“Is that the case,
Michaels?” Slade’s eyes dared Vin to add more.
Worded the way
Harkum had, it was the truth. Vin shrugged. “Yes.”
“Then why is Helen
Scott here on the premises?” David’s smile twisted in a cruel slant as he left
the question in the air.
The fact he that
he knew Helen’s name meant he’d already done a surface check on her. Vin didn’t
worry. He’d covered his tracks too well for a middle man like Slade to bust
him. His relationship with Helen had been as secretive and informal as he could
make it for her own protection. “We couldn’t leave her there.” Vin’s absence
from her life over the last six months would support his claim of disinterest
if necessary.
“Civilians aren’t
allowed at the Command Center here for obvious reasons, Michael’s. Project
Genesis is top security clearance only.”
Vin nodded and
relaxed his fists. Giving Slade any emotion would allow the man leverage for
later. For some reason, the dick had a hard on for Vin that none of them could
decipher and Vin was never quite sure how hard to push back.
Slade broke the
staring match and gathered all their statements and the folders. “Make sure
she’s gone asap.”
“Yes, sir.” Vin
was glad he’d taken her phone. He’d contain any accounting she gave of today
ensuring Alpha Squad remained out of the retelling.
Everyone came to
their feet at once, mutually agreeing the meet was over. They filed out in a
single line, none of them making eye contact. If Slade thought their team
encouraged the bonds of friendship beyond what
he
considered acceptable,
he’d reassign them in a heartbeat. Then again, maybe not. The few times he’d
tried, the suggestion was kicked back from the higher ups due to the success
rate of Alpha Squad’s assignments. No one wanted to ruin a good thing.
In the hall, Vin
paused when Slade signaled him to wait. Once the team disappeared down the
hall, Slade spoke, brown eyes glittering. “Make it clear to Ms. Scott that she
doesn’t breathe a word of anything she’s seen or heard today.”
Slade wasn’t
saying anything Vin wasn’t planning to do anyway. The muscle in Vin’s jaw
locked but he grit out the required, “Yes, sir.”
He turned to leave
but Slade leaned in close to murmur. “Don’t think for a minute that a woman
like Helen Scott would be interested in a low level grunt like you, Michaels.
She’s used to men of a higher caliber and won’t give you the time of day even
if you did play hero this evening.”
Vin kept walking,
not bothering to respond to the taunt. Slade’s words were a fishing expedition.
He wanted to know if Helen held any importance to Vin. Because if she did,
Slade would make it a point to tie Vin in more knots. Vin wasn’t so sure he’d
keep from killing their handler if anything happened to Helen. She’d become his
weakness two years ago without him even realizing it. Nothing could happen to
her.
Chapter 7
Helen dragged in a
deep breath and immediately the scent of lemons and another unidentifiable odor
assailed her. Pushing up to her elbows, she stared at the nondescript room and
its empty white walls.
Her hair fell
around her face as she sat up. A blue comforter crumpled beneath her.
“Hey, sleeping
beauty.”
Helen jerked.
Standing in the doorway with a considering look on his face was the man who’d
dumped her with no explanation. A man who in turn saved her life. Her feelings
split straight down the middle on how she should react. Unsure of where they
stood, she got to her feet and cold immediately stabbed her toes. Her socks and
shoes were missing.
“Where am I? I
thought you were taking me home?” Otherwise, she’d have protested and not
blithely fallen to sleep.
Vin braced his
hands on the jamb of the doorway over his head and leaned forward. The move
stretched the material of his white tee shirt giving her a nice view of his
divine upper body. Black cargo pants hung loosely from his narrow waist and his
black combat boots completed the image of tough soldier. His hair appeared wet
as if he’d showered.
“I brought you
back with me. The Rekabians are continuing their assaults. I’m not sure it’s
safe at your place yet.”
Helen swallowed.
More attacks? “Where exactly are we?” She looked around at the stark room
containing only the large bed she’d slept in and a side table.
“These are my
rooms at base.”
At base. “You mean
your military base?”
His head moved up
and down.
“In DC?”
Another head move.
He’d taken her
almost an hour away from Baltimore. Helen found her tennis shoes and socks next
to what looked like a closet door. She rushed over to put them on. Quickly she
slid on her socks and stuffed her feet in her shoes. “You need to get me back.”
Like right away. She needed to call people, check on work and plans. Plus, if
the aliens escalated their show of force against Earth, she preferred to be
home surrounded by the comfort of her things.
“I can’t do that until
we talk, Helen.” He dropped his hands to his side and prowled into the room.
Thigh muscles
bunched with his every step. Need curled in her belly but she refused to allow
the distraction of his manly beauty to sway her. Throat dry, she waited until
he was in touching distance. The masculine scent of him filled her nostrils.
This was what she’d smelled on the covers. “And exactly why not?” She had no
intentions of staying here despite whatever excuses he gave.
His hand reached
out and cupped her jaw. He angled her face upward. Helen fought back a shiver.
