Interlocking Hearts

by Roxy Mews

  Getting the water back up to scalding was worth the wait. She was glad she had the heat as high as it would go, because it helped ease the chill she felt at the enormity of the task in front of her. She had to get close to one of her main suspects. The magistrate.

  He had done an awful lot of downloads of information himself. Granted, he was drafting verbiage for the certificates of humanity and needed to use words that would encompass all applicants, but there was something about those download numbers. He wasn’t the only one downloading duplicate files.

  If the information was saved off site, it could increase the file distribution. Paisley would have to see if there was a way to find that out. The number of downloads didn’t specify that the locations were within the City County Building. They could have been downloaded to a drive and taken anywhere.

  Running her hands through her hair to knock out the suds as fast as she could, Paisley realized she had to figure out the programming. Otherwise her brain would do another random thought lap in the shower and she’d lose it. She didn’t bother turning the shower off, because she fully planned on getting back in, but she did wrap the hotel robe around herself to minimize the chill after stepping outside the room of steam.

  As soon as she got her breath back, she blurted, “Do you know how to use the programs at the City County Building to determine which files have been downloaded to external drives and through which computers?”

  Both men did a double take as they turned to her.

  Oops. She grabbed the robe closed again. Darn thing was not made to cover nipples.

  She snapped her fingers in the air to shake off their boob hypnosis. “I was just asking if you knew which programs in the government building to access to find out who has been taking information home.”

  Ben turned back around, adjusted in his seat and whispered something to Jon who nodded and went toward her.

  “I know how. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

  “What? Why tomorrow? And what if you forget?” She gripped the robe tighter as he got closer. She was positive she didn’t want round two with these guys, but her body and her brain weren’t in agreement on the subject. Her heart was suddenly trying to weigh in too, and she needed to squash that fast.

  Jon tapped his forehead with his finger, and looked insulted.

  “Okay. You’re a robot. You won’t forget, but I might. Why don’t you tell me now?”

  Jon took the last step separating them, and Paisley gasped at how these men still affected her whole body.

  She was trying to argue with herself that it was muscle memory, and her inner muscles remembered how great his outer muscles had felt last night, but that wasn’t it. Paisley’d had her share of men, and her favorites were always the ones who were visiting town or having a going away party. But the ones she saw again, even if the sex was great, didn’t do it for her the next day. There wasn’t anything left she wanted from them.

  So why did she want these guys so bad when she’d gotten everything she should want from them last night? There was nothing she hadn’t done with them. No orifice they hadn’t violated in the most incredible way.

  It was the best sex she’d ever had. Maybe that was it.

  Something about the way they held her during and after sex had made her feel strange, and she wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. It was different.

  “Do you have some kind of pheromone that you give off as part of your upgrades?” Paisley asked Jon before he could lean in for the kiss he wasn’t going for.

  “You think you wouldn’t be attracted to me without some kind of chemical assistance?” His raised brows and calm voice told her he was calling her on her bullshit.

  “I don’t get attracted to people. I get horny and have sex.”

  Jon looked at her for what felt like forever instead of the ten seconds it probably was.

  Then he held the small of her back to help her keep balance as he walked her back into the heavy steam by the shower. The best part of hotel living was never having to worry about the hot water running out.

  Paisley hadn’t thought she wanted to have sex with these guys again, but she didn’t stop Jon from untying her robe. She didn’t stop him as he slid the heavy fabric over her shoulders, and she didn’t move away as he leaned around her to pick the garment off the floor.

  The door to the bathroom shut and a billow of the steam wafted around her.

  “We want to help you, Paisley.” Ben’s voice carried through the steam. “But we won’t help you have sex with the magistrate. That guy is not one to mess with.”

  “I’ll do what needs to be done to help keep Coral safe. Honestly, everyone else is a bonus. She’s my primary objective in this, and if it means doing the nasty with the handsy dude in charge, I’ll do what I think I have to.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  The words came from right next to her ear. When Paisley turned, she bumped noses with Jon. He didn’t back up. He leaned in.

  “It doesn’t always have to be just sex.”

  He kissed her before she could respond. Then the bathroom door opened again, and both men walked out.

  “What the ever-loving fuck.” Paisley waited for them to come back. They were probably getting some kind of kitchen utensil they were going to pervert in an expertly kinky way to please her body.

  Instead of drawers shuffling, Paisley heard the front door open and close.

  She walked out into the hallway naked. Then into the living area. She looked into the bedroom. Nope. They really had left.

  Well, she wasn’t chasing.

  Paisley scrubbed her skin raw in the shower. Then her hands traveled down her ribs and up again over her nipples. Her own two hands were such a shallow substitute for the four strong ones that had held her last night.

  That was the scary part. Those men didn’t just touch, they didn’t just pinch and fondle. They held her. Some of that vulnerability that she fought for so long to eradicate was creeping back inside.

