Codename: Romeo (19 page)

He bristled at the intimate use of Victoria’s nickname. He wasn’t thrilled with the all too familiar way his sister interacted with the agent either. “Ms. McMillan.”

“All that toughness? It’s bullshit. An act.”

“You think so? And putting a woman’s life in danger was incidental.”

Sanders shook his head. “Not incidental. Unintentional.”

“Does your vast experience with the female mind lead you to that conclusion?” Steven wasn’t normally sarcastic but something about Sanders stuck in his craw. He didn’t like the man, probably because Tori liked him too much.

“It wasn’t hard to find her because she set herself up. She called Tori twice from a phone booth in front of her apartment building. We tailed her going into Wakeburn to check up on Tori. Why track down her victim instead of laying low?”

“And this tells you the suspect wanted to get caught?”

“It tells me she’s in deeper than she expected.” Sanders stared at the suspect, as if reading her body language. “Someone else set it up, and when she realized there might be collateral damage, she got scared.”

“Then why won’t she give him up?” Elaine McMillan handed over the disc, admitted her sole guilt and agreed to aid in the case. To Steven’s mind, the woman would deal if she had something that would save her hide.

“One of two reasons. She’s in love with him or she’s afraid of him. In her case, I’d guess it’s the latter.”

Damn, the guy did know women. The way they thought, how they operated, what they wanted. That explained his successful conviction record. “How do we get her to give him up?”

“We won’t. And who cares? Becker’s the one we’re after. It’s not as if he’s going to press charges against her for blackmail. If we can catch a shark, why bother with the small fish?”

Steven swallowed a grunt of disgust. “Let the bait go free if it survives, of course? Is that the Machiavellian Theory?”

“No, sir. The agency mission statement.”

Steven always supported that policy. Even when that policy had hurt his sister, he’d agreed with the principle, if not the execution. No wonder Tori resented him for so long. The end shouldn’t always justify the means. He couldn’t put another woman’s life in danger for that policy.

Once again, he focused his attention on the woman in question. He longed to push the intercom button and eavesdrop on the conversation but he promised he wouldn’t. What could they possibly find to discuss? They had nothing in common.

“Okay, Sanders. You’re the expert in female psychology. What are they talking about?”

“I haven’t a clue. Your sister doesn’t fit any usual profile. I stopped trying to figure her out the first day.”

“And she’s been leading you around ever since. I thought I told you to keep her in until this was over.”

Erik shrugged. “You told me to keep her safe, not prisoner.”

“She’s reasonable. More than that, she’s timid. If you put a little fear in her you could get her to stay put.”

“Right, sir. I’ll let you try that approach. Personally, I like the arrangement of my body parts.”

Steven bit back a retort. Now he knew why he disliked the cocky agent. Erik Sanders knew Tori better than her own family, and she didn’t let that many people close to her. How far had Sanders gone to deserve her complete respect and devotion?

* * * *

Victoria sat at another long wooden table and folded her hands on the highly polished top. Her meeting with Elaine had been a pleasure compared to the conversation going on around her now. The argument between Steven and Erik escalated to a juvenile shouting match. Most of the discussion centered on her, yet neither man addressed her.

“Excuse me, guys,” she cut in.

“Just a minute, Tori,” Steven said without looking at her. Instead, he addressed Erik. “Logistically, it makes more sense to arrange the meeting here.”

“You don’t think Becker would suspect a set-up? Get real. He thinks the disc is in Wakeburn.”

“Well, the courier is here.”

“Yes, but he thinks Victoria is the courier.”

“May I say something?” she asked.

“Not now,” her brother snapped back.

Erik shot her a sympathetic glance. “In a second, Tori.” He turned to Steven. “Have Ms. McMillan set up the meeting in Wakeburn, and we’ll bring her down there.”

The argument continued for a few more minutes, the volume increasing with each exchange. She’d seen wolves less territorial than these two supposedly higher life forms. When she’d taken as much of their little power struggle as she could stand, she put two fingers to her lips and let out an ear-piercing whistle. A shocked silence descended on the entire office.

