The Promise of Love (9 page)

* * * *

Twenty minutes later they were on the ice and she was laughing as he got his skating feet under him. He was good. He’d done more than play a little in high school. She’d bet he was a center or a wingman. Clearly he liked to score. She giggled at the thought and earned herself his complete attention. He skated over and easily caught her in his arms.

“What’s so funny?”

“You. I think you skated a bit more than a little.”

“Ah, busted. I did,” he said with a grin, turning her to circle the rink with the others. There were only a few people out today, maybe because it was a weekday, or maybe because it was still so early, but she liked having the rink to herself and David. “I sold stuff to afford my skates. I worked three jobs to get the gear for hockey. It was worth it. Football was great, but hockey… Nothing beats it.”

She nodded, understanding completely. “It’s the ice, the chill and how fast you can go.”

“Exactly. You get one hell of a workout, too,” he added. “But even sweating buckets you’re chilling.”

“You were a center?” she asked after a few minutes of matching his speed. She broke away and circled him, tugging on his arm to get him to follow.

“Yeah, how’d you guess that?”

“Oh,” she murmured, going backward to face him, and slowed so he bumped into her and guided her backward with his bigger body. “You like to score?”

He laughed hard and she broke away so he’d chase her. They played around for a while until the music changed and she slowed to spin with the melody of John Legend’s
All of Me
. She loved the song and let it flow over her and guide her through a few spins. When it was over she was breathless and smiling, only to spot David leaning on the side of the rink, watching her so intently she felt her stomach drop.

She skated over to him and watched his gaze skim up and down her body in a way that drove every insecurity she’d ever had out of her mind. He made her feel sexy, like a woman who had his attention and was keeping it.

“Damn, princess, you’re full of surprises,” he murmured and wrapped his arms around her so she leaned fully against his hard body. He brushed a kiss to her lips, but she could tell he was bursting with questions.

She kissed him and tangled her fingers in his short hair. “So are you,” she whispered. She was just about to kiss him again when between them something vibrated. His immediate scowl registered at the same time as what was trembling between them. “Your phone?”

“Yeah,” he said with a deep exhale. “Gotta get it,” he added, relaxing his arms, but keeping her close when she moved back. “Stay, it’ll be quick.”

“Okay,” she agreed and settled against his side, watching the way the little girls in the center of the rink were trying to do a few of the spins she’d done.

“Hey, Will,” David said, immediately reminding her that she’d not once thought about Will. She frowned. It was true, though. But of the two, she knew David drew her in ways that spelled disaster. Especially, she reminded herself, when or if he left.
Why wouldn’t he? If he doesn’t you have to.

David hugged her closer and listened to whatever Will was saying as he played with her hair. The braid seemed to amuse him, and she liked the way he liked to touch it. Her hair was just a bit darker than his—lighter, maybe, at the tips.

“Fine, give me a few, I’ll drop Paris off and be up there after.”

Her heart sank. She tried to hide it, but as soon as David hung up, he gave her a half smile and tugged her braid. “I’ll be gone for a bit, but not long, so don’t look so sad.”

She snorted and thumped his chest again.

“Aw, come on, admit it, you’ll miss me,” he teased, kissing her knuckles. When that got him nothing, he kissed along her neck up to behind her ear and tightened his arms until she could feel his biceps and pectoral muscles flexing. “I sure the hell will miss you, princess.”

The press of his body, especially the long, thick evidence of exactly what he meant, thrilled her, but at the same time, her heart clenched. She swallowed past a sudden painfulness in her throat and pasted on a smile for the first time since he’d run to her rescue.

Is it all about the sex? Why does that matter so much? Focus, here, now, with him.

But it
did
matter, and she couldn’t stop the worry, or the realization that she wanted more, much more of David Jansen, than a sexy weekend getaway.

Chapter Five

“All right, here I am. What’s the deal?” David snapped. Paris had been too quiet on the drive back to her hotel, and the brief peck on the lips had been so different than her other kisses he’d wanted to pull her back and ask what was wrong, but hadn’t had the time.

“We have to go to meet with Duke,” Will said.

“I heard that, why?”

