Movement inside drew my attention, and I watched Bishop follow Wolf out of the kitchen and disappear deeper into the house. Considering the serious looks on their faces, I thought they had to be going off to discuss their crazy theories from earlier.
“So, you and Bishop…?”
At Meli’s gentle teasing, my face heated. I turned to face her. “It’s not like that.”
Amusement danced in her green eyes. “Then you have more restraint than most.”
I rolled my glass between my hands. “It has nothing to do with restraint, believe me.”
“Oh?”
I winced. “More like all-around bad timing.”
The amusement spread from her eyes to her curving lips. “Yeah, these guys are the kings of bad timing.” She leaned forward as if sharing a secret. “But they are so worth it.”
Hearing the depth of happiness in her voice, I returned her smile. But if I was being completely honest, I also felt a little jealous. “I’m sure they are, but things are… complicated right now.”
Meli settled back in her chair. “Sounds like there’s a story there.”
I brought my glass up and muttered, “You could say that,” then took a drink.
Meli sat there, studying me with those too-old eyes before breaking the quiet. “I met Wolf when I was being stalked by the man who killed my brother.”
Stunned by the revelation, all I could do was offer a lame, “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks,” she said softly. “I just wanted you to know I understand complicated, so if you want to share, I’m all ears.”
Her quiet offer reassured me that she was someone who might be able to help me navigate this weird new reality. There was a genuineness about Meli that bridged the distance I seem to have acquired with everyone lately. It was scary but not enough to stop me from taking her offer seriously. It wasn’t like I could share this whole crazy situation with my family, no matter how accepting they were of unusual abilities. The minute I did, they’d have me back in the damn hospital.
I stared at the glass in my hands, unable to look at her while I spoke. “I don’t know what Wolf told you.”
“I know you worked with the colonel. You were kidnapped, held hostage, and the team went in to get you.”
Okay, so she had the basics. “I’m not like them.”
She considered me, a frown marring her forehead. “In what way?”
Fearless, courageous, I thought, but I stuck with an easier answer. “Psychic.”
Her frown cleared, her lips twitched the tiniest bit as if she heard what I hadn’t said, and she raised her glass in a toast. “Join the club. Neither am I.”
Not the answer I was expecting, but it was strangely comforting. “You’re not?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Not the least little bit.”
Curiosity edged out my personal drama. “Oh, wow. I guess surprise parties are out for Wolf, then, huh?”
She laughed. “Luckily for both of us, he can’t read my mind. Something about a natural barrier making me the equivalent of Fort Knox.”
“Huh.” I studied her carefully.
“What?”
“You seem…” I frantically searched for the right word. “Unintimidated by him.” If I was involved with someone who could read my mind, I wasn’t sure I could be as accepting as Meli. Which made me wonder what exactly Bishop’s ability was.
Before I could chase that passing thought down, Meli shrugged. “Honestly, when I first realized what he could do, it freaked me out.”
Even before my brutal encounter with a possible telepath, her answer would have made complete sense. No woman would be comfortable with someone who could poke around in her mind willy-nilly. On top of that, she’d have to trust that same someone not to use that power against her. Yeah, that would make any kind of relationship—romantic or platonic—tough.
Meli’s amusement faded as she watched me. “But Wolf is not the kind of man who abuses that power.” Her gaze drifted to the fading sunset before coming back to me. “Besides, if he skates too close to the line, I yank him back. I might not be a crack shot or ninja, but I can protect him from crossing his lines and slipping over.”
Hearing this serenely composed woman echo my earlier concerns eased my tension. “It’s good that he has you, then.”
She made a hum of agreement as the early evening settled around us. The soft hiss of gas-fueled flames dancing in the fire-pit table joined the chatter of a few cicadas braving the cooler weather.
Bolstered by her easy acceptance of what most would consider bizarre, my curiosity got the better of me. “May I ask you something?” When she nodded, I said, “It’s personal, so…”
“Ask,” Meli said. “If I don’t want to answer, I’ll tell you.”
Taking her at her word, I blurted, “Most people think psychic abilities are a bunch of crap. Why are you so accepting?”
Meli pulled her legs under her. “Do you know Risia?”
Not expecting her to respond with a question, or to even know the name of the seer Delacourt contracted with on various assignments, I stumbled over my answer. “Umm… yes.”