  Paisley wrapped her arms around herself in the shower. Thinking of the men who were on the other side of the wall she leaned against, Paisley slid one hand lower. She touched herself, but she didn’t just need to come, she also needed that arm across her when she did. She wanted to be held again. The way these guys stormed into her room… They made her feel like they cared about her, like they wanted to protect her.

  As an orgasm washed over her body and her knees weakened, Paisley realized she wanted someone to care about her again. No. That wasn’t right. Darius had never really cared. She didn’t want someone to care about her again… She wanted someone to care about her for the first time.

  In the shower, she lost her armor. She lost the strength and power she’d built up over the years. But once the water turned off, and once she’d dried her body and put on a pair of pajamas, she had to go to sleep alone. All the cuddles and protection in the world weren’t worth the vulnerability they caused. She wouldn’t be weak again.

  Paisley packed up her things immediately. She laid out an outfit for tomorrow, and made sure she had comfortable tennis shoes in her big purse. She was checking out in the morning. She’d find a place to live after work. Even if she had to walk the city twice.

  She was done depending on other people. She needed to be strong for Coral. And she would be.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Surprisingly, bringing suitcases full of makeup products to a secure government building turned out to be a big pain in the ass. It took Paisley thirty minutes to make it through security. They unpacked all of her bags like she was working for a bomb unit in her spare time.

  As they confiscated her Oil of Olay, she told the security officer she always knew that wrinkle cream was bound to contain some kind of explosive. Maybe that was how the creams obliterated wrinkles. He didn’t find her joke about “red-hot beauty products making a big bang” all
that funny.

  After digging out her vibrators, the officer realized she wasn’t a threat, just a highly sexed individual. She gave the man some suggestions on which type he should buy his wife before she was packed and moving on up the elevators.

  “Somebody must be working a long shift.”

  Paisley nearly jumped out of her skin. Damn Quinn and his stealth training. The man was too quiet. He always snuck up on her.

  “I’ve decided I wore out my welcome at the hotel. I’m employed and my final paycheck from the palace cleared last night. It’s time I used it to be a self-sufficient citizen.”

  Paisley thought her argument sounded good. Quinn could smell her bullshit better than Coral could though.

  “I got off the phone with your neighbors just a few minutes ago, so don’t lie. You don’t want to stay in the same building as Jon and Major Renolds.”

  “You aren’t in the military any longer. You don’t have to use the title when you talk about him.”

  Quinn shrugged. “He still calls me Captain on occasion. It’s a habit. But seriously. What are you doing?”

  “Don’t worry, stud. I’m not coming to stay with you. I’m going to find an apartment after work.”

  “You’re going to find a place…after 5:00 p.m.…that is going to let you move in today.”

  Damn men and their damn logic.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Coral will make you come stay with us. Go back to the hotel. I can do some legwork for you after lunch. My schedule’s free.”

  Paisley agreed to let him look for her. If he could get her any leads, it would make things easier. She asked him to look close to the City County Building. Walking to and from work would save her tons of money, and there was no way she could afford a car on her own with what the government paid her.

  A stack of papers was on her desk when she got there. Appointments and applications. She sorted out and put notes on the appropriate items for Coral.

  Then there was an envelope. Large manila with something inside. All that was on the front was her name in black capital letters.

  She was terrified. Was this a threat? Did the caller have some kind of proof of her time with Jon? Did someone know she was on to the magistrate? Her hands started to shake as she opened the metal clasp and slid out the papers.

  “Paisley.”

  “Ahhh!” Paisley screamed and all the forms in the envelope went flying in the air.

  Coral looked around before saying, “Why did you throw your company benefits package in the air?”

  Paisley was pretty sure she was having a heart attack, but tried to breathe while the papers floated to the floor. Coral helped clean up the mess and Paisley realized the amount taken out of her check for the benefits package was reason enough for terror.

  “Why do you have your bags here?”

  Paisley stacked everything neatly on her desk. She sure wouldn’t need coffee for a couple hours. The adrenaline would keep her going.

  “I’m looking for an apartment today.”

  Quinn snuck up again. “And I’m helping.”

  Coral beamed at Quinn. She and Paisley hadn’t talked about the love thing since their lunch date, but Paisley hoped by how everything looked from where she stood that Coral had finally popped her L-word cherry.

  “Thank you for helping Paisley not be homeless. That would make me sad.”

  Quinn pulled something from behind his back. Normally, if a guy was trying to woo his woman at work and surprise her with something, he’d bring flowers.

  But this was Coral.

  “Are those the new upgrade magazines? The roboexpo is not supposed to post this information for another few weeks!”

  Coral grabbed the glossy pages from Quinn and he winked at Paisley. “I know a few people. I thought you’d like a sneak peek so you can earmark where you want to stop first. The day passes went on sale today. I got us the whole weekend.”

  Coral hugged him. “That is fantastic. They are supposed to have a lubricant from around the world tasting at the production booth again.”

  That robobabe better have told her man she loved him. He was a keeper.

  “Did you want me to grab you a tonic water while I get some coffee from downstairs?” he asked.

