Tainted Hearts (16 page)

She shivered, her mind filled with
unpleasant images, unwanted images. Leo had given her a taste of
sexual slavery—
do what I want, when I want
. She’d been an
unimportant receptacle for his lust.

What Marc hinted at seemed very different.
Was it possible for a woman to want a man enough to willingly
submit to him? To surrender herself completely? Pleasure could be
addictive? She swallowed hard. She’d had her first glimpse at
carnal pleasure in Marc’s embrace and it had only been a
glimpse.

“What are you thinking about?” His deep
voice interrupted her sensual thoughts. “Your skin is a barometer
for your mind. You’re being naughty.”

She smiled and looked away. “I don’t think
that’s what the Scriptures had in mind when they told wives to
submit to their husbands.”

He waited until she returned her gaze to
his. “The pleasurable sort of submission enjoyed by consenting
adults isn’t what’s going on at PURE. Job trains his disciples to
manipulate and control with a classic combination of excess and
neglect. They inundate the recruits with attention and praise until
they crave it, then intentionally withhold it until they’re
desperate to please. It’s emotional abuse, pure and simple.”

“PURE and simple?”

Chuckling softly, he continued. “And then
there’s Job himself. They’ve created such a mystique that anyone
who actually meets him feels as if they’re in the presence of
royalty. I’ve heard he’s charming and articulate. And very
persuasive.”

“It’s hard to imagine that one man can
possess all of these attributes. How can a charismatic social
reformist also murder without a thought?”

“Horrible things are frequently done in the
name of justice and morality.”

She folded her hands in front of her,
tension knotting her belly. “So, Mr. Supervisor, what’s your plan?
How do we rescue Rahab without getting me killed?”

Job turned from the window as Rahab entered
his office. With her head bowed, her eyes downcast, she moved with
measured precision. Was she afraid of him? Not likely. It was more
like she attempted to minimize herself, to draw as little attention
as possible.

Her contradictions were driving him to
distraction. All the background information she’d provided checked
out but something didn’t fit. Identities could be faked,
information planted. He had no real reason to doubt her, except for
this nagging feeling that something about her was…wrong.

“What have you learned?” He watched her
closely as she answered.

“Elihu didn’t return to the stronghold again
last night. We can only presume he has yet to accomplish his
mission.”

She clasped her slender hands in front of
her as if to hide their trembling, but there was no hesitation in
her voice. “I know that, Rahab. What of
your
mission? How
are you progressing?”

Shifting her weight, she glanced toward the
chairs arranged before his desk. Job ignored her discomfort. He
liked the shape of her lithe body, enjoyed it far too much to
deprive himself of its symmetry. Perhaps he would have her disrobe.
Her skin was flawless and fine.

“I have only uncovered fragments of
information, sir. I apologize for not having made more
progress.”

Again, her words indicated a meekness he
didn’t sense from little Rahab. “Look at me.” Her light brown gaze
met his and held. Ah, there it was, the spirit she tried so hard to
conceal. “Take down your hair and stop pretending to be afraid of
me. You please me more with your fire.”

Something ignited within her stare, intense
and cutting. He took a step closer, fascinated. If he didn’t know
better, he’d think she despised him.

“As you wish.” She unfastened her hair and
arranged the brown strands about her shoulders. “Does this please
you, sir?”

His gaze moved across her delicate features,
assessing and thorough. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”

“I came from the Data Center, as you
requested.”

She dared to smile. Job suppressed his urge
to slap her. Her spirit amused him, even as it infuriated him. He
hadn’t felt more than a passing interest in a woman for a very long
time. Too bad she wasn’t a 0.0 or he might have blessed her with
his child.

“If you lie to me, I will beat you, Rahab. I
sense deception in you and I don’t like it. Why have you come to
PURE? You used Elihu to get to me. Tell me why.”

Her gaze never wavered from his but
despondency settled over her expression. “If I speak honestly, will
you punish me?”

He laughed. “Only if the punishment would
please you.”

“It would not.”

“Then, speak.”