“Because there are things I need to tell you.” Blue gray orbs beamed with
focus.
Really? That was
his answer. Frustration warred with yearning. Why did she let him do this to
her? “You didn’t seem in the mood to talk six months ago.”
Vin sighed. “I was
wrong for how I handled things. The reason why still stands but I…”
“Forget it.” Helen
moved away from his touch in agitation. She didn’t need or want his excuses.
The time for explanations had passed. “Just give me my cell and I’ll arrange my
own way home.” Maybe the cab driver would trust her long enough to run in and
get money from her place.
“Helen.”
The snap in his
voice made her jump and unfortunately perked her nipples up too. Ignoring the
attraction, Helen planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “It
doesn’t matter, Vincent.” He flinched but Helen continued. “You made it pretty
clear how things stood between us. We were lovers and now it's over. Nothing
more nothing less.”
“It was more and
you damn well know it,” he growled.
How dare he get
angry. He’d dumped her. “But it’s not any more, is it?” Bitterness coated her
question.
***
“Fuck.” Vin cursed
and turned away. He wanted to deny it but couldn’t. The hurt and sadness in her
pretty brown eyes weighed enough to drown him and Vin struggled to stay afloat.
Letting her go was the only option. He wasn’t good at this shit. Wasn’t good at
dealing with things out of his control. “Let me make sure it’s safe before I
arrange to take you home.” At least that he
knew
he was good at.
“I want my cell,
too. I have to find out about work. Call my boss.”
When Vin faced her
again, he blanked his expression. Everything about her body language screamed
keep the hell away. No way would he reveal how much he wanted to pull her into
his arms again, drown in her scent and pretend the last six months never
happened. “If I give you back your phone there are things you can’t discuss.”
Her lip curled and
he knew she was about to let her sarcastic tongue fly. His raised hand
forestalled her words. “I can’t compromise, Helen. Bringing you here was the
worst mistake.”
Her face paled as
she stepped back. Anguish and disbelief washed across her features. Vin
replayed his words and let loose a barrage of profanity. That wasn’t how he
meant it but as Vin reached to touch her elbow in apology, she pulled away.
“Take me home, Vin, please.”
Her pain filled
words stabbed at him. Seeing Helen hurt killed him. “A mistake because it’s our
Command Central and we’re not supposed to bring outsiders here.” The correction
had no effect. Her pain radiated in the air and Vin called himself ten types of
fool.
“I didn’t ask you
to bring me here. I wanted to go home. None of this was my idea.” Helen waved
her hand wildly and her frantic glances verged on hysteria. Butterfly trembles
shook her hands. When she saw he noticed, Helen shoved them in the pockets of
her sexy athletic pants.
Vin moved quickly
and grasped her by the shoulders. “Calm down, hellcat.” Her eyes narrowed but
she pursed her lips and bit back an angry retort. Confirming that she wouldn’t
move, Vin dug into his pocket and withdrew her slim phone. Anything to soothe
the worry and fear shimmering from her pores.
Her hand closed
around the device instantly but he kept his grip firm. She needed to understand
the importance of his next words. “Helen, you can’t talk about anything you saw
today. I need your promise.”
If she gave her
promise, Vin knew he could trust her word. Helen’s honor was never something
Vin questioned.
Her eyes bugged
wide. “You have to be kidding. The Rekabians destroyed my corporate office.
People were injured and…and may have died.”
She choked as if
the thought just hit her about the deaths. Vin was glad she hadn’t witnessed
the dead bodies in the stair way or the lobby. Holding it together was one
thing but facing the lifeless bodies of coworkers would have been altogether
different.
“I think you know
I’m not talking about that. What you saw with my team can never be discussed
with outsiders.” Vin released the phone and she snatched her hand back.
“What was it
anyway? You and your men have secret…powers?” Her voice bordered on
incredulous. She’d seen it but still didn’t quite understand or believe.
Vin fought the
urge to tell her everything. To finally put an end to the secrecy he’d been
forced to maintain for months. Instead, Vin did something he knew he’d always
regret. Something he promised himself she’d never feel in his presence. He
wouldn’t drag Helen down. Nothing else mattered but protecting Helen.
With inhuman
speed, Vin wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck, feeling the soft skin
and bones he could crush with one determined squeeze. He forced himself to meet
her frightened gaze and ignored how the look bubbled nausea in his stomach.
“It’s nothing you need to know about, Helen. Just remember when I take you home
to keep your mouth shut about the things you saw on that street with the
Rekabians and Alpha Squad. If you say anything, anything at all, you’ll see
first hand the other side of me and it won’t be pretty.”
The threat did the
trick. Her breath caught, eyes wide. Hurt. Fear. Sadness. It was all there. If
Vin ever wondered what a terrorized Helen looked like, the expression on her
face revealed it all. Not even the Rekabians had brought to the surface such a
mix of emotions on the face of the woman he craved. One more black mark against
his name to prove Vin Michaels didn’t warrant any semblance of happiness.
