Gena Showalter - Playing With Fire (tales of an extra ordinary girl)

John’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a superhero, Belle, and there’s no better job for you.”

“There’s a chance an antidote can be made from the formula,” I gritted out.

“Maybe,” was his reply. “I already have my men working on it. Until then… I’m offering you the chance to make the world a safer place.”

I ran my tongue over my lips. So Cody had already given him the floorboards. Fine. That didn’t mean I was completely powerless in this situation. “I can find Dr. Roberts on my own and get my nice, normal life back.”

John laughed with genuine amusement. “Even if you weren’t working for me, you’d never have your life back. When other paras hear about you, and they will, they’ll come after you. Maybe your family. My agents can protect you.”

“And my dad?”

“Of course. Perhaps Rome can even be your partner,” he added, the sly bastard.

Oh, the thrill of that suggestion. But Rome didn’t want to be an agent anymore-John just didn’t know that. Rome wanted to disappear with his family. A long pause stretched between us as John studied my face and I studied his.

He wanted me to work for him. Badly. It was there in his eyes, gleaming, glowing, a desperation he couldn’t hide. I guess my powers really were desirable, even with their destructive tendencies. An idea struck me, scary but welcome. “If I decide to work for you,” I said, “you have to understand that I’ll only take assignments I want. I pick and chose what I do. Not you.”

“Done,” he said eagerly.

“I want my dad protected twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”

“We already agreed to that.”

“I want Tanner left alone.”

John hesitated. “From what Cody tells me, the boy makes a good sidekick. You might reconsider that one.”

Truth, as Tanner would say. Wait until he learned what I’d gotten him into. Hell, he’d probably be thrilled. “Fine, I’ll reconsider, but I want you to let Rome go.”

“What?” John straightened, his arms falling to his sides.

“You heard me.” I tilted my chin and straightened my shoulders. “Cut him loose. Fire him.”

“I thought you loved him,” John snapped.

“I do.” And this was what he’d wanted more than anything. To escape this dark world and show Sunny how ordinary people lived. I’d lose him, yes. But he’d been willing to give his life for mine. I could do no less. “I’m sure you’ve been able to make other cat men, but you and I both know there’s only one Wonder Girl.” For the moment.

A long while passed in silence. “Fine,” John finally said, reluctantly. “He’s gone. Anything else?” His voice held an edge of sarcasm.

“Actually, yes. I won’t start my new… duties for another month. There are a few things I need to do.” Like keep my promise to Rome. Get my shit together at home. Cut out my heart so it would stop hurting.

“Fine, whatever.” John sighed. “But you have to come in at least twice a week for testing, whether we decide to test your powers and abilities or your chemical makeup.”

I gulped. “Will it hurt?”

“Not too badly,” he said vaguely. “Are those all of your demands?”

“Yes.” I half expected my fingers to freeze from my nerves, but they remained warm. Yep, I was damn good.

His mouth slowly inched into a smile. “Good. Welcome aboard, Wonder Girl.”

WHEN ROME WOKE UP a week later, I was right by his side. The world was back to normal-in a weird sort of way. My dad had returned to the assisted living center, but now he had several guards. Including Cody, who was a new favorite with the “silver foxes” and now the bane of my flirtatious dad’s existence, since his harem of women were all interested in the gorgeous younger man.

Bizarrely enough, Lexis and Tanner were hanging out all the time now, and were constantly seen kissing. Once they’d started, they had a hard time stopping, I guess. Lexis told me she was tutoring him in the art of loving, helping the “man” mature. Tanner had put it another way: they were getting their freak on. Either way, they both seemed happy with their Demi/Ashton romance. And I was happy for them.

I’d told Sherridan about my superpowers-had to prove it to her, actually, by blow-drying her hair at fifty paces-and she’d been ecstatic. “Think of the men you can freeze in place and we can fondle!” she’d said. “I’ll need to stock up on riding crops.”

That woman and her riding crops… I swear.

Brittan and Sunny had returned from their temporary safe house, and Sunny no longer called me “Stranger.” I was now “Daddy’s friend.” Warmed my heart every time the little angel said it. Maybe one day she’d call me Belle. Or… I didn’t dare think the other word I wanted her to call me. The M word.

Lexis had taken a leave of absence from PSI to spend more time with her daughter, and, I was sure, to get ready to go into hiding with Rome. I wanted to cry just thinking about it.

From his hospital bed, Rome moaned.

“Stupid man,” I chastised him. He had saved my life by almost giving up his own. Since I’d frozen his wounds, though, we were even, so I could call him names if I wanted.

He blinked at me, those crystalline eyes filled with tenderness. Bandages were wrapped around his chest. IV tubes and electrodes protruded from him. Monitors beeped.

“Belle,” he said groggily. “My sweet Homicidal Tendencies Wench.”

“Hey, Cat Man,” I said with a slow grin, suddenly so happy I could barely breathe. He was alive and on the mend. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.”

I chuckled. “You’re alive. That’s all that matters.”

“Thanks to you.” Gingerly, he reached out and our fingers intertwined. “Did you get him?” he asked.

I didn’t have to ask to know he spoke of Vincent. “We got him, sweetie. We got him.” I’d helped kill the bastard, and was glad of it. Anyone who threatened Rome ’s life deserved a painful death.

“Thank you for taking those bullets for me, you big stupid-head,” I said. Tears suddenly burned my eyes. “You saved my life, but you also pissed me off. I would rather have taken them myself.”

“I’d never let anyone hurt you. Ever.”

I leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. My chest ached then, and my stomach knotted. “You need to hurry up and get better. It’s time to get you and Sunny to safety.”

With a trembling arm, he reached out and caressed my cheek. “What’s wrong?”

“I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you that John fired you.”

His brow puckered and disbelief flashed over his face. “What? Why would he do that?”

“I’m, uh, sort of taking your place.” I looked away.

“What!”

“You, Sunny and Lexis can leave now. You can be a family. An average, normal family. But you’ll probably have to take Tanner with you, since he and Lexis are seeing each other now.” I forced a happy tone.

“Tanner and Lexis are… dating?” He flicked a glance to the ceiling. Praying for divine intervention? “And you, without consulting me, signed up to work with John. You did this so that I would leave the agency.”

O-kay. He’d sounded incredulous about the dating thing, but he’d sounded pissed as hell about the other. He should be slobbering all over me in thanks.

“Yes. On both counts.”

Silence.

“I’m not going to address my ex-wife’s romance with a teenager right now. The shock might kill me. What I want to know is why you want me gone so badly,” he finally said, his voice quiet.

“I don’t want you gone.” I faced him. “I just, well, this is what you wanted. This is what your daughter needs. And by taking your place at PSI, I’m fulfilling my end of our bargain. You helped me, I helped you.”