Slowly, her tongue moved across her lips and
desire surged through Job, heating his blood, making his muscles
tense. Why did she have to be tainted? He hadn’t felt this
exhilarated in years.

“If my answer displeases you, will you—”

“Speak!”

“I don’t want to be here,” she said
emphatically. “I came to PURE because I have nowhere else to go. It
was either submit to your rules or sell my body in a Pleasure
Lounge. You simply had more to offer.”

“You’re not moved by our mission? You don’t
accept the PURE vision?” He glowered at her, but inside he was
laughing. It all made sense now, her ambition, her suppressed
resentment. He knew her conversion hadn’t been genuine.

“I see value in what you’re trying to
accomplish, but mostly, sir, I’m just trying to survive. I was
hungry and desperate when Elihu found me. He attempted to train me,
but I sensed weakness in him. When the opportunity presented itself
for me to align myself with someone in whom I sensed no weakness, I
seized it.”

Job couldn’t contain his laughter any
longer. Oh, how refreshing! She intended to use him. “And now that
you have aligned yourself with me, what do you intend to do with
me?”

“Whatever pleases—us.”

He scowled in earnest. Did the fool actually
imagine she was his equal? She wasn’t even pure! He must instruct
her, reveal the error of her thinking. She might be unworthy of his
seed but there were other ways she could pleasure him.

“Tell me what you learned today,” he
digressed.

“General Bettencourt has returned to the
mediplex three times since the meeting. Tuesday Fitzpatrick hasn’t
been in her office but she has been in the building and—”

“What? She’s been in the mediplex and still
Elihu failed to apprehend her? Has he reported in? When was the
last time we heard from him?”

She fidgeted, her gaze dropping to her
folded hands. “I haven’t seen him since our last meeting.”

“Damn it. This can’t be good.” He stomped
behind his desk and sat. “Rahab, send David to me.”

“Yes, sir.”

He called her name again when she reached
the door. “When I finish speaking with David, I intend to retire
for the night. I’ll begin with a leisurely bath. Is my body slave
prepared to attend me?”

“Of course, sir.” She inclined her head and
departed.

Marc watched Tuesday pace on the other side
of the coffee table. Her fluttery skirt swirled out behind her with
each pass. She’d caught her hair up in a messy excuse for a style
that looked as if it would tumble down at any moment. Sheer and
black, her blouse had a scalloped panel that protected her modesty,
while allowing her shoulders and the majority of her back to remain
visible. Damn fine choice.

“Do you have a plan?” She faced him, head
tilted just so, challenge gleaming in her bright green eyes.

He sensed her conflicting emotions,
impatience, trepidation and desire. His body responded with ready
enthusiasm to her smoldering passion. They would indulge their
hunger tonight and sleep naked in each other’s arms before they
focused entirely on the mission.

“Oh, I definitely have a plan.”

She arched one eyebrow sharply. “Regarding
Rahab or just our extracurricular activities?”

“Do you want to be an extracurricular
activity?” He grinned.

“Not until we figure out what we’re going to
do about Rahab.”

Patting the sofa beside him, he struggled to
reel in his grin. “Come sit down.”

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Shall I
sit on your lap?”

“Yes please.”

She sat in the chair facing him. “I’m
listening.”

Bare toes shouldn’t be so alluring. She had
a gold ring on the second toe of her right foot. Why was he this
captivated by her naked feet? If her feet were bare, chances were
her calves were bare and calves led to knees and knees to thighs.
Oh, he liked thighs…

“Now who’s being naughty?”

He didn’t bother to deny it. His thoughts
were definitely naughty. “When was the last time Job contacted
you?” He shook away the sensual images swirling through his
mind.

“The day you kidnapped me.”

“Okay, tomorrow you’re going to contact him.
You’re going to explain that one of the employees from
Sinclair-Dietrich kidnapped you and forced you to—”

“You want me to tell him about that?”

“Yes and no. Tell him as much about the
situation as you want, as long as you don’t give him anything
specific enough to link it to me personally. It will give you a
motivation for seeking him out.”

