Break Out - By Nina Croft Page 0,9

ago, Tannis had rescued him from a prison and certain death. She’d no doubt regretted the impulsive action a few times in the years since, but he was equally sure she’d do it again. At heart, he was a loner, but Rico found it strangely comforting to know that there was at least one person in the world who would care if he ceased to exist.

They both sat in silence, watching the screen. Skylar still had that smug, self-satisfied smile on her face. Tannis reached across, punched the off switch, and the screen went blank.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” she said. “If this is some sort of scam, she’s going after the wrong people, and she’s all yours. You can do what you like with her. But first I suppose we should find out exactly what she’s after.” She ran a hand through her short, spiky hair. “It’s got to be a setup. Maybe you’d better get me a list of people you’ve pissed off recently.”

“How long have we got?”

“Good point—probably not long enough. We should talk to her again. Soften her up a little. See if she’ll tell us what she’s after.”

He liked the sound of that. At the thought of softening her up, his gums ached, and the bloodlust uncoiled inside him. He lowered his dark glasses and regarded her. “Let me go in there alone, and I’ll get her to spill everything she knows.”

Tannis studied him for a moment, lips pursed. “Fine, but I’ll be watching.”

“Pervert,” he drawled.

“I don’t want you finishing her off until she talks. If there’s someone coming after us, I want to know exactly who it is.”

Rico rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders, his body tight with anticipation. “She’ll talk.”

Chapter Four

Skylar wondered how much longer they would keep her waiting. She tapped her foot, impatient to get moving.

Excitement fizzed in her blood. This was actually going to work. She would do it. She had to. The colonel had impressed upon her how important this mission was—she couldn’t fail. Her future depended upon it.

The door slid open. Ricardo Sanchez―Rico, as the captain had called him―stood in the opening. He didn’t enter but lounged against the frame, watching her. He was alone this time, and Skylar forced what she hoped was a bimbo smile onto her face.

He didn’t return the smile. He still wore the shades, so she couldn’t see his eyes, but his mouth remained a compressed line.

She got to her feet, needing to move. Maybe the plan wasn’t going so well after all.

“Mr. Sanchez—Rico—”

“Sit.”

Had she really thought his voice sounded like warm honey? That one word cut through the air like ice. She didn’t even have to think about it. She sat right down. Her lips were suddenly dry, and she ran the tip of her tongue over them.

“Is there a problem?” she asked and decided that the squeak in her voice was quite allowable within the parameters of her character.

He strolled into the room, one hand resting on the laser pistol at his thigh, and came to a halt in front of her chair, far too close. He was tall. And broad. And menacing. She licked her lips again.

“Just a small one.”

“Well, I’m sure we can sort it out.” When Rico didn’t rush to agree with her, she decided to give the bimbo smile another try. Her dry lips stretched across her teeth in what she hoped would bring an answering smile from Rico.

He grinned, but for some reason it didn’t make Skylar feel any better at all. “Oh, I’m sure we can.” His smile broadened and the tip of one white fang showed briefly.

Skylar’s heart stopped. Then started again, so loudly she could hear the blood thundering in her veins.

Holy Meridian. What the hell was this guy?

Her mind flashed back to the rumors she’d heard about him, rumors she had ignored as too ludicrous to even consider. Just stories dredged up from the past.

She forced herself to take a deep breath. He could be any number of things. One rather large tooth did not mean he was a….

He reached up and slipped the shades from his eyes. His gaze locked with hers, and ice-cold prickles skittered down her spine. She’d been in some perilous situations in her time in the military, had faced off against some of the scariest bad asses in the known universe. But they’d all been human—or mostly human. Nothing had ever chilled her like the darkness she sensed lurking behind his eyes.

“Er—I just have to pop