He only chuckled, an answer in its own way.
Cameras? The pyschopath had left cameras? As alarm ricocheted through her, she had to battle to keep her calm demeanor. No way did she want him to know how he affected her.
Okay, so he was watching her. How? Turning slowly, she began to inspect her own apartment, searching for hidden cameras.
“Don’t bother looking,” he boasted. “You won’t find anything. I got an audio and video unit set up. It’s well hidden, with a remote feed to me.”
Even knowing now she’d have to call back the team and have the Bureau’s best electronics gurus sweep her apartment, the knowledge that Feiney was watching her made her ill. She clenched her teeth and swallowed hard, fighting the urge to curse him out.
In this instance, silence was her friend. So she clutched the phone and resumed her pacing.
“Lea, I know you’re still there.”
“Yep,” was all she said, her voice as monotonous as she could make it.
He sighed. “What, no snappy comeback? Talk to me,” he ordered. “Did the ring please you? I left your gift in his apartment and his gift in yours. They both have special significance, you understand that, right?”
Special significance? Jeez. Even thinking about that tangled mess made her stomach churn.
Feiney continued talking. “Don’t you at least want to know whose blood I used?”
Swallowing back the bile that rose in her throat, she shook her head in case he could see. “You know what, Feiney? I’m tired. Your games are boring, especially when the meaning is so obscure that I can’t figure it out. From now on if you want to give me presents, give them to me face-to-face.”
With that, she disconnected the call. Dropping the cell phone on her end table, she shoved her hands down inside her pockets to hide the fact that her hands were shaking. Since she had no idea where the camera—or cameras—were, she didn’t want to take a chance that Feiney would see.
The front door opened and Marc stepped inside. One look at her face and he hurried over. “What’s up?”
Instead of answering, she shook her head. Snatching up her phone, she gestured at him to follow as she headed back toward the door. He came without protest.
Once outside, she closed the apartment door and held up the phone. “Feiney called again. From the way he talked, he has a camera in there. At least one, maybe more. The bastard was watching me.”
His expression never changed, though a muscle worked in his jaw. “Son of a—”
“I want the place swept. Do you want to call it in or shall I?”
“Let me do it. You know the Bureau will send a team to check it out.” Already reaching for his phone, he dialed, listened and then left a brief voice message.
“They should be calling back shortly, as soon as they get the message. It’s after-hours.”
“Yeah.” The fact that she couldn’t seem to stop rubbing her arms irritated her. On top of that, she also couldn’t seem to get warm. Physical reactions to psychological stimuli. None of which she wanted or needed. She’d prefer to be detached, robotic and efficient, especially if it helped her get Feiney.
All she wanted out of life right now came down to that.
Marc touched her arm, startling her out of her thoughts.
“What do you want to do?” he asked, his deep voice rolling over her, comforting when she didn’t want comfort. Yet in an odd paradox, she wanted to lean into that voice and let it wrap around her like a soothing blanket. She wanted to lay her head against Marc’s broad, muscular chest and let him fill her with calmness.
Which meant she was weak. No. Straightening her shoulders instead, she shifted her feet and uneasily glanced back at her front door. “What do I want to do? I have no idea, not right now. All I know is, until the cameras are gone, I’m not staying here. No way do I want that SOB watching me. Can I stay at your place?”
“Sure, assuming he didn’t put cameras there, too. We didn’t have it checked.” She shuddered.
“Do you want to get a hotel room for tonight?” His dark gaze searched her face. “We can get one, or two if you’d like.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Feeling slightly foolish, she nodded. “Two is probably a good idea.”
“Do you want to go back in and grab a few things?”
About to say no, she considered. “You know what, I was going to refuse to set foot in there until they pull that camera, but now…”
“Now you’d sort of like to go in there and give him the finger, right?”
She stared. “How’d you know that?”
“Because I’m feeling the same way.”
This actually made her smile. Side by side, they went back into the apartment to pack their bags.
Once in her own bedroom, Lea didn’t close the door. Having cameras in unknown locations completely negated the concept of privacy. She packed quickly, half expecting her phone to ring and Feiney to ask her what the hell she thought she was doing, but it didn’t.
When she’d finished, she went looking for Marc, who was already waiting in the living room. He stood, lifting his bag. “Are you ready?”
She nodded, unwilling to speak where Feiney could hear, well aware the rawness of her emotions might resonate through her voice.
Once outside, she locked the door behind her.
“When we hear from the electronics people, we’ll meet them back here.” She started down the stairs at a jog, hating that she felt the need to escape from her own home.
“Hey.” Grabbing her arm, Marc stopped her at the bottom of the staircase. “If we’re going to stay in a hotel, let’s go to Fort Worth. Closer to our target area. Why stay here in Dallas if we don’t have to?”
Cowtown. Feiney’s hunting grounds and her least favorite place on the planet, because it reminded her of him. The thought made her so angry she could barely speak.
From somewhere, she found her voice. “Why? Why should we make it easier for Feiney? At least if we’re here in Dallas he has to drive between the two cities. Unless he’s using helpers to do his dirty work.”
