one powerful, deeply disturbed woman.”
“What did you see?”
“Felt, mostly. She’s so cold inside she burns.”
I straightened in my chair. “Are you interested?”
“No.” Tank shook his head. “You shouldn’t be either, but it’s late for that.”
With that mind-blowing body and killer personality, Ivory was worth a crush. And wasn’t the name perfect for her?
“Is that what it is?” Tank tilted his head.
Hate it when you soul-search, Boss.
“Sorry. But be honest. You shouldn’t get involved with her, especially if she’s going to work with us. She has deep family issues.”
That I could relate to. I’d admit I was paying more attention to her than I had to any other woman I could remember, but it was rare to find such a fine slice of Eskimo pie. Of course I appreciated it. That was all.
“If you say so.” Tank shook his head. “Just don’t let her stab—shit.”
“What?” I tensed.
Tank palmed his face. “I’ve got terrorists and murder plots to wrangle. You brought her here, you deal with it. Hallway.”
More curious than worried, I followed the sounds of chaos.
Angel had Cyclone by the arm, and he was trying to struggle away, though not hard enough he’d hurt her. His hand was a solid cube of ice. “I offered a friendly handshake—”
“You were being a perv, Cyc.” Angel pushed him toward the elevator. “Go to medical and get melted.”
“But she—”
“Go.” Angel was so sweet she could’ve been a cupcake, but you didn’t argue with her. She ran everything, and she would make your life hell if you got on her bad side.
Cyclone sulked into the elevator.
“What did he do?”
“Lame pick-up line.” Angel rolled her eyes. “I think she would have let it slide, but then he started showing off his powers. I would’ve done the same under the circumstances.”
“Where’d she go?”
“To her room. I’d go check, but we’re slammed today…what?”
“I suppose I could go make sure she wasn’t bothered.” Cyc couldn’t touch her, but I wanted to make sure she didn’t feel too betrayed by the press party. It was a necessary evil. And I happened to have glimpsed her floor number.
“Just don’t upset her anymore. I need to get one woman on this squad of beast men.”
“Don’t worry. I’m recruiting heavily.” I shot her a wink.
“ Ay, Dios mío .” She walked away, wiping her hands of me, though she’d have something to say if I screwed this up.
I was grasping for reasons to see Ivory, considering how pissed she was, but that cold fire of hers was too compelling. I wanted to touch it and see if it really did burn.
Maybe she’d snap, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the warrior woman again. Ivory was way too uptight.
A peace offering might ease my way. I headed for the kitchen.
Chapter Four
Ivory
All of them were crazy. Ice crusted my fingers. If Angel hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve frozen that drittsekk Cyclone into a full cube.
I wanted to run, but instead I escaped to the roof. Two things kept me from disappearing and I wasn’t sure which was the stronger bond. I’d told Tank I’d attend his pony show and I didn’t break my word. Except this time, I might’ve if not for the news vans.
Half a dozen reporters with cameramen waited outside the building. More casual-looking paparazzi milled around the lines of fans with posters and M-10 T-shirts.
Perhaps some of them were there for me, but it seemed like a permanent station. As if the M-10 were always in the news.
If I walked out, they’d follow me. And where would I go? The media had me, and who was to say there wasn’t a similar fleet of news vans waiting on my stoop?
Sacrificing my present was one thing. The media would never find the way into my past, but with my picture plastered everywhere, my past could always find its way to me.
My family had never had television or electricity, and wandering the northern wastes didn’t put them near very many towns, but there
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley