Close Quarters (11 page)

“Not a word. Well, maybe just one. The sooner you activate that scanner, the better.”

“I'm aware of that.”

Drew went on as if Roman hadn't spoken. “If whoever is casing the compound kills Tanya, I think our Kadin is going to go AWOL to track them down and wreak his vengeance.”

Kadin wouldn't be alone, but Roman knew better than to say so. Hell, he could barely believe he'd thought it. Shit. Piss. Damn. If he didn't watch himself, this assignment was going fubar and he wasn't going to let that happen.

Kadin let out a heavy sigh. “She reminds me of my little sister.”

“You got a kid sister?” Neil asked with justifiable shock.

Kadin had never mentioned her before.

“She was killed. I didn't keep her safe.” The former MARSOC assassin turned away and headed for the bedroom. “I'm going to get some shuteye.”

Neil said a word Roman echoed in his own thoughts. No wonder the man had been so protective of Tanya since they'd arrived. Roman couldn't help feeling some relief too, that his friend clearly did not see Tanya in a sexual light. Kadin had said so before, but now Roman believed him.

He would have hated to have to maim a good man.

 

Fleur woke feeling more at peace than she had since before the Tutsi massacre. She ran her hand along the blanket tucked securely around her. Had she truly allowed Bennet Vincent to hold her while she cried like a broken child? And fallen asleep? On him, much less simply with someone else in the room. She had not done so, except in her daughter's presence, since she was a child.

And yet, last night…she had done all of that.

And it had felt good. Better than good, it had felt
safe
. Tears she had never allowed herself the luxury of shedding had cleansed her in a way she had not been able to accomplish, no matter how hard she tried.

The memories of her rape were still there, still horrible, but they now seemed a step away from her present reality. It was not quite as if they had happened to someone else, but close. She knew it had been her, how could she not? But in the years since, she had grown and become someone other than the naïve, rather spoiled girl she had been fifteen years ago. Someone other than the woman whose feminine power had been ripped from her with such brutality that she had not wanted anyone to touch her in more than a decade.

How could this man, this American, help her heal when others had been unable to? The answer lay within her. She had told him a truth she'd hidden from almost everyone else.

It didn't matter why, not really; all that mattered was that she had opened up and in doing so lanced the wound so poison could drain away in her tears.

“Mama, will you fix my braids for school? They are not so neat,” Johari called from her room across the hall.

Smiling, Fleur got up from her bed. A quick look down at her rumpled clothes made her smile grow. Ben had maintained her modesty. “I will be right there, child. Be patient.”

“I'm always patient, Mama. Tanna says so. She say I am the most patient little girl she know.”

“She
says
and she
knows
,” Fleur corrected her as she quickly changed her turban and clothing for something fresher.

“I remember,” Johari assured her.

Fleur shook her head with a small chuckle as she headed for her daughter's room. Johari always said she remembered, even when she didn't. Tanya's door was still shut. The other woman must still be sleeping. For her to do so despite Johari's morning chatter meant she must be very tired. They were not so busy today that she could not be allowed a small ly-in; Tanya put in long hours.

 

Ben was already in the dining hall when Fleur and Johari arrived to break their morning fast.

Johari ran to the man and gave him a hug in greeting, which he returned with a warm smile. “Do you like my braids? Mama made them fancy this morning.”

Fleur had rebraided the ones that had gotten straggly and tied them all back with a bright ribbon. She smiled at Ben and said indulgently, “She believes ribbons to be the height of fashion.”

“Aren't they? For a girl her age?”

“I think so, yes.”

“Oh, they are.” Johari patted her hair self-consciously, looking so pleased Fleur's heart ached. She was so different from the child that Fleur had taken into her life two years ago, traumatized by the loss of her parents to the violence of war.

“Sit down and eat your breakfast, child.”

“Yes, Mama. I cannot be late for school,” she told Ben. “There is an award at the end of the year.”

“For not being tardy?” Ben asked.

“Yes, and for not missing any days of school either.” Johari's tone left no doubt she wanted those awards.

The Mission School put a premium on timely attendance, but that did not always work for the children living in out-lying villages, who often had to help care for their younger siblings before going to school in the morning. Johari's life with Fleur was easier for her in that regard. But Fleur never deceived herself into thinking that that made up for not having the rest of her family.

