by Aliyah Burke
Gio stared at the man and anger churned in his gut. Ivan wasn’t your typical geeky lab rat. No, his luck wasn’t that good. He couldn’t be faced with a skinny, pale guy who barely looked strong enough to carry his books. Of course not. Ivan stood before him in nothing but a pair of sweats, and it wasn’t hard to tell that the man was in very good shape.
“Where is she?” he bit off.
Pale blue eyes narrowed at him and Ivan crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the pilot. What do you want?”
“You know damn well what I want. Don’t fuck with me, Doc. I can guarantee you won’t like the end result.” He clenched his hands into fists so he wouldn’t touch the man. “Now answer my goddamn question!”
Ivan barely blinked at the blatant threat. “Where’s who?” he asked, leaning indolently against the doorframe.
His control slipped another few notches. “Jaydee. Her apartment is empty.”
“I know that. I supervised the moving of her things while she was at work. I’m not in a place to tell you where she is or is not.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Tell me,” he growled.
“No. I do hope that, wherever she is, she’s considering my marriage proposal.”
Ivan’s sentence was issued with that lingering Russian accent and the condescending manner of a person who hated spending any of his time around those he felt were inferior to him. And Gio knew that Ivan considered him to be in that pool of substandard people.
His restraint snapped and he lunged at the man, grabbing him and throwing him against the wall just inside the apartment.
“You stay the fuck away from her!” he rumbled in a low voice. They were damn near nose to nose, but Gio was a bit taller and he used it to his advantage.
“Going to hit me like you did her father?”
The taunt was palpable, and Gio didn’t know how he felt that Jaydee had shared that incident with Ivan. He snarled and shoved away from the man. Damn it all—Ivan didn’t even look remotely rattled.
“I was thinking of beating you into a pile of pulp. How about that?”
“I think it’s amusing how you turn to violence at the least bit of provocation. Is that all you know how to do?”
“I’m not in the mood, man. Putting my fist into your face is really seeming like a wonderful idea and each second you waste of my fucking time it becomes a better and better one. So why don’t you cut the shit, and tell me where the fuck Jaydee is!”
“I thought she came to see you today. Didn’t she tell you?”
“Obviously not or I wouldn’t be here indulging you in this stupid-ass game you want to play.”
“Hmm. Why should I tell you?”
“Aside from the fact I’ll kick your ass if you don’t?”
Ivan smirked. “You wouldn’t. Because I still wouldn’t tell you where she was and then you’d not only be out of luck but you’d also have to tell her why you did that, if you ever got to see or talk to her again. I’m cooking so I don’t have time to waste. I’ll ask you again, why should I tell you?”
Gio stared at this man who had, at one time, slept with Jaydee. Who still had a relationship with her, granted a professional one. However, the uncertainty was there. Especially given how Lexy had said she would just move on. He knew what he had to do. With a sigh, he raked a hand over his hair and stared directly into those pale blue eyes.
“Because I love her. And she loves me.”
* * * *
Jaydee sat on her rattan sofa combination on the chaise, a glass of iced water beside her and a book on physics turned over beside her. The backyard of her property aglow with a mixture of the setting sun and the solar lights that were starting to come on.
The wind had picked up a decided chill but she was glad—she loved the differences in temperatures here. She wriggled her toes and sighed heavily as she leant back and closed her eyes.
She’d been home for two weeks now and, despite everything, it hadn’t been as easy to just pick up and go on as it had been in the past. It hadn’t been as smooth a transition as she’d expected to forget about the enigmatic Giovanni Cassano.
As was her wont, she’d put her memories of him in a compartment and basically tossed it. However, he hadn’t stayed gone. He’d taken to popping up at night and disturbing her dreams.
Night wasn’t the only time he reappeared. There had been plenty of instances at the lab when she’d just spaced out and stared off as she relived some of their moments together. And it wasn’t just the sex she experienced again, but all the occasions she’d spent in his company—at the base, talking at a picnic table about the flight. Working out with him. Hanging out at Kerrigan’s. How amazing it had been to be in the room with him as he’d cooked breakfast for her.
Damn it! She missed him. A hell of a lot. She dropped a hand to cover her belly and sighed. What were the chances? What was the probability that at this very moment she carried his child?
She worried her lower lip as she ran over percentages in her head. The time in the bomber would have been perfect for her to get pregnant, since they’d not used protection. In the medicine cabinet of her bathroom, she had a pregnancy test. In fact, it had been there for a week and still sat unopened.
A cold wind whipped up around her, making her shiver. She reached for the folded quilt and covered her lower body. As the sun lowered in the sky, she dozed.
She could see him clear as day. Those intense hazel eyes burning into her as he held her, kissed her, stripped her and…
Jaydee whimpered and shifted against the cushion. Her body felt aflame and she needed relief. She bit down on her bottom lip to snap herself from the haze of desire which hovered around her, waiting, tempting, and drawing her in.
With a frustrated groan, she got to her feet, folded up the Galveston star quilt, and headed back inside, water in hand. She was hungry. While the microwave heated up her supper, she opened a small salad. She was eating a salmon fillet with lemon pepper seasoning, topped with a mixture of capers, sautéed in olive oil and butter, and miniature pear tomatoes. Served on a bed of rice pilaf.
