Circle of Deception (8 page)

Over the next thirty minutes, they stood in front of a beautiful white wedding cake and let the photographer do his job. When it came time for the bride and groom to feed each other, she narrowed her eyes in warning. He behaved and didn’t smear the vanilla fluff into her face, but he did take advantage of her hand being close to his mouth. His tongue darted out and licked the center of her palm. She squeezed her thighs together.
Oh, that feels so good.

She needed to get away from him, even if by a few feet. As soon as she could, she strode over to a chair and flopped into it. When Jack suggested taking pictures of her throwing the bouquet, she refused to budge. No more playacting. When the real deal came along, she didn’t want to compare it to the pretend one. Truth be told, nothing could compare to having an Elvis-style wedding. Unable to resist, she lifted her gaze to Rex and corrected herself: nothing could compare to having an Elvis-style wedding, with a dangerously sexy man as the groom.

Jerking her thoughts to the mission ahead, she said, “That’s enough. Even the president of the United States would believe we’re married.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand why you think we need that many pictures. It’s not like my mom will ask to see them. She’s going to be pissed enough with me eloping.” With one shoe off, she rubbed her foot. “Don’t we need to head to Birmingham?” The plain brass nautical clock on Jack’s desk showed it was after one p.m.

“You two go and change clothes. I’ll meet you back here in thirty minutes.” Jack waved them off as he talked into his cell phone.

A
BBY EXAMINED THE
ceiling of the elevator as she rode up with Rex. The temperature rose with each floor they passed.

“You’re beautiful in that dress.”

Pulled by his soft voice, she looked up and touched the back of her neck. She took a deep breath. Why didn’t they ventilate these boxes? “Thanks.” She forced her gaze to look at anything but him. The picture of him filling out the perfectly cut jacket was forever branded on her retinas.

“Abby―”

As soon as the steel panel opened, she hurried to her suite and shut the door behind her, blocking Rex and all thoughts of him. They never locked their doors in the OS Sector. Who would dare steal from them? She only hoped he wouldn’t try to follow her. If he just gave her a few minutes to regroup.

In seconds, she stripped off the dress and carefully hung it in her closet. She decided to wear a simple flair skirt and wraparound top. The royal blue and bright white complemented her olive skin. What would Rex think of her dressing in two feminine outfits in one day?

She laughed. Why did it matter? They were playing a part and nothing more. As soon as he learned about the baby, he wouldn’t have anything more to do with her. He’d deserved to know but it was so long ago. She shook her head. Standing there and debating the right and wrong of what had happened was hopeless.

Had she screwed up again?

Straightening her shoulders, she opened the door and headed back to Jack’s office. Relieved not to run into Rex and deal with the mixed bag of emotions he invoked, she walked in and stared. Nothing remained of the wedding. Seeing everything back in place brought a weird feeling of desolation over her. Refusing to dwell on it, she looked at Jack and Rex.

“What?” Their sudden silence brought out her insecurities. “Did I interrupt your secrets?”

“Come and sit down. We don’t have a lot of time. The party starts at eight. As usual, we’ll have a few operatives on hand. If you have any trouble, just signal to one of us.” Jack leaned back in his chair.

“We really don’t need to go over the plan again.” Rex stood. The white sport shirt and dark slacks showed off his broad shoulders and firm buttocks. She caught herself before sighing out loud.

“Humor me. We’ve ensured the news of your recent nuptials reached Brody, and he knows you both will be at the party. Play it safe. Get him interested in the two of you. That will be your ticket to one of his private parties at his farm. Then maybe you can find hints on who designed the ammo and where the facility is located.” Jack handed a large brown envelope to Rex.

Abby knew inside the envelope was everything needed to don their new personas: Mr. and Mrs. Rurik Volkov. A few short minutes later, they drove out of the underground garage, heading toward I-20 and Birmingham.

Abby appreciated well-built cars, and the Cadillac CTS provided by The Circle for their cover didn’t disappoint. She leaned back, enjoying the luxury of the soft leather and new car smell. Her old Honda Accord didn’t compare.

