Chapter Fifteen
In the security room of the NIB, Josh snapped from his sex-filled daydream before it even started. His mate was a couple feet from him and he couldn’t touch her without her freaking out on him. Apparently, something had happened to her in the past to make her afraid of touch. He needed to find out what and get her past it.
Candy slid down the counter in front of the monitors to the side, closer to the computer.
“What isn’t good?” he asked.
“Director Pommer worked with the two boys’ dad, but Pommer wasn’t director back then, but in charge of the State Department.” She paused, eyes whipping side to side across the form she had pulled up on the computer. “Shit. Pommer was the one who authorized the boys’ father for interrogation.”
“Well, that explains why here and why tonight,” Josh surmised. “This dedication was the perfect opportunity to get back at the people who the boys think ruined their lives.”
“I agree.” Candy sat back and rubbed her eyes. “Shit. So not good.” She returned to the camera footage of Yulian’s speech and fast-forwarded through it. Josh guessed she wasn’t concerned what story the terrorist told. She knew the truth and that’s all she needed. “Let’s see if he offers any type of demands at the end of his boohoo,” she said.
They watched and listened. The accent was thick. The man went on about Russia and the true motherland. Blah, blah, blah.
Candy jerked forward to stop the video. “Did you see that?”
Josh about fell out of his chair from her sudden movement. His little woman was as fast as a snake strike. “What?” he asked. Of course, he didn’t see it. He was staring at her. The screen showed rewinding material.
She leaned forward and placed her finger on the monitor. “Look what he does.” She clicked the mouse and the picture played at normal speed. Josh watched as Yulian’s arm and head moved with no interruption of his story. “Did you see it?” She turned to him. “He looked at his watch.”
Yes, that was what the slight movement was. “That’s interesting,” he said.
“Exactly what I thought.” Candy sat back, finger tapping her chin and pressing her lips into a pucker. “What is he waiting for? Obviously, there is an agenda in the works.”
“What do you think it is?” he asked. “You seem to know more about them than anyone else right now.”
“All I know is they are unpredictable,” she came back. “They are smart and in with technology. They don’t do anything old school. And I don’t like this.” She pointed to the screen again. “Look at the other guys. Their guns are hanging at their sides. This is all a joke to them.”
As Josh studied the image, Yulian knocked the microphone on the director’s head and threw it at the door. “Ve are about to have fun soon, Pommer. Let’s get de party started.” His mate sucked in a breath and snapped her eyes to the camera. Something was going through her head and he suddenly felt very worried.
Candy popped up from her chair and headed for the gun locker. Her smell wasn’t right. It was desperate, irrational. Josh was on her tail. “What are you planning, Candy?” he asked.
“I’m going to pick them off one by one before they kill someone.” She pulled out a sniper rifle and whipped around to face him.
“Whoa there.” He blocked her way. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. There are too many of them and you have no good vantage point to set up.” He grabbed the rifle barrel and jerked the weapon over his head, dragging her toward him, right to his bare chest.
He hadn’t taken the minute to put his shirt back on since coming in from outside. In fact, most of his clothes still lay on the ground on the other side of the door. Going commando in his pants gave him a free, wild sense.
Her hands landed on his chest. The little fingers were hot. His skin sizzled, though he knew it was the electricity between them. Their chemistry would be off the charts.
She was pissed, shooting daggers from her eyes. He backed her against the closed locker. Quickly her mood changed to sweet arousal.
“Candy.” Her name slipped from his lips after a deep breath of her. His eyes still locked on hers, he leaned his head down to take her lips. He didn’t waste any time. Hunger for her made him desperate. Rough. Ferocious. Her open lips gave him an easy entry into her sweet depths. His tongue plundered, tasted, dominated, and took. He’d wanted her and now he was getting her. He was beyond thinking. It was time to feel. She pulled him closer. Time stopped. Everything got foggy as his sole focus became the moans he heard and the scent of her arousal.
The kiss turned wilder, desperate and consuming. He should stop. He should stop right now. Her whimpers grew, and he envisioned ripping off her clothes. Fuck, but she felt so damn good.
When he pulled back, her breath feathered over his cheek. “J-Josh . . .” The scent of fear slapped his face.
“Candy, it’s okay. I would never hurt you.” He moved slightly so he no longer touched her, but barely. Her face reddened and she reached out for the rifle in his hand. The diversion hadn’t worked. Fuck. He’d been too rough. Let his control slip too much and he’d scared her.
“Hey,” he said gently, “did you hear me? I would never hurt you.”
She pushed away from him, her eyes not meeting his. “I know that.” She sat on the task chair at the monitors and stared at one of the screens.
“Candy,” he said. She cringed a bit. His heart died a little. He wanted to ask about her past, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. If it was bad, he didn’t want her remembering things that would make her angry or sad.
Sirens suddenly reached his ears. In the exterior views, black-and-whites with red lights flashing on top screeched to a stop up and down the street. Police officers swarmed the area, some even coming onto the back of the property.
“Oh, shit,” she said, face in her hands. “There goes the neighborhood.”