Circle of Danger by Carla Swafford Read Free Book Online Page B

punish her when he found her hiding place. The place Ryker had hid with her.
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œAre you sure you’re okay with this? I hate to ask you. Maybe we’ll be lucky and Doc will come across something that’ll stop it.”
    When he saw her lift her chin, he knew she’d be okay. He’d always admired how gutsy she could be even when the odds lined up against her.
    â€œShh!” Unable to resist, he placed a clumsy finger over her mouth. “You would do the same for me.”
    Her face flushed scarlet, and she pulled the sheet tighter around her. “You’re right.”
    â€œI’ll have your things moved into the mansion.”
    â€œNo!”
    â€œThere’s no use arguing. If you should have an attack in the middle of the night, it could take too long to reach you. That can be dangerous.”
    â€œWhat? A total of ten minutes?”
    â€œEither you move into the mansion where you have your pick of three bedrooms near my own, or I move into your apartment. I don’t plan to sleep on the floor.”
    Her eyes widened. Then she looked down. “All right. As long as I can pick my bedroom.”
    â€œOn the same floor.”
    â€œYes. The same floor.”
    He almost sighed. She gave in faster than he expected. Between providing her relief and discouraging her aspiration to go out in the field—ah hell! He needed to find a way to survive the next few weeks and not make her hate him.

 
    C HAPTER F IVE
    M arie flopped backward onto the feather-soft bed. It sat in a room the size of her apartment’s living room and kitchen combined. A small sitting area near French doors led out to a balcony and looked over a small valley near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fine evening mists hung over the treetops, and farther out the numerous ridges tinted blue gave her a peaceful feeling. She knew the electric fence surrounding the house was hidden, allowing the occupants to believe they lived in a normal—but extremely large—home.
    â€œEnjoying the bed?” Jack strolled across the room. Making himself at home, he dropped into a chair and thumped his heels onto the coffee table as he folded his hands across a flat stomach.
    Shaved head and bulging muscles defined in a skintight faded blue T-shirt, he was gorgeous and exotic with his many piercings and tattoos. Marie had met him several years ago when he’d been promoted from the ranks, and she quickly realized his ferocious looks misled most. Though nearly as talented in dealing death as Ryker, he could recite poetry and loved cats. In fact, he had a sweet little snow-white feline named Kinky that he babied in his private suite.
    â€œYeah. I’ve never felt one so soft.” She rolled over and sat up, arranging the pillows behind her. “This place is amazing.”
    â€œWish you had taken Ryker up on his offer to live here the first time?” He raised his brows.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWe talked about this before. I want to be my own person and Ryker always felt responsible for me. I need to take care of myself.” She blushed. How could anyone believe she was capable of that? She had screwed up enough on her first assignment to be captured. Maybe she was one of those people who needed a keeper.
    â€œYou had bad intel. Don’t take it as your failure.” His warm blue eyes shuttered and he looked away, picking white fur off his pants. “If you don’t want to be here, just give me the word and I’ll take you to a safe place until the drug wears off.”
    Considering what she required to survive the next few weeks, she wasn’t sure how to respond to his offer. She opened and closed her mouth. No matter how gorgeous he was, she never felt that way toward him. There hadn’t been room in her mind or heart for anyone but Ryker.
    â€œNo. I better stay here,” she croaked.
    â€œIf you change your mind, I’ll take