Meli’s face lightened. “She’s my best friend. It’s kind of hard to deny that psychic abilities exist when she’s proven right time after time.” She studied me. “You said you’re not psychic, so how come you accept it?”
I set my glass down on a side table before bringing one leg up to brace my bare heel on the edge of the seat’s cushion. Shifting to a hip, I tucked my other leg under. “My younger sister and older brother are both gifted.” Since she was with Wolf, I decided it was safe to assume she understood the importance of keeping such facts to herself. “In fact, my brother is part of one of Delacourt’s other teams.”
Sympathy washed across her face. “Must have been hard growing up.” Before I could ask what she meant, she said, “Not being psychic like them.”
“At first it was.” I gave her a self-conscious half grin. “Especially since my childhood goal was to grow up into the world’s best wizard or a kick-ass queen of a secret kingdom. I was not thrilled my siblings had the abilities I could only dream of.” My self-directed amusement faded. “As we got older, and I watched them struggle to deal with what having these gifts really meant, I was secretly grateful that the psychic fairy passed me by.”
“I get that.”
Somehow, I thought she just might. I looked at my toes, unable to hold her gaze as I gave her the rest. “Now it seems that maybe the psychic fairy is getting hers back.”
“What do you mean?” Meli asked gently.
Against the backdrop of normality, her quiet acceptance unlocked my tongue. “Wolf and Bishop think I might be psychic now.” Saying it out loud made the theory seem more real.
When I couldn’t get anything more out, she asked, “What do you think?”
“I don’t know.” Pressure grew in my chest, making my voice raspy. “But I want them to be wrong, because if they’re right…”
She waited until I looked at her before she finished what I wouldn’t. “Then you’re no longer normal, and you’re just like your sister and brother.”
God. Hearing the truth out loud meant I couldn’t dodge it. Uncomfortable, I rubbed my chin over my knee.
Meli leaned forward, compassion clear on her face. “Wolf didn’t share details, just that you were hoping he could help you find some answers. If they are right about this, it may not be what you wanted to hear, but it is an answer. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Does it? Or does it just add more weight to the fact that I might be the loaded gun aimed at the team? Doubt kept me mute.
After a few moments, Meli sighed and sat back. “I wish I could be like Risia and give you something solid to hold on to, but honestly, if anyone could see you through a tough situation, it would be Bishop and his team.”
“I know.” That wasn’t a lie. I’d gone to the colonel because I knew if my fears held any grain of truth, she and her teams would stop me before it was too late. I counted on them doing that. What worried me was who or what waited on the other side if I slipped through the teams and managed to do some real damage. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Meli had opened her mouth to reply when she suddenly looked up and broke into a smile. She was uncurling her legs and getting to her feet as the sliding door opened. I twisted in my seat to see Wolf and Bishop step out onto the deck.
Wolf headed straight for Meli, but my attention stayed on Bishop, who held my gaze as he came up behind my chair. He moved with a flowing grace. Watching his big body walk my way made me feel as though a predatory cat was stalking me. Caught between thrilled and mesmerized, I kept my neck craned back as he stopped and brushed a hand down my hair. “We should probably head out soon.”
As he played with the ends of my hair, I kept my reaction to his touch confined to an internal shiver. He was right—we’d been here much longer than anticipated, and while I enjoyed getting to know Meli, what I really wanted was to retreat somewhere so I could consider what he and Wolf had dropped in my lap before determining my next move.
Grabbing my empty glass, I got to my feet, turned to Meli, who was standing under Wolf’s arm, and offered her a small smile. “It was wonderful to meet you, and dinner was lovely. Thank you.”
She stepped away from Wolf and gave me a hug. “I’m glad I got a chance to meet you, too.” She kept her hands on my shoulders but pulled back enough to see my face. “When you can, we need to do lunch or something.”
“I’d like that,” I answered with complete honesty.
Meli and Wolf led us to the door, where we spent a few more minutes exchanging goodbyes under the porch light. The sun had disappeared, and evening was settling in as Bishop gave a final wave. His hand landed on the small of my back, making the heat spread up my spine, as he guided me down the walkway to his Jeep.
We were halfway down when Wolf called out, “See ya tomorrow!”
I stutter stepped, but with Bishop’s hand in my back, I could only move forward as he twisted his head back and said, “Till tomorrow.”
