by Joni Hahn
“She leered at you the entire time. When we get back, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was laid out on the table as your dessert.”
Backing her against the wall, he couldn’t keep the wonder out of his voice. “Are you jealous?”
Pulling back her head, she gave him a don’t-be-ridiculous frown. “No.”
Of course she wasn’t. What was he thinking? She had higher standards.
“Let’s get one thing clear, Hope: the only woman on my mind right now is you.”
For the first time since she saw her mother’s picture, a sparkle appeared in her mint green eyes. God, what he wouldn’t give for a taste of those lips right now.
But, it was all business between them from here on out. This was no place to have thoughts like that, or think about her incredible breasts, the warmth of her body surrounding him, the sound of her moans and heavy breathing in his ear.
Straightening away, he tugged her down the hall to the next door. Damn, he’d forgotten about the video feed. He had to keep it real or Mitchell would have his hide.
He spoke for their benefit as well as the video. “We’ve got a picture of your mother, a Keegan Meeks slash psycho nympho, and a host that knows way more about us than he’s letting on.”
Hope stopped dead. “Do you think he knows who we are?”
He looked back at her, his voice low. “Baby… err, Hope, if he knows your mother, he knows you.”
The shock returned to her pale face, hollowing out her eyes. “Do you think he has Keegan drugged? The Keegan I met last night was shy and reserved. I tried to connect with her throughout dinner but I couldn’t match her frequency.”
“It’s possible. Hell, there’s no telling what goes on in here. We have to expect anything.”
Nodding, she said, “Dylan said he’s seen her in the windows on the top floor. Do you think we have time to make it up there? Maybe we’ll find some clues.”
“Cyrus isn’t worried about us snooping around. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let us out of his sight.”
He didn’t want to tell her that Cyrus didn’t plan to let them leave. They had to get Keegan out tonight. He and the other agents would come back later to take care of Cyrus and whatever sick science he had going on in his laboratory.
A doorknob rattled – behind them? Above them? Cocking his head, he heard a repetitive bang, like someone shaking a locked door. A growl echoed in the wall before banging ensued.
Grabbing her hand, Jaydan dragged Hope around the corner. An open landing appeared with a spiral staircase that disappeared into the ceiling. Looking back at Hope, he held a finger to his lips. She nodded, her eyes wide with anxiety.
Circling up the staircase, the banging got louder. At the top of the stairs, they found a closed door. A woman moaned on the other side of it.
“Damn you, Cyrus.”
“Keegan?” Jaydan said in low voice.
Rustling sounded on the other side of the door but she didn’t respond.
Hope leaned against the door. “Keegan?”
“Who are you?” Her low voice held a suspicious tone.
“Les. We met last night.” Hope looked at Jaydan, faith shining in her round eyes. “We want to take you home to your family.”
No response.
He shared a look with Hope. If it was the real Keegan Meeks behind that door, she had a right to be skeptical.
It also meant she hadn’t entertained them at dinner.
“How can I believe you?”
Frowning, Hope pulled in her lips over her teeth.
Jaydan said, “Did Natalie tell you anything about their life when they were kids? Did they share something, say something, do something all the time?”
Clutching his arm, her eyes brightened. She spoke against the door. “When you would cry, Natalie would call you Keegy-baby and you would call her Natty-baby.”
A sob broke behind the door. Her voice sounded thick with tears when she spoke. “I’m locked in. Can you get me out?”
“Stand back.” Leaning into it with his shoulder, Jaydan shoved open the double-lock door with little effort.
The real Keegan Meeks stared at them with wide, terror-filled eyes, her cheeks wet with tears. She was an exact, physical replica of the woman downstairs.
Holy Mother of God, Matheson was cloning humans.
“We have to get down to the front door.” She slipped into some boat shoes by her bed.
“The front door?” Hope said, her wide eyes following Keegan’s every movement.
Nodding, she passed them to walk out on the landing. “They won’t expect us to leave through the front door. Everyone tries to leave out the back, by the lab entrance.”
