When Viktor put his arm around her and carefully pulled her towards him, she took a quivering breath.
“Better?” he inquired.
His father just died and he asked her how she was doing? Weird. She nodded but made no effort to leave his embrace. It simply felt too good. When was the last time she’d been hugged? She couldn’t remember.
As his fingers were drawing little circles on her back, her eyelids dropped and she breathed in his spicy aftershave. Gosh, he smelled good! She must have had one too many, otherwise she couldn’t explain her odd behavior. Here she was, sprawling on a couch at the other end of the world, throwing herself at a complete stranger. What’s more, somebody she was supposed to interview. It sounded like a joke.
“Psst,” he whispered into her hair. “I can hear you think.”
„Bad habit,“ she uttered and finally found the strength to get out of his arms. Not a nice feeling. But if she wanted to retain at least some pride she had to keep her six senses together, otherwise she would end up like Cole. Or worse, Viktor’s father. Not for the first time she asked herself what she’d gotten herself into.
Her thoughts drifted to Julie. She’d been barely able to keep her from coming. Instead, she convinced her to stay in the suite and take apart the gazillion files on the MacBook.
As soon as she was back in the hotel she would tuck her friend on the first plane to the States. What was she thinking to pull her into her mess? On the other hand, without Julie’s help she probably wouldn’t have made it to the airport, let alone into the plane.
Yet, something had changed. She was tired of her own passiveness. It was time to take things into her own hands. For years she’d let herself being reduced to a pawn. But that was over now. Even if only half of the information she’d scraped together was correct, not only was her life in danger, but also Julie’s. There was no way she could justify it any longer.
She took a deep breath and tried to get rid of the dizziness. Why the heck had she boozed herself up like that?
„What’s on that list that you need so urgently?“ she asked, trying for a firm voice.
Viktor put his arm onto the backrest. His look was serious again. “It’s not just me. There are authorities, governments all over the world, who want that flash drive. They won’t stop until they have it. My father obtained it at the risk of losing his life.”
And now he was dead. “What’s on that list?”
“Names.”
She frowned. That’s all?
“Ally, as long as Cole has the list, not only his life, but yours as well is in danger. Your uncle, your friends, anybody you care for is a target.”
“Who in the world would do anything to anybody just to get their hands onto a few boring names?”
He laughed in disbelief. “These names are a lot, but not boring, that’s for sure. Whoever is on that pen drive isn’t just anybody. Only big shots from politics and business made it on the list.”
“So what?”
Viktor sighed softly. “Those people are dangerous. They belong to an exclusive group of people with huge influence. They’ll have you killed in a heartbeat and don’t have to answer to anybody for it. If only because your body will never be found. They’ve killed already, not only my father. They are cold-blooded killers, who wont stop until they get what they want.”
“Which would be what exactly?”
“It’s about a project called Special Skills. Does that ring a bell?”
She nodded slowly, which seemed to relieve him. He was probably glad not having to tell her everything in detail.
“My dad was one of the test subjects,” she added, repeating only what Jean had told her.
Viktor nodded in agreement. This wasn’t news to him. “Now they’re trying to prevent a scandal and cut off the lose ends.”
“But that was ages ago.“ What was it that Jean had said again?
“As long as the people involved are alive it doesn’t make any difference.”
“Where does your dad fit in?”
She’d barely asked that question when it dawned on her. He had just told her whose names were on the list: Powerful people with influence and tons of money. Thus, guys like his father, a well-known oligarch, whose wealth came from sources better left unmentioned. Now the list had been stolen and somebody was trying to blackmail him.
Ally frowned. Why was he murdered then? Dead people don’t pay ransom. Crap! Just when she thought she was getting somewhere, she had to start over again. Would there ever be any light brought into this madness? Apropos.
“What did you mean earlier when you mentioned I don’t need my pills?” That she was like him.
“Ally, you came from the Special Skills program. A heart defect is impossible.
At those words her heart skipped a beat, as if to protest.
“Your gift is not the only thing you’ve been given. Excellent health is only one side effect of the genetic modification.” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you ever have a cold, the measles or any other sicknesses as a child?”
She shook her head in disbelief. No way! She wasn’t the guinea pig of the government. That’s impossible. Her throat got tight when the pieces fell into place. Genetic modification. Her father was a test person. Experiments on the genetic make-up. The medical reports in the files. Dr. Edwards and his endless blood tests. And all of it because of a heart defect they had probably made up to keep an eye on the experiment. Her. Was she some kind of mutant or what?
“Hey!” Viktor took her hand and squeezed it. “It’s okay.”
“A-and what are the pills for?”
He gently pulled at his earlobe. Was that helping him think?
“No idea. How did you feel after taking them?”
“As if I were wrapped in cotton.” An understatement of the year. Intoxicated and numbed was more like it.
“It might be beta blockers to suppress your gift.” He let his gaze slowly wander across her features.
“So, what’s your talent?”
“To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
He seemed disappointed, but nodded.