I waited until I’d climbed into his Jeep before asking, “Tomorrow?”
He braced a hand on top of the frame, trapping me in the car. “We called Ricochet, and he agreed to see us tomorrow.”
“Excuse me?” I squeaked as I struggled to figure out how I felt about the impending meeting with the mysterious Ricochet and what it meant.
Bishop’s dark eyes flashed with irritation, and his voice gained an edge even as it stayed low. “Let it go, Megan.”
Turning into a shrew in the middle of a quiet street wasn’t on my agenda, so I snapped my mouth closed and gritted my teeth. Calling him on his high-handedness required privacy.
Amused, he said, “Thank you.”
Giving an annoyed sigh, I fastened my seatbelt as he closed the door and rounded the Jeep’s hood. He settled behind the wheel, started the engine, and navigated through the neighborhood. Brooding, I let the quiet stand and simmer.
Once we cleared the neighborhood, he spoke. “You okay?”
Knowing that a lie would be pretty damn pointless, I answered, “Not really.” I winced, recognizing how unfair it was to take my crazy emotional roller-coaster ride out on him. Nor was it fair to be pissed because the visit to Wolf hadn’t fixed everything the way I thought it would. Stupid Megan. What’s next? Chasing freakin’ rainbows to find the pot of gold? Dammit. I cleared my throat and tried for something less likely to start an argument. “I like Meli. She’s a sweetheart.”
Fortunately, he took my conversational switch in stride. “Yeah, she’s perfect for Wolf. She can out stubborn him like you wouldn’t believe.”
Remembering the deep love wound around the core of steel in Meli’s voice when she spoke of Wolf, I had no trouble believing that. “I can see that.”
“I figured you two would get along.”
“Why?”
Bishop drummed his fingers on the wheel. The passing streetlights chased shadows over his face, morphing it from fascinating to intimidating and back. “You two are a lot alike.”
Confused, I blinked and blurted, “We are?” Granted, it hadn’t taken Meli and I long to bond over our shared love of books, but she was worlds beyond me. She exuded a quiet strength, while I was busy playing fifty-two-card pickup with my sanity. Heat hit my cheeks. “Sorry.” When he shot me a questioning look complete with raised eyebrows, I kept going, digging my hole a little deeper. “That question sounded like I was fishing for compliments. I’m not.”
“So why ask?”
“I guess I’m stunned that I’m faking it so well.”
“Faking what?”
“Having my shit together.”
Bishop’s quiet chuckle took me off guard. “Babe, I hate to break it to you, but everyone fakes it at some point.”
“Even you?”
The grin that curved his lips was wry. “Yeah, even me.”
Strangely, his easy admission eased the chaotic mix of feelings plaguing me. As I stared out the window from the cocoon of the darkened interior, my whispered confession slipped free. “I wanted Wolf to fix me.”
His answer was equally soft. “I know.”
I rubbed my forehead and sighed. Gathering my wispy courage, I cleared my throat and asked in a reasonably normal tone, “Do you really think Wolf’s right?”
Bishop shot me a look then turned his attention back to the road. He answered solemnly, “Yeah, I do.”
The unshakable certainty in his response triggered a series of internal tremors. The last of my fragile hopes that Wolf’s guess was horribly wrong began to collapse. I clutched the shoulder strap of my seatbelt with bloodless fingers as if it would keep me grounded.
Bishop reached over and squeezed my knee. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Glad one of us thinks so.” The words came out unmistakably bitchy because I was struggling not to scream in frustration. Logically, I knew it wasn’t fair to take it out on Bishop, but after having my hopes of ending my nightmares dashed by Wolf, I wasn’t all that keen to rebuild them on another slim possibility. “Are you sure this Ricochet will be able to help?” A small part of me was scared to death that if this didn’t work, I’d slip, screaming, over the edge and be lost.
Bishop’s jaw flexed. He was probably not thrilled with my snippy response. Oh freakin’ well. Sure enough, when he spoke, there was an edge to his tone, but he didn’t remove his hand from my knee. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have made the call.”
Still feeling resentful, I asked, “What if he can’t?”
“He will.”
“You sound awfully sure.”
“Because I am.” Before I could snap at him, he continued in a hard tone, “Chances are damn good that those nightmares you’re having are because you’re linked to the asshole who took you.”