“How?”

“One of the tainted lunatics from
Sinclair-Dietrich terrorized you and forced you to move the SP-65
into human trials before you were ready. You hate being manipulated
and you’ve had it with all of the needy masses dictating your life.
You nearly died at the hands of one of the animals you’ve been
foolishly trying to help.”

“Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should just let
you all die as nature intended?” She shuddered. “I’m not sure I can
be convincing.”

“Just stay close enough to the truth so you
won’t have to worry about getting caught in a lie.”

“I don’t know.”

“Exactly.” He smiled. “All you’re giving him
is the opportunity to change your mind. You explain why you’re
uncertain and let him do the rest.”

“Will you come with me?”

He stood and skirted the coffee table. She
looked so forlorn, so frightened. He scooped her up in his arms and
sat in the chair with her on his lap. She gasped, then smiled, her
arms wrapped securely around his neck.

“If Job is interested in recruiting you,
then you can bet you’re being watched. It’s safe to assume we’ve
already been seen together, so we just need to be ready for the
inevitable questions. Who am I? How did we meet? What is our
relationship? How do I feel about PURE?”

“Is it possible that he’ll know you
kidnapped me?”

He lifted her legs and draped them over the
arm of the chair. Her pupils dilated and he smiled. This position
had definite possibilities. “The only way he could is if one of
Bettencourt’s men works for PURE. That’s unlikely. If he knows,
then you’ll claim I ruthlessly seduced you and we’ve had a sort of
love/hate thing going on ever since.”

She chuckled. “I think I can sell that.”

“And if not?” He found himself distracted by
her lips, desperately wanting the conversation finished.

“If not, you’re the father of one of the
patients I was considering for the SP-65. I turned to you after the
ordeal because I’m afraid to be alone, and we became lovers.”

“I think I can sell that.” With each word he
inched closer. Her lips parted sweetly as his mouth settled over
hers, but he kissed her gently, then pulled away. “I have to
understand, Tuesday. To make this good for you, I have to know what
he did to you.”

He felt her stiffen, try to pull away.
Shifting her into the crook of his arm, he rested her back against
the arm of the chair and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her
ear.

“It doesn’t matter,” she insisted. As if an
energy barrier had dropped between them, he suddenly sensed nothing
from her. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, can you deal with yes or no?”

She glared at him, a twinge of annoyance
flaring through her control. “Yes.”

“Did he ever force you to have sex with
him?” Her struggles increased, so he rushed on. “I’ll take that to
mean, yes. Did you—”

“It’s not that simple. It’s not like he held
me down and raped me, but he…bullied me. He made me feel
insignificant and ugly. He was a gorgeous, powerful god and I was
damn lucky he wasted his time with me. He used me, demanded things
from me without ever thinking I might want a little tenderness in
return.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” He tried to kiss her but
she turned her face away. “I only have one other question.”

“No. I never had an orgasm with him. Not
even once, the bastard!”

He bit back a laugh. “That’s good to know,
but I was going to ask if he was still alive because I’d really
like to kick the shit out of him.”

Mortified, Tuesday covered her face with her
hands. She was such an idiot. Would she never get beyond this
incredibly awkward stage and be able to enjoy the intimacies
couples shared every day? Was she such a freak that she…

Her self-recriminations trailed away as he
gently tugged her hands away from her face. “You’ve had orgasms
with me already, so we’re in a different league than the
bastard.”

His cocky smile melted the last of her
inhibitions. To hell with Leo! Marc was here, holding her,
comforting her, wanting her. She felt desirable with his gaze
moving over her face—she felt pretty.

“You’re not in a different league than Leo.
You’re from a different planet.” Framing his face with her hands,
she appreciated the perfection of his features for a moment before
she moved in and kissed him.

He remained relaxed and passive for a time,
allowing her to play. She traced the fullness of his lower lip with
her tongue and smiled when she heard his throaty groan. His hand
sneaked under her blouse and beneath the built-in bra, cupping her
breast.