Pearl Cove (27 page)

In return, she had told him that he wasnt fit to be her husband or father to her children
in any way but the most basic biological one. Truth wielded like a sword, wielded against
a man whose only sin against her had been to help her.

Reluctantly Hannah admitted that they owed each other an apology. Not for the truth, but
for the method of telling it.

She unclenched her fists, took a deep breath, and punched number six on the lighted pad.
His voice floated out of the intercom speaker. Yes? Archer, I- Ill be right there.

The intercom went dead.

Glumly, slowly, she got out of bed. She was enough of a coward that she would rather have
apologized via intercom, but she had too much pride to insist on it. She went to the hall
door and opened it a crack.

Archers hand pushed it the rest of the way. He was dressed in a pair of jeans he obviously
had just pulled on. They were only half fastened. Do you need protection?

No, I-

She never finished the sentence. His mouth was over hers, breaking it open, taking it in a
kiss as hot as it was deep. His hands kneaded her breasts and plucked at her nipples until
her breathing fragmented into moans and her body went slack. His knee pushed apart her
legs until she was riding his thigh. Holding her with one arm around her, he used his
fingers to bring her to the shattering edge of orgasm. Writhing, breathing brokenly, she
demanded that he take her.

He sent her over the edge alone.

While she was still shivering and crying, he put her on the bed, pushed her thighs apart,
and opened his jeans the rest of the way. He was fully erect, already dressed for sex in a
high-tech condom. Kneeling, he pulled her up his thighs and buried himself in her. Hips
pumping, he drove her back to the edge. And held her there.

For Hannah it was like being caught in a wild, hot wave. She couldnt speak, couldnt think,
couldnt breathe. She could only tumble out of control, darkness storming around her, blind
ecstasy transforming her. Then came the lull between the waves, a lull that never quite
let her catch her breath before another wave rolled over her, spinning her out toward the
edge of consciousness, building and building and building until she could hold her breath
no longer. Then she breathed in ecstasy and drowned.

Another wave came, rising, building, teaching her that she hadnt died. Not yet. She was
still alive, still breathing, still feeling the next wave sweep up to her, lifting her,
blinding her, ravishing her. This time she rode the sensual wave with primal abandon,
turning and balancing, twisting and grappling, taking and demanding until all colors
exploded into black and she screamed, drowning again.

And he was the seething, powerful wave she drowned in. He moved over her, inside her,
around her. In the savage, glittering darkness that smelled and tasted of sex, her breath
sobbed and shattered and reformed again after each climax.

Finally she was boneless, weightless, spinning and falling, echoes of ecstasy beating in
her like a runaway heart. With the last of her strength, she said his name.

More? Archer asked.

A shake of her head was all she could manage. Sighing, she reached out to curl up against
him.

Her hands found only emptiness. He was already out of her bed, out of her reach, walking
away. He didnt take time to dress because he had never taken time to undress.

With trembling hands, she pulled down the silk shirt that was wadded up beneath her
armpits while understanding broke over her in a different, colder wave. He had played her
like an instrument. No tenderness, no holding; just raw, hot sex, as much of it as she
could take.

A stud at her service.

Eyes wide, staring at the ceiling, Hannah remembered the way it had been in Australia.
Hot, yes. God yes. Yet there had been tenderness as well as fire, sweetness as well as
rending ecstasy.

Archer had understood it before she had. He had told her. Sex can wait until hell freezes
over. Making love, now, thats different. But then she hadnt understood the difference
between having sex and making love with Archer.

She understood it now.

With swift motions she ripped off the borrowed wedding rings and dropped them on the
bedside table. It was a long time before she fell asleep, holding on to herself because
she had no one else to hold her.

Fire all around and screams echoing. Len dumping Archers battered, bleeding body at Hannah
s feet. The shabby room vanished in Lens laughter. She was in the center of a riot with
blood all over her hands, her body. Archers blood.

It was everywhere. She couldnt carry him, couldnt drag him, couldnt get out of the
violence that roared around her, black fire and red blood and screams like exploding
glass. He had to get up, wake up, walk. Wake up! Wakeup wakeup WAKEUP!

His eyes opened. He looked at her, through her, stripping her to her soul; but he didnt
know. He was blind, living only in pain, blood everywhere.

Im sorry! she cried. I didnt think you would be hurt. I thought you were too hard to ever
be hurt.

Then he died and she screamed and screamed, her voice rising and falling, her hand clenched

around a broken oyster shell while Lens laughter rolled over her screams and midnight
broke like thunder over her, destroying her.

