Dangerous to Know (33 page)

Yeah, that was the real problem.

He had no idea if she would.

*   *   *

“You can't touch me,” Tyler said smugly. It was ballsy, considering he was handcuffed to the center of the table in the interrogation room, sealed inside a complex that officially did not exist. He was guarded by men who had orders to shoot first if the person didn't have the proper identification. They never asked questions. because knowing too much was the main reason prisoners ended up in the complex. People disappeared all the time inside the concrete-block walls. There was a chill in the air that was more than weather. It was the temperature of ice-cold orders being given out.

“That so?” Kagan asked softly.

Tyler shook his head. “You're not going to bait me into spilling my guts. You forget, I've seen you in action too many times.”

“And now I've seen you in action,” Kagan continued as he moved into the room and sat down opposite Tyler. “Rather interesting, too. Tell me, is it Decains? I wouldn't have fingered him but it makes sense. A man with his kind of rank wouldn't have to worry so much about taking a hit when the intel made it onto the black market.”

Tyler stared back at him.

“The Hale brothers, then?” Kagan leaned forward, propping his elbows on the tabletop. “Did you really sell out one of your teams? Not that I haven't heard of it. Who's pissed at them? I can figure out a short list but I'd really like to know what kind of a price you're getting to wax one of your own. That carries a stink. One that clings to a man. Forever.”

“You have your orders,” Tyler said softly. “I know you do.”

“Got that much faith in your contacts?” Kagan asked.

“I do,” Tyler confirmed. “You were given explicit orders to not pursue this matter any further, and someone else has been read into this operation. If I disappear, your shield will be on the table.”

He was sure, because he'd sold his soul for that sort of connection. Tyler refused to feel guilty about it. Every man chooses a side. Kagan was just trying to squeeze him into squealing so Kagan could get a slice of the pie.

“Maybe I care more about justice than a shield. Some of us are actually in this business because we believe in doing the right thing.” He leaned across the table. “Take a good look at me. I am one of those men, and scum like you are the reason I put my neck on the line.”

The cuffs chinked as Tyler moved his hands. It was just a tiny motion, but it betrayed how nervous he truly was. He was looking at Kagan and what he saw rattled him. His face went gray, his lips going bloodless.

“Lose your shield and your ass will be flapping in the wind with a target on it. You've got plenty of enemies. And I have powerful connections.”

“But you'll be just as dead, and with your demise I'll have one less person to look for on my six,” Kagan said with a touch of mirth.

“Then do it,” Tyler goaded him. “It might be worth it to know you're going to be living in the gutter, like a fucking mutt, while you try to stay one step ahead of the hit man.” He chuckled and swept Kagan with a knowing look. “You'll be eating out of Dumpsters and sleeping under piss-covered bushes, rubbing elbows with homeless meth addicts. All to keep drawing breath for one more night. There won't be a dingy motel you can crawl to that won't flag your location. Reach out to a contact, and their ass will be painted red, too. This world isn't the one our predecessors lived in. There are too many cameras, no way to hide for long. You'll get made and my contacts will make sure you watch everyone you care about die before they wax you. Welcome to the new age, Kagan. Make the powerful happy or get steamrolled when they don't get what they want.” He flattened his hands on the table. “I've made my choice. Unlock me. I know you've been ordered to let me walk out of here.”

Kagan slowly grinned. “Guess you're right. I can't touch you.” Victory shone in Tyler's eyes but it turned to worry when Kagan rapped on the door for it to be opened.

“Unlock me,” Tyler demanded. “You have orders to
unlock me
.”

“Can't touch you,” Kagan said ruefully. “My orders are to not touch you. Guess you can just sit there and wait for your connections to come and get you. I've been told to forget you exist.” He tapped his temple. “Going … going … gone.”

The door popped open, a guard standing back two feet with a high-powered machine gun trained on the open entrance. Kagan shot Tyler one last look before he left. “I can't wait to see who shows up to get you.”