Fleur missed her dead sister and lost brother with a physical ache to this day.

“How does she get there?”

“Mabu has one of his men drive her in the jeep.”

“Where is the school?” Ben asked.

She told him.

“We can drop her on our way to the mine this morning,” he offered.

Johari's squeal of delight was not to be denied. Fleur did not even try. Instead, she said to Ben, “You are leaving early.”

“Yes, a good two hours before they are expecting us,” he replied with a wink, determined amusement lurking in his pale blue gaze.

The amusement was contagious, and she found herself smiling.

“Good for you.”

“We all do what we must.” There was a tone in his voice she did not understand, but for once such a thing did not worry her.

She trusted this man who had held her for hours in safety. “Some only do what they must, but others like you, do what is necessary.”

“Isn't that the same thing?” Johari asked, sounding confused.

“No, sweet one, often the two are far apart, but Ben will make sure they overlap in his job.” Fleur allowed all the admiration she felt for him to show in her eyes.

His widened and then darkened with that tender desire she found so intriguing.

“His job is important, isn't it, Mama?” Johari asked.

“Yes, child.” Fleur gave Ben a warm smile she usually reserved for the few people she called friend. After last night, she could give him that moniker and perhaps even more.

“I will do what is necessary on all fronts.” He gritted his teeth, but a small yawn escaped. He shook his head. “Sorry.”

“You are tired?”

“I did not find my bed until dawn.”

She had to process what that meant. First, that he had gotten almost no sleep, considering dawn had only been a couple of hours ago. But second, it meant he had not left her for almost the whole night. He had held her while she slept. And done nothing to compromise her safety or privacy.

She reached out in a rare act and laid her hand over his. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure.” Eyes the color of the summer sky warmed and he turned his hand over, holding hers.

Johari gasped. “Mama, you're holding hands with him. Are you going to be my papa?” Johari gave Ben an earnest look that was wholly adorable. “Mama said I would never have a papa, but sometimes even moms are wrong.”

Even as embarrassment at her daughter's words filled her, Fleur had no desire to remove her hand. Or look away from Ben.

He winked at Fleur and then grinned at Johari. “Holding hands is not quite an expression of intent to marry, princess, but I do enjoy holding your mom's hand. Do you mind?”

“Oh, no. I like you lots. You can call me a princess any time you like too,” she offered with childish graciousness.

Ben nodded solemnly. “Thank you.”

Fleur swore her hand tingled from the touch all through her morning clinic.

 

Tanya woke well after her normal time. She stretched her body, reveling in the unfamiliar aches. She was going to use every single one of her allotted minutes to shower this morning. After she got up. Later. She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow.

She was dozing, snuggled into her bed when her satellite phone rang. The sound so jarred her, she jumped from the bed, diving for the clunky black device, which looked more like a long-range walkie-talkie than a phone. She pressed the connect button and waited a few seconds before the buzzing air indicated there was another person on the other end of the call.

“Beau?”

“It's Mom.”

“Mom?” Tanya squeaked, her heart jolting in shock. Her mother never called between their once-a-month scheduled calls. “Is something wrong?”

“It's your father.”

“Dad? What happened?” She sent up a silent prayer for her father's health as fear took hold and she waited with trepidation for her mother's answer.

“He's been shot.”

“Shot?” Her legs giving way, Tanya fell back on the bed. She couldn't have heard right. “Mom, you didn't say
shot
.”

“I did.” Instead of the tears she expected in her mother's voice, there was an almost bemused shock.

“But—”

“He's going to be fine. The ER doctor said he was lucky the carjacker used a small-caliber pistol and didn't have the best aim.”

“He was
carjacked
?”

“Yes, and you know how much he loves that stupid car.” Tears laced her mom's voice now. “He wasn't about to give it up. He didn't either. He tasered the guy as he tried to drag him from the driver's seat.”

“He fought the carjacker?”

“He did. And he won.” The confused shock in her mom's voice made a lot more sense now. “Listen, monkey, I'm calling to tell you about what happened, but it's also made me realize how easily one of us could be gone tomorrow.”

Tanya was having the same revelation, so she didn't even balk at the wave of guilt that rushed over her. Nor did she chide her mom for calling her that awful nickname from her childhood. So she'd liked to climb and had been caught on top of the refrigerator more than once before her second birthday. That was no excuse for calling her “monkey.”

