On the Prowl

by T. J. Michaels

  He taunted her fleeing back, “Damn straight! Come back here and take it like a man, er, wo-man!”

  A buck naked Delaine ran down the stairs and headed to one of the guest bathrooms. Afterward, she went into the kitchen and put the kettle on for tea. She stood near the phone, nibbling on a fingernail, contemplating. Finally picking it up, her nails tap, tap, tapped against the gray granite countertop as she waited for the line to pick up on the other side.

  “This is Geri.”

  “Hey, boss. I’m sending you a package. I got the goods on Baker!”

  “Yeah! I knew you could do it. You are, after all, one of the best.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere, madam boss.”

  “So whatcha got?”

  “The most foul digital video of Baker doing some interesting things in The Vault. I managed to filch some samples too. They’ll need to be analyzed to find out exactly what he’s making, but I think it’s some kind of synthetic aphrodisiac.”

  “Are you ready to wrap this up?”

  “Not quite. All I need to do is catch him in The Vault, and he’s as good as done. By the way, did you get the info on Justin Cooley back yet?”

  “It came in last night. Hold on a minute, let me pull it up.”

  Delaine was anxious and felt more than a little guilty about checking him out behind his back. She kept telling herself that it was just part of the job, but her heart wasn’t buying it. And neither did Sapa, who’d been quiet since last night but was now growling her disapproval in the back of Delaine’s mind. The one minute she stood on hold seemed to stretch on forever while she listened to the click of Geri’s fingers on her computer keyboard.

  “Okay, Delaine, some of this info is dated. Let’s see, former Marine, black ops, honorable discharge… Here we go, he’s D.E.A. Distinguished record with the department for ten years. Hold on, let me check something else.”

  D.E.A.? Drug Enforcement Administration? Damn it! After their little closet rendevous in The Vault, Delaine was sure he was a thief with a few high tech toys, not a fucking agent!

  Delaine heard Geri pick up another line and ask to speak to someone whose name she couldn’t quite make out. She distinctly heard the name Cooley, and a few uh-huhs before her boss came back to the phone.

  “Delaine?”

  “I’m here.”

  “He’s part of Spencer’s team.”

  “Spencer!” Damn, that meant he wasn’t just D.E.A., but more like a super covert “Bond. James Bond” type of D.E.A. guy. Shit! This just got better and better. “Geri, since when does D.E.A. encroach on another agents case? How the hell did I not know there was D.E.A. in my goddamned face?” She felt like a complete idiot.

  “Actually, it’s our fault. Somehow we missed some intelligence somewhere…” Geri began.

  “Yeah, sure it’s our fault. We missed something. More like I missed something. Goddamned, son-of-a-bitch, just wait until I get my hands…” Delaine growled in a low voice.

  “Delaine, what’s wrong?”

  “I’ll call you back, Geri,” she said softly and disconnected the line. She picked it up and dialed again.

  “Pam? Hey, it’s me. I can’t make it today. Something’s come up with work. Let’s try it next week, all right?”

  * * * * *

  Justin stepped out of the shower, walked out of the bathroom and came face-to-face with a royally pissed off Delaine.

  “You’re D.E.A.!”

  Damn! Knowing he couldn’t lie to her, he simply nodded his head and watched a mix of emotions, including rage and sadness, fly across her beautiful face.

  Delaine’s heart sank. The bastard had used her. She felt Sapa reach through the bond, trying to calm her.

  *Suta Winyan, do not push away our mate unnecessarily.*

  Delaine pushed the awareness of the black lioness away. Sapa retreated, with no choice but to wait until Delaine reached out to her. Unless there was danger, the spirit guide could not override her charge’s wishes.

  “Why did it take a call from my boss to find out who you are?”

  “Delaine, I’ve wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. You know how this business works. You don’t expose a cover to anyone without clearance. Besides, baby, when I’m with you the last thing I want to think or talk about is work. I swear I’d made up my mind to tell you, then yesterday with you in The Vault…it scared me, baby, and all I could think about was holding you.”

