Desire Unmatched: 4 (Coded for Love) Read Online Free PDF

retreating backs. “Especially my boots.” He rolled to a sitting
position, making sure his meanest glare was directed at the asshole wearing his
boots. He didn’t know if the guy spoke enough English to get his meaning, but
his pointed look at the boots should be universal enough.
    No one responded, and he hadn’t expected them to. When the
door closed and locked, he reached for the crumpled ball of Paulson’s
instructions. Smoothing the paper, he started to read.
    A cup will be provided each morning for you to ejaculate
into. That was it. He frowned. Paulson was getting too old to speak those
few words? Bullshit, there had to be more. He turned the paper over, sideways,
this way and that, and then his eye caught it. There in the margins, almost
looking like inconsequential doodles. It was a code every Program soldier would
know. It was the first code taught to the youngest cohort. It was a series of
lines, each shape corresponding to a letter of the alphabet. Even without a
pen, Xander was able to quickly translate the hidden message.
    In too deep. Will help you escape. Cooperate. Take me
with you. He read the message over a few times, then tore the paper into
tiny shreds that fell about him where he sat on the cold floor in a mockery of
party confetti.
    Cooperate with Paulson? Not on your life. Then again, he
didn’t have many other options. Don’t cooperate, be killed. Cooperate, hold out
for a little longer until he could escape. Though it hurt every fiber of his
being, he’d didn’t see another option. He’d have to follow Paulson’s orders and
hope the old man lived up to his end of the bargain.

Chapter Three
     
    Emma wrapped her sweater tighter around her body and hurried
toward the dining hall. It wasn’t exactly cold out, but she couldn’t seem to
stop shivering. Ever since Xander had been kidnapped, she couldn’t get
comfortable in her own skin. It could be the hormones leaving her body. She
wished Samara were here to ask, but she’d been scarce on campus.
    Xander had been missing for five days, and as far as she’d
heard, they had no leads. Then again, she didn’t even rank on the people who
Shep would confide in. She was only keeping abreast of news thanks to Loren,
who was subtly asking Adam for details then passing them on to Emma. Gavin had
gone to London to explore Paulson’s old haunts, but that was a dead end. She
knew it in her gut.
    “Emma?” She halted and turned toward the man who had called
her. He was tall and in good shape for his age, which she judged in his
fifties. His hair was thick and black with a few distinguished lines of gray
threaded through. He looked very familiar, yet she knew she’d never met him
before. She reminded herself she was safe on the campus. Everyone here was
safe, including her.
    “Yes, may I help you?”
    “I’m Mike Bristack.” He held out a hand but she didn’t
shake. She still didn’t know who he was.
    “Michael’s father,” he explained.
    Still no recognition. “I’m sorry. I don’t know a Michael.”
    The man lowered his hand and narrowed his eyes. “You call
him Xander. Though why he chooses to call himself by his stupid middle name, I
don’t know. Guess it’s my fault for allowing his mother to give him that silly
hippie middle name.”
    It took her a moment to remember how to breathe. Xander had
a father? Well, of course he did. She was the idiot for thinking he’d sprung
from the earth. “Xander’s real name is Michael?”
    “Michael Bristack, Junior, to be exact.”
    “He’s named for you, then?”
    Mike Senior nodded. “Can we talk for a minute?”
    “Of course.” Though she wondered why Xander had never
mentioned a father who looked like his older brother. That’s right, Xander
never mentioned anything of importance to her and probably never would again.
She swallowed back tears.
    She stepped with him to the side of the dining hall to a
wooden bench. Neither of them sat.
    “Shep tells me they suspect you are