Hannah awoke in a rush, all at once, her heart hammering frantically, her own words
echoing in her mind. I didnt think you would be hurt. I thought you were too hard to ever
be hurt. Cold sweat covered her. Tears blinded her. She couldnt breathe. She shuddered
wrenchingly, rolled onto her side, and fought not to throw up.

Just a d-dream, she whispered through clenched teeth. Holding herself, rocking. Just a
bloody dream. Thats all. Len is dead and Archers alive and the pain in his eyes

... Her mouth went dry. Pain like that only existed in dreams. Nightmares. Archer is all
right. Just a dream.

After a few minutes she pushed out of the tangle of sheets and stumbled into the shower,
afraid that it wasnt a dream at all. Archer could hurt. Archer could bleed.

She ought to know. She had seen the pain in his eyes.

She had put it there.

Damn you, youre like Len! Great smile, great body, and underneath it all, as cold a
bastard as ever walked the earth. It makes everything impossible, even the most simple
affection.

Sex and protection, thats all you want from me?

Yes. Thats all

Clammy, shivering, she reached for the water faucet. After a few fumbles she got hot water
to rain down over her, washing away the icy sweat. Blindly she reached for the soap that
hung on a rope around the shower head. A familiar clean fragrance curled around her. The
soap smelled like Archer.

She put her forehead against the cold tile and wept.

Archer sat in the cheerful breakfast nook and watched the view outside the window as the
city slowly, slowly awakened. He was dressed casually running shoes, jeans, dark blue
flannel shirt, and a lightweight waterproof jacket with a zipper running down the front.
The only thing not casual about him was the nine-millimeter pistol digging into the small
of his back beneath the jacket. It was a cold gun in every sense of the word. No serial
number, no history, a leftover from the days he couldnt seem to leave behind.

Damn you, youre like Len! Great smile, great body, and underneath it all, as cold a
bastard as ever walked the earth.

He picked up his coffee cup and drained the potent liquid without feeling the heat. Not
feeling was another hangover from working for Uncle. Knowing when to cut losses and get
out of the game was another. With Hannah, it was too late to cut his losses; he had lost
everything of importance already. That left getting out of the game.

Jake held up the coffeepot in silent question. As one, Kyle and Archer held out their
cups. Kyle thought longingly of adding milk, but it went against his self-imposed rule:
milk for the first cup, and if that didnt get it done, go back to bed or drink it straight
and black as hell.

Lianne stared at the table as though it held a cage full of snakes instead of a sketch of
the Dragon Moons floor plan, the surveillance gear that would let the men communicate with
each other, and the two cellular phones which would keep her in communication with Archer.

Okay, she said. Ill translate via cell if its required. But Archer, if something goes
wrong... She just shook her head and looked at him with worry and love in her cognac eyes.

Archers hand closed over her much smaller one. Youre right. I didnt think of that. Someone
else can translate for me if its necessary. It probably wont be. A gun cut across all
cultural and linguistic barriers, but he didnt think Lianne wanted to hear about it right
now. With quick motions he took what he needed from the table, put in the miniature
earpiece, and adjusted the throat mike. Testing.

The two earpieces remaining on the table whispered hoarsely, Testing.

Satisfied, Archer switched off the mike by tapping his throat.

Lianne sighed and rubbed her back through the red silk robe whose ties kept getting
shorter every month. Im happy to help any way I can. Its just that Id rather be there so
if something went wrong

Youre pregnant, Archer cut in.

Kyle and Jake said it just as fast.

Lianne listened to the male chorus and grimaced.

But Liannes right about one thing, Jake said, topping off his own cup. You need some
backup inside the building.

No, Archer said.

Bullshit, Kyle said flatly. He picked up his own electronic gear, stuffed in the earpiece,
and put the throat mike in place. If Jake or I tried to pull the stunt youve just
outlined, youd have our balls.

... balls, croaked the remaining earpiece. Despite Kyles fine electronic touch, the tonal
quality of the equipment sounded like the words were being pushed through gravel.

Archer didnt argue with his brother or the echo. What Kyle said was the simple truth. Yet
there were other simple truths. One of them was that he wasnt going to risk Kyles or Jakes
life to redeem the savage mistakes made by a man they had never met. So he agreed that
they would cover the exits and him if he had to leave on the run. He didnt want them
doing even that, but knew he couldnt keep them

at home with Lianne. Im wearing Kevlar underwear, just like Jake, Archer pointed out. Over
your brain? Kyle asked politely.

