Price had sent his personal a.s.sistant with two of his best security guards to sift through the remains of Denise's belongings and pack up whatever could be saved. He intended to surprise her tonight with what they'd found. His a.s.sistant a.s.sured him they'd recovered over half of Denise's wardrobe, quite a few undamaged books and a box full of pictures and other knick-knacks that hadn't been harmed. He hoped having some of her own things would make the move to his place easier for her.

Gunner picked up his laptop and suitcase. He'd stow his stuff in the trunk and the driver would deliver it to Price's house. "Sort of looking forward to seeing how the other half lives, Price. It's been a real hards.h.i.+p for me these past thirty-two years, brus.h.i.+ng my own teeth and wiping my own a.s.s. Looking forward to handing the task over to one of your umpteen thousand servants. Not going to lie. I've harbored more than a few French-maid fantasies."

Price grinned while Denise slapped Gunner on the arm. "Watch it, hotshot. The Grand Master said no straying."

Gunner winked at her and grabbed her a.s.s. "Deni, with you in my bed, do you really think I'd have the energy to cheat? Not to sound cra.s.s, but my c.o.c.k is sore from three straight days of f.u.c.king you. I'm going to have to go back to D.C. just to recover."

Price didn't admit it, but he felt the same way. They'd been insatiable.

Gunner tickled Denise, making her laugh. Only three days in and Price suspected Gunner was well on his way to becoming his best friend. Price didn't usually trust others easily. He could count on one hand the number of close friends he'd had in his lifetime. Typically, money got in the way. Price had been born with several silver spoons in his mouth. As a result, he'd met more than his fair share of fortune-seekers, men-and women-who'd offered friends.h.i.+p and then held out their hands for more.

Gunner didn't seem impressed by Price's wealth. Instead, he'd actually begun to tease Price about it, good-natured ribbing. Price realized Gunner was one of those rare people who had a knack for looking straight into someone's soul and seeing them for who they really were. No doubt it made him a crack FBI agent.

But it also made him a good person. Gunner had dug beneath Denise's eccentricities and offered her friends.h.i.+p at a time when she didn't have anyone. Now, he had done the same for Price. He'd burrowed beneath the tough-guy exterior and accepted Price's need for control, his overzealous desire to run the show. Gunner had been willing to follow his lead at first, averting what could have turned into a nasty p.i.s.sing contest.

However, time was proving Gunner had just as many-if not more-alpha qualities as he did. Price suspected Gunner had swallowed some of his own pride initially to make things easier for Denise. For that, Gunner had earned Price's unwavering respect and admiration.

They may have come from different backgrounds, but they had one definite commonality-to love and protect Denise. That goal strengthened the bond between them.

"Come on." They grabbed their stuff and left the hotel room. Price squinted at the bright sunlight when they hit the street and it occurred to him he hadn't been outside since the day of the introduction ceremony. Some honeymoon, he thought with a grin.

Roman opened the door as they approached the limo. Price gave his driver instructions and then he joined his partners inside.

"One of these days we're going to have to initiate the limo," Gunner said, running his hands along the cool leather seat.

"Another fantasy?" Denise asked.

He nodded. "h.e.l.l, yeah. I've had a thousand fantasies about you these past few years, Deni. Looking forward to making them a reality."

"Really? Fantasies about me?"

Price shook his head. Denise still struggled to accept they were both unquestionably attracted to her. He wondered how long it would take before she became self-confident with her looks, her s.e.x appeal. She may have come to their relations.h.i.+p a virgin, but in three days she'd shed her inhibitions in the bedroom, unleas.h.i.+ng a wild side that took them all by surprise.

"Yep. Lots of them. I've imagined us on the beach, in a limo, in the bathroom of some ritzy restaurant, too h.o.r.n.y to wait until we get home. I've even pictured me bending you over that counter in your lab and burying myself inside you from behind."

Denise squeezed her legs together, obviously affected by Gunner's descriptions.

Unfortunately, they had the opposite effect on Price. "No s.e.x without me." He wasn't sure where the words had come from, but he didn't like the idea of Denise and Gunner finding their pleasure if he wasn't there as well. They would be alone for hours in the lab today and, if the past three days were any indication, it would be d.a.m.n near impossible for them to keep their hands off each other. The request was unreasonable, impractical. Undeniable.

Gunner narrowed his eyes, studying Price's face. There was no way Price could soften his features, take away the threat he was certain his new friend could see there. "You realize I'm returning to D.C. in two days. There's no telling how long it'll be before I can come back to Boston. Is this really a line in the sand you want to draw?"

Price considered what he would be giving up. Gunner would expect the same promise from him in return. He knew that. Even so, he couldn't let go of the feeling that it would be wrong for him to sleep with Denise without Gunner there. Maybe it would fade with time, but for now...

"I'm sure."

