Steal My Heart

by Lisa Eugene

  “You think she believes us?” she asked tentatively.

  “She believes we have it. She doesn’t trust us.” Gabe took her hand and pulled her onto his lap.

  “She may be afraid of Cane,” Maggie surmised.

  Gabe nodded. “She should be.”

  “Do you really think she has something on him?”

  He pushed his unruly hair back. “I don’t know. What’s with ‘Millicent’? How were you assured it was her? ”

  “After one of her lectures, a small group of nurses got a chance to ask her some questions. One nurse had asked her who her inspiration was and she said her grandmother, Millicent. I only remember the name because it’s also my mom’s name.”

  He nodded thoughtfully then sank his nose into her neck.

  Maggie wiggled away from the tickly sensations, trying to coral her thoughts.

  “Do you think someone in her company is a traitor?”

  “Yes. Cane got all of his info from someone inside the company. That’s how I was able to get in so easily and steal the research.”

  “You don’t know who it is?”

  “No. I believe Harry did though, but he never told me.” Gabe bounced the tip of his nose on her naked shoulder. “You smell good.”

  Maggie smiled and perused his naked chest and wrinkled sweat pants. She sat gingerly on his lap. “You don’t. You smell like sweaty sex.”

  He grinned and inhaled deeply. “Yes, I do.” He looked like he was breathing in a fresh bouquet of flowers.

  Maggie stood abruptly and gave him her sternest look, the one she usually reserved for non-compliant patients.

  “Into the bath you go!”

  He stood, towering over her, his broad shoulders and wide chest bulging with muscle, his expression one of a recalcitrant child. Then, the corner of his luscious lips kicked up. “Only if you do my back,” he grinned. “And…front.”

  She gave an exaggerated sigh and with a barely concealed grin, ordered him into the bathroom.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Gabe: ARE YOU CERTAIN?

  Victoria: ABSOLUTELY. THAT’S WHY WE DENIED CANE ACCESS TO THE RESEARCH.

  Maggie looked at Gabe and saw the horror she felt reflected in his eyes. She couldn’t believe the information that Victoria Rollins had just given them. They’d now had several brief conversations with her and were learning more and more about Cryostar’s relationship with Cane Howard. Cane had been trying to acquire the research data in order to sell it to the highest bidder. He owned Cryostar and, along with other sponsors, funded the project, but had no legal rights to the actuall research data. He was to earn a large percentage from the sale of the Sonic Scalpel.

  As a sponsor and company owner, he’d get periodic updates and reports on the progress of the research. It was only in the last year that he’d started pressuring the Rollins into giving him access to the actual theories, trial data and statistics. Dr. Rollins had become suspicious and started snooping around his office. That’s when she’d learned his intent, and of the horrific atrocities that could occur if he ever got his hands on her research.

  That was when she’d decided to upgrade security and had changed all her passwords. Cane had become so enraged that he’d bought a second research company, ARSA, and threatened to fund a new competing project there. But Dr. Rollins knew his real objective was to scare her into relinquishing her research. He wanted to sell it to interested foreign governments for the purpose of creating biomolecular weapons. They weren’t interested in the Sonic Scalpel for treating dangerous tumors. They wanted the cellular recognition technology. She’d been horrified to see several bids for her research from political powers all over the world and even some high profile individuals of dubious distinction.

  Her research not only provided a way to distinguish cancerous cells from normal cells, it also allowed for a much deeper characterization of the cells and human genome. Maggie had been amazed and terrified at the discovery. Scientists had decoded the human genome at the turn of the century. From what she’d read, it portrayed proof that all humankind was remarkably similar. The DNA of any two people was at least ninety nine percent identical.

  She knew the remaining one percent was being eagerly studied, but she’d never imagined the potential ramifications. It was that one percent that made groups of people different. It was quite possible for someone to use Dr. Rollins’ technology to scan the genome for DNA hallmarks that were unique to a specific group of people. Taking it a step further, it was entirely possible to conceive a biomolecular weapon to target only that group and essentially commit genocide.