Pushing aside the old mental argument, she said, “I know, Mom, I'm so sorry.”

“Me too.” Her mom's voice broke a little. “Your dad is not a good patient. He's going to be a bear.”

“I wish I was there,” slipped out before Tanya could bite the words back.

She waited for her mom's “I told you so,” but got a soft sigh instead. “I wish you were here too. You don't know how much. I could really use a hug from my daughter right now.”

Tanya's need to be there for just that thing was so strong, it was a physical ache in the muscles of her arms. “Close your eyes and pretend I'm hugging you.”

For once, her mom didn't argue practicality or semantics. After a beat of silence, she said, “Done. Thank you, monkey.”

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too. More than you'll ever know.”

“I know you love me. I do.”

“I'm proud of you too.”

“You are?”

“Yes. I know I didn't want you to go to Africa the first or the second time, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate what a special person it makes you for going.”

Tanya thought she was going to start crying. “Thank you, Mom.”

Silence stretched for several seconds. Tanya figured her mom was regaining her composure, just as Tanya was.

“So, your father's sixtieth birthday is coming up. I don't suppose you could make it back in time for the party? I would pay for the last-minute airfare.”

Her father's birthday was the last day of the month, about three weeks away.

“I'll talk to Fleur,” Tanya found herself rashly promising.

But she meant it. Sure, she usually planned her trips home months in advance, but sometimes a woman had to take action.

Besides, she had a feeling that once Roman was gone, a trip home to her family might be the best way to find comfort for the heartbreak she was headed toward.

“I
've modified it so all you have to do is press here and power is engaged. It stays on until you press it again.” Neil handed Roman the hand-held scanner.

Roman turned the small black object over in his hand. “How close does it have to be to her chip?”

“I don't know. My guess is pretty damn close, or the soldiers wouldn't have demanded a strip search.”

“Maybe.” Those bastards could have had their own ugly reasons for wanting to strip Tanya.

“Two of our men were with the Zimbabwe soldiers.” Neil's certainty that American soldiers would never be party to rape was laudable, but Roman didn't share it.

There were bad apples in the American military too.

“We don't know if they were there on orders,” Roman reminded Neil. “All we do know is that they got called to heel when Corbin put a leash on their superiors.”

Unfortunately, their presence did verify that the Americans were on active duty, though. Which led Roman to believe Colonel Idiot had something to do with the roadblock.

“Just because the American soldiers were with the Zimbabweans, that doesn't mean they knew about the hand-held scanner,” Neil said, showing how close to Roman's train of thought his own was running.

“For all we know, the American soldiers intended to search Tanya, looking for a USB storage device.”

“Or they planned to prick her with something that would lead to death during the search.”

Roman had thought of that and it left a cold spot inside him he'd been unable to shake.

“Someone at the roadblock knew about the chip though.”

“Which means we've got to neutralize this situation sooner than later.”

“Right.”

“You're going to have to get the reader as close to her chip as you can.”

“And let me guess, you have no idea how long the transfer will take?”

“Oh, ye of little faith. I can't tell you how close you have to be to her chip because I don't know what kind of transceiver it's got. For spies, these people are cheap. The wireless receiver on their hand-held is one generation old.”

“So, how long?”

“
Well
,” Neil drew the word out. “The JCAT is sophisticated software. It will be upwards of twenty gigs.”

“So, not an instant transfer.”

“No, but it's not going to take hours either. Assuming the transceiver is the same generation as the receiver, even twenty gigabytes should only take six-point-two minutes. If it's the generation before, you're looking at more like thirty.”

“Shit.”

“Don't tell me you can't stretch it out for thirty minutes, man. I'll lose all respect for you.”

“Ass.”

Neil just grinned. “That's Spazz. You need to work on your diction, chief.”

Roman whapped him on the back of his head, not too hard, but not like he was hitting a girl either. “My dick is just fine.”

“Well, you were the one worried about keeping her occupied for half an hour.”

“And keeping the damn reader near the chip.”

“That's a small consideration for a man who plans terrorist-level black ops before breakfast,” Neil mocked.

“Staying up all night planning an operation does not count as doing it before breakfast.”

“Sure it does; it's all in how you look at it.”

“I'd call you an idiot, but you'd know I was lying.”