***
Frozen muscles
held Helen immobile. Gone was her easy going lover with his silken whispers and
erotic touch. In his place stood a man Helen didn’t even know. Didn’t want to
know as evident by the unspoken threat of his words lingering in the air.
“I won’t talk
about you or your men.” She couldn’t control the way her voice quivered. Vin
let her go but Helen kept her phone in her pocket and forced her arms to remain
loose at her side when she wanted to wrap them around her waist and rock. The
soothing gesture would have been too telling. “How soon can I go? Now would be
ideal.”
The loud sound of
a screeching alarm cut off whatever he’d prepared to say. Helen jumped and
found herself up close and personal with the muscles she ogled earlier, hands
planted on his shoulders. Vin sat her aside immediately and strode to the
closet. He dug around and came out with a black shirt which he pulled over top
of the white tee. He tucked the hem in his waist and added the heavy utility
belt.
His lightweight
body armor spread over his body an instant later. Passing her with a light
touch to her hair, the gesture at odds with his threat moments ago, he trekked
back across the room to dig through a pair of discarded black pants. Finding
what he sought, Vin stuck a small black circle and loop around his ear. He
pulled a large metal case from under the bed and removed a handheld gun in a
holster which he proceeded to strap to his left thigh. Next, he removed the
larger weapon she remembered from the attack at her office.
He stood in one
fluid motion. A warrior preparing for battle. Giving in to the need, Helen wrapped
her arms around her waist and followed him into the outer room. The alarm
continued its discordant notes. She barely noticed the sofa, TV and table
set-up. “What’s going on, Vin?”
His every action
conveyed urgency. “I’m being sent out.”
Sent out, as in
leaving? Adrenaline shot through her veins and a sense of spiraling out of
control made her stumble.
Someone thumped
loudly on the outer door. “Ten minutes,” a rough masculine voice shouted.
Helen thought it
might have been Harkum. She reached out and grabbed Vin’s arms. “You can’t
leave me here. You said I could go home if I promised.” She didn’t want to stay
here. Not with this lover turned enemy.
His face said it
all. The tough mask of a man she thought she knew. “I’m sorry. I have to go.
I’ll take you home when I get back.”
Slowly, Vin pulled
her hand away from his sleeve and stepped back. They stared at one another.
Someone pounded on the door again. Fear churned through her veins yet Vin
continued to watch her with his unwavering stare. By some miracle, she found
the strength to accept his answer. “Okay.”
Vin hurried to the
door, jerking it open. His eyes bored into hers, sincerity blazing. “I should
have called.” Not wasting another moment, he left followed by the sound of
multiple boots running down the hall.
The door closed
quietly behind him.
Helen pushed back
fear and worry. Time for that later. She needed to know what was going on and
the best way to do that was to see what the news hounds were saying. Helen
raced around the coffee table, grabbed a complex looking remote and turned on
the television. Media coverage poured forth. She clicked several times. The
first three news channels all had the same feed scrolling at the bottom of the
screen.
‘Rekabians
attack.’
Click.
‘Earth in
jeopardy.’
Click.
‘The end has
come.’
Click.
Impossible. Helen
sank onto the sofa and turned up the volume. The anchor stared intently into
the screen as he dispassionately reported on the deaths around the world.
Helen’s eyes zoomed on the images whirling behind him. Houses and cars on fire,
entire neighborhoods ablaze. Devastation everywhere. Some smaller cities in
remote locations completely destroyed. Gone.
Helen gnawed on
her knuckle. The camera zoomed on the oval shaped black alien craft hovering in
the air as it fired upon an ocean liner. Moments later, the ship exploded.
Tears burned the back of her eyelids. The reporter droned on as the screen
behind him faded to black.
Vincent had rushed
out to face this. He and his men would battle creatures who possessed no concern
or value for human life. The thought of his death sent her heart plummeting and
for a moment, Helen couldn’t catch her breath. Her palm pressed against her
chest until the ache eased off. Despite the threat he’d left her with, Helen
preferred he remained unharmed.
Beeping
interrupted the broadcast and the smooth face of the anchorman was replaced
with the President of the United States. President Lucy Harrison’s somber
expression beat the anchorman hands down. “Good evening, everyone. Today has
been a day of great sorrow. As reported earlier, the alien life forms we know
as the Rekabians have launched a full scale attack against the United States.
Our fellow countries report similar escalated attacks. As we prepare to defend
the world we love, we mourn those we’ve lost.”
She paused, blue
eyes glittering with unshed tears and swiped her hand over the sleek fall of
her jet black hair. Helen thought the hand trembled but President Harrison
continued. “We will not fail. Earth will unite in our fight until we win and
send these invaders on their way.” Rose colored lips firmed and the President
pulled her shoulders back. “The battle has just begun.” Muted applause and
flashes of light followed her declaration.