Everyone. Obviously, escape attempts like Dylan’s happened often.
Putting the women behind him, Jaydan led the way down the spiral staircase. He knew Cyrus and his guards would be waiting for them. The psycho thought his sentinels could overpower him.
Guess again.
Reaching the hallway, they rounded the corner. Jaydan stopped in his tracks, Hope gasping behind him. Standing in the hallway, blocking their path, was Riordan St. James.
“Saint?”
“Riordan,” Hope said, her voice tinged with relief.
Looking closer, Jaydan realized his eyes didn’t carry Riordan’s scars, his skin pale rather than tanned from too many days in the sun.
Matheson was one, sick sonovabitch.
Hope moved to pass him. He blocked her path.
“Zeke, go,” Keegan said, over Jaydan’s shoulder.
Hope whirled around to stare at her.
She added, “There are others out back.”
Zeke’s gaze went to Keegan before bouncing back to Jaydan. “Keegan, go to your room.”
Damn, he even sounded like Saint.
But, he wasn’t. Jaydan had to look past the facade and get them the hell out of there.
He stormed ahead. Zeke straightened to his full height and puffed out his chest.
“You don’t want to do this, Zeke,” Jaydan growled.
The… man flexed his arms. “I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure Keegan’s safety.”
“I am safe,” she said. “They’ll keep me safe.”
Zeke’s eyes never left Jaydan. “You know I can’t let you leave. Mr. Matheson forbids it.”
Rushing him, Jaydan hit Zeke with a grunt. Picking him up between the legs, held him horizontal in the air and slammed him into the floor. The hardwood gave way, falling in on him as he dropped to the boards below. Groaning in agony, Zeke lay unmoving.
Reaching into the hole, Jaydan pulled him up by the shirt and punched him in the face. Zeke’s head fell back against his shoulders. Jaydan dropped him back in the hole.
Straightening, he nodded in the direction Keegan had told them to go. “Let’s go.”
Running down the hallway, they turned the corner and ended up on the landing overlooking the foyer. Several blond guards stood at the bottom of the steps, Cyrus and the other Keegan behind them.
Jaydan mumbled under his breath. “Stay behind me.”
He felt the women crowd his back.
Cyrus spoke in a raised voice. “Thank you for reminding me why I don’t have more guests on the island.”
Jaydan glared down at him. “Why? Because your food sucks?”
Cyrus’ face turned red, his blue eyes glittering in the chandelier lighting. “Keegan, my darling, go upstairs. We’ll discuss this in the morning.”
She yelled down at him from behind Jaydan. “No, Cyrus. I’m leaving with them.”
“No.”
Cyrus’ roar reverberated off the walls and ceilings, carrying up the stairs as though he’d yelled right in front of them. Contorted in rage, his face no longer looked calm and refined, but deranged.
“You are mine, Keegan. Mine.”
Her voice trembled as she shouted down at him. “No, Cyrus. I’ve never been yours. If you loved me, you’d let me go.”
“Never.”
<
br /> Keegan clutched his bicep. “I hate it here, Cyrus - and I hate you.”
Stilling, Cyrus doubled over as if in pain. He pounded a fist against his chest.
“How can you say that? We grew up together. Made love for the first time together.”
Inhaling deep, Keegan let it out slowly. “I slept with you because you promised to get me off the island. You lied to me, Cyrus.”
His face took on a look of wide-eyed innocence. “I convinced my grandfather to let you go into Honolulu once a week. I kept my promise.”
“Enough.” Keegan’s hand sliced through the air. “I’m through with this, Cyrus. I’m leaving with them.”
His anguished cry sounded like a wounded animal, guttural and consumed with pain. The psycho had some kind of sick obsession with her. Jaydan didn’t want to think about what he’d put her through.
Cyrus pointed up at them. “Kill him and bring me the women.”
The guards scrambled up the stairs.
Jaydan cried, “Both of you, grab my neck.”
Throwing their arms around his neck, the women shrieked when he jumped onto the railing overlooking the foyer. The guards stopped on the steps.