Gunner's frown disappeared, replaced by his usual pleasant smile. "Good. I feel the same way."

"So do I," Deni whispered.

Gunner leaned his head against the back of the seat. "d.a.m.n. I'm afraid we're all in for some long nights."

"And cold showers," Price added.

"I don't know about that. Let's face it. You're both going to jack off, so I think I might expand on my masturbating skills. Maybe buy myself a vibrator." Denise's face reflected pure mischief. She obviously took joy in taunting them, proud of her ability to make such a dirty joke without blus.h.i.+ng.

Price pulled her closer, cupping her face firmly in his hands. "No toys."

"What? No way. That's not fair."

"Fingers are one thing, Denise, but you're not using any toys to get yourself off."

She frowned and it took all the strength Price had not to laugh. G.o.d, they'd unleashed a s.e.x maniac. And she was all theirs. She didn't reply. Price watched as her mind searched for some loophole. He was becoming accustomed to her long lapses into silence. Denise was a thinker who struggled to put things into words. He could only a.s.sume that came from being an only child and spending years alone without friends her own age.

"Denise. Promise me."

"I was sort of hoping to try a vibrator. I wanted to see what it felt like."

Price grinned. "Fair enough. We'll buy one and use it on you tonight."

Her face brightened. "Really?"

Gunner groaned. "You two are going to have to stop talking or we're going to have to instruct your driver to take a few dozen laps around the block while we take care of this."

Price glanced at the obvious erection in Gunner's pants. Nice to know he wasn't alone in his arousal. They'd all come no more than two hours ago and already Price felt restless, hungry, h.o.r.n.y.

He'd been wrong to demand that they limit their s.e.xual interludes to times when they were all there.

"We're here." Denise reached for her messenger bag as the limo pulled up outside her work. "I'm going to have a terrible time explaining why I'm arriving at work in such style."

Price grabbed her when she s.h.i.+fted, pulling her onto his lap. He gave her a long, hard kiss, hoping it would encourage her to wrap up her work early. "I'll be here to pick you up at five."

She nodded, her lips puffy from so much kissing. She didn't appear to mind. "Okay. Five."

Gunner chuckled. "d.a.m.n. We're seeing a major breakthrough here. Deni's not fighting us for more lab time."

She smirked at Gunner and then cupped Price's cheek in a way that couldn't be described as anything less than genuine affection. No one had ever touched Price that way.

She smiled sadly. "I'll miss you today."

Price swallowed heavily, touched by her admission. "Ditto, beauty."

Roman opened the door and Gunner and Denise got out. Price watched as they walked into the lab, then sighed and rested his head against the seat. The limo had traveled nearly ten blocks before Price realized he was grinning like a d.a.m.n fool, a lovesick smile plastered on his face.

The Grand Master would have a field day when he found out Price was falling in love with the quirky little scientist.

Time to get his head back in the game. He rarely missed work, so he could only imagine the pile of paperwork he'd have to wade through today. Somehow he'd put Denise and Gunner out of his mind. Eight hours. Surely he could do that.

He glanced at his watch. Or maybe he'd call and talk them into meeting him for lunch. Four hours. Price suspected that was the most he'd be able to manage.

Four hours.

"Listen, I think we could sit here for hours debating the worthiness of-"

Price stopped talking when his personal a.s.sistant opened the door of the boardroom and waved to him.

"Yes, Bridget?"

"I'm very sorry to interrupt you, but there's an urgent call on line one."

Price frowned. Bridget knew better than to disrupt a meeting with the stockholders. "Bridget-"

"It's from a Gunner Wells with the FBI. He insisted. Wouldn't take no for an answer."

Price's chest tightened. Denise.

He stood quickly. "If you gentlemen will excuse me."

A couple of men nodded, while he read the curiosity on more than a few faces. No doubt they were dying to know why an FBI agent was calling him with an urgent message. They'd just have to wonder. Price had no answers to give them.

He walked to his office quickly, shut the door, picked up the phone and pressed line one. "Gunner?"

"I know you're in the middle of a big-a.s.s meeting, but you might want to get over here. Curtis has been shot."

"f.u.c.k. Where's Denise?"

"She's fine, but she found him. She's pretty shaken up."

"I'll be right there." Price didn't bother to ask for details. He'd get them once he was sure Denise was okay. He pulled his CFO out of the boardroom and told him he'd have to finish the meeting. Fortunately, he had a good man in place. The CFO simply nodded and said he'd handle it. Then he gave his personal a.s.sistant instructions to cancel the rest of his appointments for the day. He called for Roman to meet him in front of the building as he headed for the elevator.

He drummed his fingers on his knee during the return trip to the lab. He'd been an idiot to think the threat against Denise wasn't real. His gut had told him she was in serious danger, but he'd let Denise and that d.a.m.n FBI agent, Young, convince him it wasn't as bad as he feared.