She had to ponder about her defect that was suddenly supposed to be a gift–joy! Or not. What was the use knowing what other people were feeling? It was confusing as hell and did nothing but confront her with the unfiltered emotions of strangers. And that was rarely nice. People had an impossible amount of worries. Money was the evergreen on top of the list, closely followed by health-related fears. But that was nothing compared to their envy. Hate for colleagues, neighbors, even close relatives. Sometimes open, sometimes disguised in anger and aggression.
And she was in the front seat sensing stuff that wasn’t part of her. It happened more than once that she’d be furious all of a sudden without knowing why. What he was calling a gift has been a nightmare to her. And, as a side note, a complete waste.
Now the notes, that stated the experiment had failed, made sense. Not only was she a freak, but a useless one on top of that. While Jean could move things and knock others out, she got headaches from the frustration of strangers. Not to forget her ability to detect lost keys. Though, that came in handy at least.
When Viktor wrapped an arm around her waist she was startled. He carefully pulled her towards him, probably because she looked like she was going to cry any moment. But she wasn’t sad. She was appalled and angry and…disappointed.
All the lies that had controlled her life were causing a sour taste. It was her life, how could David dare to watch her like a goddamn chemical experiment that could blow up in his face? To top it off, without telling her a thing about it. She was seventeen and not a toddler, who couldn’t be told the truth. How could he do that to her?
She took a deep breath to calm herself and decided to postpone her tantrum. She would call her wanna-be-uncle as soon as she stepped into her suite. He owed her answers, a ton of them. He probably knew better than anybody else where her father was.
Determined
, she broke away from Viktor’s arms, though it required all of her self-control. He didn’t just smell good, he also felt incredible. The muscles under his tight-fitting shirt were real. And they were soft, not hard as she had assumed. And…well, it felt damn good to get comforted for a change. Unfortunately, that had to wait. She had things to do.
When she got up he also rose and grabbed her shoulders. “Ally, please help me.”
“Look, even if you don’t believe me, I have no clue where that list is, okay?”
“I know,” he said to her surprise and pulled her closer.
“Really?” He slowly nodded and didn’t let her out of his sight as his hands were roaming down her arms. Though his touch was soft, her skin was burning from the contact and her heart was ready to jump out of her chest. Did he know what devastating effect he had on her? Obviously, otherwise he wouldn’t constantly find opportunities to touch her. She leaned forward and took in his earthy scent. Yum!
“I’m asking you to work with me anyway.” He was almost whispering. “You could help me find your father.”
The last sentence was like a bucket of ice cubes. She was supposed to track down Cole for him? That’s all? “And that’s important to you, because…?” she asked and moved away from him. She didn’t get far though because he curled his hand around her waist. With the other hand he moved up and down her back. God, that felt good! She hadn’t realized how tense she was even though she felt unusually comfortable in his presence.
That was yet another thing. What was it about this guy that she felt so violently attracted to him? She barely knew him. What’s more, he was the son of a professional lawbreaker, shouldn’t she be more careful? Still, in his arms she had the feeling nothing bad could happen. Jeez, one more look into his sapphire eyes and she’d probably promise him to get the list herself.
But it weren’t his eyes that made her head spin, it was his incredibly sexy mouth. Before she could anticipate his next move, he leaned in, his lips lightly brushing hers. Soft as the wing of a butterfly–like a question. She was so taken aback by his attempt that for a moment she didn’t know what to do. Everything inside her screamed to lean into him and answer his kiss. But an alarm bell went off in the back of her mind. The guy was a player!
The next moment his arms wrapped even tighter around her. His tongue stroked a seductive path along her lower lip. He bit her playfully until she opened up. And then he kissed her. Their lips were moving together in a soft rhythm while his tongue teased hers, playing–challenging. Since she was pretty much beside herself and probably also completely out of her mind, she switched off her reservation and took on the challenge. It was shocking how effortless he set her body in flames, send tickles over her heated skin that centered at the base of her belly.
With a sigh she closed her eyes, put her hands onto his neck and kissed him back. It was a sweet kiss, tender and full of promises. After a while Viktor’s grip became firmer, his kiss more hungry. He growled into her mouth, or maybe it was a groan. She couldn’t really tell in her dazed condition. Viktor was like a drug and she wanted more. More of his lips, his hands and the sexy little grumbling sounds he made. Or was it her?
Too soon he leaned back, breathing heavily. He had to grab her by her upper arm so she wouldn’t drop backwards like a deadfall.
“Ally, this isn’t a game, it’s serious.” His voice sounded hoarse.
Was he talking about the kiss or her dad?
“I can protect you if you’ll let me”
Of course it wasn’t the kiss. She mentally kicked herself and took a deep breath. It had to be the hormones, there was no other way to explain the hearts in her pupils. She had to pull herself together and get over her crush at Mr. down-and-dirty. If she didn’t watch it she’d end up under his heel–and with her so would Cole. Now wasn’t the time to let her guard down and play kissing, lives were at stake. Although her brain was on the same page, her emotions had a mind of their own. “And what am I supposed to do?” she asked in a small voice.
“Get your stuff and move in. After that we’ll find a way to get in contact with Cole.”
“So he can give you the list?”
