Bane. BRENDA JACKSON
guys said craziness might start happening and—”
Bane frowned. “What guys?”
“Last month while I was eating lunch at a restaurant near work, I was approached by two government men. They showed me credentials to prove it. They knew about the project I’m working on at Seton and said Homeland Security was concerned about my research getting into the wrong hands. They offered me a chance to work for the government at some lab in DC, along with two other chemists who’re working on similar research.”
“And?”
“I turned them down. They accepted my answer, but warned me that there were people out there with criminal intent who would do just about anything to get their hands on my research. They gave me their business card and told me to call them if any craziness happened.”
“Have you called them?”
“No. After reading the note I wasn’t sure who I could trust. At this point that includes Homeland Security.”
“Do you still have the business card those guys gave you?”
“Yes.”
“May I see it?”
“Yes.” She reached for her purse again. She handed the card to him and watched him study it before snapping several pictures of it with his mobile phone.
“What are you doing?”
He glanced over at her. “Verifying those guys are who they say they are. I’m sending this to someone who can do that for me.” He then handed her back the card. “Just what kind of research are you working on?”
She paused a moment before saying. “Obscured Reality, or OR as it’s most often called.”
“Obscured Reality?”
She nodded. “Yes. It’s the ability to make objects invisible.”
Bane lifted a brow. “Did you say your research was finding a way to make objects invisible?”
“Yes. Although it hasn’t been perfected yet, it won’t be long before I perform the first test.”
Because he was a SEAL, Bane was aware of advances in technology that most people didn’t know about, especially when it came to advanced weapons technology. But he’d never considered that objects could become invisible to the naked eye. He could imagine the chaos it would cause if such a thing fell into the wrong hands.
“And you think this note is legit?” he asked.
“If I doubted it before, that phone call pretty much proved otherwise. That’s why I’m leaving.”
He nodded. “And that’s why I’m going with you.”
She shook her head. “You can’t go with me, Bane, and I don’t have time to argue with you about it. I need to get to the airport.”
Argue?
It suddenly dawned on him that in all the years he and Crystal had been together, mostly sneaking around to do so, they’d never argued. They had always been of one accord, always in sync with their thoughts, plans and ideas. The very concept of them not agreeing about something just couldn’t compute with him. Of course it would be logical not to be in complete harmony since they were different people now.
Even so, him going with her was not up for discussion.
“How were you planning to get to the airport? Drive?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No. I was going to call a cab and leave my car here.”
“Then, I will take you. We can talk some more on the way.”
“Okay, let me close up everything. Won’t take but a second.”
His gaze followed her movements as she went from room to room turning off lights and unplugging electrical items. Her movements were swift, yet sexy as hell and his body responded to them. She’d always had a cute shape, but this grown-up Crystal was rocking curves like he couldn’t believe.
Earlier she had asked how he’d maintained his sanity without sex. He wondered how she’d maintained hers. They had enjoyed each other and he was convinced the only reason she hadn’t gotten pregnant was because when it came to her, he’d always been responsible. A teenage pregnancy was something neither of them had needed to deal with.
She leaned down to pick up something off the floor and the way the denim stretched across her shapely backside sent heat rushing through him. He drew in a deep breath. Now was not the time to think about how hot his wife was. What should be consuming his mind was finding out the identity of the person responsible for her fleeing her home. Whoever was messing with her would definitely have to deal with him.
“At least I’m going where there’s plenty of sunshine.”
His brow furrowed. Did she honestly think there was sunshine in Chicago this time of the year? She met his gaze and he knew from the uh-oh look on her face that she’d unintentionally let that slip.
He was reminded now that although they’d never argued, they had lied quite a few times. But never to each other. Mainly the fibs had been for their families. They’d gotten good at it, although Dillon would catch Bane in his lies more often than not.
Crossing the room, Bane stopped in front of her. “You lied to me about where you’re going, didn’t you?”
She took a deep breath and he could hear the beats of her heart. They were coming fast and furious. Bane wasn’t sure whether her heart was pounding because he was confronting her about the lie or because his nearness unnerved her like hers did him. Even when he should be upset about her lying to him, all he wanted to do was lean in closer and taste her again.
“Yes, I lied. I’m not going to Chicago but to the Bahamas. But when I lied about it, it was for your own good.”
“For my own good?” he repeated as if making sure he’d heard her right.
“Yes. In the past I was the reason you got into trouble. Now you’re a SEAL and I won’t be responsible for you getting into more trouble on my account.”
He stared at her. Didn’t she know whatever he’d done in the past had been of his own free will? During those days he would have done anything to be with her. There was no way he could have stayed away as her father had demanded. Her parents hadn’t even given them a chance just because Bane’s last name was Westmoreland. Although Carl Newsome had claimed Bane’s age had been the major factor, Bane often wondered if that was true.
Everyone knew how much he’d loved Crystal. Members of his family had thought he was insane, and in a way he had been. Insanely in love. Hadn’t his brother Riley even told him once that no man should love any female that much? Bane wondered if Riley was singing that same tune now that he was married to Alpha. Bane doubted it. All it took was to see his brother and Alpha together to know Riley now understood how deeply a man could love a woman.
“Crystal?” he said, trying to keep his voice on a serious note because he knew she actually believed what she’d said. “Stop thinking you’re the reason I was such a badass back in the day. When I met you I was already getting into trouble with the law. After I hooked up with you, I actually got in less trouble.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s not the way I remember it.”
“You remember it the way your parents wanted you to remember it. Yes, I deliberately defied your father whenever he tried keeping us apart, but it wasn’t as if I was a gangster or anything.”
A smile curved his lips as he continued, “At least not after meeting you. With you I was on my best behavior. You even nailed the reason I behaved that way. You’re the one who pointed out it had everything to do with the loss of my parents and aunt and uncle in