  Maggie watched Gabe get up from his chair, his long legs taking him to the window overlooking the front of the house. Silvery moonlight filtered in, turning the strands of his hair to black silk. She could see the weight of the information pressing down on his shoulders. He sighed and turned back to her, his dark eyes seething with anger and determination. Having come to some conclusion, he stalked back to the computer and typed.

  Gabe: WHERE CAN I GET PROOF?

  Victoria: THE FILE IS ON HIS DESKTOP AT HIS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. IT’S ALL THERE. I SAW IT.

  Gabe: WHEN ARE YOU FLYING IN?

  Victoria: THEY’RE PREDICTING THAT THE BLIZZARD SHOULD END BY TOMORROW, THE SOONEST I MAY BE ABLE TO GET OUT IS IN TWO DAYS. PLEASE DON’T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO MY RESEARCH. IT’S MY LIFE.

  Maggie’s heart reached out to Dr. Rollins. She’d been desperately trying to find a way back to the States since the incident at the lab, but because of inclement weather, was unable to leave Austria. She and her husband had gone there to meet a preeminent cellular biologist and to attend his lecture on tumor markers.

  Victoria: DO YOU THINK SOMEONE ON MY TEAM GAVE CANE THE INFORMATION?

  Gabe: YES.

  Victoria: BUT NO ONE KNEW MY NEW PASSWORDS EXCEPT FOR MY HUSBAND. SOMEONE MUST HAVE GOTTEN THEM SOMEHOW.

  Gabe turned his head to Maggie and they shared a speculative glance.

  Gabe: LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE. I WILL MEET YOU AND HAND OVER THE DATA.

  Victoria: THANK YOU. HOW CAN I CONTACT YOU?

  Gabe sat thoughtful for a moment and Maggie could sense his indecision. Then his fingers dance over the letters.

  Gabe: I WILL SIGN OFF. THEN IN FIVE MINUTES YOU WILL GET A MESSAGE FROM ME WITH A SECURE WAY TO CONTACT ME.

  When Gabe asked Maggie to go for a walk she was thrilled. Although the house was beautiful, she’d started to go stir crazy from being sequestered. Truth be told, she wasn’t really a nature person. She preferred the comfort of a sterile, predictable environment, but the idea of a walk with Gabe and seeing more of the gorgeous property appealed to her, especially with the magnificent views of the grounds she espied from the panoramic windows. The resplendent blooms of mid spring could be seen far into the distance until they met the wall of tall verdant trees. The grounds close to the house were meticulously manicured with beds of colorful tulips and daffodils, but beyond that nature displayed its uninhibited splendor in bright splashes of color. Maggie followed Gabe silently down a windy track towards the sound of rushing water.

  The tall trees created shade on this unusually hot day and allowed small puddles of sunlight to dapple their path. She tried to match Gabe’s stride, but his long legs made it difficult. Instead, she followed single file and enjoyed the view she had of him from behind. He cautioned her to watch her step and distracted, she grunted a reply. Her gaze scanned the breadth of his wide shoulders, the narrow slope of his waist, and moved down to the muscular loaves of his tight butt. Oh, she loved nature!

  She was so engrossed in her lurid assessment that she didn’t notice the root twisting across her path and tripped headlong into Gabe’s back. With uncanny speed, he turned and caught hold of her. He tilted her back upright and regarded her with concern then barely veiled humor. Maggie felt her cheeks redden like ripe cherries and mumbled something about being distracted by a bird. Bird? Bird? Couldn’t she come up with something
better?

  “Bird?” She watched the edges of Gabe’s lips pull and wanted to wipe the knowing smugness from his handsome face.

  Frustrated and burning with embarrassment, she responded testily, “Yes! A bird.”

  He shifted his weight on his long legs, his smile threatening to escape from hiding.

  “What did it look like?”

  It had tight buns! She threw her hands up. What a ridiculous question! “I don’t know…it had wings and feathers and…a… a beak!”

  She watched him bite his lip; his mirthful eyes were a chocolate brown. He quirked a brow. “I think you were checking me out.”

  “No way! Of course not! No. I was too busy minding my way.”