“Yep. I got me some heavy IQ points there, Geronimo.”

“Sometimes I wonder if you didn't fake your tests.”

“And if I did? Wouldn't that make my real numbers even higher?”

Roman rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and that's what worries me.”

“Don't worry, it's an old fallacy that genius drives insanity.”

“So you say.” It was his turn to taunt.

“Just think about all the nice little gizmos I make you.”

“I guess it's just a good thing you're on our side.”

“Yeah, my plans to take over the world bored me.”

“The scary thing is, I don't think he's kidding,” Drew said as he came into the room.

Neil gave the other man a sour look. “You're the one more likely to have delusions of grandeur like that, Face.”

“For me they would not be delusions.” Drew smoothed his camo shirt.

He was the only man Roman knew who could make fatigues look like they should be a three-piece suit.

“Right,” Roman drawled the word out. Drew was one scary son of a bitch when it came to manipulating people on any scale.

Drew gave a superior look. “Hey, some men like me become dictators; others fight the good fight.”

“You'd make a lousy dictator,” Neil said.

“Yeah?”

“Yes. You're too squeamish about blood.”

Roman had to agree. Drew wasn't a bad soldier, but he wasn't like Kadin or Roman either.

“So you think,” Drew said with a look that implied that was just another one of his cons and that he had them all fooled.

“What the hell are you ladies gossiping about?” Kadin asked, coming in. “We've got things to do.”

“Is Ben ready to leave?”

“Yep. He's going in the first jeep with the baby grunts. They're dropping Johari off at school.”

“And you two are going to ride with Drew,” Roman said to Neil and Kadin.

“Right, he'll drop us two clicks out. Then we'll double back. I'll go looking for sign of our watchers and Neil will sneak back into the compound.”

“Enter it covertly,” Neil corrected him in an unctuous voice that earned him another head smack. “What? We're covert operatives, not teenagers sneaking out to go partying with our friends.” But his eyes were laughing at both Roman and Kadin's less than amused expressions.

“Okay. So, the plan is for me to entice Tanna back here and keep her occupied long enough to transfer the data on her chip. Kadin will track whoever was watching the compound last night and Neil will get himself back into our hut without being seen, and keep himself scarce in the other bedroom.

“Face, Ben seems pretty serious about doing the mining audit too,” Roman added. “Help him get the information he needs today. We don't know how long we have here, but he's doing a good thing.”

“Damn right,” Kadin said.

Drew nodded, his expression going to mission mode. “I'm on it, chief.”

“Kadin, I want you checking in with Neil every thirty minutes.”

Kadin scowled. “I don't need a babysitter.”

“Save it. We all know you MARSOC soldiers can fight our wars single-handedly, but you'll just have to deal with following procedure.”

Kadin's scowl did not lessen, but he nodded. Of all of them, he had probably had the hardest time adjusting to working on a team. Prior to joining the Atrati, Kadin had done most of his work for MARSOC on his own. He wasn't used to relying on others to have his back, but Roman wasn't losing a man to stubbornness or independence. Or just plain misplaced pride either.

 

Roman went looking for Tanya as soon as both jeeps had cleared the compound gate. Dr. Andikan informed him that Tanya was sleeping late this morning.

He found her sitting on the edge of her bunk, her sat-phone dangling from one hand, her expression one of dazed shock.

“Tanna,
liúba
…are you okay?”

She looked up. “
Roman
. What are you doing here?”

“After last night you need to ask?”

“I…I'm supposed to be working.”

“Not according to Dr. Andikan. She said you were having a rare ly-in. Want some company?” He let his desire for her show on his face.

These types of operations were always easier when an agent actually felt some desire for the woman he was seducing. Roman felt plenty for the sweet woman looking so lost. He wanted Tanya with a strength that was damn abnormal, but useful all the same.

“I…my dad, he was shot.”

“What?” He wasn't one of those soldiers who believed real violence only happened in the field, but the news still stunned him.

She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. Obviously, it didn't work because she didn't look any more focused. “In a carjacking. He refused to leave his car and the guy shot him.”

“Is he okay?”

“Mom said he was going to be fine. He kept a taser in his car. Even shot, he tasered the guy, called nine-one-one and saved his car.”

“He must really like it.” Or the man had lost his mind, but Mr. Ruston had not struck Roman as a man on the edge.

