23
Nightshade woke to an empty bed, heart thudding with longing for Merc. He’d told her he loved her.
And she’d said the same as easily as if she’d had nothing to lose but her heart.
But she didn’t have the freedom to give her heart or her life to him.Dammit.Anger washed over her. How could she be so willing to throw her mission to the side for Merc?
Nightshade bolted from bed and grabbed her head immediately regretting the decision. She waited until the headache subsided to tolerable and tore apart Caroline's room looking for workout cloths, needing to do something to put some distance between them.
Apparently Caroline wasn't exactly into staying active. She’d dug through nearly every drawer in her built-in closet before finding another pair of gym shorts and tank tops, and in the process stumbled across Caroline's iPod. Nightshade lifted it to her lips and kissed the screen, dearly missing her own soundtrack.
She loved physical exercise and she loved to run, especially when she needed to burn off some steam, and she needed to burn off more steam than she had ever in her life. Everywhere she looked there was evidence of Merc. Even then his scent lingered in the air, causing her body to tingle. She studied herself in the full-length oval mirror in the corner, wondering if somehow she looked different. She felt different. Her breasts felt heavy and aching and even now she throbbed between her legs tender and yet somehow wanting more. With a frustrated sigh, she yanked on her clothes and tennis shoes and grabbed Caroline’s iPod.
She ran down the staircase and out the front door, ignoring the security guard’s shouts, she clicked play and stuffed the ear buds into her ears. They would follow her, at least they could try, she thought with a smile. Jamming out surprisingly to some seriousSoundgardenheavy metal, she picked up the pace working from a brisk jog to a full out sprint down the long driveway.
After a few moments, she glanced behind her, relieved to see that she'd left the guards in her dust. She knew she wouldn't have long to be alone, that they'd hop in a car and chase her down, but she needed those minutes as much as she needed to breathe.
If she couldn't mentally put Merc from her mind, by God, she'd sweat him out. She'd work her body to a point of exhaustion, where she was too tired to desire him and want him. She had to.
The fact that she’d even thought for one moment about choosing him over her sisters and her family destroyed her. Her entire life she'd been alone because of Senator Cotter. She found the sisterhood in Mayhem and they’d become her family, with her father growing more and more distant until recently. Until her team had vanished.
Nightshade's entire identity was on the line.
The lyrics blasted in her ears and she increased her pace, a restless energy seeming to build even as she pumped her arms harder and kicked her legs faster. She burst around the corner and skidded to a stop at Cotter's massive wrought iron gate. There were two guards, flanking each side, Nightshade slowed her pace and jogged up to the one on the right.
He frowned, tilting his head slightly to the right, “Ms. Cotter, you shouldn't be so far from the house.”
Caroline bent over and propped her hands on her knees. “My security detail’s right behind me, I got clearance, open the gate.”
The old guard’s frown deepened. “My orders are to keep you inside.”
Nightshade rose to her full height, propping her hands on her hip as she lifted her chin and glared at the man. She had to get out, she couldn't breathe inside these walls. “And who exactly told you that?”
The guard didn't waver when he answered, “Your father.”
“So you work for him then?”
“Yes, I do.”
“And so then by extension you work for me and I demand you open the gate. Now.”
She saw the first crack in his exposure, a flicker of indecision. “I can't do that, it's not safe. Not for you anyway.”
Nightshade crowded up into his personal space, knowing her anger was irrational and directed at herself more than anything else. “Open the damn door.”
“It's all right Wayne, let her out. I'm with her.”
Nightshade froze at the deep masculine, voice spinning around to see Merc standing not five feet behind her, not even winded.
“Who drove you here?”
He shrugged, and she didn't like the knowing glint in his eyes one bit. “No one.”
“There's no way you could've caught up with me, I didn't even see you outside when I left.”
“I have long legs.”
The muscles in her spine stiffened as she stared at the very reason for her running in the first place.