“Because he wants to meet you, why else?” Petrok said. “Hey, I don’t want to bust up your little vacation, Jay-Jay, but this is work. Get your head on straight.”

“My head is always on straight, Red.”

She snorted and flipped him the bird.

He took that and strapped on his firearm, adjusting his shoulder holster with a flat stare in her direction. She was amused, no doubt, but he really didn’t care. In fact, he wanted this over with so he could get back to Paris and find out what was up with the tension he’d felt building between them.

“He wants to meet us so he can do what? Be sure of us?” Will asked, standing from where he’d been seated at one of the cafeteria tables.

“Something like that. He wants you to train his men, remember? So he wants to see how you are, and probably give you some drugs,” she murmured. “Just remember to fake it. Under no circumstances would I recommend taking what he dishes out.”

“Not a chance. I just beat that other shit,” David grumbled. Besides, no way would he chance harming Paris if Duke’s messed-up drug was as bad as it sounded.

“Ditto,” Will said. He was relaxed, not at all as if he was anxious to get back to Paris or pissed he’d only had hand jobs and not the super soft, silky wet slide of Paris’ body around his cock. For some reason that eased the lockdown David had on his muscles. But it also gave him a dose of ‘damn right’ he needed time to analyze, but wasn’t getting. As soon as he was done here, he was going back to her. All he could make out was that he didn’t want Will too close to her. Maybe they’d share again, but he had to let Will know that things weren’t going the full share.

As soon as Petrok stood she started walking. They got up as well, but not as fast. A few of the men casually eating watched her, but if the redhead knew, she ignored every single one of them. He’d never seen her take up the offers she got, so it wasn’t a surprise she didn’t show any interest.

“Hey, about Paris,” Will said next to him. “I kinda think you’re on board there more than usual.”

David focused on following Petrok, not sure what Will meant by that. “I’m on board, yeah.”

“Yeah?” Will muttered. “Did you tell her you’d be back?”

David scowled at him. “Of course, what kind of guy do you think I am, man?”

Will raised his eyebrows at that then rubbed his hand over his hair. “Right, so she’s expecting you, or…?”

“Me.”

“All right.”

“Here we are, just remember, look big, bad and in charge.” Petrok frowned at them both. “That shouldn’t be a problem with those sorry expressions.”

Without waiting, she opened the door and waltzed in ahead of them. He followed, not glancing over to see if Will was upset by his setback or not. Just the thought of Will alone with Paris had his heart racing and some damn jealous thoughts going through his head.

“Ms. Petrok, ah, this must be Mr. Jansen and Mr. Bryson. Welcome, welcome, it’s good to have you on board. Ms. Petrok speaks highly of you.” Duke shook David’s hand with both of his. David assessed the guy in less than ten seconds as a rich, spoiled motherfucker with more time to waste than was good for him. David doubted the guy had ever worked up a sweat on a hard day’s work in his life, let alone ruined his manicure.

“Sir,” he said respectfully. “You’ve got quite a set-up here.”

“Thank you,” Duke said, clearly thinking the same. “You didn’t stay here last evening, though. I had hoped you would sample some of what we have to offer.”

“We had to help a friend,” Will said smoothly.

“Ah, a friend, yes, that’s good. Well, bring her up here, then. The more the merrier.” He laughed and shook Will’s hand. “But come, come, let’s discuss what I have in mind for you both.”

Hell, he didn’t like the sound of that. He caught Petrok’s eye but she narrowed hers and nodded slightly. He swallowed past the unease and followed Duke farther into the luxurious room. The place seemed like an apartment, but was obviously the man’s office. David settled into one of the four chairs positioned around a low coffee table. There were magazines organized in rows with a large floral arrangement in the center. The chair and bouquet alone probably cost more than he made in a year. Hell, probably keeping the flowers fresh cost more.

“Well, it’s a pleasure, truly, to have such talent interested in what I’m working on,” Duke said, clearly thrilled to have them there. “I am hoping you will take my offer further, and with your skills, build me a working force I can shop out, if you know what I mean? I have men in certain places interested in such.”

