Marlena unzipped her leather jacket and sat back down on the love seat. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why make me drive around there-to admire your workplace? That's what that was all about, wasn't it? You were showing me your access, your power." Her voice had turned into a croon. Steve watched, fascinated, as she transformed from furious woman to languid female in two seconds. Her smile was dazzling, inviting. She played with her front zipper with lazy fingers, eyes half closed. "That laptop is worth a lot of money."

"Yes," Cunningham agreed.

"And do you have it here with you?"

"I thought you didn't want to do business with me. An amateur." It was the older man's turn to mock.

Marlena pouted. "I thought you were trying to use me to get at du Scheum. You still are, but let's hear what you have in mind."

"Even at the expense of one of your men's lives?"

Steve tried to ignore the jealousy burning his insides. Marlena and du Scheum an item? That explained their familiarity with each other the other night. His eyes were drawn to the bed. No. He wouldn't think about that right now. But he wasn't going to let her use and discard him. Soon she would know that he was more than a lackey. The razor blade between his fingers gnawed slowly at the rope.

"Well, I prefer not think in terms like that," Marlena told Cunningham. "Lives are expensive. And getting rid of them can mess things up. You have been so careful thus far-why the need to get rid of lives at all, especially du Scheum?"

"If I don't, he'll know who stole the laptop, and I can't have that, can I? You see, when I took it, I didn't know that du Scheum gave parties to facilitate business deals like these. Oh, I knew he had influence, but I thought he just had political pull."

"Instead you discovered Pierre and I were good friends," Marlena guessed.

Cunningham nodded, finishing his drink. "A complication, especially when he knows all the deals out there. So of course once the laptop becomes the object to bid, he would be informed, since part of Project X-S-BOT involved du Scheum's own company."

"Let me guess, you hired that man to kill du Scheum the other night," she said dryly.

"Except for Mr. McMillan's interference, I would have suc-succeeded! Then you would have the item out for sale and negotiation, without any suspicion falling on me." Cunningham used his empty gla.s.s to point at Steve. "He had to get in the way. He was responsible for making your ident.i.ty known, too."

Marlena sighed. "I didn't antic.i.p.ate knocking off all my current men. My price just went up. They're both important to me." Her smile at Steve was full of mockery.

"I'm flattered," Steve murmured, planning revenge. The bonds tying his hands were already loose. He understood that Marlena was giving him the time he needed by keeping Cunningham talking. After all, he had firsthand knowledge of how crafty she could be, and how aware of unseen things around her. No doubt she already antic.i.p.ated that Tess would make a move soon. He kept an eye on the other two men. There was something expectant in their stance, as if they were listening for something.

"Tsk. Lovers can be replaced," Cunningham suggested silkily.

Marlena c.o.c.ked her head. "Do you think I will off these two just like that, for you? And how do you propose to do this, since you already appear to have a plan in mind?"

"It's simple really. When du Scheum returns, you can surprise him. He won't be expecting you in his bedroom." Cunningham looked at his surroundings, then shrugged. "We'll make it look like he surprised sailor boy, who of course will get blamed for his untimely death. He'll be our sc-scapegoat, and no one will question much since he was there when du Scheum was shot, too. They will think he botched that one chance."

"Don't you think the authorities would be suspicious and investigate further?"

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head about the investigation. Du Scheum has many enemies, and I've ensured that if they look deeper into McMillan's past, they will find enough things to make him look bad."

Ah, that explained the overseas account, Marlena thought. She would bet money on it that Stash had no idea about what Cunningham was talking. "What about his bodyguards?"

"My men will take care of them, but I only trust you with du Scheum. You can prove to me once and for all that you are what you say you are, if not exactly who." Cunningham's voice had a darker edge. "Take care of both of them, and the laptop will be out in public without any questions. What do you say, Marlena? You and I can make a good team."

This was it. Steve felt the tension gathering thicker. He watched as Marlena approached him, her blue eyes searching his, making sure he was ready. He willed himself to silently let her know that he was. She clasped her hands behind her back, like someone contemplating a decision. She came closer and slowly lifted a hand to touch him. She reached up and flicked a finger at the little pearl dangling from his ear.

