Christine Feehan - Predatory Game

Noticing that the water in the pool bubbled in reaction to his anger, he took several deep breaths to calm himself. He was mostly angry that he couldn’t tell Saber. That she wouldn’t tell him about her life. They lived in the same house. He’d seen love in her eyes, tasted it on her lips, yet they couldn’t talk about who they really were.

Cursing, he caught the bars and pulled himself to a standing position. It always amazed him how everything looked so different when he stood up. It amazed him how different he felt. He was a strong man with an amazing amount of upper body strength, his thighs were strong, but the weakness in his calves could send him crashing to the ground in a heartbeat.

He was going to walk to his chair. His fingers curled into two tight fists and determination molded his mouth. He would do it this time. It was only a couple of feet. It was a matter of visualizing the way a leg worked and giving the information to his brain to carry down his body to his calf and foot.

He took a step. Beads of sweat dripped into his eyes. He forced air through his lungs. Jackhammers drilled at his temples and pain shot up his leg. He held the picture in his mind, everything working in tandem, his muscles contracting and expanding. He took a second step. He was so close to his wheelchair, only a scant two feet. A part of him wanted to try to sprint and another part wanted to lunge, keeping his feet in place so he wouldn’t have to use his brain anymore.

His legs shook and he went down hard, crashing to the cement before he could stop himself. He banged his head and one elbow against the ledge as he sprawled awkwardly on the ground. Hell, he couldn’t even fall right anymore. The legs just went with no warning, not giving him enough time to roll or simply brace himself with his arms. He lay there, furious at himself, slapping the cement with his open palm, alternating between swearing and trying to breathe.

The telephone rang, but he was too far away to reach it. He swore again and dragged his body using his arms over the cement tiles. He left a streak of blood behind as the rougher spots took skin. Patsy’s voice came on, ordering him to pick up. He caught at his chair and just lay against it, resting for a minute. Finally, using his upper body strength, he managed to crawl into his chair. By that time Patsy had given up and left him alone. He was grateful. He didn’t want to talk to or see anyone. For just a few moments he had felt totally helpless.

He rolled into his office and slammed the door, locking it, although no one was there to interrupt him. He stared in the mirror at the blood running from the cut on his head and sighed. It was going to be a long night. Technically he should call Lily and report the injuries. With even a small amount of Zenith in his system, he was at risk for bleeding out from even a minor lesion, but he’d be damned if he’d tell her or anyone else he fell.

“Holy crap, Saber,” Brian said. “You really know how to stir the boss up. He’s cut you off for the rest of the evening. And he’s angry. Really angry. I’m not certain you’re going to want to go home tonight.”

Saber leaned her chin on her palm and eyed him with suspicion. “You didn’t by any chance call him and tell him to tune in to the broadcast, did you? Because I don’t think he usually listens to it.”

Brian put his hand over his heart dramatically. “You’re killing me.”

She fanned her lashes at him, struggling not to get up and kick him. “You should have a little loyalty, Brian. Someday you may need a favor.”

The smile faded from the soundman’s face. “He’s my boss too. He’d fire me over that stunt you pulled-not you, me. Everyone at the station knows he’s gone on you. And he’s protective as hell. Sending out an invitation to a crazy man is over the top, Saber, even for you. You can’t talk in that voice and not expect to get a million whacked-out or drunken callers. One time and look, the board’s lit up like a Christmas tree.”

“You didn’t need to tattle on me. We’re grown-ups for heaven’s sake.”

She pushed her hands through her hair in agitation. She’d used her enhanced voice to lure the man who had been calling the station into calling again. She had sent her soft, sexy voice with that buried compulsion out over the airwaves. “To that special someone out there so anxious to reach me, I’m waiting for that call. For my romantic listeners we have a little mood music.”

Brian had thrown his arms into the air, furious with her. “Calhoun is going to murder you,” he mouthed through the glass.

And the tattletale had called the boss. If Jess had heard that recording, he would have known instantly she was using an enhanced voice. Any GhostWalker would. It had definitely been a calculated risk, but she’d just lost if Jess had heard her. She could have strangled Brian for his interference.

She wanted to take the fight away from Jess’s home. If Whitney had sent someone after her, let him come out into the open and try to take her. Hell yes, she’d meet a hundred nutcases if it meant she could keep Jess from harm. Let him be mad. He may have been the biggest badass in the navy at one time, maybe even in the GhostWalker program, but he was locked to a wheelchair now, and she wasn’t going to let anyone hurt him.

“I have to agree with Calhoun on this one, Saber. Men like this, calling the station, they think they’re going to go out with you. They’re fixated on you. You can’t agree to meet them. You can’t take their calls and encourage them.”

She bit back her argument and forced a smile. “You’re probably right. I don’t like to be afraid, and he’s so persistent, I thought if I talked with him I wouldn’t be nervous anymore.”

Brian scratched his head, frowning. “You’ve always laughed about these nuts calling you. I didn’t realize they bothered you.”

“Not usually. It’s just that he’s so persistent, you know?” She was supposed to look and act scared, but she didn’t have very much experience in that department. She tried a tentative smile and fluttered her eyelashes, feeling pretty silly. She couldn’t very well admit she planned to beat the crap out of the guy if he touched her or kill him if he threatened Jesse.

“Calhoun put plenty of security guards on the place,” Brian assured her. “No one can get in here. I’ll make certain a couple of them escort you to your car every morning when you get off work.”

“You and I both know security guards aren’t always the best, Brian.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to worry. Calhoun hired the real deal, not the rent-a-cop version. These men know what they’re doing-at least that’s what Calhoun said.”

Saber made her smile even brighter. “Thanks, Brian. I really appreciate your reassuring me. I won’t do anything stupid like that again. I feel much better now that I’ve talked with you about this.” She was going to have to find another way to draw out the caller and assess the threat.

Brian grinned at her, obviously relieved now that she was cooperating with him. He turned away to take the phone calls and she slumped back in her chair and began her Night Siren show.

Jess paced the length of the living room and open foyer, back and forth, back and forth, thrusting powerfully at the wheels of his racing chair. Saber had been asleep eight hours now; if he didn’t hear her stirring soon he was going to wake her up. And not so gently at that. What had she been thinking last night? Daring some nut to call her. Inviting him to do so. It was just like her.

What had Logan said this morning? Brian had followed her home from the station last night. Why? What was going on between them?

“What are you doing down there?” Saber demanded, leaning her mop of curls over the banister. “Practicing for some kind of race? Wearing holes in carpets?”