“Ah, at last I have your attention.”

Her brother shot her a nasty glare. “What do you want?”

Victoria inhaled the stale air and then exhaled slowly. “I realize that I’m no genius … no, wait a second, yes I am.”

Erik chuckled. “Okay. So what’s your point?”

“I’m the one Becker wants. I’m the one who has to meet with him. Not Elaine.”

“No!” both men said at the same time.

“How long have you been trying to get this guy?” She paused but no answer came. “A while, I guess. He didn’t stay free this long by being stupid. He isn’t going to walk up to a stranger who claims to have his disc.”

“Then we pass on him this time. I’m not going to involve you, Tori,” Steven said.

She slouched down with an annoyed huff. “That seems foolish after all the time and money you put into this case already.”

Erik straddled the chair next to her. He placed his hand gently over hers. “There’s no reason for you to put yourself in danger.”

Disappointment washed over her. They still treated her like a witless child who needed protection. Steven’s attitude she could accept. From Erik, it hurt. “You’re right. So you and Steven guarantee me, here and now, that Becker won’t send one of his associates after me at a later time.”

“It’s not likely,” Steven said.

“That’s not a guarantee. Catch Becker, and I won’t have to worry anymore. If I’m surrounded by the finest the agency has to offer, I couldn’t be safer.”

Steven grunted. “You spend too much time with your books. You have no idea what you’re getting into.”

“Erik?” She gazed at him.

“I’m with your brother on this.”

She let out a low groan of displeasure. “If I wasn’t related to you, would you object, Steven?”

“We don’t involve civilians.”

“And I’m not already involved? Whose house was torn apart? Who’s receiving threats via the computer?”

* * * *

Erik laughed at her sheer determination. To think, he felt guilty about becoming involved with her. As if she gave him a choice.

“Something funny, Sanders? Care to share it with the rest of us?”

“Didn’t you warn me that she’s stubborn and doesn’t give up?” He’d learned that firsthand, much to his surprise and pleasure.

“And you think we should go along with her idea?”

“I’m not in favor of it, but she’s right about one thing. We have no way of knowing if Becker will try to make an example out of her at a later date because he thinks she double-crossed him.” He ran his finger along the buttoned collar of his shirt. He caught sight of Victoria’s grin. “The question is how do we minimize the danger to her?”

DeMarco placed a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “I know you’re anxious to get your house back to yourself….”

“I want my life back. What’s going to happen when I have to go back to work? Are you going to assign an agent to attend my classes until you hopefully get another shot at Becker?”

“We have other options for getting him.”

“Name one logical option that doesn’t involve me.” She arched her eyebrow and then laughed when she didn’t get an answer. “So, stop arguing with me.”

“I’m against this.”

“And your concerns are duly noted,” she said. “So, how do we set this up?”

The bureau chief muttered an oath. Erik worried as well. He never considered danger when on assignment. Of course, his emotions weren’t usually involved.

Usually?
He silently mocked himself.
Never.
Until now.

“You still with us, Sanders?” DeMarco barked out.

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you see what arrangements can be made. We need a very public place. I’ll try to talk sense into my sister.”

Erik nodded. He took one look at her determined expression and knew her brother didn’t stand a chance. “Good luck.”

* * * *

Victoria watched Erik leave, admiring the way the worn jeans hugged his hips. The sheer pleasure of running her hands over the soft denim to remove them … the memory was nearly as arousing as the real thing.

Steven cleared his throat, effectively ending her erotic fantasy.

“Were you saying something?” she asked.

He furrowed his brow in concern. “Are you all right? You look flushed.”

“I’m fine.”
Hot, but fine.

He sat in the chair next to her. “Why are you doing this?”

“I told you why. To get my life back.”

“Don’t you realize that anything could go wrong?”

“I trust Erik. He won’t let anything happen to me.”

His eyes narrowed. “When did he become Erik?”

