Destined for Power (13 page)

God help them all, because Shirley already had the dirty mind of a teenage boy.

Feng turned to Mallory. “You’re fine. Don’t be a baby. I’ll call you about the needle.”

Reid did laugh as Mallory glared at Feng for calling her a baby. And it wasn’t until Feng kissed Shirley’s hand and left that Mallory finally cracked a smile.

“Shirley’s going to get some,” Mallory sang.

“I sure hope so. Do I need to get me one of those waxes? You know, the one down there,” Shirley asked Mallory.

Dueling images entered Reid’s mind. One he definitely didn’t want to think about, the other he couldn’t stop thinking about.

“I don’t think so. I think Feng is a natural kind of guy,” Mallory said straight faced. Yep, best spy ever to pull that off. “What brings you by this morning?”

“I want to know what’s going on. Elle dragged everyone off to Connecticut at five in the morning—everyone except Reid and Margaret. Then I show up and you’re flashing your bitties. Now, even more interesting is the fact that after how many years of just happening to have things to do when the other is around, you’re flashing your bitties with Reid in the room . . .
his
room.”

“I was hired to protect Reid, that’s all,” Mallory said simply with a shrug of her shoulder.

Reid didn’t know if he liked that or not. She wasn’t just protecting him last night when they had stayed up late talking and sharing stories of their lives. He wanted her for way more than protection. Not only was he trying to protect her, he was also trying to keep his desire for her in check.

“Humph.” Shirley clearly didn’t believe Mallory. “So, what’s going on that requires you to protect Reid?”

“Oh, just an upset gambler wanting payback for the money he lost.”

Shirley looked at the broken table. “Mallory dear, you are a horrible liar. Bless your heart.”

At the sound of another knock on the door, Shirley raised a bushy eyebrow. Reid looked through the peephole and scowled. He opened the door and Bowie sauntered into the room. That is, until he saw Shirley. Then he froze and his eyes widened to near comedic proportions.

“Hey again, sonny. You ready for that ride?”

“You’re like a porno granny,” Bowie said as he continued to stare.

“Not yet, but maybe when I get done with that sex yoga stuff I will be. I could always stand to supplement my Social Security.”

“Is she for real?” he asked Mallory.

“Want me to pinch you to prove it?” Shirley winked, and Bowie turned a little pale.

“Okay, Shirley,” Mallory laughed. “He’s a good guy, you can let up a little.”

“Fine, take away my fun. This isn’t the end of our discussion. I’ll be back. And I’ll see you in three days for the Veterans Ball. Margaret left me her ticket since she’s taking care of Troy. Won’t leave his side, she says.”

Reid stepped back to open the door for her. “Don’t worry about that. It’s not going to be much fun. Maybe Feng will want a private lesson that night?”

“Well, if I’m not there, then I’m getting lucky. I’ll talk to you soon.”

The door closed, and Reid walked over to Mallory. He put a hand possessively on her shoulder and knew she wouldn’t like it. But he was going to stake his claim. Bowie looked at his hand and raised his eyebrow.

“What happened last night?” he asked.

Mallory held up her hand to motion for them to wait. She stood up and made her way to the door. She quietly opened it and looked into the hallway.

“All clear. Shirley has eavesdropping skills the director would be envious of. Last night an attempt was made on Reid’s life. I’m sorry, but I had to make sure it wasn’t you. After a little hand-to-hand combat, I knew I could bring you back into the loop.”

“You thought it was me?”

“You’re close to Liam. I haven’t worked with you in years. You could have easily turned, and you know that.”

Reid enjoyed Mallory standing up to Bowie. She wasn’t apologetic at all, and that was more reason for him to think he had a chance with her. If she were over him, then she would give him the brush-off just like she gave Bowie.

“After what we shared in Stromia?” Bowie said with blatant sexual innuendo.

“Knock it off, Bowie,” Mallory stood up and faced her handler. Reid had to stop himself from punching him in the face—agent or not.