He nodded, but his smile slipped a little.
All of a sudden she was fighting back tears. She was confused, but certainly not gaga. Why should Cole return something he’d just stolen?
But wouldn’t it turn the tables if her father found out that Viktor had snatched her–or at least make him think so? The message wouldn’t be very subtle: The list in exchange for your daughter.
She bit the inside of her cheeks to push back the annoying sobs. She wasn’t one of those bimbos he picked up every night only to discard them the next morning like a used Kleenex. She was Ally Reynolds and what she didn’t need was to be taken for a ride by a player who thought kissing was some kind of sport.
Whatever happened to the heroes? Were there only buccaneers left? It wouldn’t have taken much for her to fall for those midnight blue eyes. She had to get out of here in a way that wouldn’t look like an escape.
She switched on a smile, the first one since she had set foot in the hotel. Maybe it was even the first since they had landed in France. At least it felt like that. “That sounds…fair,” she heard herself say. “Let me think it over for one night.” And look for a new place to stay.
He didn’t seem to like it, but nodded. “My driver will take you.”
Shoot! She couldn’t refuse without raising suspicion. She’d rather swim through the Seine than guide him to her hotel, but he probably knew where she stayed anyway. As soon as the driver was gone, she and Julie had to disappear.
“That’s really…nice.”
Viktor tilted his head and seized her up. Had she gone overboard? He wasn’t an idiot after all.
“Think about it. But keep in mind we’re running out of time. Every passing hour is helping the enemy.”
Remained the question who the enemy was.
Finally, he turned towards the door and called out something in Russian–or Ukrainian? One of his bodyguards, a surprisingly short fellow with bleached blond hair appeared.
After a quick conversation Viktor turned back towards her. “That’s my private number,” he said and pushed a grey card with a row of numbers but nothing else on it into her hand. “Only three people have it. If you need something, call.” He paused briefly. “I’ll be waiting for you,” he added quieter.
Which girl didn’t want to hear that? If it had been a different day in a different place she would have been floating. But this wasn’t a romantic get together, and Viktor didn’t want a date. He was after that stupid list and thought she was dumb enough to get it for him.
When he kissed her softly she felt a lump in her throat. Just as she was trying to tell herself that maybe he liked her a little bit after all, the short bodyguard reappeared and escorted her to the exit. Apparently, he couldn’t get rid of her fast enough, now that he assumed to have reached his goal. Guys like him always got what they wanted. He only had to smile at girls and they threw themselves at him.
This thought was surprisingly painful, considering the situation. She had enough problems, she certainly didn’t need heartbreak on top.
As soon as the door closed behind her, she wouldn’t see Viktor Iwanow again. Why did that thought hurt so much?
~ * ~
Long after she was gone Viktor was standing at the window of his suite, looking at the park outside. But he neither saw the trees softly swaying in the wind, nor the light that the sun threw onto the leaves. Instead, he was staring into nowhere, dwelling on his thoughts.
This girl was…different. Though he’d known that she was an esper, the energy had surprised him. Still, he’d never before encountered the offspring of an SK. That was probably why. But it hadn’t just been her power that had caught him. It was …her. The way she looked at him, the sound of her voice, the tiny gestures she didn’t even notice. She pushed her hair behind her ears when she felt embarrassed. When she th
ought about something, she bit her lower lip, and tilted her head when concentrating.
She neither tried to come across smarter or more attractive. Her voice wasn’t artificially high, but pleasantly low–warm. During the conversation she hadn’t thrown him yearning glances or given him inviting looks underneath her eyelashes.
He had assumed she would dress up for the interview, but he’d been far off. She’d come in a worn-out black knitted coat, skinny jeans and boots. And yet, he’d been the one who’d tried to come off all relaxed, not even wearing shoes. He’d arranged his outfit for over an hour while she probably hadn’t wasted a thought on her appearance. She hadn’t even worn lip gloss for fuck’s sake. There’d never been a girl come to him that, well, naked and he found that…sweet. Which surprised him even more. How could he be attracted to someone who wasn’t even trying to charm to him? The more he thought about it the weirder it felt. The chick had a dreadful haircut and knew nothing about style. Or make-up for that matter. Or how to fake anything. She was completely genuine, and that’s exactly what made her sexy. Had he just thought sexy?
Right, that would be the day! Him falling for a bland wall-flower. She didn’t even have curves!
But her eyes. Most women put so much make-up on that they ended up looking like Raccoons. Ally however needed neither eyeliner nor mascara, her eyes seemed huge anyway. Looking at them up close, they seemed like a wild ocean with golden speckles. Like the sun reflecting on the sea. Fascinating.
But he hadn’t made her come for that, it was about business. As if verifying, he nodded and crossed his arms above his chest. The girl was the bridge to Cole, that’s it. Without her, there would be no list, and without the list there would be not revenge–simple as that. And by God, he wouldn’t waive retribution. Not for Ally or anybody else.
It was time to plan the next steps.
After he had made this decision, he felt better. As if he’d change his plans because of a girl! Especially one that made no secret of her lack of interest.
Operation Heartbreaker Page 10