“Sure you want to know?” Tyler warned.

Kagan slowly smiled in response.

“You'll regret this,” Tyler informed him.

“I already do,” Kagan agreed. “But for a different reason than you're thinking.”

Colonel Decains was still in the hallway, listening. The door shut, sealing Tyler inside the interrogation room.

“What's your reason?”

Kagan flashed Decains a somber look. “For my regret? Simple. I'm sorry I'm too much of a coward to put a bullet through that bastard's head. Dying for my principles I can do. Putting everyone who's ever cared about me in harm's way, I can't.”

Decains nodded. “It's a hell of a world we work in. It sure isn't as simple as right and wrong.”

“No, it isn't.”

*   *   *

Harley squawked. This was followed by a series of mumblings from her father's prized companion, before she heard someone cuss.

“Don't touch him. He's going to bite … you,” Zoe called out. She forced her eyes open with the aid of knowing that Harley was making ready to take a chomp out of whoever was being foolish enough to not respect his warning.

“No kidding.” Mercer appeared in the doorway with Harley wrapped in a beach towel. The parrot glared at her and snapped his beak.

“He was warning you…” she said as she tried to recognize where she was.

“I respectfully disagree.” Mercer came into the room. “He was trying to claim my boot as his new chew toy and cussed me out for not letting him have it.”

She looked down and realized that Mercer's feet were bare and that he looked more laid-back than she'd ever seen him in a pair of shorts and T-shirt.

“I'm taking some personal time. With you.” Harley squirmed. “And … Harley.”

He unwrapped Harley and placed him on the perch that was in the room. The parrot climbed up, happy to be higher than everyone else. His dominant position reclaimed, he began to groom himself.

“What are you doing here?” The words slipped out as her brain started working. “Where's Roni?”

She bolted upright as the memory of her friend with silver duct tape over her mouth filled her thoughts. Mercer was suddenly there on the side of the bed, gripping her body when a jolt of pain pierced her from the too-quick motion.

She ended up gasping in his arms, unable to do anything but let him support her while she tried to force her lungs to work.

“Easy…” He was stroking her back, the firm touch of his hand so soothing, she felt tears burning her eyes.

“Roni…” She tried to focus her mind on her friend. She was such a rotten person for being so easily distracted by a simple touch.

Mercer has always affected me like that …

“She's fine.” Mercer pulled back from her then reached behind her to stack up a bunch of pillows. Once she was settled he picked up a tablet and brought it to life with a sweep of his fingers. A picture of her friend was already loaded.

“I want to talk to her.”

Mercer nodded. He pushed an icon on the tablet, and it started buzzing. The picture changed to a live one as her friend came onto the line.

“Zoe?” Roni peered intently at the screen. “You look rough, girl.”

Zoe put a hand up to her face, realizing her hair was like a fuzzy cloud all around her head. “Ah … well … I wasn't thinking of my vanity when I woke up. Are you okay?”

Roni had settled back in her chair. “Sure am. But I'm having of a hell of a time choosing a new name. You need to help me when you're feeling better.”

“Ah … what are you talking about?”

Mercer turned the tablet so Roni could see him. “She'll call you back.”

“Bye, Zoe.”

Roni's voice filled the air before Mercer tapped the screen to kill the call. He set the tablet aside.

“What was she talking about?”

“She's being relocated,” Mercer explained. “As soon as you wake up a little more, you'll see the necessity.”

“I'm awake.”

He was watching her, his dark gaze as keen as always. Intuitive. Sharp. His lips set into a satisfied grin.

“That's right, Zoe.” He flattened his hands on either side of her. “I'm right here, baby. And I'm not going anywhere.”

He leaned in and pressed a kiss against her mouth. Maybe there were reasons why she shouldn't have kissed him back, but honestly, none of them got past the rush of sensation that flooded her. The scent of his skin was the missing component to her being able to truly rest. She reached for him, trying to pull him close, but her fingers were weak. A little whimper escaped her as she struggled to rise off the pillows and press herself into his embrace. She was desperate for the contact. So weary of being alone.