  “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” He smiled and turned around, twining her fingers in his larger ones.

  Smartass! Maggie bristled behind him, but smiled slyly when her gaze began to peruse his ass and thick hamstrings. Gabe stopped along a silvery stream and she followed him to the perch of a large stone overlooking the water.

  “This place is beautiful.” She looked around at the small clearing. Hyacinths sprouted all around them, their bright lilac mingled with the yellow daisies to paint a beautiful cheery canvas. She sat next to him, drew her knees up and tilted her face towards the sun. They sat like that for several moments until Gabe’s deep voice intruded.

  “The Rollins’ research is amazing.”

  “Yeah, I had no idea of its depth. I though the cell recognition was merely for cancerous versus non-cancerous cells.”

  She still couldn’t believe the brilliance of the Rollins’ invention or the results of the research. She shuddered to think what the research could mean in the hands of a madman. She was eternally pleased that Gabe hadn’t handed it over to Cane. She braced her head on his shoulder, absorbing the firm comfort.

  “I’ve been going through it. It’s very complex, but she’s helped to explain a lot.”

  “In the wrong hands it could be very dangerous. Do you think it’s her husband who gave Cane the codes and schedules?”

  “I don’t know. He’s known for being a sketchy character. She said she hasn’t divulged any of our conversations to him.”

  “Do you believe her?”

  She sensed his nod. “We have to get it back to her as soon as possible.”

  Maggie paused, bracing herself for what she was about to say. Something had been gnawing at her since their last exchange with Victoria Rollins.

  “I don’t think you should go to Cane’s office. I know you’re planning on going after his file.”

  She heard him take an onerous breath and turned to look at him.

  “It’s just way too dangerous, Gabe. It’s like walking into the lion’s den.”

  “I have to do it. I have to make things right. Cane needs to be stopped. It’s not about having something on him to ensure your safety anymore. If Dr. Rollins’ claims are correct, I need to get the proof. What he’s trying to do is a federal crime. This would most likely be a matter for the Central Intelligence Agency. What he’s planning on doing needs to be investigated thoroughly by the proper authorities. I need to get hold of that file.”

  Maggie’s shoulders sagged. She felt the danger spiral exponentially. She could tell from his tone that he was resolute in his decision, and it injected cold fear into her heart. She rested her head on his shoulder.

  “When are you planning on doing it?” she asked softly.

  “Soon, but I’d like to get more information from Victoria and I’d like to see that she’s safe.”

  Maggie frowned. “Are you worried about her?”

  Gabe shrugged silently. “I just have a hunch.”

  Maggie looked around the picturesque landscape. The surreal beauty a stark contrast to their loathsome discussion. The reminder of their dangerous circumstances, Gabe’s decision to go to Cane’s office, and the implications of the research was starting to cause new anxiety to seed inside her. She needed to change the subject. She took a deep breath and dove in, deciding to take a chance. She ached to know more about him.

  “Did your family visit here every summer?”

  He answered after a long pause. “Yes.”

  “Were the owners in residence as well?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s beautiful. What kind of things did you do here?’

  “Hunt. Fish.”

  “How did you learn to do all that? From your dad?”

  She felt him stiffen. The shoulder she leaned on turned to a slab of marble and his tone became just as hard. “I don’t want to talk about him, Maggie.”

  “Why? Tell me.”

  “Enough!”

  She sat up, exasperation ruling her judgment and her tongue. “Gabe, I don’t know anything about you! You never talk about yourself. Every time I ask you something about your past, you avoid or change the subject. You’re often brooding and introspective. You keep pushing me away.”

  “There’s no need to know anything about me. This will be over soon, Maggie.”

  She averted her gaze, trying to soothe the sudden stinging in her eyes. “I’d just like to get to know you a little,” she said softly, wretchedly, hating the feelings she had for this man.

  “Know me? Know me?”

  She turned back to see blinding anger and hurt filling the dark clouds of his irises. His voice grated between clenched teeth, anguish drenching his words. “I’ll tell you something about me. Do you want to know how my father died, Maggie? I killed him. Now, does that help you to understand me a little better?”

