With any luck, Gunner and Price would sleep a while longer. She knew what she was doing was dangerous, but she needed to get back to the lab. Her heart raced as she grabbed the keycard and headed for the door to the hallway. If she could just make it to the lab safely, she'd talk to the director about beefing up security. G.o.d, she would never do anything so stupid if she weren't at such a vital place in her research, but it couldn't be helped. She needed to go.

She opened the door and then gasped, jumping back. Price leaned on the doorframe.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes. "Work."

He shook his head. "Bad girl."

"Dammit, Price, I told you last night I needed-"

"I told you," Price interrupted, "that you're not going anywhere for the next couple days. And after that, you're not walking around without either Gunner or me with you. Someone is trying to kill you, Denise."

She rolled her eyes and tried to play off what she knew was a real and present threat. "Don't be dramatic. Everything so far has just been scare tactics, nothing more."

Price scowled and walked into her room, pus.h.i.+ng her farther in with each step.

Yeah. That didn't work.

Price closed the door behind him but didn't stop until he'd backed her against the bed. Deni, unable to retreat any more, sat. Price towered over her.

"I hardly call a bomb a scare tactic. It was a serious threat, and if you refuse to treat it as such, then perhaps Gunner and I need to change our approach toward protecting you."

She didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"If you refuse to cooperate, we're going to have to treat you as subordinate. A captive."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Actually we would." Gunner's voice startled her, coming from the door that connected to the rest of the suite. Somehow he'd unlocked it.

"Take off your clothes, Denise."

Her gaze flew back to Price. "What?"

"Get undressed. Now."

There was a hard, demanding edge to his voice that left no doubt in Deni's mind she would be finis.h.i.+ng this conversation naked. "Why?"

Gunner walked into the room. "Deni. Do it now."

She struggled to understand the compulsion that had her reaching for the hem of her T-s.h.i.+rt. She'd never had problems with people in positions of authority. h.e.l.l, she'd been at the mercy of others for most of her career-the lab director, the executive committee who controlled much of what her facility did, colleagues with seniority, research lobbyist, politicians. She played the game in order to protect her research.

But this was different. Wasn't it?

"We're losing her again."

Gunner's comment captured her attention and she realized she'd frozen in the middle of pulling off her s.h.i.+rt, baring herself only to her midriff.

"Does she do that a lot?" Price asked.

Gunner grinned and nodded. "Our Deni's a thinker. One of these days, I'm hoping she'll start sharing some of those deep thoughts out loud instead of disappearing into her head."

Deni pulled her s.h.i.+rt back down. Price scowled and made a deep sound of disapproval. "Wrong way."

"Why do you want me to take my clothes off?" Deni didn't have problems following orders if the reasons why they were issued were explained to her.

"Gunner's going to take your outfit and hide it."

Price's answer confused her even more. "Why would he do that?"

"You can't leave the hotel room if you're naked. Given your attempt to escape this morning, this seems the easiest way to ensure your compliance. Plus, it provides some eye candy for Gunner and me."

Deni was mortified. "You don't seriously expect me to walk around this hotel room completely nude all day, do you?"

Price reached for her T-s.h.i.+rt and stripped it over her head with ease. "Yes. I do."

Gunner had moved forward during their conversation and was kneeling behind where she sat on the bed. He made quick work of her bra and added it to the pile.

Topless, Deni covered her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with one hand while trying to fend off her lovers with the other.

Gunner grasped her and wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from using her hands. When Price reached for the b.u.t.ton on her jeans, she kicked out, her last-ditch attempt.

Price sidestepped her kick easily, then pinned her legs to the side of the bed with his. Once he'd unfastened her pants, Gunner lifted her slightly to allow Price to tug them and her panties off. The entire disrobing had taken less than a minute.

She was completely outnumbered. "I think it's only fair that you two take off your clothes too."

Gunner chuckled. "No. We're not trying to escape."

She twisted, trying to break his hold. "What if I get cold?"

"We'll crank up the heat." Gunner released her, but her freedom was short-lived. Price leaned forward. Deni resisted the urge to back away from his angry face.

Last night, he'd been kind, even sweet in his own way. Today she was facing the man she'd met in her lab. He was irritated, scowling, looking far too serious.

Before she could move, a knock sounded on the door in the living suite.

"That will be breakfast. Price and I ordered room service. I'll get it." Gunner stood, gathered her clothing and started to leave her room. He stopped at the doorway. "Unless you'd prefer to sign for it, Deni."

She smirked at his joke and he laughed, mercifully shutting the door behind him. Standing naked in front of Gunner and Price was one thing. She didn't intend to offer a peep show to every hotel employee as well.

She released a slow breath and then glanced up. Price hadn't moved. Maybe she should have signed for the food. That task would have been simpler than facing Price.

While Gunner had taken her attempt to leave in stride, Price was genuinely furious.

"I'm sorry." She wasn't sure what else to say. She hated it when people were mad at her.

Price sat on the bed next to her. "Do you understand the purpose of the Trinity Masters?"

Deni nodded. "Of course I do. The vision is that there's power in three. By forming triads, the Grand Master hopes to build strong relations.h.i.+ps that will lead to the success of our country and humankind. The Trinity Masters have been instrumental in influencing the continued development of technology, education, the military and medicine."

"That's right." Price took her hand. "You're special, Denise."