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Reid smirked. Mallory shot Reid a warning look, but he ignored her. He was upset he had to sit on the sidelines while Mallory handled things, and he was even more pissed Bowie got to do things in the elevator with her in the first place. Reid wasn’t going to be pushed around anymore. Not by her father, not by Bowie, and not by some spoiled brat like Ambrose. He was going to fight for Mallory, and he didn’t give a damn who knew.

“Enough, you two.” Mallory stepped between them. “I called to give you an update. Reid, can you get Bowie a ticket to the Veterans Ball? Just put it under a different name.”

Reid walked over to the phone and dialed an extension. “Good morning, Evelyn. Can you get a ticket to the veterans event for a Mr. Egbert Lipschitz?” Reid paused. “Thank you. He’ll pick it up at the front desk later.”

Mallory snorted, and Bowie fumed.

“You son of a . . .”

“Watch it or I’ll put you at Shirley’s table,” Reid said as he took another step forward.

Mallory rolled her eyes. “Does testosterone suddenly make all men stupid? Come on. We have an assassin to catch, and you all are more interested in measuring dicks. I can leave if you want me to?”

“No,” they both mumbled.

“Good. Now let me tell you what I have planned so far.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Mallory enjoyed the feel of hot water beating down on her. The wig she had worn was tight and made her head itch. It had been a long day of following Reid around the hotel as he worked, talking to Evelyn, and meeting with the rest of the hotel staff. The men from her security firm had been brought in to help with the setup of the ballroom. Bowie’s CIA agents were brought in to be plumbers and work on the restrooms.

The hardest part was being so near Reid all day. He found any reason to touch her—a hand on her elbow or the small of her back as he directed her through the hotel, an arm across her breasts as he reached for a piece of paper. Mallory closed her eyes. She wanted things to happen so badly, but she didn’t want to get distracted when his life was on the line.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Mallory looked over the stone half-wall of the shower toward it. Slowly, Reid walked in. “Mallory, I’ve been thinking.”

Mallory smiled when she saw that Reid kept his eyes looking into hers and not roaming downward. “What about?”

“Us.”

“Do you really want to have this conversation now?” Mallory asked as she looked down at her nakedness.

“Yes, I do. I know I told you I would be patient. However, there comes a time when patience is overrated. I have spent the last couple days with you. And while the feelings I had for you when we were younger have changed, they haven’t wavered. It’s not some teenage crush, Mallory. But then again, I think we both knew it was more than that even back then.”

Mallory didn’t say anything. Reid was right, though. Her feelings for him were as strong as ever. And they were different. She understood they would never go away. They just grew and changed as she did. Mallory was so afraid for her worlds to collide she didn’t know if she could manage them together. Girlfriend and CIA operative? Girlfriend and bodyguard? There were too many fractions of her personality, each specifically crafted so she didn’t feel emotion.

“As I said, my feelings have changed. They’re deeper and more mature, just like we are.” Finally Reid cast a quick glance down her body. She knew he only saw her bare shoulders but the way his eyes took her in made her think he could see all of her. “From the beginning, you’ve had the lead. You’ve always set the rules. I waited for you then, but I’m done waiting. I know you’re a badass who gives orders, and I’m proud of you, Mallory. You are an amazing woman who has saved so many lives, protected so many innocent people, and who has loved my family with all her heart. I love you, I respect you, and that’s never going to change. I know my feelings, and I know you do too. I’ll be in the bedroom. Either come to me or walk out the door. But you have to decide now. I’m tired of putting my life on hold. I want to be with you, so it’s now or never.”

Mallory stood motionless as Reid turned and walked out the door. It closed with a soft click and Mallory finally remembered to breathe. She knew Reid had always been in charge of every aspect of his life, but it was different to see him take charge of hers. He never had before. Her mind rebelled against being told what to do, but her body was already turning off the shower and reaching for the towel.

Reid sat on the bed facing the bathroom door. He heard the water turn off and prayed she wouldn’t walk past him and out the door. He knew he was taking a risk. His heart pounded as he listened for each little noise behind the closed door. He wondered what each one meant. If she was mad he’d taken control, or if she had to think about it.

The door opened, and he had his answer. Her wet hair had been brushed and twisted into a loose bun at the base of her neck. She stepped toward him wrapped in the plush white towel.