  He stepped to her with the need to wrap his arms around her and dip his nose into the hollow of her neck where she always smelled so good. But more than anything, he needed her to trust him. Justin blew out an exasperated breath as she shoved him back, or tried to.

  “Nice try,” she snapped. “You didn’t tell me because you wanted to get the drop on Baker.”

  “Delaine, don’t be ridiculous. After that near disaster yesterday, I planned to tell you everything this morning anyway.”

  “Sure you did. You can say anything now that you’re fucking busted!” She walked back and forth across the carpet with her fist jammed into her hip. “How could I have been so stupid? You wanted a little booty and all of the credit for the bust. That’s what I get for falling for…”

  Justin shook his head in wonder. Would he ever understand the female mind? He’d saved her life, treated her like a queen, and she was upset because he didn’t want to tell her he was undercover? He just couldn’t comprehend it. Especially since she’d had no intention of telling him she was undercover herself. It was insane.

  But insane or not, he wanted her. Needed her. Hell, he’d even admit falling in love with her, but not in her present mood. He dropped his head on a sigh. Hopefully she’d come to her senses quickly and not do anything stupid in the meantime. Like go after Baker alone. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt trying to hurry up and wrap this case before all the ends were tied up. He had one more card to play.

  “Delaine, your cover was compromised. I was trying to keep you out of trouble.”

  “I didn’t need you to keep me out of trouble.”

  “Damn it, you stubborn woman, did you hear what I said? You were compromised!”

  “I could have handled it on my own. So tell me the truth, Justin. What were you really after, huh? You’ve been in this business for a long time. Ready to retire? Needed to go out with a bang?”

  “Damn it, Delaine, I told you what I was after. Yes, I was originally sent here to find out if Baker was secretly developing an illegal substance. But after I found out you were involved and in danger I couldn’t just leave you for the dogs. Not after getting to know you, baby.”

  “Riiiight,” she drawled sarcastically.

  “Look, I won’t stand here and be accused of lying,” he growled dangerously, his own anger starting to kindle.

  “Good! Then get dressed and get the hell out!” Delaine pointed toward the door.

  “Fine!” Justin grabbed his clothes off the end of the bed, stepped into his pants and yanked his shirt over his head, wet hair and all. Not bothering with underwear, socks or shoes, he slammed down the stairs and out the front door. The wheels of his Jag echoed in the quiet morning air as he squealed out of the driveway and tore down the street.

  Chapter Eleven

  Delaine’s stomach dropped into her shoes every time her phone rang. For the past three days, she’d taken to letting her voice mail get it, but every time she checked her messages it was never the one person she wanted it to be—Justin. She continued to show up for work at Astin and perform her job expertly as if nothing had gone down. Close to getting a sign-off on her hierarchy design, she knew she was running out of time to wrap this case. Geri told her where Justin was supposed to be working inside the Astin facility, but as the days passed with no sight or sign of him, Delaine’s ability to rethink the matter finally resurfaced.

  She admitted to herself that she was miserable, hated that the two of them had fought. Hated sleeping without him pressed up against her. Her days weren’t as bri
ght. Her smile felt brittle, as if the facade she’d perfected was crumbling. Even Sapa was irritated. Her spirit guide came when called, but the warmth that usually flowed through the bond had noticeably cooled. The great huntress sulked behind Delaine’s eyes with drooping ears and her grey cat eyes full of sadness.

  Perhaps she had behaved foolishly? After all, she’d had no intention of telling Justin she worked for Aegis. So why was she upset that he hadn’t confided that he was D.E.A.? Her boss was even willing to take heat since Aegis actually dropped the ball. While uncommon, it wasn’t unheard of for intelligence to miss a few key details. It was a huge blunder but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. And since they were on the same side, was there really anything to be upset about? Sapa stirred restlessly.

  *Suta Winyan, you are being unfair. If you would but think instead of react you would discover your true feelings.*

  She thought on Sapa’s words and felt somewhat silly. Cutting Justin off cold like that, she’d cut off her nose to spite her face.