His explanation was like a brutal fist to the gut. “Me?” Panic filled me. The idea of being connected in any way to that monster coated my mouth with the sick taste of fear.
“Yeah, you.”
I stared at him as terror churned and kicked my pulse up until the beat throbbed in my temples. “If there’s a link, can Ricochet destroy it?”
His hand on my knee tightened, and the hardness in his voice eased. “I don’t know, and neither will he until he sees what he’s working with.”
Swallowing against my tight throat, I choked out, “What if he can’t break whatever connection exists?”
“Megan, stop.” His tone was both commanding and gentle. “There’s nothing more we can do tonight.” He lifted his hand and put it back on the wheel as he exited the freeway.
I stopped myself from reaching out to bring it back, and instead, I tucked my hands between my thighs and stared out the window. Right, it didn’t do me any good to sit and stew about what would happen. Tomorrow would be here soon enough. I needed to focus on how I would get through the night because there was no way in hell I could even contemplate sleeping—not when the chances were so damn high that another nightmare lay in wait. I tried to drag in a breath without making noise, not wanting to clue Bishop in to the fact that I was, once again, falling apart. When I was sure my voice would work, I asked, “What time are you picking me up tomorrow?”
“Excuse me?”
Leaning my head against the window, I said, “For the meeting with Ricochet. What time will you be by?”
“I’m not leaving you alone tonight, babe.”
Relief seared through me, and I closed my eyes, cursing how needy the situation made me feel. “You don’t have to.”
“Yeah, I know that,” he said gruffly. “But I’m going to.”
“Okay,” I said. If he thought I was going to argue, he was sadly mistaken. I was too busy trying to pick my way through the emotional fallout that left me with a familiar numbness. I lifted my head and rubbed at the ache in my temples. “Thanks.”
All I got was a grunt in reply as he turned into the apartment’s parking lot. He parked in a visitor’s slot and shut the engine off. Moving on autopilot, I reached for my seatbelt only to stop when his hand covered mine. When he didn’t say anything, I looked up to find him bracing his other arm on the steering wheel as he studied me.
Caught in his gaze, I froze in place as awareness hit me. The heat, gentleness, and determination with which he stared back at me slipped past my encroaching numbness, and I felt an ache. Involuntarily, my hand twisted under his until I could lace my fingers with his, finding solace in his touch.
His hold on my hand tightened. “I’m not going anywhere until this is done.”
I struggled to stay ahead of the avalanche of my tumbling emotions and couldn’t make sense of his words. “What?”
“You’re not doing this alone.”
It was nothing short of a vow, and it sank deep until the hot press of tears rose behind my eyes. To keep them from falling, I widened my eyes and said, “Okay.”
He lifted his hand from mine only to cup my face, and my breath stalled in my lungs. His gaze dropped to my mouth, and my lips parted as his thumb brushed over them. My pulse picked up, and my focus narrowed to the slow, seductive slide of his thumb. His eyes darkened, and the skin along his cheekbones flushed as his head lowered. I tightened my grip on his hand, trying not to drag him down to me even as I leaned in to meet him. His hand left my face to slip to the back of my head, and I angled myself for the kiss I desperately wanted. But before our lips could meet, light flooded the interior, breaking the moment and making us both wince. I found my forehead pressed against his hard chest while a curse rumbled above my head. Relearning to breathe, I listened to the car drive by. We sat there for a moment, our breathing loud in the quiet.
“We should go up.” It came out as a whisper because that was all I could manage.
“Yeah.” The hand cradling my head drifted down my spine.
I pulled back slowly until I could see that he was still thinking of our almost kiss. Hell, so was I. I wanted to know what he tasted like and get lost in his heat for just a little bit. And as selfish as it was, I wanted an escape from the mess.
So do something about it.
Heeding that internal voice, I held his gaze and reached up with both hands to cup his jaw. He didn’t pull back—in fact, he angled his head against my palms. His goatee rasped against my skin, the soft brush lighting up nerve endings. I felt it in other, much more sensitive places, too. Carnal thoughts danced through my mind, and my breath stuttered. Unable to talk about my wants, I did the next best thing. I leaned in, despite the shoulder strap, and brushed my lips against his. When I pulled back, I gave him a shaky smile and dropped my hands. Before I could do more than that, he growled. It was the only warning before his hand was back in my hair, holding me in place as he took my mouth in a heated rush.