She c.o.c.ked a brow at it, and her smile turned positively evil. He didn't dare respond in kind. Tess's handiwork-a little pearl earring with a microbug in it. Ostentatious enough to catch Marlena's attention. Pearls, he was beginning to guess, were his mermaid's secret pa.s.sion. GEM. Pearls. The rings on Tess's fingers. Hmm.

Clasping her hands behind her back again, she pivoted around to face Cunningham, who was watching them carefully. "Do I have a choice? You hold all the cards," she said softly. "But where is this laptop? How do I know you won't renege?"

Cunningham pulled out a laptop from a briefcase. Steve recognized it immediately as a similar brand to the one in Marlena's possession when he searched her belongings.

The older man's smile was triumphant, with a touch of cunning in it. Clicking the laptop open, he turned it on. "Come and see."

It took a few minutes for the program to run its course. Steve wished he could just walk over there, too, like Marlena. There was a look of concentration on her face as she stood there looking at the screen, her arms folded across her chest.

Something else caught his eye. The man guarding Cunningham wasn't looking at either his boss or Marlena. He kept looking at the entrance to the room every few minutes. It made Steve uneasy. He also realized that the bigger man who was supposed to be behind him was no longer there. He was standing closer to Marlena than to him. Granted, he was supposed to be tied, but still, shouldn't he be guarded?

Steve's instincts kicked in again as he brought back his hostage-taking training. It was a trick he had learned from his cousin-he blurred his mind, putting aside what was obvious. There was always a hostage decoy. He wasn't the target here.

Marlena didn't seem aware of anything wrong as she leaned down and tapped a few keyboard keys. "Encrypted," she murmured. "It could be junk."

"This is from the lab in Nevada. And I have the du Scheum files available. We can sell this piece by piece. More negotiation power that way." Cunningham wasn't looking at the screen but at Marlena's b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She was too busy reading to notice. Steve wanted to sucker punch the man as he watched him lick his lips.

"Parts of this are encrypted," Marlena said. "I suppose that's their problem, not ours."

"I have the codes for the du Scheum files but not for the Nevada files. But I know where they are." There was a pause. "Downstairs, in du Scheum's safe."

Marlena swept a sideways glance at Cunningham, then straightened. She patted her hair back into place. "Well, well, my darling Pierre is keeping something from me," she murmured. "You know, William, I might like you after all. Pretty devious. Get rid of Stash and Pierre and you think I know where that safe is, hmm?"

"Not think. I know you know." Cunningham's voice hardened again. "And you'll tell me where it is first, or we torture your boy here finger by finger, limb by limb before we kill him. You f-forget, I've seen you with him. You harbor a certain f-fondness for him, shall we say? Although I must admit it really disappointed me."

Cunningham stood up and looked at the big man who had been guarding Steve, who was now standing closer to Marlena. Steve thought he saw a tinge of surprise in Cunningham's gaze.

"Time, isn't it, Dankin?" Cunningham addressed the bodyguard. He frowned, looking momentarily puzzled, as if things weren't quite going the way he wanted. He jerked his head toward Steve, trying to get his meaning across.

However, Dankin stepped toward Marlena instead, one hand reaching out for her neck.

"Now," Steve barked out, hoping Tess was where she was supposed to be. He shook the loosened bonds free and lunged, determined to push Marlena out of harm's way.

All at once the room plunged into darkness. Someone had killed the master switch.

Chapter Fourteen.

T he bedroom door smashed open. Shouts. Popping sounds. The fireflash of a weapon being discharged. A flashlight interrupted the darkness, zigzagging its way around the room.

Steve ignored them all. Right now he was after a big bruiser named Dankin, who had gone after Marlena's throat. He had kept his eyes on him, knowing that when the switch was thrown, it would be impossible for a few seconds to locate anyone or anything.

The last thing he saw was Marlena bending over to pick up the laptop at his sudden command, as if she had been waiting for his move. He wasn't sure whether she saw who was coming after her.

Dankin had her by the arm. The beam from the flashlight settled on the blade in his hand. The man had switched to a knife in the dark, a good weapon to make sure he got his target where he wanted. And he was heading for her throat.

Fury like nothing he'd ever felt before imploded inside Steve, lending him the extra speed to block the descending hand. This big bodyguard was faster than he had thought. Faster, and very capable with the knife.

