Cat understood how significant Cam’s statement was. Getting Asia out of harm’s way was imperative to wrapping this up. Ordinarily, they wouldn’t hesitate to make an arrest with her close by, but her present condition made her too vulnerable. Cat was becoming more worried by the minute.
Damn it all to fuzzy bunny balls, Asia was always in control. She was also an experienced submissive—it was hard to imagine her not responding to the distinctive tone used by Doms. The Dark Desires training program for submissives was one of the most respected in the entire world. Asia once confided, the reason she’d chosen Dark Desires, despite the travel time visiting required, was because Master Cam personally designed the training protocols and oversaw their implementation.
“As soon as she’s clear, we’ll arrest Braun, then follow Israel and Asia to Boston on a later flight. Cam has agreed to secure the artifacts until Vienna and Cleveland return later tonight.” Catalina knew her brother and new sister-in-law weren’t supposed to be back until much later this evening, but her spidey sense told her they were going to make an appearance much earlier than anyone expected.
And we all know how rare it is for you to be wrong, sister.
She knew Israel wasn’t being entirely snarky—it was rare for her to misread her sixth sense. This time, she hoped she was wrong because the only thing worse than Braun seeing Vienna would be her fireball-throwing sister-in-law seeing Braun. Laughing to herself, Cat remembered how frustrated the blood-thirsty little witch had been when she’d been denied the opportunity to finish Braun off during the confrontation at Prairie Winds. Damn, I hope Vivi can teach me how to throw fireballs.
“Listen, asshat, stop worrying about me, and take your damned pictures.” Asia’s voice bounced around the inside of the warehouse, the words shocking the members of the team who didn’t know her well.
“Fucking hell.” Israel’s growled words seemed to come from inside her head as well as her comm, letting her know he was close to calling this charade to a screeching halt.
“Ms. Adler, I assure you it’s imperative I take my time. As I’ve said, you are welcome to be on your way, and I’ll secure the warehouse before leaving.” He surveyed the area with a haughty reserve so phony, Cat wanted to gag. Oh yeah, he was hoping like hell she would leave him there alone—there wouldn’t be anything left if he got his way. Unfortunately, whatever was going on with Asia was shredding her usual Ice Princess persona.
“Are you always this big an ass, Braun?” Catalina swore her heart stopped at Asia’s slip. The noise in her earbud was deafening as Cam, Cooper, and Israel all started shouting for Silas to haul her ass out. Braun roared with anger, his words so slurred by fury, Cat couldn’t make out what he was shouting.
Catalina watched Silas try to scoop Asia into his arms, but she was slapping at him with choppy movements, making her look like a reticent child. Good Goddess, how had this thing gone to hell so quickly?
“Stop that, Silas. I don’t care if Fried Extra Crispy here doesn’t like being called out. I was tired of pretending he was somebody important.” For the love of all things holy, Asia shut the fuck up. “Stop staring at me, Braun, you are a wart on a boil stuck on the ass of humanity. My only regret is Vivi didn’t finish what she started.” The object of Asia’s scorn was turning the most unique shade of plum Cat had ever seen on a human who wasn’t being strangled… or was he?
Rather than speaking, Braun seemed to be staggering back, unable to breathe. The hair on Cat’s arms stood on end a split second before a blinding flash of light lit up the warehouse so brilliantly, she hoped it hadn’t permanently damaged her eyes. What the ever-loving fiery hell? The distinctive pop of a handgun sounded before the dancing dots blocking Cat’s sight cleared.
When she could make out the figures standing in front of her, Cat realized she was surrounded by the entire team—and everyone was looking from Asia to the man lying on the floor, his sightless eyes staring at the ceiling.
“Take that, asshole. You hurt my family, lied about being the professor—who the hell knows what you did with him—and you pulled a knife on me, you duck plucking pussy. A knife for heaven’s sake. How rude. So, I shot you. Now, we’re even.” Those were the last words she spoke before her eyes slid closed, her knees collapsing out from under her. To Cat’s surprise, Asia fell into Franklin Cordesi’s waiting arms.
“Cara, what am I going to do with you?” Turning to Israel, Franklin continued. “I’ll teleport her to London. Give them a heads up we’ll be in her lab by the time your call goes through. And search the bloody bastard; hopefully, he’s carrying information about whatever his associate put into her drink on the plane.” Cat watched in awe as a silvery mist surrounded the two for a few seconds before the sparkling molecules swirled in a tightening spiral until there was nothing left but an echo of energy. Staring at the empty space where her sister had been cradled in Franklin’s arms a few heartbeats earlier, all she could do was shake her head. Un-flick-fracking-believable. Wait. What the hell did he just say?
“Better make that call, Is. You know how London hates having her agenda messed with.” Cooper’s voice cut through the brain fog Cat was battling as she tried to make sense of what she’d just witnessed. She felt him close the distance between them before he pulled her back against his chest. Cooper wrapped his arm around her in a move so intimately familiar, it melted the last remnants of fear she was still harboring from what had taken place.
“Almost as much as she hates people stopping by her lab unannounced—and this is going to be as unannounced as it comes.” Cat’s response elicited a chuckle from the man holding her close, the vibration seemed to shatter the last bit of starch in her spine, and she folded.
“I’ve got you, Princess. Always.” Cat let her eyes drift closed as the adrenaline crash rolled over her. I just need a minute. Even as the words moved through her mind, Cat knew she was lying to herself.
Franklin arrived just as Braun pulled a knife from the sheath inside his coat. The split second it had taken him to cast a spell had been too long—even in her compromised state, Asia had been ahead of him. She’d pulled a small-caliber pistol from her sleeve, taken one shot, and eliminated a man the devil himself had been avoiding. While Franklin was grateful the threat to Asia, Catalina, and Vienna’s safety had been eliminated, he’d hoped Braun would help them locate Professor Lindy. All the team had turned up so far was a bloody handprint belonging to Braun in the academic’s apartment.
Asia stirred in his arms, but he tightened his hold. Teleporting was a disorienting experience if you weren’t accustomed to the molecular changes and speed-of-light movement. The remarkable woman in his arms was at an even greater disadvantage because he was holding her in his arms. The horizontal position would slow her recovery, but he’d needed to move her quickly and couldn’t resist holding her in his arms. Hell, he’d needed the reassurance she was all right after the damned scare she’d given him.
The mist around them cleared, and Franklin smiled at London. When he’d first met her, she had been a target for the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies. Her research had been rapidly closing in on the truth about vaccines the corporate empires had been desperate to keep hidden. London had been closing in on the final pieces of the puzzle, exposing not only their attempts to keep known cures hidden but their plan to program individuals for future illnesses as well. He’d been hired to recruit her, but his focus had quickly changed.