The Maze (ATCOM)

by Jennifer Lowery

  “She doesn’t know,” Santiago murmured. “Oh, this is priceless. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with this new revelation. It will add a certain…element to the game. I have done you a great service by allowing you to have Atalanta for the night, but remember one thing: she belongs to me. I insist that you remember the favor when I call upon it.”

  Like hell he would. Noah had requested her for her sake, not his.

  “What the hell is he talking about?” Attie demanded, squeezing his forearm.

  “Nothing, he’s trying to get a rise out of me. You’re playing into his hand.”

  “Nice try. You’re a good liar, Kincaid, but not that good. He sees something that I don’t. What are you hiding?”

  “Drop it, Attie.”

  “I hate secrets.”

  He pinned her with a hard stare. “Really? Well, you should be more understanding because you have a mountain of secrets buried inside you.”

  He got exactly what he’d expected for that. A scorching glare and a left jab to his ribs. Attie didn’t go for the classic slap across the face; she played dirty and made her mark count. And it did. He grunted when her fist met his flesh and met her glare, unrepentant. He needed her mind on something else besides Santiago and the truth about his feelings for her.

  “Carlos may not be able to get a rise out of the indestructible Rock but I can,” Attie taunted. “Tell me.”

  Behind her a door slid open. “Heads up. We’re going to have to finish this later.”

  “God, doesn’t anything rattle your cage?” Attie breathed in frustration.

  If only she knew how the very sight of her shook his control. She was stunning when riled. Her green eyes glowed with emotion, her cheeks flushed with color.

  “Have you ever seen my cage rattled?” he asked quietly as four armed guards wheeled in a service cart full of food and drink. It felt odd to be standing in the middle of a jungle paradise receiving room service.

  “No, and it’s driving me crazy. You aren’t a machine.”

  He didn’t tell her that being a machine kept him alive. If his training hadn’t kicked in the day he found her in Santiago’s cell he doubted they would have made it out in one piece.

  “This situation demands our full attention, Attie. We can’t afford to lose sight of that.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Are you saying I’m losing sight?”

  “Yes. Let me finish,” he insisted when she opened her mouth to speak. “And with good reason. You’ve been through hell and it’s taken its toll. It would on anyone who survived what you did, but you have to stay focused. If you go off half-cocked it could cost us our lives.”

  “I do not go off half-cocked,” she flared. “How can you accuse me of that? You know me better than that. I know exactly what we’re up against. I don’t need you to remind me. Save your lectures. I’m no longer in a position to take orders from you.”

  Noah stepped closer, bearing down on her. She didn’t back down. Attie never had intimidated easily.

  “You changed.”

  “So did you,” she countered, tilting her chin up a notch.

  The guards left through the same door they had entered without either of them caring.

  “No, Attie, I’m the same man.”

  To his surprise tears welled in her eyes, something he had never seen happen before. It stunned him into silence and held him captive to see those lovely green eyes glisten. He wanted to pull her into his arms and apologize, tell her to let it out, but his arms refused to cooperate so he stood there, toe to toe, waiting for her to speak.

  In a low, cold voice she said, “If you were the same man, then you wouldn’t have aborted my mission and destroyed my life.”

  Chapter 13

  Noah stared at Attie’s retreating back, stunned. She blamed him for ruining her life? He knew her career was important to her and she put it first above anything else, but he hadn’t realized it was her life. Did she place it above Jed and Brendan too? If her career was so damn important, then why did she retire?

  He didn’t have to wonder what orders she was talking about. He knew. She blamed him for pulling her out of South America, but dammit, he hadn’t been wrong to do it. In fact he should have done it sooner. Maybe then she would still be an agent and they wouldn’t be here playing a madman’s deadly game.

  Raking a hand through his wet hair, he watched her pick up a sandwich and bite into it as if it held no appeal whatsoever. She chewed mechanically and swallowed hard.

  Sensing his gaze, she turned her head and glared at him. “I’ll hold my own, Kincaid, I haven’t lost my edge.”

  He said nothing, waiting.

  “Look, I may detest having you here, but get this straight. I know what we’re up against and what I have to do. I don’t like having you at my side, but for Brendan’s sake I’ll go along with it. Whatever it takes. Got that?”

  “Nice speech, Devayne, but it’s lacking one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  Noah crossed the room in two strides and pulled her against him. He lowered his head so that his mouth was only inches from hers. Their breath mingled and Attie’s lips thinned. She knew exactly where he was going with this and she didn’t like being called on it. They both knew she wasn’t telling the truth. Getting her to admit it was a whole other story.

  Softly, he said, “You don’t detest me.”

  Her eyes narrowed but she didn’t step back. He knew she wouldn’t.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Prove it,” he challenged, dipping his head so that his mouth whispered over hers. He was pushing her again, but he refused to let her pull away from him. He didn’t care if she blamed him, but he wasn’t going to let her lie to herself about the chemistry between them. The past aside, they were attracted to each other. Little by little he would break through her walls.

  “What is kissing me going to prove?”

  “Let’s find out.”

  “You can’t stand it, can you?” she whispered, her lips brushing his as she spoke and creating a deliciously erotic sensation.