“He got it the year Beau was born. It's a Plymouth Satellite Sebring. He's kept it in pristine condition all these years. Mom gets a new yuppie car every two years; she leases, but Dad's totally attached to his baby.”

“Did they get the carjacker?”

“You know, I didn't even ask, but I think my mom would have been a lot more upset if he'd gotten away.”

“I'm sure she was plenty upset as it was.”

“Yeah. She wants me to come home for his birthday.”

“When is that?”

“In a few weeks.”

“You going?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“What about Dr. Andikan?”

“She'll probably grumble, but in the end, Fleur will approve the trip.”

“You sound pretty sure about that.”

“I am.” Tanya was sounding better, less shocky. “Family is important to her.”

“Good.”

She smiled, but she was still pale. He wanted to see her back to her indomitable self. For some reason that was really important to him. He moved into the room with a predator's stride.

It was time to get her thinking about something else. He'd brought the hand-held device with him, just in case plans changed. Good thing too, because there was no reason he couldn't have sex with her here instead of his own hut. Also, there was the added benefit of knowing Neil wouldn't be showing up in the second bedroom at some point.

Tanya looked up at him, her gaze still a little fuzzy around the edges. “I need a shower.”

“You sure about that?”

“If you want to touch me, I'm sure.” She stood up, looking determined.

He almost laughed, but he didn't. “I don't mind.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Not going to happen, Mr. Super-soldier. I want a shower and I'm getting one.”

“You'll come back?” He did not want to lose her to work.

“I should work.”

Ah, he had her. “But you'll come back?”

“Yeah, I will.”

And she did. Less than fifteen minutes later, she returned. Her hair wet, she wore a sleep tank top and light cotton pajama pants. Definitely not workwear.

It shouldn't be a sexy outfit either, but as he'd told her the night before, he didn't need satin and lace to get turned on. The way the lightweight fabric of her top clung to her erect nipples, exposing the shadow of their raspberry pink through the white had his semi going fully hard in seconds. The look in her eyes was damn enticing as well. The pretty hazel depths ate him up.

“You put the time to good use, I see.” Her eyes traveled up and down his fully naked form.

Not only had he stripped off his clothes, but he'd taken the opportunity to put the scanner under her pillow for easy access. “I did.”

The way her breathing went shallow from one second to the next had his cock jumping as it curved up toward his stomach.

She shut her door and leaned against it. “I like this.”

“It gets better.” He patted the bed beside him. “Come here.”

She shook her head. “Today, I want to taste you all over.”

Oh, shit. He couldn't afford to lose his focus, but he wasn't about to turn down that offer either. He'd never enjoyed another woman's touch as much as he did the feel of Tanya's fingers against his skin.

“Feel free.” He lay back on the bed, stretching his body out for her.

Her gaze darkened and her breath hitched. “You are beautiful.”

“Men are not beautiful, sweetheart.”

“So you say. I know what I'm looking at and it's pure beauty.”

Damn, if he couldn't feel heat surging into his face. He couldn't remember the last time he'd blushed. Hell, he wasn't sure he ever had before.

She peeled off her top and tossed it away. “Should I leave my pants on like you did last night?”

He bit out,
“No.”

“Oh, that sounds certain.”

“That's because I know what I want.”

“And what is that?” she asked as she brushed her palms over her turgid nipples.

Damn, they were beautiful, perfect confections tipping the sweetly rounded mounds that were neither too small nor overly generous. “I want to taste those.”

“What? These?” She plucked them, a small sound coming from her throat as she did so.

“Yes,” he growled. “Damn it, get over here.”

“You're awfully bossy in the bedroom.”

“We weren't in a bedroom last night.”

“No, you were
in me
.”

The sweet teasing made him ache to hold her, but he could wait. He
would
wait. “That I was, and it felt damn fine.”

“Did it?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“For me too.”

“We fit.” The truth of that statement made the breath in his chest catch.

“Yes, we do,” she said, looking like the knowledge was just as disturbing for her. “Better than we should, maybe, for what this is.”

“You sure about that?”

She turned her head to the side as if that was one question she did not want to answer. “I don't usually do casual.”

“This may not be permanent, but it's not casual either.” No matter what else was going on, the way their bodies reacted to one another was anything but casual.

She nodded and then looked back at him. “So, no pants for me?”

“Right.”