She sat at her table and ate a quiet and solitary meal. She cleaned up and had been reading for about an hour when she got up to put on the kettle for tea. The doorbell made her pause before she sighed and made her way there.
“Yes?” she said, opening the door on the night that had grown considerably windier and colder.
Her father stood there, his expression completely neutral. She immediately stepped back and allowed him to enter. Closing the door behind him, she watched him shrug out of his light jacket and hang it up before facing her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, unsure as to why he’d stopped by.
He stared at her in surprise. “Yes, why?”
“Because you came here.”
“Is it a bad time?”
She moved by him and walked back to her kitchen. “No. I was reading and about to make a cup of tea. May I fix you one as well?”
“Please.”
Jaydee didn’t look over her shoulder, knowing he would follow her. So she busied herself with getting another mug down and scooping the proper amount of loose tea into the infuser.
“I was asked by NASA if you were available to come help them with their electrogravitics.”
“Of course.” Her response came automatically.
“They’d like to see you as soon as possible.”
“A lander?” she asked, referring to a moon or planet lander.
“That’s what I was led to believe.”
She nodded absently. As she poured the steaming water from the whistling teapot, her mind reviewed the first time she had watched the videos of the Apollo moon lander taking off from the surface of the Earth’s moon. Even to her young mind—and despite all she’d read about the 1969 Apollo 11 mission and the denial of the use, and/or application, of EG—she’d taken special notice and spotted indications of the truth. The lander had never had to slowly gain
speed similar to a rocket—no, it had popped up at full speed instantly.
A vehicle utilising EG could accelerate from twenty to two hundred miles per hour in a mere two seconds. Even more impressive, since EG not only made its own gravity, cancelling the Earth’s, it also cancelled inertia. So that same vehicle wouldn’t even cause the pilot to spill his coffee during the short yet extreme acceleration.
She loved EG and trying to find more everyday applications. Hard to do that with a concept that had belonged to black ops for more than half a century and was just becoming more prominent in the public eye.
Covering the mugs, she stared at her father. “Texas?”
“No. You’d be going to Virginia.”
NASA Langley Research Center, LaRC. Hampton, Virginia. It wouldn’t be all bad, she’d be close to Lexy. Well, closer than she was now, and she could really use her friend near. And she was curious as to why they wanted her there—it was well known that the LaRC focused primarily on aeronautical research, although the Apollo lunar lander had been flight-tested there along with a number of high-profile space missions being planned and designed on-site.
“When do I need to leave?”
“They’d like you there by the end of the week.”
“And how long will this be for?”
“Plan for a few months.”
She sighed. Another few months away from home. She loved her house and the peace it brought her. Unfortunately, as of late, she had not been spending much time there.
“Okay.”
“They have housing ready for you so there’s no need to locate and secure an apartment.”
One less thing for her to deal with. “Very well. I’ll make flight arrangements tomorrow.”
She removed the lids and slid his cup of tea over to him. He took it with a nod of gratitude and they drank in silence. After he’d finished, Dr Thompson left and she cleaned up and went back to reading her book. She climbed into bed early after sending a short email to Lexy announcing her impending arrival in Hampton.
Late the next morning, she packed her clothes for her few months of being in Virginia. Her flight had been set for tonight and she even had a taxi lined up to get her and take her to the airport. She’d called Langley and they had given her the address of her temporary housing. The house phone rang and she picked it up without sparing a glance at the caller ID.
“Hello?”
“When do you arrive? I’ll be there to pick you up.” Lexy’s familiar voice responded to her greeting.
“I leave here around six and don’t get in until two-thirty in the morning. You don’t have to pick me up. I’ll take a taxi.”
“Pshaw. I’ll drive down and meet you. I’m used to all hours anyway. Just as long as you let me crash with you at your new place.”
“Of course. I mean, I have no idea what kind of accommodation they’re giving me but you are welcome to stay.”
“I don’t care. I have to go, have a surgery to prep for. I will see you tonight.”
“Thanks, Lexy.”
“No reason to thank me, hon, you’re my best friend. Besides, I miss you and will take any opp I can to see you.” A short pause. “I’ll see you soon. I have to get this man out of my house and get to work. Love you, hon.”
“Bye, Lex. Love you too.” She hung up and shook her head. It would be good to see her even though Lexy had just been out to visit her a short while ago.
Not much later, she had three boxes packed, sealed and addressed. They would be sent to her so she’d not have to worry about hauling it all on the plane, only her carry-on.
Two men from the lab swung by and picked up the boxes and she then began to pack her final bag. She ate a late lunch and waited outside for her ride to arrive. Once on the plane, she stowed her bag, sat in her window seat, and rested her head while waiting for the spiel from the flight attendants.
She didn’t sleep well and disembarked feeling more than a bit cranky. All that vanished when she left the restricted area to find both Lexy and Eugene waiting for her. It was a sight that made her smile.
Arm in arm, the trio headed out to the parking garage where she saw Eugene’s bike beside his sister’s car. She tossed her bag in the back seat of the Spyder and tried to work out the kinks in her back.