Gaze locked on hers, Marc reached out slowly and cupped her chin. “Why are you always so angry?”
This close to him, with his steady blue gaze boring into hers, she couldn’t seem to summon up even a dose of her rage. Normally, this would have frightened her. But in this very instant, she didn’t feel the slightest bit fearful.
“You noticed, huh?”
He nodded.
She thought about her answer, then decided he deserved the truth. “Yes, I’m always angry. It’s better than being afraid.”
“I understand,” he said quietly. Somehow she knew he did. “You’re not just angry at Feiney, or at me for letting you get captured. You’re furious with yourself.”
Inexplicably, her throat clogged and her eyes ached. Instead of trying to speak, she nodded.
“That kind of burden must be difficult to bear.”
Her immediate gut reaction was to pop off, say something cutting and smart. But she knew he was only trying to help and, oddly enough, she appreciated that.
Instead, she met his gaze and dipped her chin. “Can we change the subject?”
“Sure. About the hotel—”
“You know what? You’re right. Let’s stay in Fort Worth. I’m tired of basing my decisions on Feiney.”
“Attagirl,” he said, though he wasn’t smiling.
Shrugging, she tried to push away her sudden exhaustion. “To be honest, I don’t really care where we sleep tonight, as long as there’s a bed so I can get a good night’s sleep. I want to be on my guard even more now. I think our little scenario might work, now that he’s contacted me and left me a gift.”
“Maybe… I don’t know. I think if we want to bring him out, we’re using the wrong approach.” He glanced at her. “We can challenge him, which is fine, but all that’s going to accomplish is make him delight in the game.”
“I thought we agreed this would be the best way to d
raw him out.”
He gave her a tight-lipped smile. “That was before your gift and the cameras. The fact that he’s going this far, rather than simply attempting to grab you again, tells me that he’ll continue to stretch this game out as long as possible, all the while continuing to terrorize women. He’s having a blast and doesn’t want it to end.”
Damn. Though she didn’t want to believe it, she knew he was right. “Then what do you suggest we do?”
“I’ve been thinking about this, and you’re not going to like it, but hear me out. You have two choices.” He cleared his throat. “One, you’ve got to pretend to be pining for him. Tell him you’ve missed him. Reminisce about your time together. Say you feel incomplete without him—”
“Okay, okay. I get it.” She felt like she might throw up. Squaring her shoulders, she met his blue gaze. “Marc, you know I’ll do whatever I have to do to draw him out in the open and keep another girl from getting hurt, but Feiney’s not an idiot. He knows better. What’s the other choice?”
“The second option is to make him jealous. Of me.”
“What?” She froze. “Explain.”
“Feiney views you as his possession. If you act like you’re in love with someone else, aka me, eventually he’ll grow so infuriated that he’ll have to make a move.”
Part of her was tempted—oh, so tempted. The other part, the rational, special agent part, was more logical. “That could be dangerous.”
He lifted a brow. “How so?”
Unbelievably, she felt her face heat. “To be blunt, I’m a woman, you’re a man. What if things get too…complicated?”
“Complicated? You mean emotionally?”
“Partly.” She swallowed, feeling absurdly foolish. “I was thinking more about sexually.” And she waited for him to laugh.
He didn’t. “I promise things will never go further than you want them to, Lea. Playacting is playacting. I won’t lose control.”
Oh, man. She rubbed the back of her neck. Even picturing him out of control made her feel hot all over. Worse, it wasn’t him she was worried about. It was herself.
“Look, if you think it’s a bad idea…”
“No.” She hastened to reassure him. “I want Feiney caught and the sooner the better. I’m just not sure I can…”
“Pretend to be attracted to me?” He sounded rueful.
“That’s not it.” Face on fire, she dragged her gaze up to meet his. “I’m going to be blunt. I used to enjoy sex as much as anyone else. But ever since Feiney, I’m not sure I can.”
His eyes darkened. “Playacting, Lea. It’s only playacting. You can do that, can’t you?”
Unable to look away, she swallowed and finally nodded.
“Glad we’re in agreement. But there’s more… Not only do we need to step up the intensity, but I think if there is more than one camera in your apartment, you should consider letting the team find all but one. Let that one stay.”
She didn’t even have to think about her answer. “No. Absolutely not.”
He held up a hand. “Let me finish. We’re having a team sent here. They sweep, remove all the cameras, but miss one. So we pretend we think they’re all gone, that everything’s fine and that Feiney can’t see or hear us.”
Intrigued, she waited.
“We can make plans and Feiney will believe them, only they can be false. We can set a trap that way. We can stage a lot of stuff, really convince him that we’re a couple. Infuriate the bastard, goad him into acting.”
“Wow.” Crossing her arms, she studied him. “Are you serious?”
“Very serious.”
The plan sounded so preposterous, so out there that it just might work. She took a deep breath. “All right, we’ll try it. Just not in my bedroom, okay? No cameras there or in the bathroom.”
He grinned. “Agreed. After the place is swept, all we need to do is convince him that we’re a couple.”
