Silver Fire (Guardians) (8 page)

“Things are still too hot. It’s not a good idea,” the Guardian replied levelly.

“I pay the AGS good money.”
God, she felt like a bitch
, but she could not let whoever wanted her dead win. And cowering like a rat in a hole was letting them win. She also needed to grill Christopher on what he knew. That was why she was bringing Beth; if anyone could get anything out of him, it would be her. Sophie stood up, indicating the end of their conversation. “Call Christopher and work out the arrangements. Make it happen, Braden.”
 

She headed into her laboratory and called Beth.
 

“Anything?”

“My sources indicate that Blackstone International is paying a South African mercenary group protection money against a network of extremists who are disrupting their mining operations in several locations in Africa,” Beth reported.

“Are you saying a terrorist group from Africa is behind the attack on my house?

“Abu-Haxa Brotherhood has its roots in Somalia, but they have cells everywhere on the African continent. Now depending on who you ask, they’re either the good or the bad guys.”

“It does not compute,” Sophie said, shaking her head. “Zefinium mining is only one percent of Blackstone’s mining business. The majority of it is uranium and diamonds. Why not go after whoever is behind the bigger slice of the pie?”

“You have a point.”

“Do you know which mercenary group this is?”

“Negative.”

“Keep digging. See you tonight.”

After Sophie hung up, she called Stephen into her office.
 

“What did the structural engineers say?”

“Good news, sweetie. They said the main foundation is intact. If you get a good contractor, they’ll be able to preserve most of the original structure,” Stephen said.

“Excellent!”

“The interior will have to be gutted because of the water damage, and some outside walls might have to be knocked out, but most of the structures with historic value can be repaired with minor cosmetic finish. I have already narrowed down the list of builders for you.”

Sophie smiled, relief overwhelming her. It would be agonizing to lose the last memory she had of her beloved grandmother.

“What would I do without you, Stephen?”

“You would do just fine, my brilliant girl. Now if only you would relax and try to have some fun.”

“We’re going out to dinner tonight, aren’t we?”

Stephen rolled his eyes. “Dinner with Christopher Blackstone is hardly relaxing. You two would drone on about business and the latest technology. Add Beth into the mix and you’ve got intrigue and politics too.” Her friend leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m talking about Derek Lockwood.”

Sophie stiffened. “What about him?”

“He’s been calling all morning wanting to talk to you, but you were busy in the laboratory playing catch-up.”

“I missed a whole day of work yesterday. If they want me to be on track for our meeting this Friday maybe he should leave me alone.”

Stephen held up his new phone, and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, all right, call him back.”

Smiling triumphantly, Stephen scrolled through his recent call list and hit a number, ignoring the daggered looks she was sending his way.

“Hello, Derek? I got her here.”

Sophie took the phone and childishly stuck out her tongue at Stephen. “Hey.”

“Hi, Angel,” Derek said softly.

“Stephen said you called this morning. We’re on track for the meeting Friday morning, there should be no delay—”

“I want to see you tonight,” Derek cut in abruptly, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I have plans tonight.”

“What? Watching American Idol on TV?”

“Ha—ha. Very funny. No, I’m having dinner with Christopher Blackstone.”

Silence.

Sophie refused to explain herself. She could feel the waves of fury reaching out to her through the phone line.

“And Connelly is letting you do this?”

“I told him to make it happen. I pay the AGS enough.”

“You are behaving like a spoiled princess.”

“Listen, Lockwood, you do not get to judge me, you barely know me. And you know what? I really don’t want to know you.”

With that Sophie hung up. The phone immediately started ringing again as she stalked over to Stephen’s office.

“Do not answer any call from Lockwood, I am not taking it.”

“What is going on?” Stephen took the phone from her and turned it off. “Tell me, sweetie.”

Sophie sank into the chair in front of his desk, shook her head and buried her face in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. “He...he confuses me. He annoys me, but I want to kiss him. I don’t know how to behave around him, Stephen and it’s...it’s unnerving.”

“Um, sorry, sweet girl, but that’s what you call infatuation and attraction.”

“He infuriates me!”

Stephen shrugged. “Foreplay.”