“I’ve made my decision.”

“And what’s that?” Reid asked, his voice rough with emotion.

Mallory dropped the towel, and Reid sat rooted to the bed. Mallory had changed since the last time he’d seen her naked. Her hips flared in a seductive curve that had him wanting to run his hands over her. Her breasts were rounder and fuller. When she moved forward, he opened his legs for her to step between. Slowly she bent down and kissed his upturned lips.

Reid had his answer. Sixteen years and she was finally his again. They fought madly to strip his clothes from his body. Mallory pushed him back on the bed and fell on top of him. He let her enjoy taking the lead as she rose above him to explore his chest. He cupped her breasts and relished their feel. He rose up and circled his tongue around one taunt nipple before sucking it into his warm mouth. Reid’s reward was Mallory’s moan as she dug her hands into his hair. Reid wrapped his arms around her back and feasted on each breast. She tried to push him to the bed, but Reid flipped her onto her back instead.

“Next time you can take the lead, but it’s my turn now,” he said before kissing her passionately.

He used one hand to push himself up as he looked down at her. His erection was pushing against her, causing her to writhe against him. He slipped on a condom with his other hand before running his warm palm over the side of her breast and down her ribcage to squeeze her ass before guiding her to hook her leg around his waist.

Mallory followed the guidance and immediately wrapped her legs around him. She met his first thrust with one of her own as he entered her. The throaty moan she made had him struggling to control the pace. When she dug her nails into his back, he knew he didn’t need to control himself or his feelings any longer.

“You’ll never leave me again,” he growled as their lovemaking grew frenzied.

“Never. You’re mine now, Simpson,” Mallory responded before tightening around him and crying out.

* * *

Mallory padded barefoot to the door the next morning and opened it for room service. She thanked the waiter and uncovered the plates. She was starving. If she thought her first time with Reid was good all those years ago, then there were no words to describe the previous night. It was sixteen years of built-up desires acting out.

The water turned on in the bathroom, and Mallory contemplated joining Reid. Instead, she grabbed her phone to check in with Feng. She took a sip of the orange juice as she typed her message. Grabbing a piece of bacon, she checked her other phone to see if Ahmed had any more news.

She took another drink and then set down her juice to reply to an email when a pain ripped through her stomach. It was so sharp she lost her breath and doubled over. She tried to call for Reid but could hardly breathe and felt a tightening in her chest. Clutching her phone, she called Feng.

“Hello?”

Mallory tried to talk but whimpered instead when the pain hit again.

“Little missy?”

“Feng,” she whispered before the pain and lack of air dragged her into the depths of unconsciousness.

Reid turned off the shower and grabbed his towel. He was pretty sure the smile on his face was permanent. As soon as his family got back and this whole mess was over, he was never going to hide his feelings for Mallory again. To hell with her father. He wasn’t afraid of him or the threats he’d made against him.

They were raised to believe family mattered more than their bank account. Even if Mallory’s father came after them, he would soon learn the Simpsons would use every bit of the wealth and power they had accumulated to make sure none of their own were hurt. And Mallory was family . . . and soon she would be so legally. He was already planning a trip to the jeweler for the next week.

Reid opened the bathroom door and walked to the bed to put on his clothes. “Did breakfast get here yet?” he called out as he buttoned his black suit pants. “Mallory?” he called out again when she didn’t respond.

Panic hit him hard as he ran into the living room. The sight of her curled up on the floor sent the world slamming to a stop. He raced forward and fell to his knees. She was ashen. He pressed his fingers to her throat and felt a weak, fluttering pulse. Leaning forward, he listened for her breathing. He sniffed and realized her breath smelled metallic. The door to the room splintered open and Reid’s head shot up. He threw himself over Mallory to protect her from whatever threat was breaking in.

“Get away from her!” Feng yelled. He rushed in, opening his bag as he ran.

“I didn’t do it. I just found her like this,” Reid said as he grabbed her hand. He wasn’t going to leave her.

Feng took in Reid's near state of panic and gave a nod. He brought out his stethoscope and pressed it to her chest. “Weak. She’s having cardiac trouble. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I was in the shower, and she was waiting for breakfast.”