“Somewhere between the turkey and the pumpkin pie.” She raised her gaze skyward. “He’s living in my house, pretending to be my fiancé. Was I supposed to call him Agent Sanders?”

“Is that all?”

“That’s all that concerns you.”

A trace of pity darkened his eyes. “I know it’s easy to imagine—”

“Spare me the standard lecture on transfer of affection. I already heard it from him.”
And dispelled the myth in Erik’s mind.

Her brother looked relieved. “At least he’s keeping a professional distance. You really have no idea what kind of life that would be.”

She didn’t correct Steven’s first wrong assumption because her relationship with Erik was none of his business. The second one she wouldn’t let pass. “You’ve been my guardian since I was thirteen. During those years, you were often gone for weeks at a time when you did fieldwork. If anyone understands the life, I do.”

“I didn’t realize you resented it, Tori.”

“I never did. The time you gave me more than made up for the absences. I didn’t need you hovering over me every minute of the day. I had two sisters for that.”

He shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder if I know you at all.”

She touched his hand. “You don’t. But that’s all right. Until recently, I didn’t know myself. I’m stronger than I used to be.”

“Are you ready to go back to the defense department?”

She smiled. He still didn’t understand, but at least he tried. “I’m ready to go back into research, but on a project that I believe in.”

“I could ask around—”

A sharp wave of her hand cut him off. “I love you, Steven, but stay out of my life.” She shot him a warning glare.

“You’ll have to put up with me until Becker is taken down.”

“If I must,” she said with feigned annoyance.

He chuckled, and it occurred to her that she had never shared a laugh with him. Her fault or his, she wondered? Perhaps a little of both. In discovering herself, she was beginning to understand him too.

“Are you free for lunch?” he asked.

“I have a busy day planned. Another time perhaps?”

Steven walked her to the door. “You’re still in protective custody, Tori. You should keep those outside activities to a minimum.”

She thought about spending the afternoon with Erik and suppressed a sigh. Outside activities were the furthest thing from her mind. She didn’t plan to leave her bodyguard’s side.

Chapter Fourteen

Erik pulled Victoria’s sweater over her head and tossed it on the bed. He enjoyed undressing her, but his work today was purely professional. Try convincing Victoria of that, he thought. As she reached for his shirt, he placed his hands on her shoulders and urged her onto the feather mattress.

“Stop it right now, or I’ll have your brother do this instead of me.”

She sat quietly on the edge.

He didn’t mind her attention. He even understood her desire to distract herself. In another hour, she would come face to face with a man who’d threatened her on more than one occasion. He planned to make damn sure she was safe. That meant wiring her body so that she could receive instructions from him and catch the exchange on tape. A simple job in most cases. Tape a strategically placed transmitter to the body, making sure clothing covered the wire. Her curves presented a challenge. Not to mention that she was ticklish. Between her wriggling and her sexy squeaks, the exercise seemed more like foreplay than security work.

Before he took advantage of his position, he helped her ease the bulky sweater back on. It didn’t stop his throbbing erection. When it came to her delectable body, out of sight was not out of mind. He needed to focus on the case at hand. “Okay. Let’s go through it one more time.”

“Do we have to?”

“We should.”

Victoria ran through the drill with her brother several times already, but photographic memory or not, when the shit hit the fan, logic was the first to go. Then she would need to react on gut instinct, something her scientific training never prepared her for.

“I know what to do. Say as little as possible because Becker knows my face but Elaine’s voice.”

“That’s right. What else?”

She shook her head in frustration. “Make sure I don’t go anywhere with him no matter what he says and walk away as soon as I hand him his disc.”

“Whatever you do, don’t look for anybody. We’ll be there, but you shouldn’t be able to see us.” He sat behind her on the bed and kneaded her tense neck muscles in a rhythmic, circular motion. He received a smile and a soft sigh for his effort.

“I’m not worried.”

“Well, you should be.”

She tilted her head back and met his gaze. “Why? You and Steven are doing enough of that.”

“You can’t tell me you’re not scared.”

“Of course I’m scared. That’s not the same as worried.”