for somebody willing to experiment along with theory. To take the chance—take the risks.”
Risks were for the foolish. As a scientist, she had a duty to protect life.
However, even the risks were theoretical at this point. She kept her smile in place. These guys were bored Star Trek fans with millions to donate to a good cause, like her school. Yet intelligence showed in their eyes, and their knowledge base had been impressive so far. But they were dreaming. She cleared her throat. “Any theory would have to take into consideration risks of altering the known laws of physics. It’d be irresponsible otherwise.”
Ronan smiled. “Well, you’re one of the brightest minds of this century, so have a little faith. Come up with a theory, some sort of plan to find a theory to get us what we want, and we’ll grant you five hundred million dollars to use as you please at your university in order to prove it. You have one week.”
Chapter Six
Ivar kicked back in the control room, watching the interview in the conference room through one of the several monitors set up on the long table. His area was windowless and quiet, which suited him just fine. Promise Williams was even prettier today with her gray suit and pale pink blouse. Her curly dark hair was secured in a no-nonsense braid that highlighted her strong features, her cheekbones high beneath her very smooth, warm beige skin.
The suit was form fitting in a classy way. Though the shoes had to go. Sensible, square heeled, boring. She had slender ankles made for sparkly sandals. Something told him there hadn’t been much sparkle in Promise’s life.
Not that he’d had much either.
It was an odd name. Promise. No doubt a hope for her large intelligence and expected contributions to science. He’d researched her family. Both of her parents had been professors who’d appeared to be more involved in work than with each other. The pictures of the skinny and awkward little girl had interested him. She’d attended math camp, space camp, even chess camp. No ponies, no lakes, no campgrounds. Only books and huge brown eyes and a sense of loneliness that he could feel in his own bones. A sense he lived with daily. Her parents had died when she’d been a sophomore at Harvard, but she’d looked alone even before that. Long before that.
The need to join her in that conference room pricked beneath his skin and up his neck. Even his blood felt more aware with her in the building. He glanced at the other monitor of Mark Brookes giving his spiel in another room. Boring. He picked up his phone and called Mercy at the front desk.
“What?” The sound of her typing furiously came over the line while she no doubt moved currency through markets as she pretended to be their receptionist for this week of grant interviews. The female did love investing.
“Would you do me a favor? Poke your head in the conference room and ask if they want any water,” he said, his adrenaline flowing way too freely.
Mercy sighed. “They can get their own water.”
He grabbed onto his temper with both hands. The last thing he needed was a pissed-off fairy in his day, and Mercy could be mean when she wanted. With her mate, Logan, and Garrett having left early that morning to secure a secondary safe location, the sprite was already cranky. So he chose his words with care, even though they burned through his already burned throat. “I know, but I’m asking for a favor. Don’t go all the way in. Just stop at the door, ask, and then leave when they say yes or no.”
“Fine.” She slapped the phone down.
Ivar winced as his ears rang. Then he leaned toward the monitor, his instincts humming. His muscles vibrated with the effort it took to keep himself in that chair, in that room, and away from that woman. Promise. Even her name jolted something inside him. Mercy came into view through the monitor, her feminine green suit flouncing. She reached the doorway to the conference room and asked if anybody wanted a drink, her tone polite.
The color fled Promise’s face, and she visibly tensed. Her pupils widened, and her chest rose rapidly. She shook her head, as did Ronan.
Mercy shrugged and strode back down the hallway, looking up at one of the cameras to stick her tongue out at him.
He turned his gaze back to Promise. The color filled her face again, and