  “What?”

  “Not being able to control me and everything around you. You can’t accept it.”

  Their bodies aligned, melded together on their own accord. He bent her over his arm. Still she didn’t pull away.

  Stubborn, stubborn woman.

  “I’ll hand over the reins if you want to be on top,” he murmured, licking the corner of her mouth and enjoying the way her breath hitched.

  “That’s not what I meant and it’s never going to happen. Not between us.”

  Noah feathered his lips over hers and felt her nipples harden against his chest. She wasn’t immune. He just needed to prove it to her.

  “What are you afraid of, Attie?” he chided softly. “Everything aside, we would be dynamite in bed.”

  “Yeah, like TNT,” she scoffed.

  “Yes.”

  “You don’t scare me.”

  Noah tightened his arm around her waist, drawing a gasp from her lips.

  “I think I do.”

  “Never.”

  Ignoring her antagonistic tone, he nuzzled the hollow beneath her ear. Against her skin he murmured, “Want to know what I think?”

  “No.” It came out a low, frustrated moan.

  “I think you’re denying that you want to make love to me because you’re afraid of getting close to anyone for fear they might learn all the secrets you have buried inside you. You fear what I might see.”

  Attie’s eyes narrowed as she pulled back slightly. “I wouldn’t let you get that close.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He dipped her over his arm, forcing her to grab onto his shoulders for balance. Her eyes widened at the unexpected move. Noah grinned at the stunned expression on her face and lowered his head until their lips almost touched. “You know I can’t resist a challenge.”

  She swallowed hard and licked her lips.

  “And you know I hate to lose.”

 
“So do I, Kincaid.”

  “Then let the games begin,” he whispered and swung her at an arc out of his arms. She had anticipated his kiss; he’d seen her chin tilt and her pupils dilate, but he wanted to keep her on her toes. Expect the unexpected. There were more ways than one to get past her defenses.

  The sound of clapping filled the room.

  “Very nice,” Santiago’s voice came through the speaker. “There is much more to you than meets the eye, Noah. How did you like the ending? A little romantic, I must say.”

  Attie picked up a glass of iced tea and took a long drink before answering. “None of your business, Carlos. Should we be careful of what we eat here, or is the food safe?”

  “I assure you, there is nothing on that tray that will harm you.”

  “Right. That would ruin all the fun, wouldn’t it?”

  “Eat, enjoy. Noah, a word?”

  Attie sent him a frown before picking up a sandwich. Noah moved into place beside her.

  “What is it?” he asked, biting into a Monte Cristo.

  “I feel I need to remind you that Atalanta belongs to me. I gave her to you for one night, not for the taking, so if you would kindly keep your hands to yourself.”

  Taking his time to finish chewing, Noah looked directly into the camera. Did Santiago really believe Attie belonged to him? He didn’t bother to reply and took another bite.

  Attie took a step toward the camera. “I don’t belong to you, Carlos. Haven’t we been over this already? I’m not yours to give away and I choose my own lovers.”

  “A bold stand, although futile. You are mine to do with as I please.”

  “Only until this is over.”

  This was all part of Santiago’s game. He could antagonize Attie with a few simple words and would continue to do so just to get a rise out of her. Or did he believe everything he said? He certainly sounded convincing when he said it. In his mind maybe he believed Attie still belonged to him. Maybe he was arrogant enough to believe that the only way she would be free was with his consent. Santiago was about power and control and Attie was a pawn in his acquiring that.

  “Now, don’t get worked up, there’s nothing you can do about your situation except go with it. That’s exactly what I’d do if I were you. I have your necklace here if you need a little reminder of how much you belong to me.”

  Attie took a step back and drew in a sharp breath. Noah moved forward so that she bumped into him. That damn necklace again. What kind of power did it hold over her? It seemed to be the one thing that sent her into a panic.

  “Now isn’t the time for such a reminder. One last thing before I allow you to eat in silence. I choose who shares your bed.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yes, mi amor, really,” came the amused reply.

  “Then you’re really not going to like this.”

  Before Noah could guess her intentions, she spun around and plastered herself against him. Her arms wound around his neck, tangling in his hair so she could pull his head down. He didn’t resist as she lifted up on tiptoe and met his lips in an open-mouthed, hot, hungry kiss.

  He gripped her waist and met her hunger with equal measure. He tasted her anger and her desperation, but also something raw. Built up tension from the night they’d shared and the foreplay minutes ago. She let it all go as she ravaged his mouth. Her lips moved greedily against his until finally he took control and possessed her.

  His tongue dipped inside her mouth and tangled with hers, tipping her head back. He moved his hand up to cup the nape of her neck, and held her head still as he plundered her mouth, tasting and exploring until she clung to him.

  The kiss was guaranteed to piss Santiago off if he had any real feelings for Attie. Sure enough, an angry shout filled the room. It echoed off the walls but didn’t faze Noah or Attie. They had long since lost sight of where they were and the reason they were there. The kiss went from proving something to Santiago and into something more personal, more intimate.

  Noah let his free hand slide down her spine to cup her firm backside. Attie was in excellent shape. She responded by tilting her hips and drew a ragged moan from his throat. He wanted her naked and underneath him, panting and moaning out his name like she had been this morning. He was addicted to this side of Attie. When she was like this, uninhibited and wild, he couldn’t get enough. She fueled a fire in him that no woman ever had.

  “Nice show, Atalanta. You’re right. I don’t like it and now I’m going to show you what happens when you defy me.”

  * * * *

  Attie ran her tongue over her bottom lip. Her back was to Noah so he wouldn’t see the action. She could still taste him and wanted to kick herself for letting the kiss get out of hand. For letting herself get out of hand. She’d meant to prove a point to Carlos, not to lose control. She had needed to feel in charge and kissing Noah seemed like a good way to establish her independence at the time. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  What she’d planned to do was use Noah for a quick, hot kiss meant to annoy Carlos, not turn into a wanton and end up mating with his tongue, urgent to get naked with him. She would have to be more careful with her independence in the future.

  Carlos entered the room with his guards. Judging by the look on his face, she had succeeded. He looked angry, and he never showed that emotion unless he was really upset.

  Maybe kissing Noah hadn’t been such a good idea after all. It had only served to make her realize how long she’d been celibate…and brought on Carlos’s wrath.

  Noah moved in front of her, blocking her view. He braced his legs apart in a familiar stance. An immovable wall. Whatever he decided to protect was safe, because he didn’t bend for anyone or anything. Not even six AK-47’s or one prickly drug lord.

  “Move out of the way, Kincaid,” she hissed.

  He ignored her as the mob moved into position in front of them. Irritated, she glared at his back. He was doing it again. Protecting her. If she hadn’t retired, then he wouldn’t be doing this. He had always given her the respect she deserved, and earned, in the field. He never would have stepped in front of her like this. He would have let her fight her own battles and backed her. This wasn’t backing her; this was sheltering her. She hated it. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, she was the one who’d antagonized Carlos and she would pay her own debt.

  Ducking around him so she stood beside him, she sent him a mutinous look that dared him to step in front of her again. This time he didn’t, but she knew better than to believe he’d backed down. Noah never backed down.

  The men moved into formation, circling her and Noah until they were surrounded on all sides. Instinctively, she and Noah turned so that their backs were pressed together, leaving neither of them open for attack.

  Carlos stood in front of her, a tiny smile on his lips that sent a shiver down her spine. She knew what that smile meant.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, stepping closer. He held one hand behind his back. The other reached out to trace her collarbone.

  Attie managed not to flinch.

  “I’m very displeased with you.”

  “Sorry.”

  “You should watch your tongue, it’s getting a little too sharp. I’m here to offer you a choice despite your open display of rebellion.”

  “Choice?”

  His dark eyes narrowed slightly, then his smile broadened. Attie knew at that moment she was in deep trouble.

  “First, tell me what your true feelings are for Noah? You send mixed signals. One minute you’re looking like you want to take his head off and the next you’re throwing yourself at him. Which is it? Love or hate? Or are they one and the same?”

  Good question. One she wasn’t willing to answer. Carlos was right. She tried to hate him, but it was getting harder and harder. None of this would she reveal to Carlos. Or Noah.

  “I won’t tell you anything, Carlos.”

  Noah stiffened next to her, silently telling her not to provoke the lion
.

  “I like your spirit. Even when you rebel I find myself enjoying you. You fit so perfectly into my plan. It’s time to show you what happens when you displease me.”

  Those words hadn’t been spoken to her in a very long time and they still had the power to scare her. They brought back too many unpleasant memories. She felt the warmth of Noah’s back against hers and yet a chill still crept up her spine.

  Carlos removed his arm from behind his back and held out his hand to her. Slowly he opened his fist to reveal a gold necklace.

  Attie’s body went numb. She should have known he would do this to her. It was his favorite form of punishment. He’d almost gotten it around her neck last night but Noah had interfered and prevented it from happening. She didn’t think he would be able to stop Carlos this time.

  Terror knotted inside her. She couldn’t wear that thing again. Her skin already crawled in memory of having it around her neck, but the look in Carlos’s eyes told her she had no choice.

  “You have two choices. One, you put the necklace on and accept the consequences of your actions or two, Noah discovers just how hungry my pets are. He has nice, large hands, don’t you agree?”

  Attie felt the muscles in Noah’s back tense and relax. Or maybe her muscles reacted to the question. Either way, one of them was tense.

  She knew he meant it. He would allow Noah to experience the terror of having a pack of fish feed on his flesh, but she wasn’t willing to let that happen. She already had the blood of one agent on her hands, she wasn’t adding more. Even if it meant wearing that damn necklace.

  Quietly, calmly, Noah said, “I won’t go down without a fight, Attie. Don’t let him railroad you into putting on that necklace.”

  “Don’t be a hero, Kincaid,” she said. Damn him and his honorable intentions. She may dread having that necklace on again, but not enough that she would sacrifice the life of a fellow agent. Noah was the best agent ATCOM had; she wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardize that.

  She took a step toward Carlos. “Tell your thugs to back off.”

  Carlos smiled with pleasure. “Bound by honor and duty. I’m proud of you, Atalanta.”