“Why didn’t you all ride in together?” she asked Lexy as they headed for the gate, Eugene behind them on his Dark Custom Blackline.
“He was up here and decided to come meet you as well. Me? I think he kinda likes you.”
She glanced in the side mirror at the large man behind them. Eugene was handsome enough but not the one her body ached for night after night.
“He’s like a brother to me.”
“I know. I’ve tried to tell him but he does his own thing. Always has. Even told him about Ivan asking you to marry him. Waiting to hear all about that too, little missy. And also I want to know what Gio wanted with all those calls.”
“I’ve not told Ivan anything and I haven’t talked to Gio.” She shifted on the seat. “I’m scared to talk to him.”
“Why?” Lexy slowed down as they entered Hampton and headed for the apartment. “He wouldn’t have called so many times if he didn’t want to talk to you.”
“Right here on the left.” She pointed and Lexy turned in the drive to a brick duplex. “It’s not that simple anymore, Lex.”
Lexy parked and shut off the engine. With the door open and the overhead light illuminating her, she sighed as she unbuckled her belt. “And why not? Damn it, Jay, I’ve told you so many times you deserve a life and I know you like him. So what makes it so damn difficult for you to talk to the man?”
Jaydee chewed on her lower lip for a few ticks of time. Removing her own belt, she swallowed and met Lexy’s disapproving gaze head on. “I think…well, I mean, there is a chance I could be pregnant.” Jaydee climbed out of the car, shutting the door on Lexy’s sputtering.
Chapter Eighteen
Gio sat in the uncomfortable, cracked plastic chair as he waited in the sterile reception room for the person he’d had paged. There were no magazines, no newspapers, hell, no anything for a person to pass the time. He’d asked for Jaydee, only to be informed she wasn’t here. The woman wouldn’t share anything other than that, so he’d asked for Dr Thompson instead.
Guess they don’t get many visitors here. The accommodations surely weren’t recommending coming back for another visit. Still, the woman behind the glass was nice and she’d even offered him some coffee. He’d declined but at least he’d been asked.
He’d shown his identification more than once and still waited. All the people he saw wore sombre expressions along with their lab coats. Perhaps it was a prerequisite to work here.
A large white door with a red sign reading ‘Authorised personnel only past this point’ swung open and Dr Thompson stepped through. The man was impeccably dressed, as he’d been at the test facility. Hell, he wondered if the man ironed his lab coat.
Brisk steps echoed as Dr Thompson walked with authority towards him. At the last moment, Gio rose. He held out a hand and said, “Dr Thompson, thank you for seeing me.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Dr Thompson demanded, ignoring Gio’s outstretched hand.
Licking his lower lip, Gio wiped his hand off on his pants, not liking how this had already begun to play out.
“I’m sorry, sir. I came to see Jaydee but she isn’t here, or so I’m told. I need to talk to her.”
“This is a working lab. We don’t have time for idle chitchat.”
Gio ground his jaw and strove for patience. He’d put in for time off and had finally figured out where this lab was located. Now that he’d arrived, he had found more walls and hurdles before him. Damn it! He wanted Jaydee. And no one, not even her father, was going to stop him from accomplishing his goal.
“I’m not looking for idle chitchat. I’m looking for your daughter.”
Beyond the glass partition he watched as the woman’s head popped up, eyes wi
de, at his statement. Hmm, perhaps no one else knew. Dr Thompson’s brown eyes narrowed slightly and his nose flared.
A deep, dark part of Gio longed to needle the man who had seen fit to raise his child as a co-worker as opposed to his daughter. However, he wasn’t a fool. He knew Dr Thompson’s assistance was necessary if he were to find Jaydee. So he tried again.
“Just tell me where she is and I’ll go.”
“I could have you removed.”
“And I’ll keep coming back.” He meant it.
“Ordered you shot on sight is another option.”
Gio didn’t even blink. “If that’s what you have to do. I’m not giving up.”
A few moments of charged silence passed between them before Dr Thompson pivoted around. “Come.”
Jaydee’s father strode towards the door he’d recently come through. On his heels immediately, Gio followed him through and sucked in a breath at the numerous wall-mounted guns that were trained on them. The weapons rotated in time with their progress down the corridor.
Shit. They aren’t playing here.
The good doctor didn’t seem to even notice them but, then, this was his lab. A few doors, a short elevator ride and some stairs later, Gio stuck with Dr Thompson as he entered another room. One Gio presumed to be his office. There had been no nameplate for identification purposes, no anything to indicate what—or who—resided behind the door.
It was a nice room. Small prototypes were scattered all around. A large desk sat in the middle, some bookcases lined the windowless walls, and there were a few chairs. Gio sat in one after Dr Thompson lowered himself into the one behind his desk.
Arms resting on the smooth dark top of the desk, Jaydee’s father asked, “Why are you looking for Jaydee?”
“Can I just talk to her?”
He shrugged. “She’s not here, as I know you were informed.”
Gio forced himself to remain relaxed. “Can you tell me where I can find her?”
“I could.”
He sensed a ‘but’ coming and didn’t say anything.