His heart raced as he considered what this shooting meant. In his rush to get to Denise, he hadn't even asked if poor Curtis was okay. Price hoped so. It was obvious Denise thought the world of the young man. She'd be devastated if he was killed.

He leapt from the limousine as soon as Roman pulled up to the curb, not bothering to wait for his driver to open the door. "Stay close," he instructed the man.

If he felt like there was still a looming danger, he'd hustle Denise out of the building and to his house. He made a mental note to call his butler and inform the man to beef up security around the property.

He was met at the door by a police officer, who started to turn him away.

"It's okay, Officer Riley. I called Price."

The officer stepped aside as Gunner approached. Obviously Gunner had been flas.h.i.+ng his FBI credentials around.

Together, they walked toward Denise's office as Gunner quickly filled him in. Apparently, Denise had begun checking her trials as soon as they hit the lab. She'd spent almost an hour going over Curtis's findings and filling Gunner in on her work. Then Gunner had set up his laptop, settling down to work while Denise borrowed his phone to call Curtis, concerned about the man's tardiness.

That was when they heard Curtis's phone ringing in Denise's office. The door had been closed when they'd arrived and Denise hadn't bothered to open it. When they entered the room, they discovered Curtis lying on Denise's cot, a pool of blood beneath him.

Mercifully, the man was still alive, but barely. No one was exactly sure how much time had pa.s.sed between the shooting and Denise finding him, but he'd lost a lot of blood.

The ambulance had already left for the hospital, and Gunner said Denise was chomping at the bit to follow. Unfortunately, the lab director and the Boston City Police department had lots of questions for her.

Price paused at the doorway of Denise's lab. She was sitting in a chair, her shoulders slouched, her face pale. He longed to take her in his arms, to hold and console her, but to do so would expose them to too much gossip and supposition. They'd agreed that Gunner would be her boyfriend, Price a benevolent, eccentric friend.

"Deni." Gunner knelt beside her, taking her hand. "Price is here."

Denise looked over and, for a moment, he feared she'd forget her role as her eyes lit up. Gunner must have shared his concern because Price noticed how the other man tightened his grip.

Denise gave him a friendly smile. "It was, um, nice of you to come over."

Price winked covertly and then turned to the police officer questioning her. "I'm Price Bennett," he said, offering his hand to the man.

Then he shook the lab director's hand. The man's eyes widened with recognition and a bit of awe. Price came from one of the oldest families in Boston. The Bennett name was well known in the area as several public buildings were named in honor of various members of his ancestry, including a dorm on campus. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bennett. Your family's reputation precedes you, as they've provided countless support to our school and facility. I wish we were meeting under better circ.u.mstances." Even if the man wondered why Price was there, he had the good grace not to ask. "I need to talk to the security guard on duty last night, make sure he hasn't gone home yet. The police want to question him next. Please excuse me."

Price turned back to the police officer after the lab director left. "Lieutenant Miller?" he asked, glancing at the man's badge.

"That's right. Miller."

While Price didn't want to insult the man, he needed to know the police department could handle this case competently. "I a.s.sume you've requested the security surveillance videos? Issued an order to search for the weapon?"

The officer nodded and gestured to Gunner. "He did all that before we arrived." The man's tone let him know he wasn't happy to have to deal with the FBI...and now the CEO of Bennett Securities.

"Very good."

Gunner rose, releasing Denise's hand. "I can tell you now that I suspect the police will find precious little on those videos. There aren't any cameras connected to this corridor and none pointing toward two side entrances. Only the front door is covered."

"s.h.i.+t," Price muttered.

Gunner raised his hand. "However, the side doors are locked. People can only enter those with a fob, and that information is logged into a computer. I've requested a list of people who used their fobs yesterday and this morning."

"You still don't have any idea when the shooting actually occurred?" Price asked.

Gunner shook his head. "The nearest the EMT could guess was somewhere after two a.m. Maybe the doctors at the hospital can give us a better estimate."

Denise looked at him, tears br.i.m.m.i.n.g in the corners of her eyes. "The EMT said if we hadn't found him when we did, he would have died from blood loss."

Price couldn't stand it anymore. Trinity Masters be d.a.m.ned. He walked over and helped her stand, wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Denise."

Lieutenant Miller cleared his throat. "Agent Wells said that Dr. Parker's apartment was broken into a few nights ago?"

Price released Denise but kept his hand on her back, offering her support. "That's right."

"And there was a bomb recovered from the scene?"

Denise sighed. "I've already told you all this. Can I please go to the hospital?"

The police officer looked from Gunner to Price. Price could read the confusion and frustration in his eyes. Obviously he was struggling to figure out the group dynamics of the three people in the room and he suspected they knew more than they were saying.

"If you discover you have any more questions for Denise, you can reach her at my place." Price handed the man his business card.