I Spy a Dark Obsession

“No, but he’s an amateur.”

“How so?”

“Other than the fact that I’m alive with barely a scratch? He thought he was taking out a cop. Demanded to be read his rights.” Bastian gave a short laugh and winced, holding his ribs. “Imagine his surprise to learn we don’t exist, and now neither does he.”

Michael tapped a finger over his lips thoughtfully. “So, not only is Dietz resorting to amateur hit men, but he’s withholding crucial details. He’s letting his emotions rule, and since we broke up his small army, he’s getting desperate.”

Bastian agreed. “Before, his goal was the money and power he’d gain from selling the stolen bomb. With those stripped from him, his only goal is revenge. Which makes him even more dangerous.”

Katrina couldn’t help the shiver that crawled up her spine. “Sounds like you two ought to keep a low profile until Dietz is neutralized.”

“That’s exactly what we don’t want to do,” Michael said. “If he can’t get to us, we can’t get to him, either. We need to lure him out of his hole, and that means being seen.”

“With backup always on standby,” Bastian clarified.

Made sense, but she didn’t like it. Problem was, she couldn’t tell them what to do. They weren’t her men, as much as she wished differently. Even if they were, she silently amended, she still wouldn’t be able to order them around.

“Knock, knock.” They all looked to see Emma standing in the doorway, concern marring her attempt to appear chipper. “A great big birdie named Blaze told me that our fearless CEO almost got his ass killed. You okay?”

“Not even close, and I’m fine,” Bastian muttered. Sitting up, he swung his legs off the bed. “That’s it. Somebody tell McKay to sign my papers. I’m going to my office, changing my shirt, and getting some work done like I’d planned to do all along.”

“You’re going home,” Michael ordered.

“No, I’m not.” Bastian glared back at his friend, and then addressed the room in general. “In fact, I’m having a drink or three after work, if anyone cares to join me. I’ve earned it.”

“Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re not going to feel like going out tonight,” their boss insisted. “Wait until tomorrow and we’ll see if you’re up to it.”

Emma cleared her throat. “I have an idea.” Once she had everyone’s undivided attention, she continued. “Katrina and I had plans to have a few drinks tomorrow after work, but in light of this morning’s attempt on Bastian, my overprotective man has strictly forbidden me to go out without him escorting me.”

This came as no surprise to Katrina, or anyone else in the room, she figured. Just weeks ago, Dietz had kidnapped Emma and held her hostage when he escaped from one of SHADO’s prison cells. The bastard had intended to kill her before Blaze and some other agents located and rescued her. Emma posed no more threat to Dietz and he had no reason to harm her now, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t, given how unstable Michael and Bastian believed he’d become.

“What do you have in mind?” Michael asked curiously.

Emma went on. “A group outing with the five of us — me, Blaze, Katrina, and you two. I know Blaze will be fine with going, and I’m pretty sure Katrina won’t mind having two gorgeous dates.”

“Mind? Are you kidding?” Katrina teased. “With these guys along, I’m more than capable of amusing myself if you guys get… occupied.”

Emma grinned. “Great. It’ll be fun! If Bastian is feeling up to it by then, that is.”

“I don’t know…” Michael began.

“I’m in,” Bastian said. His smile lit the small room. He smacked his friend on the arm. “Come on, don’t be such a stick in the mud. We’ll have a great time.”

“Some of us more than others.” The glare Michael shot his friend could have stripped paint off a car.

Bastian seemed puzzled for a moment, then his face flushed. “You’ll have a blast, I promise.”

Emma glanced between the two men, a hint of a smirk teasing her lips. “Guaranteed, or your money back.”

Apparently, Bastian got the comment, but Katrina was lost. If she didn’t get some answers soon about the strange tension between her bosses, she’d scream.

“I, for one, would adore having two hot men on my arm,” Katrina couldn’t resist saying. Bastian’s eyes twinkled as he grinned at her, and Michael gave her a long, searching look, as though he’d never seen her before. As a woman. Awareness touched all her nerve endings with delicious heat.

“Fine, I’ll come,” Michael said, relenting. “A regular club, though, not Blaze’s D/s hangout. I don’t think the rest of us are into the public scene.” Everyone nodded in agreement, and Emma laughed.

“I’ll let him know. How about eight o’clock, drinks and dancing at Daddy’s Money?”

“Um, the crowd there is kind of young. How about Shakers?” Michael asked the group, and no one seemed to care.

Emma hugged Bastian, careful not to squeeze too hard. “Don’t overdo it, and get some rest, okay? See you later.”

After she was gone, Michael turned his attention back to his friend. “You still insist on staying?”

“Yep. I’m good.” He stood and walked around a bit to demonstrate, his movements stiff but basically functioning near normal. At least on the surface.

“You’re going to be really sore by tomorrow,” Michael observed. “Maybe too much to dance.”

His friend shrugged. “We’ll see. If nothing else, I’ll watch. But I’m not about to stay home like Cinderella while you guys shake your booties.”

“You mean Cinderfella.”

“You are such an asswipe.”

Katrina chuckled, following them out of the hospital area as they continued to bicker like a couple of old men. Beneath all the bluster was a real love that shone through between them, something she wasn’t sure they even realized. And she wanted in on that, however possible. Maybe it wasn’t going to happen, but bad odds had never stopped her from trying.

Their “date” couldn’t get here fast enough.

Five hundred miles away, Robert Dietz paced the dingy motel room, hands clenched into fists to still their trembling. Rage, his ever-present companion these past few weeks, slithered under his skin and expanded, threatening to split him wide open.

It was almost a separate entity, demanding retribution for the empire he’d held so briefly in his hands and lost.

No, it wasn’t lost, as one would lose a wallet or a set of car keys. It was taken by Michael Ross. Starched, uptight Michael. Patriot, law-abiding citizen, everybody’s fucking hero. No shades of gray in his narrow world, no room in his tiny brain to understand that sometimes greatness could be achieved only by veering off the path.

Three bullets at point-blank range should’ve killed the bastard. By the time I’m done screwing with him, he’ll wish they had.

Maggie’s death had been a good start. Robert should’ve been more patient, played with Michael longer before reaching for the prize. Nothing for it except to rectify that mistake, starting with Bastian Chevalier.

A key scraped in the lock and he spun to see Tio enter, shutting the door behind him. “Well?” he demanded. “What’s the word?”

The big, ugly Mexican shook his head. “Our man failed. He’s in custody at SHADO, and Chevalier hardly got a scratch on him.”

“Goddammit!” The rage exploded, and he swept the lamp and phone from the top of the nearby desk. They hit the floor with a clatter and he stood panting, hands braced on the surface. He needed to destroy something vital, but he was neutered, stuck here in this shithole, hundreds of miles from his target and depending on imbeciles to do his job.

At least he had the money to pay them, thanks to bounty from false investments funneled into his account by