Page 34 (1/2)

"Hello?"

"Mr Richardson, this is Lily West"

He paused for only a second, no doubt shocked as hell to hear from her

"Miss West, we’ve been so worried about you after the theft at the ht?"

"I’m fine"

"We assumed you’d been kidnapped Where are you?"

"Mr Richardson, let’s cut through the bullshit right away, shall we? I know all about the virus hidden in the artifact, and how deeply you’re involved in all this"

He went silent again for a few seconds "I don’t knohat you’re talking about"

"Yes you do There’s a potentially fatal virus that was hidden in the traveling artifacts That’s what you hired me to protect, that’s what you were afraid would be stolen because of the lack of adequate security at the ood news for you is that I’ve finally stolen it back"

"How do I know you’re not working for the police?"

She snorted "I was a cop once, Mr Richardson I could have been one for my lifetime and never o find another buyer?

I need some cash"

Another few seconds of silence This time his voice wasn’t as friendly "What do you want?"

"One e for the virus"

"That’s insane"

"You want this virus back, don’t you?"

"Where are you?"

"Dallas"

"I can be there to to sound impatient, as if she was anxious for cash

"Yes, Miss West With the money You just e up, her palainst her chest

"You did great" Grange stood and squeezed her shoulder "Relax now We have a lot to do before toht"

She stood, rolled her shoulders back to ease the tension, and turned to Mac The others had already filed out, working on their assigned tasks

"Shall we go join the? You’re worried aboutnot to be I know you’re capable"

"Thanks For both the compliment and the concern"

"I just don’t like this setup It puts you front and center in the danger zone This isn’t your deal You didn’t sign up for this life"

She shrugged "This is what I’ve alanted to do, Mac This kind of life, this adventure The hint of danger, the chance to right a wrong--all those thingswhen I was on the force"

"And it’s a part of you I love When I saw you that night at the ed--I was stunned, but I loved how kickass and corown into your own skin, Lily, like you were doing what you were born to do So while I’ll alorry about you, I would never stand in the way of you doing soood at"

She s froer you’re in, I feel the same way I’m so proud of you for what you’ve done with your life, the way you’ve turned it around, but I’ll always be concerned when you go on an assignment I can’t help it, because I’m in love with you"

"Doesn’t make sense, does it?"

"Actually, it does If we didn’t love each other, ouldn’t care about the danger When I go out there toht, I’ll feel safe because I know your eyes will be on my back"

He took her hand and theyPax create the duplicate of the virus, laughing when he called it green alien goo By the time he was finished, Lily couldn’t tell the difference between the original and the copy, down to the plexiglass container housing the vial It was a perfect replica, even to the fluorescent green color

"How very comic book this color is," Pax said dryly

They spent ti to meet Richardson at a public restaurant at a busy intersection, which would give the Wild Riders plenty of places to hide in plain sight They’d be on bikes and in cars, ready tohappened Lily’s purse and her car were going to be wired so she could record ent down

It was late, and they’d gone over the plan several tiain tomorrow, but that she looked like she needed soht and it was already three in theMac led her upstairs and closed the door to his room She yawned and stretched, ready to clirabbed her around the waist and pulled her against hi her mouth with a kiss that stole her breath

Tiredness evaporated in an instant as he slaainst hers Pinned, her senses went on overload as she felt every steely inch of hi cock sliding against her hip