  *You are sabotaging our chance for a worthy mate. You are running away.*

  ‘Oh, hush already.’ Delaine scowled into the recesses of her mind, knowing the black lioness was right. But she didn’t want to talk to the big cat about her catapulting emotions. She wanted to talk to a flesh and blood woman. She called Geri.

  “Delaine, why are you being such a brick head? Justin is a really good guy. I called Spencer directly to check it out. He told me that as soon as Justin learned from his partner that your cover was blown, he sought permission to cover your ass. He didn’t have to do that, you know.”

  Damn, it had been easier when she thought he was a bastard. Then she could have at least felt less foolish for flipping out on him.

  “So who compromised me, Geri?”

  “We think it was your tail in R&D. Your paperwork went through Purchasing instead of Human Resources. Some idiot put a code on the requisition used only for the FDA or other law enforcement agencies. Sarah Ann had been dating the main procurement officer in Purchasing. Spencer thinks she saw the code and alerted Baker.”

  “That would explain why she’s been on me since day one.”

  “Yep, and Justin could have let you crash and burn and continued with his own investigation. It would have been perfectly ethical.”

  “Thanks, Geri. Gotta run,” Delaine said calmly while her guilt ate her alive.

  “Hold on a minute. Spencer and I want you two to close this case out together. We think it’s safer.”

  “But the case is blown,” Delaine said firmly, hating the words as she spoke them. She’d never failed an assignment in her five years at Aegis, or all her eighteen years undercover.

  “The case isn’t blown. Baker is not aware of Justin’s involvement at all. You just continue to paint yourself as the agent who doesn’t know she’s been exposed and use it to urge Baker to act. To do something stupid.”

  “Done. I’ll contact Justin and talk to you later.”

  Delaine hung up and dialed Justin’s cell phone. It was three in the morning and wasn’t surprised when she got his voice mail. She left a message for him to meet her for breakfast after she got a few hours sleep. Then she hung up and called his home phone just in case.

  Big mistake.

  * * * * *

  “Hu-woe?” a female voice drawled on the other end of the line.

  “Hello? Who is this? Pam?”

  “Yeah, wha’is it?”

  “What do you mean, what is it? What are you doing at Justin’s house? And at three in the morning?”

  “I’m sthpending the night,” Pam slurred and almost dropped the phone from her boneless fingers.

  “What!”

  “I sorry, girl. I just couldn’t help m’self. Don’t be mad, ’kay?”

  “Don’t be mad? You’re sleeping with my man and you’re telling me don’t be mad?”

  “Your man? I thought you din’t wan him an-more, Del. I mean, you kicked him to da curb, so finers, keepers, girl,” she slurred. Pam hung up and smiled when the phone didn’t ring again.

  Justin appeared in the doorway of his bedroom in a pair of comfy terry sweats. He padded across the living room in bare feet, a towel around his neck to catch the water dripping from his hair. His blue eyes darkened and flashed his annoyance with his unexpected houseguest.

  “Who was that on the phone, Pam?” he asked impatiently.

  Pam looked up from her temporary bed on the couch and yawned widely. “Naa sure,” she lied, her words running together almost incoherently. “I heeerd dit ringed, but I dinn’t cath it afore dey hanged up.”

  “Good, because you don’t have any business answering my phone. I’m done in the shower. If you want to take one, hurry up. I just picked up a message on my cell to meet Delaine for breakfast first thing in the morning, so I want to get to bed.”

  “Thure thing, han-some,” she smiled cattily as she rose on unsteady, rubber band legs.

  Justin wrinkled his nose when she let all the blankets fall to the floor to reveal her slim, naked flesh. She had a nice enough body, but he’d never been less interested in a woman as he was tonight. The smell of alcohol permeated her pores, disgusting him as she shimmied up to him and ran her hands across his bare chest.

  “I—uh, I really ’preciate you lettin’ me crash here, Jus. If there’s a way I can, uh, repay you, I’m more sthan game.”

  He shivered, but not from lust. It was a good thing he’d eaten dinner hours ago. Her touch made him want to blow chunks. And this was supposed to be Delaine’s good friend? He removed her hands from his chest and spoke through gritted teeth.