What brain? Jake retorted, coldly furious. He knew Archers chances of going in alone and
coming out alive were somewhere between lousy and awful. Body armor is good, but not going
up against the Red Phoenix Triad alone is even better.

Ill keep my mike open, Archer said. And the cell phone.

Jake hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. Shit, why didnt I think of that? Ill be
sure to tell Honor that you died before you fucking hung up.

Archers smile was small but real. You do that.

Kyle tried another tack. What should Lianne tell Hannah when she wakes up and finds you
gone?

I reset the clock in Hannahs room when I went in to get the gun out of the safe. Archer
took another swallow of coffee. If she wakes up at all, shell think its two hours ago.
Before she knows different, Ill be back with the pearls.

Pal, youre not coming back, Jake said, screwing the miniaturized transceiver in his ear.
He hit the voice switch. Take it from someone who used to be in the business.

Archer drank more coffee. Kyle and Jake exchanged a look. Archer said softly, Jumping me
wont work. I wouldnt pull my punches. You would. What if I call April Joy? Kyle asked.
Youd better pray I dont come back. Yin is the quickest way to Lens killer. So take more
time, Jake retorted.

No. Last night had pushed Archer right to the edge of his self-control. Beyond it. He was
afraid if Hannah asked him for sex again, he would give her what she didnt want from a
ruthless bastard like him: love.

Any particular reason youre in a hurry to die this morning? Jake asked curiously.

Hannah wants to get away from the man who reminds her of her husband. One of Archers hands
went to his key chain, where the cold weight of Lens odd ring clanged against keys. I feel
the same way. Its time to clean up the mess the past left and get on with our lives. He
had walked away from her once before. He could do it again.

He had to be able to do it again.

But- Kyle began.

No. Archer shoved to his feet with enough force to jolt the solid table. Im through
talking. Theres only going to be one life on the line, and thats mine. If you hear shots,
call April Joy and tell her to bury the bodies where no one will find them.

When Kyle would have jumped to his feet, Jake clamped his hand over the other mans
forearm. Let it go, Kyle. Youre not going to change his mind.

Kyle looked at his oldest brother, really looked at him, for the first time since Archer
had dragged him out of bed and outlined his dangerous plan. Archer was controlled, deadly,
balanced on a razor edge of adrenaline. Kyle had never seen his brother like this, even
the night they pulled a commando raid on a modern pirates private island.

All right, Kyle said quietly. Were with you, Archer. But I dont like it worth a damn.

Lianne let out a silent breath of relief. Though the brothers loved each other, both were
hardheaded and stubborn. So was Jake, for that matter, but he had a longer fuse than Kyle.

If you dont like it, Archer said, stay home the way I asked you to.

No. Kyles expression was as hard as his brothers.

Tell us again about that alley door, Jake said. Is the lock electronic?

Yes.

Kyles smile was like an unsheathed blade. No worries. If its electronic, its mine.

Leave it alone unless I tell you otherwise, Archer said.

You sure? I was looking forward to a spot of breaking and entering.

Good thing youre on the side of the angels, his brother muttered. You have the soul of a B
and E man.

Speaks the man who can make mechanical locks fall open faster than a sex workers thighs,
Kyle retorted.

Lianne snickered.

There arent many mechanical locks left, Archer said. The world is safe from me.

Mechanicals, huh? Jake said. I always knew you were a retrograde SOB. He pulled the sketch
of the Dragon Moon closer. What about fire escapes, side doors, balconies, that sort of
thing?

Fire escape in the alley, about here, Archer said, pointing with the same pencil he had
used to make the sketch. Interior balcony here, along the wall of the ground floor, and
here, along the north side.

Jake frowned. That sucks. No way you can sit up front with your back to the wall and still
cover that rear balcony. This folding screen will block your view when youre sitting down.
You need someone just inside, close to the front door.

Ill have Kyle outside at the curb. Close enough.

Jakes jaw muscle flexed as he bit down hard on a sarcastic comment. There was no exterior
glass in the Dragon Moon for Kyle to look through and warn Archer if someone was moving in
on him from the balcony. The cafe was built like what it was: a gang headquarters. How
long has the triad used that building?

Ten years, Archer said. Maybe fifteen.

Then theyve stripped the interior and rebuilt with all kinds of hidden passages and escape
hatches.

That kind of thing is usually limited to the back rooms.

Usually isnt good enough when you go in alone. Jake looked at Kyle. How does your gut feel
about this?