“Foreplay?” Sophie cried. “What planet are you on?”

“Same as you are,” Stephen said dryly. “Listen, sweetie. You are fighting this too hard. I get you are afraid given Derek’s reputation. But you’ve proven you can function in a relationship. You’ve dated David for three weeks with a bit of fooling around. Now, with Derek, things might, ah, go a bit faster.”

Sophie felt her cheeks burning. Her friend grinned at her. “In fact sweetie, I think it might go from 0 to 60 very quickly.”

“I can’t, you know I can’t.” Sophie stood up. She was having difficulty breathing. “Oh god, what if I freeze, what if I scream.”

Stephen came around his desk, put both hands on her shoulders and said, “Honey, you need to get out of your comfort zone otherwise you’re never going to clear those cobwebs out of your girly part. If you don’t wanna do it, just say no. For all his reputation, I believe Derek is quite honorable when a woman says no. But then you’ll be crazy if you did.”

“I still can’t talk to him right now.”

“Fine. I’ll screen your calls. But get a phone of your own soon. You know I have a weakness for those MDI boys.”

Sophie went back to the lab and was busy for most of the afternoon catching up work with Jan and Polly. When she walked back to her office, Derek was leaning back in her chair, arms crossed behind his head, his feet propped up on her table.

“All done, Angel?” His eyes were hooded, and his voice had a sexy lazy drawl.

“You just can’t come in here.” Sophie glared at him. “Why would Braden and Thalia let you in here?”

“They are protecting you against people who want to kill you,” Derek said as he straightened
 
and got up from her chair. He stalked toward her, and Sophie felt herself backing away slowly. She was oddly excited. Reaching her, he pulled her toward him with one hand and used his other to slam the door behind her. Shifting hands that held her, he leaned in, his hard chest brushing against her breasts as he reached out and fiddled with the blinds, shutting the room from prying eyes. His eyes bored into hers. “I want to fuck you.”

As Sophie gasped, Derek took that opportunity to kiss her. Pressing her body against the door, he wasted no time relieving her of her lab coat, his fingers deftly working on the pearl buttons of her blouse. His kiss was urgent and demanding. She sensed his need for her.
 

With great reluctance, Sophie pulled her lips away from him but that was all he allowed her, an immovable wall of muscle when she tried to push him away. “What are you doing?”

“Why did you hang up on me?”

There it was. For all his relaxed demeanor earlier, he was annoyed.

“You called me a spoiled princess.”

“Don’t hang up on me again.” His voice had changed; there was a steely edge to it. “We talk about it. Like adults. If you are pissed at me, you talk to me, you do not run away, you do not hide behind Stephen or Beth. Grow. Up.”

“You’re doing it again,” Sophie hissed.

His chocolate eyes warmed and Sophie was lost in them. “What Angel? Making you want me?” His hand went up and brushed the skin above the edge of her bra. He groaned and kissed her again, more gentle this time, coaxing her to respond, his tongue tracing her lips before darting between them to flick hers. One hand slipped inside her bra to cup her breast, while the other slipped behind her back and unhooked her bra. His lips left hers and slowly trailed kisses down her neck before claiming one breast, lazily circling a nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

“Oh god,” Sophie moaned, her fingers wildly tangling in the strands of his dark blond hair. Derek emitted a guttural sound before quickly spinning her around and before Sophie knew it, she was lying across the desk, her hips on the edge, her pencil skirt pushed up to her waist and her thighs were spread wide. Derek wrapped her legs around his hips and pushed the length of his hard erection against her pulsing core. He covered her body with his, burying his face in her neck.
 

“No, don’t,” Sophie breathed. She was on the verge of panic, but was also lost in the blaze of her own desire.

“Shhh, I won’t. Just let me feel you this way,” Derek whispered thickly in her ear. He began to rock gently against her, one hand under her right thigh, stroking the underside, the other hand cradling her head to receive the demand of his lips. He tasted her lips and then her breasts, driving her mindless with the need for release, but she was afraid to ask for it. She wanted something to fill her. Him.

“I want...I want...”

“You want me where, Angel?” Derek purred against her lips, his crotch grinding maddeningly against hers.