Marlena had somehow freed herself. Through the din in the room, Steve heard her calling.

"Stash, watch out, he has a knife."

Like he didn't know. "Stay out of the way," he yelled back. His eyes were getting used to the junglelike darkness.

He caught the flash of the blade again and jumped out of the way. His opponent's brute strength was evidenced by the swoosh of air somewhere near his belly. He caught a brawny wrist and swung the arm outward, turning himself as he did so and viciously jabbing his elbow against the man's kidney.

With his height advantage, Dankin reached over his shoulder to attack with his other hand, clamping his fingers under Steve's chin, reaching for the throat. Steve ignored the oncoming chokehold, bending forward and efficiently breaking the wrist of the bigger man. To his credit Dankin only grunted, loosening his hold. Steve turned away from the grasping fingers around his neck; twisting the broken wrist, he forced the man around and head-b.u.t.ted him in the chin.

Dankin crumpled to the floor. The lights came back on at that precise moment.

Steve maneuvered the jagged blade against the big man's throat. "Gotcha," he said, his voice grim with satisfaction.

"I must admit, my bedroom has never been this popular with men before."

Steve looked up to see the head of du Scheum Industries at the doorway, surveying his room with a bemused expression. He turned his attention back to Dankin, who lay on his back, blood dripping from nose and mouth, looking back with a blank, obstinate stare. Steve put pressure on the knife just a fraction, enough to pierce the man's skin, then released his hold. Tess said she wanted them alive for information.

He stood up and took in the aftermath. There was du Scheum, and three of his bodyguards. There was Dankin at his feet, and...two dead men. William Cunningham had a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. His lifeless eyes looked straight at du Scheum, an expression of surprise still on his face, a small trickle of blood at the corner of his lips. The other bodyguard had also been shot to death. Steve recalled two more standing outside the door before, and he wondered whether they had experienced a similar fate.

And there was no Marlena in the room. He double-checked, to make sure. Nope. She had slipped away with the laptop. He noticed the French door to the balcony was ajar.

"It was important to get Cunningham alive," Steve pointed out as he tucked away the knife.

"It's difficult to wage a fight in the dark," du Scheum said as he stepped further into his room. His gaze fell dispa.s.sionately on the dead Cunningham. "I didn't think he would be the one who stole the laptop, but then it's always the quiet ones."

"He had access to people inside the CIA and also in your house. Without him, we'll never know who the moles are." It was stating the obvious, but since Tess was probably listening in, Steve thought he'd better let her know that part of her plan hadn't worked out. He wasn't going to ask how du Scheum knew when to arrive. He had a feeling he wouldn't get a straight answer.

Du Scheum shrugged. "My concern was to stop the leak on my end. The rest isn't important."

Not important, h.e.l.l. The man didn't care that highly cla.s.sified security files were being pa.s.sed in and out of the CIA channels like used dollar bills in a bank. Of course not. The man depended on the buying and selling of secured information at his parties. So the more leaks, as long as they weren't from his end, the better his power base.

Steve shoved his hands into his pockets, disgusted with the situation. He wasn't going to bring up the missing Marlena, either. He couldn't help feeling slightly antagonistic toward du Scheum, knowing that she and the older man had a history together. "Now what?" he asked.

"We call the police, of course. I don't hide dead bodies, Mr. McMillan."

"They are going to ask a whole lot more questions this time, Mr. du Scheum."

"Birman will handle it. He was protecting me, as usual."

Steve recognized Birman, the man who had saved du Scheum the other night. They nodded at each other. "They won't buy that. How was he protecting you?" Steve asked. "I don't think you walked right in here."

"My dear Mr. McMillan, this is my bedroom. Of course I have every right to walk in here expecting some kind of safety. Fortunately for me, my bodyguard is always more careful than I am and spotted these men waiting in my room. He disposed of two of them. And then there is...Dankin, whom you overpowered."

"You know him?"

"I know all of them. They are in my employ. Cunningham obviously bought their services."

"That also means that you can't trust your own people, Mr. du Scheum. There were more than two of your employees in his pay. In fact there were two outside the door, and I don't see them now."

