"Ian, she was planning to betray us."
"But she never did. She never did anything to harm any of us." He was finally able to appreciate her predicament. She wanted to save Sabrina because she loved her. And she hadn't exposed him because she cared about him. He'd seen that clearly on her face when she'd frantically searched for him in the parking lot. She truly cared about him. But at the same time, she couldn't bear to fail her friend. Her heart was getting split in two.
All he had to do was help her rescue her friend. Then she would no longer be pulled in two directions. She would be free to come entirely to him.
And that's what he wanted more than anything. He wanted Toni to be free to love him. She was the one he wanted.
Toni woke slowly. She'd had trouble sleeping all night, for it felt like a heavy weight was pressing against her chest. Ian. She'd lost Ian. She rolled onto her back and realized she was not alone.
"Ian?" She sat up. He was there beside her.
Relief swept through her. He couldn't be angry with her if he'd climbed into bed with her, right? Last night she'd feared their relationship was over. He'd looked so upset.
He looked perfectly peaceful now. He was lying on his back, his hands folded over his stomach.
She checked the clock on the bedside table. Eight-forty-five? She'd set the alarm for six-thirty. He must have turned it off before climbing into bed with her.
She turned back to him. For the first time since she'd known him, he wasn't wearing a kilt. He had on flannel pajama bottoms, although still a red and green plaid, which made her smile. He'd showered off all the blood and grime.
She leaned closer to examine the cuts on his face. They looked much better already. She lifted one of his hands. The gashes had closed and the scars were fading. By sunset he would be back to his usual gorgeous self.
She realized suddenly she was holding hands with a dead man. And she didn't flinch or let go. Why wasn't she freaked out? She glanced at his face. He was still the same brave warrior who had charged to Gregori's rescue, the same selfless hero who had insisted she go to safety while he stood there bleeding, the same sweet man who had kissed her passionately and then taken all the blame for it.
She climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom. There she found a note taped to the mirror.
Toni,
I want to help you rescue your friend. Please forgive me for being an arse.
Ian
With a laugh, she pressed the note against her chest. Ian understood. She could trust him. And Sabrina would be saved. She ran back into the bedroom. "Thank you, Ian. Thank you."
He just lay there.
She sat on the bed, smiling at him. "You're not an arse. You're a wonderful man."
And she was falling in love with him.
A thrill shot through her. How could she not love him? He was the dearest, sweetest, sexiest man she'd ever met.
She studied his face as love continued to swell inside her. This wasn't at all like her two past relationships. She'd thrown herself into those affairs with a desperation born from her mother's rejection. She'd needed to feel loved.
This was different. She hadn't meant to fall for Ian. For the first time, it wasn't about her and her need to be loved. It was all about Ian and the love she felt for him. It had become painfully clear to her when the explosions had gone off and she'd feared him dead.
She touched the dimple on his chin. She couldn't run away from him. She'd be running from her own heart.
She showered and dressed and left Ian locked safely in the silver room. When she stepped out of the elevator onto the ground floor, she was immediately surprised by all the people. Real people. They were bustling up and down the hall. Most of them were wearing white lab coats. They all had Romatech name tags clipped on their pockets.
On the way to the MacKay security office, she called Carlos on her cell phone. "Guess what? Ian agreed to help us rescue Sabrina."
"That's great!" Carlos lowered his voice. "So tell me, menina, what did you do to convince him?"
She snorted. "I talked to him."
"Come now, you must have been…friendly."
"Carlos, we need to rescue Bri as soon as possible. Do you think we can do it tonight?"
"Yes." His voice grew more serious. "I'll draw up some plans and come see you this afternoon."
"Good." Toni hung up and strode into the security office. Howard was sitting behind the desk, his bandaged leg propped on a chair.
"Sorry I overslept." She sat beside him.
"No problem." He waved at the monitors. "Nothing much going on. Day security is getting the mess cleaned up in the parking lot."
Toni gazed at the monitors that showed the parking lot. A wrecker was hauling the burned car away. "What did the police say about last night?"
Howard munched on a doughnut. "They're used to Romatech getting bombed. I told the officer in charge that we've been targeted by a group of psycho fanatics who are opposed to the synthetic manufacture of blood. Which is pretty much the truth, actually."
Yeah, you couldn't get any more psycho than the Malcontents. Toni scanned the other monitors. One showed a bedroom with several twin beds. Phineas and Dougal were stretched out in their death-sleep. The silver room was displayed on another monitor. Oh great. Had Howard seen her touching Ian's face? "Doesn't day security think it's strange that we're in here, watching dead people sleep?"
"They have their own office. They keep out of our business." Howard pushed a pastry box in her direction. "Want a doughnut?"
"Sure." She selected a plain one. "So what happened while I was sleeping?"
"Connor took Roman and his family and Radinka into hiding about three in the morning. No one knows where. It's better that way when jerks like Jedrek can pick through your brain."
"Jedrek's the guy who attacked Gregori?"
"Yep." Howard finished his doughnut and licked his fingers.
And Jedrek had been the one who'd tried to capture Ian. Toni sighed. She doubted they'd seen the last of him.
Howard slid a paper across the desk. "This is the list of stuff to do for the Christmas Ball. Shanna and Radinka were kinda upset that they wouldn't be here to help, but I told them not to worry."
Toni gulped down the last of her doughnut. The list was a mile long. "And all this has to be done before tomorrow night?"
"Don't worry. It's covered. I gave a copy to Todd Spencer, the VP of production during the day. He knows what to do. Shanna gives a Christmas party every year, and then there's the Vamp conference and Gala Ball every spring."
"Todd must be a mortal. Does he know about Vamps?"
Howard shifted in his chair. "Todd knows a lot of things. He's already got some workers setting up chairs and tables."
"Number one is decorate the big Christmas tree," Toni read aloud from the list. "I don't recall seeing a tree."
"It'll be delivered around noon." Howard drank from his coffee cup.
Toni glanced down the list. Item number ten was confirm the band. A phone number was listed. "I'll go ahead and call this band."
Howard chuckled. "Wait till tonight. The High Voltage Vamps couldn't light a lightbulb right now."
"It's a vampire band?"
"Yeah, they play all the big Vamp parties and weddings." Howard stood and limped toward the door. "Come on. I'll show you the ballroom."
Just to the right of the main foyer, there were a number of meeting rooms with partitions that could be folded back like giant accordions. Toni was surprised by how large the ballroom was. The back wall was mostly windows that overlooked a garden. In front of the windows, Todd Spencer was overseeing a group of workmen who were erecting a stage. Howard introduced her.
"Glad to meet you," Todd yelled over the noise as he shook her hand. "It's about time MacKay hired a woman."