Rolling her head on the support to watch Rex, she decided the car suited him perfectly. Her gaze dropped and returned to his profile. He oozed sex and danger.

“Do I have cake on my face?” he asked.

“Was this your idea?”

He glanced her way and then returned his attention to the interstate. “No.”

“When did Jack tell you?”

“This morning when he woke me up.”

“I wish he’d warned me.”

She was married. Yet not really. But they were expected to act married. Her fingers curled into her skirt. The freedom of knowing she could touch him and pretend it was part of the job had her aching to feel his warm skin beneath her fingertips, to taste the curve of his neck, and to inhale the manly scent only Rex possessed. Her nipples tingled with the thought of rubbing her naked breasts against his chest.

“That’s one of the things I’ve always liked about you.”

“What?” That she dreamed of being naked and sated in his bed again? Face flushed, she turned away, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

“You’re quiet. Not filling in the silence with chatter.”

“I’m not much for talking to talk.” Her dad had been soft-spoken and said only what was needed. She figured she took after him.

Who did Rex take after? As much as Rex loved to talk, he never mentioned his dad. A couple times he mentioned his mom, but she had no idea if either of his parents lived.

She coughed to clear her throat. “Are both of your parents living?”

“They’re dead.”

“I’m sorry.” From the unusual two-word answer, she guessed he’d rather not talk about them. “Do you have any other siblings besides Jack?”

“Nope. Just me and Jack.” He glanced her way before returning his attention to the road. “Why the sudden interest?”

“I guess since you’re about to meet my family, it feels strange not to know anything really about yours.” She felt so exposed while his life remained closed to her.

“Jack and I were teenagers when our parents died. There isn’t really much to tell. My dad beat my mom to death and then he turned up dead the next day. The police said it was suicide.”

His voice sounded flat as if repeating a story that had happened to someone else.

Unable to think of anything to say, she patted his thigh. He placed his hand over hers before she could move it away.

Frustrated with her body’s reaction to his touch, she slipped her hand out from under his and crossed her arms, staring out the passenger window.

How sad to lose both parents so close together and in such a horrific way. She wondered if an aunt or uncle had been there for a gangly young Rex; the image was too heartbreaking to think about.

The clacking of tires running across the interstate filled the car. Her eyelids drifted down and then flipped back open. With so few hours of sleep, she fought to stay awake, but knowing a good driver controlled the wheel and that her body needed to rest, within minutes her body relaxed and she slept.

R
EX CHECKED ON
Abby. A quick look confirmed what he suspected. She was sound asleep.

He preferred her hair down and not in the ponytail she often wore when she worked, but the pretty clip allowed a few strands to escape, giving her a soft look. The dark brown appeared rich as mink. During those weeks, so long ago, when they had been lovers, her hair fell to her waist, and he often woke with his hands wrapped in it.

She inhaled deeply and shifted in her seat. The top of her blouse gaped. He tried to keep his eyes on the road, but his gaze returned to look every couple minutes. Her breasts rested in a bra that barely covered the tips. A faint tan line caught his interest. The swimming suit she owned must be too small, as the paler skin formed what looked like the point of a two-inch triangle. Damn. She better not try wearing anything like that around him. Hell, around anyone.

A rough patch on the pavement shook the car. He checked the road and then Abby. The way her breasts swayed and jiggled shot blood and heat into his groin. He swallowed a whimper.

He forced his gaze to move away. What was he? A sixteen-year-old pervert staring at a sleeping woman’s boobs?

With a subtle adjustment of his cock, he glued his eyes to the road but his thoughts refused to stay off Abby and their
fake
marriage.

Jack and his big fucking ideas. Arranging the wedding as part of the cover-up was so like him. Jack always loved interfering in his life and acted as if he lacked walking-around sense.

