Iris Johansen - Always

She could feel the blood drain from her face. Don't think about it; keep the pain at bay, she silently commanded herself. "Didn't your neat little reports mention that?" she asked bitterly. "Perhaps your informants didn't consider the birth of my little boy important. It wasn't exactly a world-shaking event." Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Except to me."

"I'm sure it must have been in the report. I must have overlooked it." Clancy found his hands unconsciously tightening on the arms of the chair.

The idea of her bearing that bastard's child filled him with a totally irrational rage.

"How careless of you." She wouldn't cry. Oh, God, she had thought all the tears had been shed long ago. Why were her eyes stinging with them now? Firmly she blinked the moisture away and lifted her chin. "But you can see that I wouldn't be able to do as you ask."

"You refuse?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to catch Martin on your own. You'll get no help from me."

"I'm sorry too." A fleeting expression of regret was replaced by a look of fierce determination. "I wanted your cooperation. I don't like using force unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Force!" Her eyes widened with disbelief. "How could you possibly force me?"

"Very painlessly, I hope. Once you realize that I hold all the cards, I think you'll be sensible." He sat forward. "Let me tell you exactly what you're going to do. You'll continue to sing here until Baldwin shows up." His lips twisted. "And we both know he'll do so eventually. It's obvious that I can't convince you to tip my man when you see him, but you're not to blow our surveillance to Baldwin, either. Once he's spotted, we'll move in and take over."

She shook her head as if to clear it. "Didn't you hear me? I won't help you. Not actively nor passively.

If you expect Martin to show up here, then I'll leave. I have only two more nights to this engagement anyway."

"Wrong," he said succinctly. "I didn't bring you here to let you go before you served my purpose.

You're the bait that's going to lure my rat out of the woodwork."

"You didn't bring…" Understanding suddenly dawned. "You arranged for me to come here to Paradise Cay? What do you have to do with this place?"

He shrugged. "The island is a Sedikhan possession and so is most of the real estate on it. That's not widely known since Alex purchased it only two years ago, so Baldwin shouldn't learn that you're sitting squarely in the lion's mouth until it snaps shut."

"Charming," she said. "I suppose I should have suspected something. The deal was much too generous for a singer who is still struggling on the bottom rungs of the ladder." She laughed mirthlessly. "I was very excited about it, you know. I thought I was getting somewhere at last."

"You'll get there. You're extraordinarily talented. After your stint here, I'll arrange for you to meet a few people who'll be glad to help." He smiled grimly. "I'll just call in a few debts."

"Bribery?" She felt the color rush to her cheeks. "Just close my eyes and be rewarded with a payoff? No, thank you, Mr. Donahue."

"I didn't mean it like that," he snapped. "I just wanted to help."

"Well, I don't want to help you," she said hotly. "And I'm not about to. Tomorrow I'll take the first flight back to Miami. This engagement is now officially at an end."

"That's your last word on it?" Clancy asked calmly.

She nodded. "I won't be used by you. I won't be used by anyone, dammit."

He stood up. "You will, you know. I'll just have to find another trap to bait." He turned and walked toward the door. "Good night, Miss Landon."

Her hands clenched at her sides. "He may not even come," she burst out in exasperation.

He opened the door. "You underestimate yourself. Baldwin will come." He paused, and for an instant something flickered in his eyes,that sent a tremor through her. "I would." He softly closed the door behind him.

When Clancy left the dressing room he proceeded directly to his villa. He dialed Alex's private number as soon as he reached the study. It was answered almost at once, as he'd thought it would be. Since the terrorist situation had taken on such dangerous proportions in Sedikhan, Alex often burned the midnight oil.

"Alex? I may need you to pull some diplomatic strings in the U.S. I'll try to cover myself as much as possible, but it may get a bit dicey."

"Baldwin?" Alex asked. "That shouldn't be too difficult. He has both drug smuggling and assault with intent to kill charges pending against him in Miami."

"Not Baldwin." Clancy hesitated. "His ex-wife. I m going to kidnap her."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. "Kidnap an American cjtizen? I can see how that could get a little dicey. You're sure it's necessary?"

"It's necessary," Clancy said. "I just thought I'd warn you in case I have to send out a Mayday."

"Is she collaborating with Baldwin?"

"No, of course not. She wouldn't-" He broke off. He sounded as defensive as Galbraith had earlier, he realized with exasperation. He finished lamely, "She's not involved."

"Oh, you're going to kidnap an innocent American citizen." Suddenly Alex chuckled. "Why do I have the feeling that you've stumbled across something that you can't handle?"

"I can handle it."

"I sincerely hope so," Alex drawled. "You wouldn't consider giving up your little captive in the interest of diplomacy?"

"I would not."

"I didn't think so." Alex's tone was slightly whimsical. "All right, Clancy. Make off with your little houri. I'll take the flak if it comes down to it. Enjoy."

"Enjoy!" Clancy said. "Dammit, this is business

… your business."

"Is it?" Alex murmured softly. "Somehow I have my doubts about that. If I can help, let me know. If I'd found it necessary with Sabrina, I would probably have done the same thing. Keep in touch." The dial tone sounded as Alex hung up.

Clancy slowly replaced the receiver. Damn Alex, anyway. They were so close that it had always been impossible to deceive him even if he succeeded in deceiving himself.

Alex was right. His primary reason for keeping Lisa Landon on Paradise Cay had altered drastically in the brief time in her dressing room. Yethow could he explain to Alex what he didn't understand himself? His responses had always been firmly under his control until that spotlight had suddenly highlighted Lisa Landon's serene figure sitting on the tiny stage. Now he didn't know how to sort out what he was feeling. Admiration for her integrity mixed with sympathy, jealousy, posses-siveness, desire-and anger at her ability to arouse and confuse him to this extent.

He had never lied to himself, and he wasn't about to start now. Even if Lisa hadn't been the key to capturing Baldwin, he would still have found a way to see that she stayed here. What was he thinking? He'd been exposed to Alex's Eastern temperament too long. He wasn't an impulsive boy like Galbraith; he was a mature man. He couldn't just grab a woman and expect her not to cause an uproar. He would have to be gentle and patient and let her become accustomed to the idea that she belonged- He was doing it again, dammit. She didn't belong to him. She was an independent woman.

He strolled restlessly to the French doors and out into the courtyard. The night air was soft and fragrant with hibiscus and honeysuckle. Would she like it here? She was rather like a flower herself- soft and fragrant, yet with a quiet strength that revealed her sturdy roots. He would like to see her in this serene oasis with its mosaic fountain and flowering shrubs… or better still, in his garden at home in Marasef. He shook his head ruefully. Now he sounded like his old friend David Bradford, with his gardener's passion for flowers. This was evidently his night for behaving out of character.