sincere tone but judging from his expression, he didn’t buy it. Well, hell. Might as well go balls to the wall. “Oh, all right. I’m investigating a secret elite military operation working out of those bunkers north of town. Are you a spook?”
“Where did the lead come from?”
She pressed her lips together.
“Where?”
“My editor. Okay?”
“And where did he hear about it?” Damn, he was sexy when he was adamant. But it didn’t matter. All her good will toward him was shattered. She wasn’t telling him anything. Even if he tortured her. Fuck him and his snooping around in her purse.
She lifted a shoulder.
He studied her, taking in her obstinate stance, and then sighed and scrubbed his face. But it wasn’t an expression of his weakness, or an inclination that he was giving up. It was a weary resolution. “Get dressed and pack up your stuff. You’re coming with me.”
She glared at him. “Am I?” He’d have to carry her, kicking and—
His cheek bunched. It sent a shiver down her spine. “You can come willingly…or not. But you’re coming with me.”
She swallowed. “So there is a secret elite military organization working out of those bunkers?”
“I’m not saying that.”
“You just did.” She frowned at him. “Besides, you can’t make me come against my will.”
“Can’t I?” Her belly flopped at his resolute tone. “It’s three a.m. There’s no one in the parking lot. No one to see me carry you out…”
“Carry me?”
“Bound and gagged.”
She blew out a breath. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“And I can do it with no one being the wiser. They teach us these things…” He shot her a wicked grin. “In secret elite-military-organization school.”
For some reason, his snark made her furious. Or maybe it was the betrayal. Or maybe her anger was really aimed toward herself for being such a sentimental idiot. Whatever it was, it stole her capacity for lucid speech. The sound that emanated from her throat was not quite human.
“It doesn’t have to be that way, Roni,” he said in a deceptively silky voice. “Are you coming with me willingly, or do I need to find some duct tape?”
“You are a complete ass.”
“That’s what they tell me.”
She frowned at him. “Will I be coming back?”
It was chilling that he didn’t answer. Horrifying that a flicker of regret flashed over his hard, handsome features.
“You might want to get dressed. Make no mistake about it, Roni, I don’t have any compunction about taking you as you are. And, as charming as you look in nothing at all, the other guys might get ideas.”
A shiver ran through her at his bleak statement. “Other guys? What other guys?”
“You’ll meet them.” This, he said with a wintry acceptance that sent a chill into her soul. When he’d said she was in danger, she’d blown it off, but now she wasn’t so sure.
She didn’t know exactly what she’d wandered into, but she knew she was in trouble deep.
And not the least of it was the fact that she was being taken prisoner by a pitiless man with eyes that could melt the ice surrounding her heart.
* * *
As Roni dressed, Sterling tapped out a message on his cell for his bosses, letting them know he was coming in. Steele would be pissed. It was O-dark-thirty in the morning and he was probably curled up in some cozy bed, but this couldn’t wait. He’d be more pissed if Sterling didn’t wake him.
He watched Roni like a hawk as she dressed and collected her things. He had her grab everything. He didn’t know if she was coming back—and the fact that he couldn’t reassure her just about killed him. Beyond that, if she was to disappear, it had to be without a trace. He didn’t want her leaving any clues that could be tracked back to their base.
So when she went into the bathroom, he followed her—though this clearly annoyed her. He didn’t want her writing messages on the mirror in lipstick. When she had her bag packed, he took her arm in one hand and carried her things in the other, dropping them all in the backseat in a pile.
“Hey,” she snapped. “Careful with my computer.”
He opened the passenger door and frowned at her. “Get in.”
Her eyes flicked around and her muscles tensed, as though she was contemplating running.
“I’ll catch you,” he warned. “Don’t even try it.”
She glared at him and then, with a huff, threw herself into the seat.
He rounded the car, pulling her keys from his pocket. He’d made it a point to collect