Feng looked at the table and then leaned forward to sniff Mallory’s mouth. “Metal.”

“I noticed that. What does that mean?”

“She was poisoned. Lucky I’m Chinese and not some city doctor. This poison is not from here.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a container filled with black powder.

“What is that?”

“Activated charcoal. Get me water from the sink. Hurry.”

Reid ran for the sink and filled a glass while Feng pulled out a needle and plunged it into a vial with Chinese writing on it.

“Here. What’s that?”

“Put water in charcoal and shake.” Feng measured out the liquid in the vial and injected Mallory with it as Reid mixed the charcoal and water into a thick drink. “This is atropine extracted from nightshade. It will help her low heart rate. Now, hold her up. We need her to drink this.”

Reid pulled Mallory into his lap and wrapped his arms around her to hold her up. Feng waited, and suddenly Mallory opened her eyes and took a gasp of air. Quickly, Feng pressed the charcoal to her mouth and pinched her nose closed.

“Drink, fast,” he ordered.

Mallory didn’t hesitate. She chugged the thick liquid and grabbed Reid’s arms. He was reassured when her grip tightened. As soon as she finished, Feng leapt up and refilled the container with water as Mallory coughed and gagged.

“Drink,” he ordered again.

Reid kept up a steady stream of encouragement as she drank down the remnants of the charcoal.

“Reid,” she said softly when she finished.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Don’t drink the orange juice. It’s a killer.” Mallory took another breath and Reid felt a tremor race through her body. “What was it, Feng?”

“Poison from Asia. It’s from the Ranunculaceae family. Cousin to monkshood.”

Mallory gave a weak nod. “Thank you for getting here so quickly.”

“I was already on my way over. I discovered what was in the needle. I was only minutes away. Good thing too. If you had gone untreated for a couple of hours, you would be in a coma and dead by the weekend.”

“What was in the needle?”

“The same thing you just drank, only a more concentrated form. Very deadly plant, but my people have used it for centuries . . . well, mostly to kill people. It has symptoms like monkshood, just slower.”

“What’s monkshood?” Reid asked as he helped Mallory sit up a little more.

“It’s a poisonous flower, and what Mallory ingested is in the same family. Monkshood will slow the pulse, give you shallow breathing, horrible stomach pains, and you will be dead in hours—even if you just brush it with your hand. Injected or consumed, it is immediate death. But this, this is a slower death. Same symptoms, but you linger until your body gives out.”

“So, they decided not to wait to try again. We have to question the staff and pull the security video. This may be a hotel instead of a casino, but no one has any idea how many eyes in the sky I have here.”

“Call Damien. I need to read him all the way in. I don’t trust the Secret Service agents here with the candidates,” Mallory ordered as she struggled to stand.

Reid held her down. “You need to get to the hospital. I’ll take care of everything here.”

“No way.” Mallory shook her head.

“Yes, little missy. Feng doesn’t have everything you need.”

Mallory rolled her eyes. “Fine. Hand me my phone, will you?”

Feng reached the phone and handed it to her. Mallory pulled up a website and located the number she was looking for. “Hello. I need a male escort right away.”

* * *

Reid had insisted on carrying her to the bed in her suite. Feng fussed over her and Reid stood looking on as he used her phone to call Damien Wallace, a local Secret Service agent. She wondered how Reid felt about her calling her ex-boyfriend. She knew she wouldn’t want to call one of his past girlfriends.

“Reid, it wasn’t serious between Damien and me,” she told him as he paced, waiting for him to arrive.

“Please don’t tell me. I’m just going to pretend it never happened. I’m more concerned that you refuse to go to the hospital.”

A knock sounded and Feng hurried to get it. He pulled a chair from the living room over to the door and stood up on it to look through the peephole. “Who are you?”

“Agent Wallace, Secret Service,” Damien called through the door as he held up his badge for Feng to see.

Feng hopped from the chair, moved it aside, and opened the door. Mallory caught Damien’s surprise as he looked down, way down, to the top of a head covered by a thin comb over. “I’m Feng. Little missy is in here.”