“I gotcha. Can we get it?”
Wyatt nodded.
“Let’s go in the back and leave these guys to their fun.” Charley squeezed Wyatt’s hand. They moved through to the office.
“May I?” Wyatt shifted to the computer.
Cael waved him forward.
“Huh.”
“Huh what?” Charley sidled closer to him.
“I asked Sheila to get the recording from my tap, but she didn’t send it. Let me call her.” He pulled out his cell. “That’s weird.”
“What is?” Charley’s massage of his shoulders leeched tension from him.
“She didn’t answer. Probably busy. I’ll pull it myself.”
Screen after screen of remote login access to the FBI passed before them. The keys clicked faster, slowing for a moment as a new screen loaded before his fingers sped up again.
James walked into the room and around, crowding in with Charley and Cael. “You’ve got a bug on all our phones?”
“I figured that was safer than only picking Charley’s.” Wyatt didn’t turn to look at him. “There’s one on mine, now, too.”
Charley cocked her head at James. “How did you know?”
He tapped his temple.
She rolled her eyes back at him.
“And I was right to do it, wasn’t I?” Wyatt continued his search and scan.
James snorted.
Cael slid closer as if to scan the list of calls, too. “That’s weird.”
“It is.” Wyatt shook his head. “It’s like it doesn’t exist. Probably just a recording error. I’ll have Sheila check in with the phone company.”
James laid an arm on the top of the flat-screen monitor’s case. “So, combined with Charley’s two calls, what do we have?”
Cael stood as if he’d been selected by the teacher in class. “Multiple women assailants, some sort of dissension in their group, they’re moving ahead with their plans despite not having any leverage. Someone knows you’re involved, Wyatt, but how or why, we don’t know. This whole thing is really all about Charley-some old grudge, perhaps?”
“Can you take the blocks off your files, Cael, so I can look through them?”
Cael shook his head. “I’ll get you the files, though. The blocks are there to protect us from the idiots of the world.”
Wyatt saluted with one finger. “Gotcha.”
James coughed into his hand. “Given what we know so far, don’t you think this is someone we know versus a foreign entity or government agency?”
“I agree. Charley, whose bad side did you get on recently? Anyone’s?”
She moved her hands to her hips. “I solve white-collar crimes all over the world, guys. It could be anyone that wants me for my abilities, but I really have no idea. I’m as much a target as you two are.”
“Uh, no. I’d say you’re more,” James said.
Wyatt turned to him. “Why?”
He looked to Charley, she back to him.
“Did Charley tell you what happens in a couple days?”
Wyatt held his eyes wide. “Yeah. She has to choose a form or becomes eighteen, right?”
James kicked at invisible dust on the floor. “You didn’t tell him everything, did you, Charley?”
She shrugged.
“Tell him.” James pointed at her. He did the same to Wyatt. “Now.”
“Is this part of the whole ‘can’t have kids’ thing, too?” He entwined his fingers against his stomach.
She nodded. “Yeah, sort of. Remember this morning, I was saying that I have to make this final choice on my birthday, our birthday, which just so happens to be this coming weekend?”
“Yeah.” Wyatt tilted his head away from her, stole a glance at James and returned to Charley. “So?”
“And remember I said we can’t make that choice for someone else?”
Wyatt’s frustration level grew tenfold. “Yes. What’s the big hidden secret?-not that this is the only one, I’m sure.” His voice pitched with a low and deep rumble.
She closed her eyes.
“I’ve waited until the very end, Wyatt. Once I blend, my ability to remember what has come before hinges on my association with my match-with you. Basically, it’s like a marriage but a bit stronger for me.”
“Stronger as in you forget everything if he’s not a part of your life,” James said.
Wyatt sat up straight, his hands on the desk. “You forget everything?” He couldn’t believe what he heard, though why it should surprise him, he didn’t know.
Charley nodded. “Yes. I’ll be eighteen with no choice for what age to pick, and my mind will… sort of erase itself. It’ll be as if I’d never met you… ever.”
“Is that what you want?” Wyatt moved to her, his throat closing on the idea she’d forget him.
Her eyes grew wide. “Of course not! god, Wyatt. Four times now. I thought that’s where I’d be going, but hell no, that’s not what I want, but I promised-”
“Promised what?”
“I made sure I’d never, ever, ever…” Her emphasis grew as she repeated the words. “I promised I’d never push you to make this decision.”
22
Two days and sleepless, but satisfying, nights later, the birds sang their morning tunes through Charley’s open balcony door. She rolled over, draped an arm and leg over Wyatt. He’d yet to open his eyes. His lashes hit the top of his cheeks while his head rested on the pillow.
Charley ran the back of her hand across his face and breathed in the combination of morning, sleep and Wyatt.
He stirred under her touch, and his eyes fluttered open-the green of them penetrating her entire body. He closed them again as she followed a lazy path along his jaw line. The hint of a smile peeked out.
“Good morning,” he said with a sleep-infused warble.
She laid a kiss against his lips. “Mmm. Yes it is.”
“I don’t think you mean that just about me.” He remained still as she flitted her fingers over his ear and down the yellowing of his nose.
“Does it matter?” She inched her body closer to him.
“No.” He opened his eyes again. “Seems you get your way no matter what you do, huh?” One hand snaked under the blanket, pulling her hips closer to his.
Charley grinned against his lips. “You reap the benefits of some of my bossiness.”
The door to her room flew open. “Charley! Charley! Charley!” Chase ran in.
She pulled the covers over her breasts, tucked her back against Wyatt and flipped over so Chase would focus on her and not the naked man in her bed.
At the same time, Chase bounced at the end, up and down, with an excitement she didn’t understand but wanted to bottle.
Charley ruffled his hair. “Have you forgotten your manners?”
“I’m sorry. But I can do it.” His eyes lit with a fire she’d once seen in James’s face.
“Do what, buddy?”