Hope’s breath washed over his ear. “Jaydan, what are you doing?”
“Hold on.”
Crouching low, he sprang in the air toward the chandelier. Grabbing the center rod, it swung side to side, the glass baubles twinkling and clashing together.
“Keegan.” Cyrus’ frantic cry carried over the clinking opus of glass. “I will kill you, Rose. Do you hear me?”
“Close your eyes,” Jaydan yelled over his shoulder.
With all of the energy rushing through his system, he yanked down on the rod. The plaster ceiling splintered like a spider web, the crackling sound echoing like raging thunder in the house.
The ceiling gave way.
Throwing himself between the floor and the women, Jaydan felt a new surge of energy push through him as the floor came up to meet the crystals with a jarring jolt. Glass shattered around them in an explosion of brightness, with tiny shards splintering his arms and face. Male screams sailed above the crashing boom, before silence rang in his ears.
Moving slowly, he shook off pieces of glass. Holy shit, he hurt. Each woman had a death grip on his neck so he knew they were okay. Looking around, he saw one of the men stirring, the others still and lifeless amongst the litter of cut-glass. Cyrus lay unconscious not two feet away from Keegan, his arm outstretched toward her.
A noise came from the back of the house.
“Please, can we go?” Keegan’s frightened tone spurred him into action.
Rising to his feet, Jaydan shifted them on his back and ran out the front door.
Chapter 10
Hope grabbed Keegan’s hand and squeezed it tight. “We did it.”
Keegan turned away from the dark sky outside the airplane window. Her round eyes were filled with fear, the cut on her forehead bleeding behind the bandage.
Only a miracle had allowed the three of them to leave that house with minor cuts, while the others lay unconscious on the floor. That miracle was Jaydan Rose.
His courage astounded her, his quick thinking, astonishing. She’d never been more proud of, or grateful for anyone in her life.
“I’m not dreaming, am I?”
Giving her a warm smile, Hope shook her head. “No, we’re on our way to Natalie now. We haven’t told her a thing. We wanted to surprise her.”
Keegan’s bottom lip quivered as she nodded. “I can’t wait to see her. What about my father and mother?”
Hope stilled, her heart heavy. She’d never had to tell someone that a loved one was dead. The feeling of dread and genuine hurt in her chest made it hard to speak. Keegan had been through so much already.
“Your father is in Los Angeles going through rehabilitation from burns he sustained last year. Your mother passed away shortly after you were abducted.”
Hanging her head, Keegan stared at her lap. Hope wondered if she could mourn a mother she never really got to know. Then again, she, herself, mourned Kim after knowing her only five short years.
“God, so much tragedy...” Looking at Hope, Keegan took and deep breath and feigned a smile. “I’m glad Natalie is engaged. We need some good news in the family.”
Hope grinned at her. “I think your return is pretty darn awesome.”
Keegan’s smile reached her eyes this time. She just left a dwelling of evil to be reunited with a family she didn’t know. She had no real concept of home, family or love.
Hope couldn’t imagine going through life without her father, and now Riordan and Natalie. The family she’d always wanted was now a reality and she would do everything in her power to make Keegan feel a part of it.
“Would you like to see some pictures?” Releasing Keegan’s hand, Hope unbuckled and walked over to her tote bag on the seat across the aisle. Digging through the bag, she tossed the contents on the seat and floor, looking for her tablet. Finding it, she went back to Keegan.
Scrolling through pictures, she found one of Natalie and Riordan sitting outside the artist’s colony where she currently resided. She handed it to Keegan.
Keegan gasped before she turned to Hope. “She’s engaged to Riordan St. James?”
Hope smiled with pride. “Yes, she’s a licensed psychologist and was hired to work with my brother after he returned from Mongolia last year.”
Keegan tapped the tablet screen. “You saw Zeke. Cyrus has used Riordan’s DNA several times to create his bodyguards. Your brother has astonishing strength and endurance.”