  “Look, bitch, hit the couch or hit the road. You have ten minutes to get your ass to bed or get out of here. I belong to Delaine, heart and soul.”

  “Bud you two hadda fight. She duzznt want you.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I want her. And it’s a good thing I don’t hit women, or I’d beat your ass for betraying her like this.”

  He turned on a bare heel, stalked into his room and slammed the door shut.

  Chapter Twelve

  Delaine took the long way to the restaurant then drove on by. She just couldn’t face Justin today. She’d left a message asking him to meet her here, but after that conversation with Pam there really wasn’t anything else to say. He’d obviously moved on. If Justin wanted Pam, fine, he could have her. But what started raggedy would end up raggedy. And those two raggedy mogillas deserved each other.

  Her heart was in a million pieces, but she refused to feel the hurt anymore. Instead, she focused on her anger and let it consume her until she shook with rage. Bastard! And Pam? She couldn’t believe Pam would steal her man like that. She’d sat up in that girl’s chair at the salon and told her all of her and Justin’s business, so it’s not like the woman didn’t know Delaine was serious about him. For someone she’d known since their children were in preschool to stab her in the back like this was beyond painful. Oh lord, what was she going to do?

  *Suta, you are not using wisdom. This man is not like the puny Gary person.*

  ‘But he slept with my best friend, Sapa! Hell, at least Gary slept with someone I didn’t know.’ She slammed her hand down on the steering wheel then looked down, expecting to see blood on her shirt from her breaking heart.

  *Your reasoning abilities are unsurpassed. Use them now. All is not as it appears, Suta. Trust me.*

  ‘I do trust you, Sapa. I just don’t trust anyone else,’ she replied sadly as a lone tear made its way down her cheek.

  Fifteen minutes after she was supposed to meet him, his cell phone number popped up on the caller id. She pressed the ignore button, turned the phone off and threw it in the passenger seat. Heartsick but determined not to cry over a man ever again, she dashed the tears away and instead did something she hadn’t done in all the years she’d worked with Aegis. She called in sick.

  She flew home, stuffed a weekend bag with clothes, books and nothing related to work, jumped back in her Jag and he
aded for Nantahala Gorge. A nice quiet cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains was just what she needed.

  * * * * *

  Justin hadn’t called Delaine since she’d gone mental on him at finding out he was D.E.A. But it was only to give her time to cool off. He’d been totally surprised to get her message asking him to meet her for breakfast.

  He’d dialed her cell several times, but it just rang and rang. Now it was going straight to voice mail. This didn’t make any sense. The woman had called him and left a message saying she wanted to see him then didn’t show up? He drove over to her house and rang the bell. At first he thought she just wasn’t answering the door, but after walking all the way around the house, noting the closed blinds on every window, he peeked through the small glass on the door that led into the garage from the side of the house. Her car was gone. Damn, she wasn’t home.

  His shoulders tensed and he felt the beginnings of a nasty headache creep up the back of his neck. Flipping open his cell, he dialed her again. Where the hell was his damned woman? Had something happened that made it impossible for her to meet him? What if she’d run into trouble related to her case? What if she was casing Astin and got caught? And why the hell wasn’t she answering her phone?!

  He drove toward home, his chest tight with one part anger for the way she’d arbitrarily dismissed him and one part worry at not knowing if she was all right. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to die in their particular line of work. Tired of leaving the stubborn woman messages, he finally called Derrick.

  “Hey, Derrick. What’s up?”

  “The usual. Chasing bad guys and doing favors for you.”

  “Then everything is normal, isn’t it?” Justin said glibly.

  “What the hell’s wrong with you, Jus?” Derrick asked with a bit of a grin in his voice.

  “I need to know where Delaine is. She’s not answering her cell phone, she’s not at home and I haven’t seen her since we fell out a few days ago. She called me in the middle of the night and asked me to meet her for breakfast then she didn’t show up. She’s got the goods on Baker. I need to know she’s safe.”