardly on the floor, pictures of Theo and Olivia kissing taunted him with his gullibility.

  “They came in the mail today. I guess Theo wanted to make sure you knew she’d been playing you all along.”

  “Not only their top assassin but a damn good actress,” Collin said vehemently under his breath.

  “Before you ask, we checked. They haven’t been tampered with. They’re real.” Rex moved to block his view of the photos. “Listen, I hate this for you. I won’t say I told you so, instead I’ll say we need to kick ass.”

  Collin breathed in deep, pulling himself together. When had he become a wimp? Had Olivia taken his balls along with his heart? He didn’t want to believe the pictures were real. She’d always turned a little green when she mentioned Theo as if he made her sick.

  Coming to a decision, he headed for the door, panting from the exertion, taking one step at a time. If Olivia was guilty of betraying the OS, the truth would eventually come to light. He didn’t trust Theo’s reasoning for sending the photos. Too convenient in his opinion. Then again, he could be deluding himself into believing she had some honor.

  He refused to think of how he felt as he stared at the photographs, seeing Olivia’s mouth covered by Theo’s. Accepting one betrayal at a time was all he could handle. If it was true.

  “Get back in bed. Killing her can wait. For that matter let me do it.” Rex hovered nearby, hands out as if Collin might fall any second.

  “I need to talk with Anne.” As soon as Collin could return to the OS headquarters he’d ordered the doctor to be thrown into a holding cell.

  “She can wait. You need to give yourself some time to heal.” Creases divided the big man’s forehead.

  Collin could tell his friend wanted to put his mind to rest, but no matter what was said, he had to start pulling his organization together. Theo was up to something and Dr. Shelton was part of it.

  Their plan to bring out the traitor worked with the help of their Romeo operative. A couple weeks earlier, Lucian Reilly had visited the doctor about a nasty scratch he received from a knife during an assignment. While stitching the cut, Anne quizzed him about The Circle. In itself, he found nothing odd about her curiosity. People often asked him about his time there, and like most women, she felt comfortable around him, one of the reasons he was so good at his work. When he was about to leave, she said, “You know I wonder if all this fighting between the two organizations isn’t just a big misunderstanding. If Collin spoke to Theo, this could be all cleared up.”

  He’d liked the doctor but he knew the danger in her way of thinking. When he questioned her, she mentioned she’d met Theo once. He recognized Theo’s method. He always worked through the weakest link. The Circle’s leader could make a Democrat vote Republican and be proud of it. Lucian visited with Rex and repeated what she’d said and voiced his apprehension.

  So they’d decided to test Lucian’s concern by having Rex mention to only the doctor of their whereabouts in the mountains.

  The attack had proven Lucian’s fears to be correct.

  Collin’s knuckles whitened as he held on to the handrails in the elevator.

  “No.” He continued in a firm and steady voice. “I’ve waited long enough. I’m tired of waiting for our people to extract the information. Anne may not know much, but even an insignificant detail may help us understand what in the hell is going on.”

  But by the time the elevator reached the holding cell level, Collin hated to admit he needed help. Knees stiff and hands shaking, he allowed Rex to silently grab his arm and walk him to a chair in one of the empty interrogation rooms. Collin swiped his forehead with his sleeve and waited until his leg quit throbbing and his heart slowed down. His shoulder was better and caused only a few twinges when he moved
too quickly.

  With a nod of his head, Rex left and a few minutes later brought in Dr. Shelton. Dark circles surrounded sunken blue eyes as she looked at him with horror. Her beautiful blond hair gone, shaved from her head as part of a prior interrogation technique.

  “You should be afraid, Anne. I personally oversee the punishment for major offenses, especially when it’s betrayal.” He leaned back in his chair, keeping his trembling hands beneath the table. Even as light-headed as he felt, he managed to stare her in the eye without wavering.

  “I’m sorry, Collin. I’m so sorry.” Tears streamed down Dr. Shelton’s face. She rocked back and forth in the metal chair, looking up at Rex and then back to Collin.

  “If you’re so sorry, then you’ll answer truthfully a few questions.” His hands fisted. The need to shake the woman and make her talk was one he needed to suppress.

  He’d seen people like her before. Strong as long as they were undetected, but once caught they’d fall apart. Force would only make her clam up or fall off the edge of reason. Then he wouldn’t receive his answers. Thus, they shaved her head, stripped her, and threw her in a cell for a few days. Most cracked and willingly told all.

  Leaning forward, he whispered, “Anne, I’ll make sure they set you free if you tell me why you betrayed us.”

  “But you said you were here to punish me.”

  Spittle collected at the corner of her mouth. Her need to believe him filled her face, softening the lines around her eyes.

  “I have to set up a front for the fellows,” he jerked his head toward where Rex stood outside the interrogation room’s door.

  She leaned forward too. “I told them you would understand. They wouldn’t listen.”

  “I’m here now.” He finally trusted his hands to stay steady and he placed one over hers. “Tell me why.”

  “Theo promised if I helped him that when the OS returned to The Circle’s fold, I would have free rein to experiment on live subjects. I could work in my favorite field, DNA research. No restrictions, he told me. You have any idea what I could accomplish? He would supply me with anything my heart desired. I could produce the perfect human being. My creation. I could become famous.” With each word, her voice became higher pitched with excitement.