“I've got you, baby.”

He shifted and turned, moving onto the bed and lying back so that she could lay her head on his shoulder. She sighed as she curled up against him, held securely to his side as the sound of his heart filled her head.

There.

That was so much better.

*   *   *

Sunlight.

Zoe was pretty sure she smelled it before she opened her eyes. She had to reach up and brush her tangled hair out of her face but the reward was a window full of sparkling sunshine. She smiled, relief slamming into her. She didn't know the details but obviously, things were sorting themselves out. No more secret hideout, and she wasn't in the prison wing of the hospital.

But her relief was short-lived.

She scanned the room, looking for any hint of Mercer.

Nothing.

It hurt. She swallowed and crawled out of the bed. Her legs were a little weak but she made it into the bathroom.

She needed a shower.

And to shave her legs.

And … brush her teeth.

She forced herself to keep adding things to her list, to keep her mind occupied. Now wasn't the time to think. At least not about Mercer. She needed some coffee first.

In fact, she was thinking about it so hard, she smelled the java. Rich. Dark. Hot. She exited the shower and grabbed a towel, rubbing it over her skin before she opened the closet in search of something to wear. It wasn't going to be hard to find it, either. The double-wide closet only had three things in it. Hanging up were leggings, a lightweight tunic top, and a mystery bag that yielded underwear.

All in her size and favorite cut.

Well, she expected no less from such a covert team.

They really were the best.

She'd always known Mercer was too good to be sticking around.

“You coming out of there?”

She jumped, losing her balance and falling against the side of the closet with a thud.

The door went sliding all the way open, the sunlight hitting the back of a figure she was pretty sure she'd recognize when she was 103.

“I'm fine,” she mumbled. “Just clumsy.”

Zoe started to push away from the wall but stopped, trying to absorb the sight of him.

“Yeah, I'm still here.”

He reached out and captured her hand, using the grip to gently pull her out of the closet.

“Um … I can see that.” It was far from the poised response she wanted to make. As in, really far off. But the closet felt too confined with him in it. Her awareness of him was kicking in, as it always did.

There was a mug on the bathroom countertop with steam rising from it. She made a little hum of appreciation before lifting it to her lips and feeding her need for caffeine.

“Careful.” Mercer took it from her before she'd taken more than a few sips. Zoe glared at him, pretty sure she was going to start pouting unless he gave it back. But her belly suddenly clenched, the coffee hitting her stomach like acid.

Mercer lifted the mug away. “You'll want to eat a little something before having any more coffee. You've been out for the better part of two days.”

“Two days?” No wonder her brain felt frozen.

“Better than forever.” Mercer sat the mug down and considered her. “Considering you charged into the line of fire.”

His jaw tightened, disapproval flickering in his eyes. Zoe lifted her chin.

“If you think I'm going to apologize for going after Roni…”

“I'll settle for you recognizing how much danger it put you in.”

She snorted at him and propped her hand onto her hip. “No. Don't know what you're talking about. I'm just such a naive little thing.”

He didn't care for her flippant tone and she didn't like his glowering. She reached past him and captured the coffee mug off the counter. She took another sip from it as she walked out of the bathroom.

He was following her. Not that she heard him. Of course not. The damn man walked like a cat.

She'd made it into the kitchen with its breakfast nook before she snapped. Waking up to him gone was actually better than having him there. She'd expected him to be gone. Now she had to deal with just how deeply he affected her.

She had no clue where to start.

“Don't think I'm going to take a lecture from you,” she warned him.

He was exactly where she'd expected him to be. On her six.

His expression was tight but his lips curved as her comment hit him. “Don't think I won't tell you how foolish it was for you to take on Tim without me.”

“I couldn't take the chance. Not with Roni.”