What did he think Rex was doing during those years when his big brother worked for The Circle? While Jack was screwing everyone’s daughters, girlfriends, and wives, Rex survived, just barely, especially after receiving the news that Abby had died. For the first year, he hadn’t cared if he lived or died. When Jack left for the other side, Rex regarded him as dead. To work for an organization that hunted and killed OS operatives . . . no pussy was that good. The rumor was that Jack had left the OS to be with Olivia. She’d been The Circle’s lead eliminator.

Rex didn’t see it. The woman was a coldhearted bitch.

What Abby had in common with the woman, he had no idea. One thing for certain, The Circle had changed Abby. Guarded to the point of caginess, she avoided any mention of her time there.

He skimmed a hand across the top of his head.

All of it was a mystery, and in the next few days, he’d learn the truth.

Chapter Seven

“O
H MY
G
OD!
This place is beautiful.” Abby stared at the grand stairway that led to the second-floor master bedroom.

They had arrived at the Wynfrey Hotel moments ago and were immediately brought to the presidential suite on the top two floors. The spacious living area had an actual working fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a suburb of Birmingham.

In all the undercover missions she’d been assigned to by the OS and The Circle, she’d never experienced such luxury. She skimmed her fingers over the Chippendale table, loving how everything looked so Old World. Yes. She could get used to living in such richness.

“We have a couple hours before we’re needed downstairs for the party. If you want to finish your nap, the master bedroom is upstairs.” Rex stood in the middle of the living room with his feet set apart and arms crossed as if he were on the bow of a ship ordering his men to fire the cannons. “There’s another large bedroom through those doors.” He pointed to double doors on the opposite end of the living room.

So two bedrooms. Good. He could sleep downstairs and she’d take the other one. Not only on another floor, but also preferably in another suite. She knew that wasn’t about to happen. With a glance at Rex, she bit back a sigh.

The short sleeves of his sport shirt tightened around his biceps and the fine hairs on his forearms emphasized his strength and masculinity. Though sexy, that wasn’t what caught her attention. His eyes. Those light gray eyes were filled with concern and a touch of male interest and drew her to him.

She placed her hands behind her back and chewed on her bottom lip.
Do not touch
.
You’re too vulnerable to him at this moment.
Her fingers actually tingled. His skin looked warm, deliciously hot to the touch.

“I’ve slept enough on the way here.” With a side step, she headed toward the front door. With her back to him, she waved a hand over her shoulder. “I think I’ll do a little shopping.” Where had that yellow streak down her back come from?

“Shopping now?”

She shrugged. “Why not? The hotel is attached to the shopping mall. I should be safe. Besides, it’ll give me a chance to work off the extra energy and stretch my legs.” With a hand on the knob, she couldn’t resist looking back. If she stayed, she would want to touch him, feel that warm skin, so taut and alive, run her hands over every inch.

His heated expression warned her before he said, “I’ll come with you.”

“No need. You probably need some rest. Driving in that crazy traffic from Atlanta would wear anyone out.”

He studied her for a couple seconds. “It’ll be best if I stick with you and let everyone see us together.”

“Really. You don’t need to.”

“You might as well get over it. We’re newlyweds and must act the part.” He picked up his cell phone and shoved it into a pocket. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Frustrated in more ways than one, she shook her head in resignation. “Fine,” she huffed, and marched out of the suite with Rex on her heels.

In the elevator, Abby tried her best to ignore Rex’s presence. Heated tension radiated from his body in waves. He smelled good.

He leaned down and said into her ear, “I like that color on you.” His deep voice seduced her senses as his breath caressed her ear and neck. Without trying to be obvious, she folded her arms. Being so near him and the way he stared at her—possessive and aware of his effect on her—made her nipples ache from being tight and hard for so long.

She turned to comment and her nose hit his chest. Refusing to be intimidated by him, she tilted her head back and glared.

“Why do you really want to go with me?” She shoved at his abs. He didn’t move an inch. “And why are you so in my space?”

One blunt-tipped finger traced her ear. “
Dusha my-ah
.”

She swiped at his hand. “What’s gotten into you?”

A brief sneer that passed for a smile crossed his face. “Practicing my Russian for tonight.”

“Well, save it for later.”

He chuckled and moved to the other side of the elevator.