Frowning, Kyle rubbed the back of his neck where the skin tingled as if his body was
trying to lift a nonexistent ruff. Though nobody talked about it much, they respected
Kyles hunches. He certainly had learned to they had saved his life in Kaliningrad. Damned
unhappy, but not dead panicked.

Thats what Honor said when I got up this morning, Jake muttered. A pity you two couldnt
have gotten something useful from your mothers Druid ancestors. Reliable precognition
would have my vote.

Archer disagreed. Knowing what would happen wasnt any use when nothing could be done about
the outcome. He was going in alone, period. He looked at his watch. Youve got twenty
minutes to get there and take up your positions.

Without a word Jake slid from the breakfast nook and picked up the hip length Gore-Tex
jacket he had laid carefully on the kitchen counter. Beneath it was a short-barreled pump
shotgun.

Whats that? Lianne asked, spotting the odd shape.

A cane. The alleys are slippery.

Jakes covering the back entrance, Kyle explained. What he didnt say was that Jake was
going to cover it from the inside, as soon as Kyle got him in past the locks.

Lianne closed her eyes and wished it was two hours from now. Kyle kissed her gently, then
less gently, before he grabbed his own jacket and followed Jake to the front of the condo.

The elevator opened. They stepped inside. The doors closed behind them. Jake tapped his
throat, turning off the mike. Then he tapped Kyles.

Fuck the alley door, Jake said. He

ll never make it that far. Im going in the front. Ill sit between him and the most obvious
source of danger. Youre staying at the curb.

Doing what? Kyle shot back. Playing with my dick?

Whatever turns your crank. Jake pulled out the shotgun and hooked it into a simple
shoulder sling. When he put on his jacket, sling and gun vanished. Five minutes after I go
in, bring the car around. If you hear shots, open the car doors. Well be in a hurry.

I dont like it. You like Archers plan better? Ill take the shotgun, Kyle said. You drive
the car. You ever worked crowd control before? No, but- I have, Jake cut in. Thats why Im
wearing Kevlar and you arent. Kyle opened his mouth, but no sensible argument came to him.
Shit. Yeah, that about covers it. Lets get the car ready. Why bother with it? The Dragon
Moon is only three blocks away. If youre trading bullets, three blocks is a long way.

The elevators opened. The two men walked out into the garage. Their footsteps echoed.
Without a word Jake knelt down and started unscrewing the license plates on his car. When
he was finished, he reached into the glove compartment and unrolled a piece of white paper
that had big numbers on it and small print. It resembled the temporary registration that a
new or used car carried instead of plates. With quick, almost angry motions, he taped the
paper to the inside of the rear window.

You carry that around all the time? Kyle asked.

Yeah.

Youre scary.

Your brothers scary. Im cautious. Jake pulled car keys from his pocket and threw them to
Kyle. Drive.

Is that shotgun legal? Kyle asked as he got behind the wheel of Jakes sport utility
vehicle.

Depends on how charitable the guy with the tape measure is feeling. Jake slammed the door.
With quick, sure motions he pulled on surgical gloves.

Kyle didnt ask why. He knew. But he didnt know about the shotgun. Whats it loaded with?
Birdshot?

Buckshot.

Kyle whistled musically. His gut was feeling better with every passing second. Buckshot.
That stuff will go through interior walls like shrapnel.

Im counting on it. Thats why youre staying out on the sidewalk. Honor would never forgive
me if I shot her favorite brother.

Archer walked out of the condo and into the cold darkness. Against the streetlights, rain
flared like tiny comets before arcing down into black oblivion. Dawn, when it finally
came, would be a dreary affair. He flipped up his jacket hood. Not only did it keep rain
off his face, it concealed his features. He couldnt have been more anonymous if he tried.

Since it was downtown, there were a few people moving about. A jail bondsman or a
stockbroker leaned against a bus stop, talking fast into a cell phone. A woman darted out
of one doorway and into a waiting cab. Other than that, the streets were left to the
gentle army of raindrops. The panhandlers who hadnt headed south for warmer turf were
still at the local flophouses or missions, soaking up coffee, gospel, and heat before
heading out to beg quarters for that first pint of fortified wine.

Archer checked his watch, pulled out his cell phone, and punched in the number he hated to
call. He didnt scramble the transmission, because he didnt think the government had the
right decoder at their command. Yet.

April Joy must have told her aides to put through anything from Archer Donovan whenever it
came in. He was only halfway to the Dragon Moon when she got on the phone.

This better be good, she said. Is Qing Lu Yin one of yours? Son of a bitch. Did you twist
him, or is he yours straight up? Where are you?

If Yin is good for murder one, do you still want him?