She frowned. She'd heard that line too often in her lifetime. Sometimes it was a compliment. Most of the time it wasn't. She rolled her eyes. "Great."

He tightened his grip, squeezing her fingers in a way she a.s.sumed was meant to soothe her. "I don't mean that as an insult."

"I'm sure you don't, but I'm pretty sick of hearing it just the same." She mimicked her younger self. "Why can't I go to third grade with my friends?" Then she adopted her mother's voice. "Because you're special, Deni. Why can't I go to summer camp instead of taking a college cla.s.s? Because you're special."

Deni threw her hands up, flopping back on the mattress. "I'm f.u.c.king sick of being special. I just want to be normal."

Price lay down next to her and rested his hand on her bare stomach. Just like that, Deni went from p.i.s.sed off to turned on. She never would have pegged herself as a s.e.xual creature, but Price and Gunner had certainly ignited something inside her, and she didn't see it burning out any time soon.

"There's no one in the entire world who's normal, Denise. We're all just our own brand of unique."

"So why do you think I'm special?"

"It's never apparent why the Grand Master partners people up immediately, but he does have a plan."

Deni hadn't had time to consider why the Grand Master had thrust Gunner and Price into her life. All she knew was she was glad he had. "What do you think his plan is for us?"

Price lifted one shoulder. "I'm not sure where Gunner fits in, but I think my role is to protect you."

Deni didn't think that sounded like much of a power match. "That seems flimsy."

He turned to face her, his upper body propped up by his elbow. "Not really. I genuinely believe you're going to make a difference in the world with your research. Tell me about the studies you do. What's your long-term goal?"

"To find a cure for neurological disorders. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS. We're still a long way away from that, but I really believe that we'll get there."

He nodded. "And the way there is through stem-cell research?"

"Yes, as well as through epigenetics."

Price lifted his shoulder. "I've never heard of that."

"Epigenetics is a fairly new and potentially invaluable field of research that looks at genes as being switches. Meaning they can be turned on and off by both environmental and chemical signals. Epigenetic gene control is a likely culprit for the causes of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The human genome was sequenced in 2003, but the human epigenome is an even larger feat. Even so, it holds huge promise."

"And people are against that?"

Deni sighed. "There are some people who are against the use of human embryos in stem-cell research. Period. Then there are some pro-lifers who think we should only use adult stem cells. It all lies with when a person sees life beginning. At fertilization? Gastrulation? With the first organ derived from morphogenesis? The first twitch of a newly active cardiac cell?"

Price shook his head. "When did we stop speaking English?"

Deni laughed. "Basically what people fail to realize is that adult stem cells are only pluripotent. That means they can only differentiate into some but not all types of tissues. Researchers need totipotent cells, ones that can become any other cell in the body through chemical signaling. IPSC have their benefit, but they're expensive and hard to come by."

"IPSC?"

"Induced pluripotent stem cells."

"Where do the human embryos come from?"

"Lots of places, but mainly from in vitro clinics. They're embryos that have been stored too long or that are slated to be destroyed anyway."

Price ran his hand through her hair. "That sounds harmless enough."

Deni hadn't been touched much in her life and never like this. It made her feel hot and fuzzy and dizzy all at the same time. She cleared her throat and forced herself to pay attention to the conversation at hand.

"Let's face it, Price. There are a million different aspects of my research that have been debated endlessly. Lots of people are of the opinion that once a cell or tissue leaves your body, it isn't yours anymore. Look at Henrietta Lacks. She unknowingly gave up her cells in 1951 and they've been dividing her ever since. Her cells have played a role in the cure for polio as well as establis.h.i.+ng legal laws regarding the ethical treatment of prisoners. h.e.l.l, they've even been to the moon and back to study the effects of anti-gravity on cell division."

Price sighed. "So basically this is just yet another area where religion and science clash."

Deni nodded. "In a nutsh.e.l.l, I guess."

"And these threats against you are likely to remain as long as you continue your research?"

Deni closed her eyes wearily. "I don't think what's happening to me is normal. There are a lot of scientists in the same field who don't come home to destroyed apartments and bombs."

Price cupped her jaw, turned her toward him. She opened her eyes, touched by the concern written on his face.

"You've ticked off a dangerous person. My job is to protect. I sometimes wondered if I hadn't been partnered up in a triad because I didn't bring enough to the table."

"Don't be silly."

He grinned. "You're mine, Denise. You're brilliant, talented and pa.s.sionate. I'm going to keep you safe so that you can finish your work. Save the world."

She laughed. "Wow. No pressure there."

He kissed her.

"Must be nice to know your place in this relations.h.i.+p."

Price and Deni sat up at the sound of Gunner's voice. It was apparent he'd been standing in the doorway, listening. "Meanwhile, I don't have a clue why I'm here."

"Comic relief?" Price suggested.

Deni giggled and stood. "If I promise not to leave, can I at least get a T-s.h.i.+rt?"

Gunner and Price said, "No," in unison.

"Come on. Breakfast is getting cold." Gunner took Deni's hand and led her to the table where they'd eaten dinner last night. They each claimed the same seats, falling into comfortable patterns.

Would it always be this simple?

Deni suspected not. There were still too many bridges to cross. "What do we tell people about us?"

Price paused in the middle of b.u.t.tering a croissant. "It's imperative that we keep the true nature of our relations.h.i.+p a secret."

Deni took a sip of orange juice. "I know. So how do we explain the three of us living together in your house?"