Payback by Vanessa Kier Read Free Book Online

Totally unrealistic given the fact that she’d barely known him—she glanced at the dashboard clock—more than an hour. Yet her instincts said she could push him on this.
    So she simply stared back at him, brows lifted to let him know she wasn’t giving in.
    His mouth flattened, but he broke the stare first and looked toward the ocean. Faith waited while he worked his jaw side to side, struggling with some emotion.
    “Did your brother leave you proof?”
    It wasn’t the response she’d expected. “Proof of what?” she asked carefully.
    “Of Jamieson’s connection to Kerberos and the missing men.”
    “He has copies of e-mails from a couple of people inside the DOD giving Jamieson a list of suitable men, but without any mention of what the list is for. There’s no mention of Kerberos. He also has recent autopsy and police reports on military and law enforcement men who had supposedly died months earlier. Plus statements connecting a few of the missing men to ‘freaky’ teams of soldiers running exercises on some of the military bases. A lot of circumstantial stuff. Enough to cause trouble and maybe spark further investigation if I sent it to my media contacts. But that’s not what I want.”
    Mark turned and speared her with a look. “What do you want?”
    You. Ugh. Why did her libido have to choose tonight to come roaring back? Was her sudden desire to kiss him a result of adrenaline? A desperate attempt to find a point of security in this dangerous situation?
    Maybe it’s just chemistry.
    Uh-huh. Right.
    She cleared her throat. “To find Toby and bring him home. Will you help me?”
    “If you want me to save your brother, I’ll need to see his notes.”
    Faith shook her head. “No way. I don’t trust you that far.”
    Mark looked down his nose at her. He honest-to-God pulled the aristocratic, arrogant expression off. And looked sexy doing it.
    But he didn’t sway her. For all she knew, he was just gathering as much information as he could before turning her over to Jamieson.
    “I promise you. Work with me to bring down Jamieson and Kerberos and I will help you find your brother. Just give me a copy of the damn notes.”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    After so many days of hiding, trusting no one except Siobahn as she moved closer to Jamieson, Mark’s cooperation seemed too good a shot of luck to believe.
    Toby’s notes were someplace safe. Some places safe, that is. She’d left copies with a variety of friends around the world, all with different instructions on what to do with them if she died. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to protect her own copy. Limited trust was the plan until she figured out his true intentions.
    She smiled at him and tried not to freak out that she was on a deserted beach with no way to get back to civilization on her own without walking.
    As if reading her thoughts, he said, “You still consider me a threat? After all I’ve told you?” He sounded offended, which only made her smile grow.
    “Yep.”
    “You are the most infuriating woman.” Before Faith had any clue regarding his intention, he twisted in his seat, grabbed her head, and kissed her.
    Instant heat spread through her body, but before Faith could pull him closer, he lifted his head and sat back in his seat. Arousal warred with disappointment and confusion as she watched him start the car.
    “I have no plans to harm you or to bring you to Jamieson’s attention,” Mark snapped as he drove back toward the center of the small town. “For some reason I find myself extremely attracted to you and feeling strongly possessive.” He shot her an annoyed glance, as if she’d done something to ensnare him against his will. “I’d rather take you home with me, but I’ll settle for taking you to the safe house.”
    “No.”
    Being alone with him had now become dangerous on an entirely new level. She wanted another taste of him. Wanted to touch him and feel his hands on her naked flesh. But it was too