  “No, I have a lot of prep work to do. The magistrate wants all these files updated by the end of the day today. I’m not going to take a recharge break until the humans’ lunchtime. I need to work straight through. I’ve been here since four, and I’m only halfway done.”

  “Thank goodness they pay you by the hour.” Quinn leaned in and kissed her again.

  Coral was scanning the documents into her memory as she went back to her office.

  As soon as the door clicked shut, Quinn was in Paisley’s face, and the smile he had for Coral was turned completely upside down for Paisley.

  “Your residential status wasn’t the only topic I covered when talking with Ben this morning. I could tell something was up, and once they knew you’d checked out of the hotel, they told me what you found and what you’re planning to do.” He slammed his hand on the desk. “Nail this son of a bitch and get the info. If you toss my boys aside because you are scared to ask for help, you won’t be near as smart as I gave you credit for.”

  In a split second, the words that had soured his expression evaporated and he painted a happy smile on his face. Paisley wondered if she had imagined what just happened.

  When she looked down, a series of computer commands had replaced Quinn’s hand. She looked around to make sure no one was watching before typing them in.

  The words “download record” popped up and a prompt of “Do you want to print?” was right on top of it.

  Before anyone could see her, Paisley closed the prompt and quickly checked her history. Nothing about this left a trace. At least nothing she could see, being a minor layman in computer speak.

  Now all she needed was a way into Ralph Winters’s office.

  A shrill laugh interrupted her thoughts. There was only one person who laughed like that at everyone’s jokes. It was Tabitha. Tabitha was the magistrate’s secretary. Dressed in the best bad clothing money and horrible taste could buy, Tabitha held a stack of files as she was escorted down the hall.

  And the person causing her cackle was Darius. Of course it was. The man who seemed to be all over the damn building pulled the files from Tabitha’s hands. He struggled with the items as they caught on his gaudy gold watch, and it looked like he rearranged some of them before the two continued down the hall, but Paisley couldn’t be sure. She was sure she had to find a way to get past Tabitha and to the Magistrate. She could either trick the woman or find a way to befriend her.

  Another laugh grated Paisley’s nerves from across the room. Nope. She didn’t want to make friends. Deceit and trickery were up to bat.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Coral didn’t need an assistant. She needed an answering machine. With the magistrate’s urgency, he had something big going down soon. Paisley needed to get into the mainframe computer and she needed to get the information fast.

  If they were gathering this much data in one place, there had to be a reason. There were a few bills that might use some of the information for verbiage, but there wasn’t a single vote on them anytime soon.

  Paisley wasn’t always the smartest person in the room, but she had killer instincts. Her gut was telling her to move now.

  She knew Coral was busy for the next two hours. Paisley had even brought her a bottle of her lubricating concoction, because the way Coral was busting ass, she wouldn’t even lift her eyes until a new ink cartridge was needed to print the next set of reports.

  Paisley forwarded the office phone calls to her cell so she could respond to important voice mails, and she’d get in less trouble for being away from her desk.

  Cell
phone in hand, she went to the elevators. Just like the ones at the Main Gates Hotel, these elevators had a reflective surface, but it was a gold tone here. Paisley’s skin looked sallow and gaunt under the yellow haze.

  Ignoring how ill it made her feel, Paisley undid two buttons on her blouse. The skirt she wore looked modest in the front. After a quick turn and tuck, the pleat revealed a healthy amount of thigh. The lace tops of her stockings were framed by the fabric. Paisley undid her bun and let her hair fall around her shoulders.

  She didn’t bother with lipstick. Her lips were already pretty pink and with as much as she chewed on them when she was nervous, wearing even gloss made her teeth redder than her lips.

  Satisfied that any man would be crazy to turn her down now, and that she had just enough skin showing to distract the magistrate, Paisley stepped off the elevator. She nodded to all the men who craned their necks to ogle her on the way to Mr. Winters’s office.

  It turned out Coral wasn’t the only one working hard today.

  “He’s in a meeting. You aren’t on his schedule.”

  His assistant was super pleasant. And just like a lot of women, she hated Paisley for looking sexy rather than appreciating the effort. Paisley never understood the reasoning behind wanting other people to look less attractive, but she realized she might not be the only one the magistrate’s grabby hands had gotten ahold of.

  “Could you please just let him know—”

  Paisley stood straight up at the sound of the voices coming up behind her. Her shoulders locked and she had to force herself to keep facing the pinch-faced secretary.

  The hair on the back of her neck stood on edge because she’d heard both those voices in a much more intimate setting, and she didn’t want to actually be aroused right now. What the hell were they doing here?

  “Jon Bond and Ben Renolds to see the magistrate.”

  Paisley was distracted and didn’t notice the door open. Her plan to be intense and sexy for the guy with power and sweaty palms was more fake it than make it.

  “Tabitha, I’m in a meeting. I told you I wasn’t to be inter…rup…ted. Paisley. I wasn’t expecting you.”