Du Scheum nodded, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Steve frowned. The man was like one of his robots. If it were his outfit that had men betraying him, he would be doing more than just standing there looking around thoughtfully. He would be tearing the place apart looking for the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Instead the businessman was unruffled by two attempts on his life and perhaps a whole household of insiders working for the enemy.

Not his problem, Steve told himself.

Du Scheum gestured to Birman, who nodded and left the room. "I'll handle the police," du Scheum addressed Steve. "You should leave now. As for the two men you mentioned, don't worry. With Cunningham dead, I'm sure I'll find plenty of wagging tongues pointing to them." He looked around again in distaste. "For some reason, the comforts of my own bedroom don't hold any more appeal."

"You'll have to be doubly careful from now on," Steve warned, ready to go once Dankin was secured.

"Thank you. Just follow my man. He'll show you downstairs and give you access to a vehicle. Please tell Marlena I said h.e.l.lo, and that I'll be expecting to see her soon."

Not without me there you won't. "I'll make sure she gets the message," Steve replied. Casting one final look at the surly Dankin, he followed one of the bodyguards out of the huge master bathroom.

He was given the keys to a Beamer. He had no idea how he was going to return the car, but didn't waste time asking. One thing he had picked up from this adventure-use the prop at hand and go from there. He drove the powerful car down the long driveway, stopping at the electronic gate, which opened slowly. He put the car in park right between the two brick gateposts, interrupting the gate sensors, and waited. He wasn't leaving without Marlena.

He stuck his head out and whistled. From the left a shadowy figure dropped down from the high wall, landing with catlike grace. The back door of the vehicle opened and the interior light came on. The person had a black hood on.

The door next to him opened then and another figure jumped in. Steve put the car in gear and drove off. He glanced at the woman's profile to his right, then looked at the rearview mirror. Tess had already pulled off her face cover.

"A nice car would get a guy some fine chicks," he mocked, baring a wolfish grin at both ladies. He was having fun, after all.

Marlena was scowling at him, obviously not at all liking his presence near her. Steve felt his temper rising again. Well, too bad. She would just have to get used to it.

What was Stash doing working so closely with Tess? What had she told him? Marlena didn't like the idea of them together at all, not one bit. And why did he have to look so d.a.m.n hot? She wanted to lean forward, kiss that mouth, and forget about her problems, but since he was one of them, kissing him would definitely not solve it. She focused on the woman in the backseat instead.

She turned to look at Tess, studying for a long moment the woman with the jet-black spiky hairdo in black leather from head to-she peered over the seat-toe. She was even wearing black gloves. Her gray eyes were glinting in amus.e.m.e.nt as she sat back there, seemingly content to be silent for now. She slanted a glance at Stash's leather jacket, then unzipped her own black one.

"I feel like I've just joined a black leather fashion show," Marlena drawled, choosing mockery over demanding questions. "Nice get-up, T. Joining our rock band?"

"Too many catfights over the s.e.xy male lead," Tess drawled back, taking up the whole backseat with a deceptively relaxed sprawl. "Not that it matters, of course, since I always win."

"Always?" Marlena raised an eyebrow at the challenge. What exactly did Tess mean by that remark? Did she mean Stash?

"Always, darling."

"And since when have you developed a liking for catfights?" Marlena didn't bother to curb the hint of temper in her voice. She was suddenly feeling very territorial.

Tess's smile gleamed in the semidarkness, feral and knowing, like a cat with a bird in mind. "Who said I had?"

"Then why get into one now?" Marlena countered.

"Darling, I'm not the one hissing."

"I want to know what you're up to, T. You know my reasons for working alone. Maybe your working within a group the last couple of years has influenced your decision making, but don't forget, this is still my contract."

Tess shifted position, twisting one of the rings on her finger. Her tone of voice was sleepy, as if she had heard all this before. "Who called me for information? I was perfectly content in New York, darling. Besides, you seem unhappy that I've found someone new to work with."

Marlena felt like baring her teeth and snarling. Instead she stared with narrowed eyes at Tess, trying to read her friend's devious mind. Tess's manipulating techniques were legendary among their peers, and Marlena had spent years fencing with her, but since Tess's stint with that group of men, she had gotten even worse. Or better, depending on where one was standing. It didn't matter. Tess was up to no good. Those half-closed slanted eyes shone with mischief.