“Olá.”
“It’s me.”
“Como vai?” The male voice switched to thickly accented English. “To what I owe this honor?”
“There’s been a change of plans. I need you to speed up your research.”
There was a brief pause. “You have not acquired her?”
“No. We’re going with the alternate plan. How long?”
“You want it right, or you want it fast?”
“Fast.”
“Probably two years.”
Gerard fought the urge to crush the phone in his hand. “And if I want it right?”
“Five. For you, I rush things. We forego advance testing.”
“That’s the best you can do?”
The doctor’s deep, rich laugh rolled over the line. “You are an impatient…how you say, bastardo.”
This was the only man on the face of the planet that Gerard would tolerate this kind of talk from, because he was the only one on the face of the planet capable of the work going on in his Brazilian lab.
“You’ll find out what kind of bastardo I can be if you don’t deliver as promised. I already have an order for one head to be brought to my desk. Yours could be alongside it.”
Another rich, rolling laugh. “We have this talk how many times, my old friend? You know I do my best. You do not want to make matters worse, do you? We move too soon, it might make your life hell, not heaven. For a man your age, you should know patience.”
“I’ve waited far too long already.”
“No, you not wait nearly long enough.” The doctor’s voice hardened. “You know we cannot be too careful. You want what you want, but we fuck this up, you might get more than you bargained. Remember the Alpha experiments?”
Gerard remembered, shuddering. One of the few thoughts that could elicit that reaction from him. Yet again another reason he tolerated the doctor’s insolence. He’d tried to hire cheap help and it nearly destroyed them all. “All right. Fine. You’ve got carte blanche, whatever you need, just get it done.”
“Muito bem. You see reason. See? You not so bad.”
“Are your test subjects still viable?”
“Sim. Yes. They are kept in different locations and serviced by different staff. Inconvenient, but necessary. The man is our focus right now. He’s easier, more pliable nature. We must keep the woman heavily sedated, she much stronger. But that interferes with results. We use her as backup.”
“And the child?”
“Eh, she is a handful with much potential.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Não se preocupe. Do not worry, my friend. All good things to those who wait, no?”
The doctor hung up, and Gerard looked at the receiver. He’d already waited over ten years and was still no closer to his goal. He should have snatched her years ago, in the beginning, when she was vulnerable after their first failed attempt to acquire her. He’d heeded advice to wait and watch over fears of triggering Hawthorne’s suspicions. At least he had three guinea pigs to test on, and no one knew they were even alive.
Especially the girl.
He dropped the receiver onto the phone and leaned back, smiling. He was already one up on Hawthorne, wasn’t he? Despite all his money and skill and age, Hawthorne and his cousin failed to pierce through his carefully cultivated network. Not to mention Rafael Collins was dead.
He’d already won the first skirmish in this war, and Hawthorne didn’t even know a battle had been waged.
Perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Taz closed the hotel room curtains and found a classical music station on the radio. She knew Matthias would be gone with Albert and her dad for several hours at least, on Tribunal business.
It wasn’t like she had a lot of experience doing this, but she was afraid if they were around, they might interfere somehow, force Rafe out. She didn’t want that.
Not yet, at least.
What she wanted was time alone with him, if this was true. Part of her couldn’t accept what Dame Agnew told her.
Part of her prayed it was.
Relaxing on the bed, she closed her eyes. She had to start with what she knew. In Yellowstone, when Matthias started teaching her how to use her powers, she’d created a mental room for Rafe, an image she could focus on. Furnished and complete with windows so she could look out, whether through her mental eyes or through the eyes of someone else.
She hadn’t visited Rafe’s room since that day in Yellowstone, afraid of how much it would hurt.
She conjured the door to Rafael’s room in her mind. She reached out and touched the doorknob, scared to open it. She remembered Yellowstone, remembered his scent, conjured the sound of his voice, the taste of his lips—
The feel of his love for her.
In her mind she closed her eyes and gripped the doorknob. She walked through the door, taking several blind steps inside. She stood there for a long moment, forcing her body to remember to breathe. In her mind there were no true scents or tastes, just memories of the real thing. She eventually opened her eyes.
“Hey, Taz baby.”
There he was, standing before her. Too shocked to say anything at first she threw her arms around him. Even in her mind he felt solid, there.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. It was like he was with her, not just in her mind, but really there, like he’d been in her dreams. “It’s okay, Taz.”
She sobbed, wailed. Wanted to hold him and never let go. Whatever feelings she had for him returned, overwhelming. This was beyond the love she had for Matthias. This felt like they’d shared something she couldn’t remember.
She finally backed away from him. He was dressed as he’d been that last night at dinner, the same jeans and shirt. Only he didn’t wear his ring.
He smiled and took her right hand. “I’m glad you took it. I don’t need it now.”
What might have been had he lived? Would they have been great friends? Would she have left Matthias for Rafe? Or would she have eventually distanced herself from him because of their feelings for each other? She loved Matthias, heart and soul. What she felt for Rafael was different.
“I can read your thoughts, you know.” He took her into his arms again, smiling, his blue eyes twinkling. “You were good, girl. You have no idea how good you were.” His eyes searched her face and her body responded. “I know you feel bad about what happened, but don’t. You were right. At least I went out with one hell of a bang, baby girl.”
She couldn’t help it, she kissed him. It wasn’t the earth-shattering, passionate kiss they’d shared on the boardwalk. It was like their good-bye kiss at dinner, tender, God-I-missed-you-welcome-back calm.
He kissed her back and eventually pulled away, looked at her, then touched his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m sorry to put you through this.”
She sobbed, clung tightly to him. “I missed you so much.”
He held her as she cried again, letting her get it out of her system, trying to soothe her. Eventually she composed herself but wouldn’t let go. “How long are you staying?”
“As long as you want. Do you want me to go?”
“No!” He was alive! Well, okay, his conscious was alive even if he was now sans flesh-and-blood body. “No, I don’t want you to go.” She stood there for a long time, feeling his arms around her. Under different circumstances…
Hell, he was dead. What other circumstances were there?
“Why didn’t you let me know you were here?”
“You had enough on your plate and I couldn’t figure out how. I didn’t want to add to your burden. I’m sorry for scaring you. I tried to keep quiet, but sometimes I just couldn’t help myself. I know Matts also blames himself for my death. I could feel it.”