“Such a baby,” Hayashi whispered.
Jules sighed. “Finally. Man, you had us worried. What the hell happened?”
“Delancey happened.”
Fallon blinked. “Tell me you did not just say Delancey.”
“That fucker? So much for fading into the sunset.” Jules swore bitterly. He hated their old captain with a passion. “He volunteers us for Elliot Pearl's nightmare, then somehow separates himself from the fallout when it all goes to shit. And now, a year and a half later, he's in the mix again. I'll fucking kill him.”
Fallon and Tersch exchanged a glance. Jules had a real hard-on for Delancey, and not in a good way. He blamed himself for getting his men into the Circ madness in the first place, and he blamed Captain William Delancey for leading him down the primrose path, knowing the situation would FUBAR—become fucked-up beyond all recognition.
“So Delancey kidnapped you?” he asked Hayashi.
“Healing's a bitch, you know that?” He groaned. “No, a few of Montaña's men were watching us. They know about the house, where we live, who we are. Montaña's working for Delancey. The captain's the brains behind that deserted lab in Brazil.”
“Holy shit.” Fallon whistled.
“Montaña's guys told you?”
“Had a vision. After they dropped me from the roof of that plant as a warning for us all to back off, I saw Delancey as clear as day standing in that lab, his hands on a box the cleanup team missed. We have to stop him from whatever he's up to. It can't be good.”
“Don't worry, Hayashi.” Jules's voice was soft. “We will.”
“I still don't understand why they didn't just kill you, though,” Fallon said. “No offense.
I'm glad you're alive. But if I'd set out to stop a bunch of troublesome Circs, I wouldn't let them live to tell on me.”
Hayashi remained quiet.
“Kisho?” Jules said. “You okay?”
He swallowed audibly. “They left me for dead.”
“I'll gut them,” Tersch promised. “Slowly.”
“How'd you get on that table?” Jules asked.
“I guess I had help. Who knows?”
Fallon tensed against a sharp thought but opened his shields when he recognized Hayashi behind the penetration. An image of a tall, dark stranger with penetrating green eyes filled Hayashi's mind's eye and then vanished.
Fallon didn't say anything, but he planned to ask his friend about his savior just as soon as Hayashi was on his feet again. For now he had healing to do. And Fallon needed to return home and cement his ties to a stubborn female too eager to leave him.
Chapter Eleven
Olivia gnawed her lower lip. “My aunt used to tell stories about you, you know.” Mrs. Sharpe didn't answer, not that Olivia had thought she would. Ever since Olivia had remembered where she'd seen the woman, Mrs. Sharpe had internally shut down.
“You're not going to talk about this, are you?”
“No.”
Olivia huffed. “But don't I owe Jesse the truth? If he learns the navy has nothing to do with my being Circ, if he learns what I really am, he'll—”
“What? Love you any less? Why are you so determined to end this relationship before it can begin? Do you know how much you've already helped him? His migraines haven't returned.
He's both mentally and physically stronger. He broadcasts now. Call out to him and see. He'll answer.”
“Jesse, are you okay? Any sign of Kisho?”
He answered immediately. “We think we may have found him. I'll let you know when I can.
Stay safe.”
She blinked. “He thinks they may have found Kisho. He'll let us know.”
“Good.” Mrs. Sharpe didn't look surprised.
“You knew they'd find him.”
“Now, Olivia, how would I know that?”
The look Olivia gave her caused the woman to chuckle. “Well, there is that, isn't there?
Come now. I'm here for a reason. And so are you.”
Olivia didn't like feeling manipulated, and right now she felt like a puppet on strings.
“Why didn't you ask me to come down here? Why the subterfuge? Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because it had to happen like this. And like Kisho will tell you, nothing is set in stone.
We each have our own choices to make. Jesse fell in love with you.”
“His choice or hormones?” Olivia asked drily, wishing she didn't feel such a thrill from his devotion. Wishing she could believe in it.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, it does. How do I know what I feel for him isn't just a Circ need to bond or something?”
“Then why don't you feel it for Jules or Gunnar or Kisho?”
“Because I—” She had no explanation. No one but Jesse felt right, and Olivia believed in her feelings.
“Exactly. What you feel, what Jesse feels, are true emotions, Olivia. Unlike you, Jesse won't shy from the truth. It's not in his character. He'll always meet life head-on, even when it doesn't make sense.”
“Mrs. Sharpe, Jesse and I just met. How can I love someone when I don't even know his middle name? Where he grew up? What he likes and dislikes?”
“Love is what love is. All the rest is immaterial, isn't it? Or are you trying to say you don't love him? If he runs into trouble looking for his friend, if he dies out there, will you care?”
“Of course I'll care! How can you say that?” Olivia fumed. “I might not know him as well as I'd like, but I know he'd give his life for his friends or those he considers his to protect.” Like her. “He's a good man.”
“The best.”
“He would never hurt me. He wants to have babies with me, you know.”
“Do tell?”
Olivia sighed. “I love him, and it makes no sense. How do I know this isn't just like all my other failed relationships? I have a lousy track record with guys.”
“Only because you've been looking for someone who's not out there, he's here. Honestly you don't know that this will work out. Just because you and Jesse share the same basic nature doesn't mean you'll have a happily ever after.
“You have to take a risk, Olivia. Stand on your own two feet and make a decision. You know, instinctively, that what you feel for Jesse is very different from anything you've ever experienced. Circ mating is powerful. It's primal. And because you're both psychically gifted, your bond with one another will be stronger than anything you could ever share with a normal man.”
“But is it real?”
“Do you want it to be?”
That was the problem, because as much as Olivia tried to deny it, she desperately wanted a life with Jesse. What scared her more than anything was the possibility he might one day not love her anymore. That he might turn out to be less than the man she'd fallen in love with.
“There's your answer, Olivia. I know this is all new. Being a Circ is a scary thing, but falling in love is even scarier.” Mrs. Sharpe settled a gentle smile on her. “Now do me a favor and find Ava for me. I need her.”
Dismissed, Olivia left the study and sought the younger woman. She found Ava sniping at Jack about men in general in the doorway of the large downstairs storage room. The minute she saw Olivia, she turned and stalked toward her.
“And you,” she started.
“Thank God. I have work to do. If Mrs. Sharpe asks, I'm on my way to the airport to pick up Doc.” Jack disappeared from the storage room in a run.
“What's wrong with you?” Olivia asked.
“I'm tired of men. Tired of women who look like you taking all the good ones.”
“Women who look like me? Have you looked into a mirror lately? You're worlds prettier than I'll ever be.”