BLYSS (Blyss Trilogy #1) by J. C. Cliff Read Free Book Online Page A

of access each of us has in this facility. Nick, Jared, and I are unrestricted. The rest of our team has restricted access to certain areas of the facility, especially access to our computer room.
    Approaching the lab door, I wave my hand over the sensor and the door clicks open automatically. This technology baffles me sometimes. How a chip the size of a grain of rice can unlock and open a door simply by waving my hand over a sensor blows my mind.
      I walk through the open door, spotting Jared sitting on his favorite perch, peering through the eyepiece of his microscope. I shake my head at the sight; he’s such a damn lab rat. I chuckle inside. What’s funny is Jared’s so damn intelligent, and he tries so hard to communicate in simple terms to us, but he can’t. He thinks he’s talking on our level, but he really isn’t. Nick has zero patience for his scientific explanations and always just wants the bottom line in simple terms. He always talks down to Jared as if it is he, in fact, who is the complete idiot.
    I make my way to the sterilization area and begin disposing the needles into the sharps container, a hard plastic disposal system that prevents needle sticks and cross-contamination of disposable, sharp medical supplies.
    Nick slaps me on the back, interrupting my thoughts. “She’s a real beaut, isn’t she? I’d bet my last dollar she’ll be able to chip off a few of your rocks from that stone wall of yours. It will be quite entertaining watching them tumble down.” Nick seems to be in an unusually-jovial mood, to say the least. He’s typically not this happy, but I didn’t miss his smartass comment.  
    My face is always masked behind an all-business persona. Nobody can figure out what I’m thinking, and everyone says I’m like a stone wall because my expression always holds my poker face, impenetrable from all outside forces. Jackson is my last name, hence the connection. The guys here tried to nickname me that...once. Nick thinks the rules don’t apply to him. I have learned over time to hide behind my unexpressive stonewall, remaining emotionless and calculating. People have come to fear my quiet countenance, because it typically means I’m either ruthlessly scheming their due retribution or I’m hiding intel.
    I give him a hard glare that says shut the hell up, but I tell him what he wants to hear. “You know I don’t fuck these girls, Nick,” I say gruffly. “This is a job, not a damn fuckfest for me.”
    Even though I’m a naturally-dominant man, I’m not into this type of controlled sex or domination shit. I don’t get sexually aroused when I have to work with these women. It’s rather difficult to get turned on, anyway, since I’m constantly aware of the hidden cameras spread throughout the facility. I like my privacy, and if I want sex, I am nowhere near my workplace. I don’t do relationships, simply because one cannot be in this business and have a significant other. Too many risks all the way around. One-night stands have always worked just fine for me, and I know how to acquire those types of women. I don’t need to drug them, either; they are all too eager to have a piece of me.
    “That’s probably why you have a 100% success rate, Travis. You’re good—damned good. You know how to stay emotionally unattached. You know how to keep the main thing as top priority.” Nick’s expression suddenly turns serious and his voice sobers. “I need this one trained to perfection, Travis. I cannot emphasize that enough.”  
    Nick doesn’t have what it takes to do my job. He’s too high-strung and temperamental. When he’s upset, he has a hard time staying cool and keeping his emotions in check.
    “Who am I training this one for, Nick?” I ask, my expression giving nothing away. I’m wondering how much he will enlighten me, or will he stay elusive? Nick cocks his head to the side, staring off into space in deep thought. I watch him slowly lick his lips, which strikes me