  Shocked into silence, she watched him climb off the stone and make his way to the path leading back to the house. She watched his tall frame disappear as the path curved around a large copse of trees, and she kept watching, her mind somehow hoping he’d reappear to send her his odd puzzled expression. But she knew he wasn’t coming back. She let her head fall onto her knees and made no attempt to staunch the tears her eyes and her heart squeezed out.

  She’d been such a fool! Why couldn’t she just take their relationship for what it was? Why did she have to pry? It was none of her business. She was just passing by in his life.

  Maggie swiped at her tears, making futile attempts to clean her soggy cheeks. Her breaths were sticking like doughy clumps in the back of her throat, choking her sobs. Just because they had great sex didn’t mean they had a relationship. Didn’t mean he had feelings for her. She chastised herself again for the stupid assumptions she’d subconsciously made. It wasn’t as though he’d led her to believe otherwise. In fact, it’d been quite the opposite. He’d erected neon signs warning her not to get attached. It wasn’t his fault she was falling in love with him. She sighed and let a new river of tears fall, hoping to wash away the burgeoning emotion in her heart.

  When her heart was empty and she could cry no more she slowly made her way back to the house, stopping along the path to dawdle and hoping to delay the inevitable. She didn’t want Gabe to see her so distressed. She could imagine that her eyes were swollen and her nose a glowing red bulb. She looked up and could see the peak of the house just coming into view. She thought she saw a shadow blot one of the upstairs windows, but refused to grant her brain permission to believe it was Gabe checking on her to make sure she was safe. She was sure she was imagining it, just like she’d imagined that he harbored some affection for her. She shook her head roughly, causing her pale waves to cascade about her face.

  She had to get a grip. She could hear David’s reprimanding voice telling her to ‘quit the shit’! Those had been his words of comfort after her devastating discovery two years prior. She’d been a blathering fool who could barely string two words together after she’d left Marc’s apartment. Sure, she’d been strong and confident in front of Marc, recommending other places where he could insert his puny member, but back at her apartment she’d sunken into a quagmire of self-pity and melancholy. David had given her a hand and pulled her out of her despondency. He’d told her to ‘quit the
shit’ and reminded her of what she’d already known but had frosted over time and time again. Marc was a shithead. Plain and simple. And she was much better off without him.

  What would David say about Gabe? He’d tell her the same, she was sure. He’d remind her of the circumstances of their meeting, his dangerous lifestyle, the violent acts that he’d committed, and tell her he wasn’t worth the tears or the heartache. After all, the man just admitted to killing his own father! She could see how that would cause that haunted look that sometimes lurked in his eyes. Her chest ached miserably and she kicked a pebble from her path. He just didn’t seem capable of deliberately committing such a monstrous act. It wasn’t in his heart to do such a thing. She wondered about the circumstances.

  I’m a bad man, Maggie. His words reverberated in her head like the echoes of a church bell, ringing in a message loud and clear. Near the house, she stopped to stare vacantly at a checkered garden of yellow and red tulips. A gentle breeze pushed her hair back and tickled her mottled cheeks. She didn’t know him. She didn’t know anything about him. How could she presume to know what was in his heart? It was time she quit the shit and focused on getting the research back where it belonged. It was time she focused on getting back to her life.

  Through a large colonial window of an upstairs bedroom Gabe stood in the shadows and watched Maggie amble up the winding path to the house. From this distance he couldn’t clearly discern her features, but his mind’s eye saw the distress on her face, and his anger exploded again because he’d been the one to put it there. Well, now she knew. She knew what kind of person he truly was, she knew what monster claimed his soul. She’d have to cast off the illusions she’d created. It was better that she realized it before they were both in too deep. He never wanted to disappoint her, never wanted to see the kind of agonizing torment like he’d seen in his mother’s eyes when he’d told her that the love of her life was dead, and he’d been the cause. He couldn’t live with that. Even his brother had agreed that it’d be better for everyone if Gabe left. Now, many years later, he was prepared to leave again—to walk away from her.