“I don’t know...Please...”

The hand on her thigh moved between them, and Sophie felt his fingers brushing against the moistness through her silk underwear before nudging it aside and slipping within. She was close, wound so tight, she felt his thumb flick her swollen clit, she mewled softly and continued to writhe beneath him. One long finger spread her delicate folds and prodded her at the entrance and that’s when she froze. Again. Her body was caught between the need to reject and the need to give in. She broke out in a cold sweat. Derek felt her pulling back into herself and withdrew his hand.

She tried to push him off, but he held her down. He had both hands suddenly on either side of her face, forcing her to look at him. She started panicking. “Let me up! Let me up! I swear, I’ll scream!”

“Look at me. Sophie. Eyes on me,” Derek ordered.
 

“No!” Sophie squeezed her eyes shut.

“Angel, open your eyes. Look—At—Me.”

His voice was a gentle caress that had a soothing effect that held her growing panic at bay. Sophie blinked her eyes open and stared into concerned chocolate ones.

“Breathe, Angel. It’s me, Derek. Not anyone else.”

Sophie felt a warmth envelop her, driving the chill away. Her panic was receding.

“It’s OK, Sophie, just breathe and keep your eyes on me.”

Sophie concentrated on her breathing while keeping her eyes trained on Derek’s. After a few minutes, he gave her a crooked grin. “Feeling better?”

Sophie grinned up at him. “I am. Thanks.”

Derek knifed off her and gave her a hand up. Helping her straighten her clothes, he murmured, “This is promising.”

“It is,” Sophie replied, smiling shyly.

“I’ll call you tonight on the SAT phone,” Derek said. “What time do you think you’ll be home?”

“Ten or eleven,” Sophie replied.

Brushing his lips against hers, he lightly ran the back of his hand down the side of her cheek before he turned away and left her office, quietly closing the door behind him. Sophie walked bemusedly to her chair and sat down, lightly touching her lips as she remembered Derek’s drugging kisses. For the first time since Adam, a man had cracked her wall.
 

***

Braden Connelly had pulled through with flying colors. Sophie was impressed with his ability to carry her demand at such a short notice. Thalia fetched her at 6:00 p.m. sharp from her office and told her if she wanted to make her 8:00 p.m. dinner appointment with Christopher Blackstone, they had to leave soon.
 

They had gone back to the bungalow first so she could shower and change. She arranged her platinum blonde hair in a loose sexy up-do and wore her new black cocktail dress. Beth and Stephen were meeting her at the restaurant. Braden pulled up the SUV behind the restaurant. They were going in through the kitchen, and that was all she was going to see of the restaurant because the table reserved was a Chef’s table.

There were three Chef’s tables; each built into an enclave for some privacy. Christopher was already waiting, and he stood up when she arrived. Braden motioned for Thalia to remain behind while he went to the main dining room to check for Beth and Stephen.

“My dear girl.” Christopher Blackstone was a tall, distinguished gentleman in his early 50’s. He had thick salt and pepper hair combed back slickly in a polished look. His patrician features hinted strongly of his English ancestry. His parents were British, but they had moved to the United States and had taken up residency in the 1950’s. Blackstone International was started by his father, and with his expansive transcontinental connections, he was able to grow the company into a successful conglomerate of mining and technology industries. Christopher had also been trying to acquire Silver Fire Research for the past year.

Sophie offered her cheek for the obligatory kiss. “Christopher.”

He helped her to her seat and sat down beside her, but they had to stand up again when Beth and Stephen showed up. Greetings were exchanged while Thalia and Braden vanished into the background.

When everyone had finally settled in, their server came by to inquire about cocktails. The Chef’s table had a six-course tasting menu already handpicked and paired with wine, so with the burden of ordering eliminated, the conversation quickly began.

“So my dear, do the police have any suspects?” Christopher asked with genuine concern.

“No, not at all,” Sophie replied. “They’re trying to analyze fingerprints from the shell casings but with the fire and the water damage, it doesn’t look very promising. I was hoping you might have an idea?”

Christopher’s eyebrows furrowed as his whole body stiffened.