Though technically she’d already agreed, she was having trouble forming a coherent thought. All she could think about was how strongly his kiss had affected her and how difficult it would be to maintain an objective distance if she was allowed to touch him whenever and wherever she wanted.
“We haven’t even heard from anyone yet.”
“I know.” He dug out his phone. “Let me make another call. I want that team out here ASAP.”
“I’m sure they won’t be able to get out here tonight,” she mused.
Phone already out, he nodded as he dialed. This time, apparently, someone answered. After he told them what he needed and when he needed it, he closed his phone. “They’re on the way.”
Surprised, she stared. “Now?”
“Yep.”
“ETA?”
He shrugged. “Shouldn’t be more than half an hour.”
“Then I guess there’s no need to go to a hotel.” Feeling suddenly awkward, she stuck her hands down into her pockets and glanced at her front door. “Now what?”
“How about we go back inside and wait?”
She couldn’t stop herself from instinctively recoiling. “I think I’m fine out here.”
“Remember, we have a role to play.”
“Not yet. Once the team gets here, I’ll feel better. Just make sure you explain everything to them.”
He beamed at her. “I will.”
A little later, a white panel-van pulled into the parking lot. Four men, all wearing black, jumped out and came thundering up the stairs. After greeting Marc and listening to his low-voiced instructions, they all filed into the apartment.
“Come on.” Marc took Lea’s arm. “I can’t let you stay outside. We don’t have any idea how close Feiney is.”
Reluctantly, she followed him closer to the door. “I need time to get used to the idea of him watching.”
He gave her a long look. “No, you don’t. Lea, you’ve got to start thinking of this as an undercover assignment. We need to go in there and put on a show.”
He was right. Squaring her shoulders, she tried to think past the horror of her memories, to become her undercover persona. “What do you want to do?”
“I was thinking, I don’t know, like maybe I should comfort you. After the team leaves, of course.”
Her heart began to thud so loudly in her chest that she wondered if he could hear it. “Are you serious?”
“Completely.” Another long look from those dark eyes. “Why? Do you think you can’t pull it off? Am I too repugnant to you or something?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“Truth between partners,” he reminded her.
She took one breath and let it out slowly, then took another. “I don’t find you repugnant.”
Marc’s slow grin not only took her breath away, but made her remember that she’d hinted to Stan that she and Marc were a couple.
“Nor do I find you overly attractive,” she said hurriedly, justifying the small lie as a necessary evil to save face.
“Same here,” he shot back. “I mean, you’re not bad to look at and all, but still…”
Oddly enough, this offended her. Realizing she was never going to understand her own weird, off-the-wall reactions to this man, she decided to go with the flow. “So you’re saying you wouldn’t be able to do it?”
The completely innocent look on his face had to be feigned. The husky sexiness of his voice wasn’t.
“Sugar,” he drawled, “believe me when I say I can do it. Anytime, anywhere. You just let me know when you’re ready.”
Chapter 9
Despite knowing he was joking, Lea’s entire body went from hot to cold, then hot again. Damn. Who knew? She had to turn away for a moment to compose herself, afraid she’d laugh—or cry—or worse, challenge him to prove it so she could kiss him again.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at him. “When I say it,” she clarified in a strangled tone, “I mean the performance for Feiney, not…”
“I get it.�
� He sounded like he was holding back laughter of his own. “I’m teasing you, Lea. Trying to break the tension.”
Again, conflicting emotions. Both irritated and amused. Finally, she gave in to the humor. “Fine…sorry. I know I’m a little tense. Let’s go inside. As you’ve so carefully reminded me, this is an undercover operation, after all. I can do this.”
“Of course you can.” He squeezed her hand. “Though you’d better loosen up a little. We’ve got to make it look natural.”
For the first time since her capture and subsequent release from Feiney’s clutches, she tried to summon up her anger and couldn’t. For the first time in a long time, the slow and steady burn that had fueled her every move was noticeably absent. She didn’t know whether to be alarmed or elated.
“First we’ve got to establish that there is a relationship. This will be the first Feiney’s heard of it being more.”
“I know. And I’ll play to that.” He seemed remarkably confident. “I’ll be the possessive boyfriend and all that. Think of the heat that will generate.”
Did she ever. Closing her eyes, she swallowed hard before opening them.
His grin widened as he leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. “We can fight, then make up. Hot. Passionate. Take that, Feiney.”
Oh. My. God. Nose barely inches from his, her heartbeat went crazy. Though she knew this was strictly playacting, undercover, not real, she couldn’t help but react. Even picturing what he proposed—the making-up part—sent a frisson of heat through her and a delicious shiver up her spine.
“After the team leaves,” she reminded him. Her voice sounded strangled, as if she was choking on the words.
He didn’t appear to notice. “Exactly. It’s important that we convince Feiney that we think all the cameras are gone.”
“And I really don’t want to go back in there until the team is finished.”
“Fine.” Leaning back against the brick wall, he crossed his arms. “Lea, why’d you tell Stan that we were together?”
She felt a pang of remorse. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to ruffle Stan’s feathers. He was acting way too smug.” She took a deep breath. “Now it seems the joke’s on me.”
Profile for Seduction Page 11