Zeke didn’t look too impressive against Jaydan earlier. Her protector had handled him with ease. Not that she didn’t consider her brother exceptional. It was just that no one could match Jaydan Rose and his strength.
“So, why does Cyrus clone people?”
Keegan squinted her eyes in thought. “Cyrus has a very specific idea of the perfect world. One where people are created for certain purposes, eliminating competition, conflict and bitterness.” She turned to Hope. “He doesn’t necessarily clone people. He uses their DNA and genetic code as a base, then removes or enhances certain behaviors to suit his needs. In Zeke’s case, Cyrus needed a strong bodyguard. He used Riordan as his base but enhanced Zeke’s protective instincts. He was created to protect Cyrus and all of his interests, at any cost.” Keegan’s voice held an ominous tone. “He will come after me.”
Hope’s intuition told her Keegan spoke the truth. “We’re taking you to D.I.R.E. headquarters, the security agency that Riordan and Jaydan work for. You’ll be safe there.”
Nodding, Keegan stared at the photo of Natalie and Riordan. Leaning over, Hope showed her how to scroll through the photo album.
Keegan caught her wrist. “How did you end up with this bracelet?”
Hope swallowed hard. All of the anguish bombarded her again, the questions, the feeling of doom that dropped in her stomach when she saw her mother’s picture at the house. She prayed Keegan could give her a rational explanation, could make the anxiety and hurt go away.
Hope spoke in a low tone. “It belonged to my mother.”
She whipped around to look at her. “Your mother was Kimberly DePaul?”
Frowning, Hope nodded. “Yes. Did you know her?”
Keegan’s eyes searched hers, leery and uncomfortable. “I remember her from the past.”
“What do you mean the past? Did she visit the compound?”
Swallowing hard, Keegan gave her an uncertain stare. “When I was first abducted, they sent me to the past so my family wouldn’t find me. I remember her from nineteen forty. She was Clay Matheson’s first donor.”
The pounding started in Hope’s chest like a weak bass drum before it crescendoed into a hammer against rock. Her body broke out in a sweat, her hands shaking. “What are you talking about?”
Keegan spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “Your mother lived in the past before she was brought to modern times.”
Placing her fingertips against her forehead, Hope tried to understand what Keegan told her. People didn’t jump from time periods. That sort of thing was impossible, something shown in the movies late on a Saturday night.
“There is no such thing as time travel.”
Keegan gave her a rueful smile. “Oh, yes. There is. I’ve experienced it myself.”
That couldn’t be. Keegan must have some kind of psychological disorder, after living with Cyrus for so long. Natalie would help her.
Taking a deep breath, Hope tried to insert some logic into the situation. “Not that I believe you but, say for argument’s sake, let’s say you’re telling the truth…”
Keegan gasped. “You think I’m lying?”
Hope held up a hand to halt her speech. “Why was she brought to the future?”
Shaking her head, Keegan said, “That, I don’t know for sure. What I do know is that someone wanted her here and used Nathan Chalmers’ time machine to do it.”
Time machine. Hope squeezed her eyes shut. How could she even engage in such a ridiculous conversation? Maybe she was dreaming all of this. Not Keegan.
Keegan placed a hand on her arm. “I know you don’t believe me but, I rode in the machine myself. Hope, time travel is real.”
***
Jaydan stirred from his dream. He’d just had Hope in his bed, naked, willing and soft against his side. She’d whispered insanely erotic things in his ear, her hands roaming his body, intent to please.
Dylan’s voice intruded on his dream. “He’s asleep. Can I take a message?”
“Asleep? This is his brother. Wake him up.”
Jaydan frowned to himself. That sounded a lot like Gunner. Why was Gunner in his dream?
Hope’s scent hit him a second later, her soft hand against his forehead. “Rose.”
He smiled at her in his dream, wrapped in his arms, her green eyes soft with desire. God, she was beautiful.
“Are you awake?” He felt her breath against his cheek. “We need you, Rose.”
The words hit him like a splash of cold water, his heart pounding out of control.