The vague statement was so suave even the ex-spy Petrok seemed impressed. With that kind of force, the man meant, he could sell soldiers—or the drug that would make them perfect killing machines.

“We’re interested, sir, that’s why we’re here,” Will offered. “What do you have in mind?”

“With your combat experience, I think training some of my other branches, first here, with Walters as your head, then each of you with your own division in different locations. I think within the year we should have a solid operation, especially if the tests go as planned.”

“Tests, sir?” David asked, leaning back to cross his foot over his knee, trying his best to appear casual and damn happy to be sitting in a room with such a scumbag.

“Yes, Ms. Petrok can fill you in more on that, but the essential job for you two is to help me market the new, improved drug and for that I need highly trained men able to protect my interests.”

“And Walters? What of him?” Petrok asked.

“He’s to secure the formula so that no one else beats us to market with what I’ve created. We don’t want competition before we even begin, now do we?”

The guy was slick, David would give him that. With his dark hair, handsome features and a bodybuilder physique, he probably could walk into any top executive position and do well. He was rich, filthy rich, and because of that, he didn’t have to work. Instead he played at being a scientist with a stolen formula to build the perfect soldier. Only the drug didn’t simply enhance physical attributes necessary in battle—for some subjects it screwed with a person’s sex drive and
that
was what he bet Duke was after. He might also dabble in creating super soldiers, but David’s money was on Duke wanting to market his take on the Sentinel drug as a sex cocktail that would make Ecstasy a thing of the past.

“And we’re to train men, sir? Do they have any prior military training?” he asked.

“No, I’m afraid not, but that’s where you two are essential.” Duke had been told they were both black ops from a private firm, CRCT—Combat Ready Combat Trained—one of the mercenary groups that ran under the radar. “Your training is perfected by years of combat, something my men lack. I’ve picked only the most handsome, most physically fit men. With my enhancements, I dare say they will be ready for anything you throw at them.”

David doubted that. It took more than looking good and taking drugs to make a soldier. But he nodded as if that made sense. “Sounds solid, sir. When do we start?”

“Ah, now, no need to rush. I’m still pulling in men, but if you would like to sample what I’m offering to the markets, I have prepared rooms and dosages for you both.”

“Sir, to be frank, we need to know that drug is foolproof before we take it,” Will said. “Without a doubt it sounds like it’s got some power to it, and based on what Petrok has said, your modifications to Chung’s formula are good, but until its market ready, we will have to keep our heads on the task you’re assigning us.” Will leaned forward. “But after,” he said, smiling for the first time, “we can give it a go for you. Especially if your offer comes with a partner more than willing and able.”

Duke laughed, throwing his head back, clearly thrilled at the ego boost and buying Will’s eager agreement to try out the man’s sex drug.

“Oh, my dear Mr. Bryson, I assure you you’ll have more than enough willing partners.” He sobered up after a few more chuckles and poured himself a glass of water. “Water?” he asked, and filled two more glasses at their nods. “Ah, gentlemen, and my dear Ms. Petrok, I believe this project is going to be successful. Very successful,” he said, after taking a sip. “So much so I am eager to get things ironed out in DC. Ms. Petrok, I’m hoping you can handle that end for me while your associates begin training. I think some of the weather might hold us back, but I have enough vehicles with the capability of moving this snow out of the way to get you to the airport. And I believe some of the training you could offer would be snow and hazardous conditions, am I right?”

“Yes, sir,” David said. “This type of weather is a good test to your men. If they can survive what I put them through, they’ll be more than ready for whatever you have planned.”

“Excellent! Let’s begin early next week, shall we? Ms. Petrok should be back, and until then you can examine my compound. Let me know what else you’d need to make a fighting force every country in the world would envy.” Duke grinned, clearly pretty damn pleased with himself.

David grinned as well, not because sick bastard wanted him to, but because that meant he had a few more days with Paris, then all the nights he wanted.

“Will do.” David stood, offering his hand and shaking Duke’s again. “I’ll stay in town for a few nights so I can acquaint myself with the perimeter. As soon as that’s solid, I’ll shift to quarters here so I can send out men to do routine checks.”