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Maybe he’d never tell me.
At least he’d told me his name. Jagger rolled off my tongue as I whispered it, the thought alone sending shivers down the backs of my legs.
My thoughts drifted to what he’d said about the formula. What he’d told me made sense, but I had to believe that if I could finish what I started and got it to the right people, the world would be better off. The frustration remained high, so much so my chest was heavy.
I leaned against the railing, allowing the soft, chilly breeze to infiltrate my lungs. My body was sore from the rough sex the night before, but I’d never felt so wondrously alive in my entire life. He’d seemed desperate to fuck me, to fill me with his seed. But I’d also sensed a sadness, not just from the horrible story he was finally able to confide to me, but for other reasons that I wasn’t certain I’d ever learn.
He was a tortured man, but so gentle and loving even in his gruffness. I pressed my hand across my lips, remembering the kiss he’d brushed across them before walking out the bedroom door. I suspected he’d stayed close, protecting me as always. We were living in a glass house, the pressure mounting. It was only a matter of time before it was shattered, rendering us easy targets.
Shoving the thoughts aside, I pulled the box from the small table, fingering the lid. When I opened it, I was surprised to find a small note nestled on the surface. The handwriting was his. I knew it.
For my little butterfly. Fly free…
I wasn’t certain what it meant, but as I opened the tissue paper, tears formed in my eyes. The piece was beautiful, an exquisite butterfly. I was shocked that he’d done something so endearing. Then I held up my hand. He’d seen the look of disappointment in my eyes the night before when he hadn’t been able to tell me what he’d learned. As I pulled it from the box, I realized my fingers were fumbling, so stiff I was terrified I’d drop it. I walked inside the room, heading toward the dresser, holding it against my chest.
There was no reason to cry, not really, but I couldn’t seem to get them to stop. As I placed my hand on the glass, I allowed the tears to fall for a few seconds then took a deep breath. I would get through this one way or the other.
I’d felt an odd nagging since our arrival, a sense that nothing was as it seemed. Cobra had put far too much self-doubt into my mind about Dane, but I was certain he was the only man who could possibly help us out of this nightmare. However, I also needed to place my complete trust in… Jagger. I couldn’t get used to the name, although both were powerful.
The mission he’d been assigned had shifted into something more personal, a vendetta that he had to bring to an end without assistance. That was foolish, at least in my mind.
What I’d also concluded is that I needed to spend additional time with the formula, ensuring there would never be a way it could be used for violence. I held the butterfly, rubbing my finger across the raised metal of the wings. It was a sign of hope, freedom, and perhaps of being able to share more than moments of passion between rounds of danger.
I couldn’t get the look of deep longing on Cobra’s face out of my mind. Everything had changed between us only a few hours before. He was willing to die in order to protect me and I refused to allow that to happen. It was time for him to trust me as much as I’d learned to do so with him.
I quickly took a shower, yanking on clothes, hoping to find Cobra alone. I found him and Jeremy in a room full of computers and satellite equipment, the amount of technology mind-boggling. What was Jeremy involved in? I wasn’t certain Cobra knew or cared for that matter. It was obvious the man was dangerous, but perhaps that was exactly what was needed.
Once again, I thought about the alternatives, using his secure system to spend time facilitating the remaining changes, sending them to Dane. Or perhaps I could send them to the man in charge of the project.
Jeremy noticed me first, grinning as he beckoned me inside. “We were just talking about you,” he said casually, as if we were preparing to go out to breakfast.
Cobra’s eyes were just as dark and haunted as the night before, but I noticed a slight gleam in them.
“Has something happened?” I asked as I moved closer, scanning the various screens that appeared to have breaking news bulletins.
“Did you tell her about our Russian friend from last night?” Jeremy asked.
“Only what needed to be said,” Cobra answered.
“Come on, now. She’s a big girl.” Jeremy laughed. “A separate group in Russia is planning to eliminate the entity, hoping to capture what’s inside that pretty head of yours.”
“What does that mean?” I closed the distance, folding my arms as I gazed from one monitor to another. Even though the commentary was in Russian, it was easy to see there’d been a bloody conflict in the middle of the night, daylight highlighting extreme destruction of a portion of a city inside Russia.
“It means,” Cobra started, “that as long as we can keep you protected, there’s a chance the threat will be gone within days.”
I didn’t know much about Cobra and his methods, but there was no doubt in my mind he wasn’t buying the possibility one hundred percent.
Jeremy shifted his attention from Cobra to me, narrowing his eyes. “The chatter on the dark web indicated a war was beginning. The Russian wasted no time in relaying whatever intel you decided to provide him. I’d say it was money well spent.”
“That remains to be seen,” Cobra hissed.
Jeremy sucked in his breath. “O-kay. Don’t tell me shit. I just know you well enough to realize you started a battle.”
“A necessary evil. What else did you hear?” Cobra demanded.
“Only that the powerful feeling is that getting rid of the other political party has overwhelming approval. Not that it matters worth dick to us.”
Us.
