Circle of Deception Read Online Free PDF Page A

she’d heard a lot about him. Quarterback of the high school football team, sweetheart of all the teachers, and mischievous rich boy whose parents always bought him out of any trouble he created. After being transferred around to several different in-state universities, he finally graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. At least, the last part was what she’d read in his file earlier.
    She rubbed her eyes. Goodness, every bone in her body ached. She picked up her cell phone and texted Jack that she’d done her part and confirmed what they knew so far. Hard to believe how much one person could change in ten years. How could the golden boy turn out to be an infamous arms dealer? She’d probably never know, and she sure didn’t want to know up close and personally.
    A BBY JUMPED STRAIGHT up in her seat when a door slammed. Her neck burned like a day-old sunburn, as she’d fallen asleep on the sofa with her chin resting against her chest.
    Stiff and bent over, she struggled to walk into her bedroom. The years in The Circle had taken their toll on her body. Broken bones, gunshot wounds, and deep lacerations that left ugly scars on several areas of her skin attested to the dangerous life she’d chosen.
    Rumbling coming through the walls reminded her that Jack had given the suite between theirs to Rex. He was The Circle’s second-in-command; she’d thought he’d use the penthouse when Ryker wasn’t in residence. Then again, he’d never been known to expect much and had no problem bedding down in a field with the other grunts working for him.
    Who was Rex talking to? She couldn’t hear a second voice. He must be talking on his phone. The baritone voice stirred memories of hot nights in twisted sheets a lifetime ago.
    For the last two weeks, her dreams had been filled with the man who slept only twenty steps away. She knew how many. The first night, she’d numbered each one until she stood outside his door with her fist raised, but she hadn’t knocked. What would she say? Hi, I fucked your brother, and oh yeah, during that time, I was pregnant with your baby.
    T HE NEXT MORNING, Rex leaned back in his chair as his gaze followed his brother’s pacing as he walked a path behind his massive desk and back to where everyone sat around an oblong mahogany table. The office took up one side of the second floor. Every square foot was utilized to allow several operatives to meet with the boss and, when needed, to break out into groups to plan mission strategies. An even dozen, counting Jack, were going over the events of the day before and what had gone wrong. The meeting was called to plan ways to find the ammo manufacturer and the fellow who invented it, while at the same time stopping Walker from selling any more of the ammo.
    His brother stopped his pacing and rubbed his shaved head in deep thought. With the tattoos covering one arm and piercings in his brow and lip, Jack looked more like the leader of a motorcycle gang than a professional soldier.
    The door opened and Abby slipped inside, squeezing in between Charlie and a male operative whose name Rex couldn’t remember. All eyes turned to her and the room became quiet.
    “Sorry.” She grimaced. Abby picked up a Styrofoam cup from the stack and lifted the coffeepot, steam drifting up from the black liquid. “I forgot to set my alarm.”
    Although he knew better than to stare, his eyes refused to look away. Her hair stuck out every which way from the ponytail she’d pulled into a bright pink clip. So girly and unlike her. She wore her usual gray top and black jeans, and from where he sat, they appeared wrinkled. What had she been up to last night? As far as he knew, no one had visited. Not one sound had come from her suite, and he’d been listening after he’d hung up with Ryker. Lying in bed with a hard-on and staring at the ceiling, he’d wondered if she still slept in an oversized T-shirt and thick socks and nothing else. Those long legs, smooth