Deadly Game (GhostWalkers, #5)(69)

“It was in your mind when I asked you about the Nortons.”

“You want me to believe you left this facility in order to participate in a mission because you were bored?”

She met his gaze without flinching. “Yes. And I will do so again at the first opportunity if you make me continue to live like this. No one can live this way. We need to go running and to continue to work on our skills, both physical and mental. We’re going crazy doing nothing but lying around all day.”

Whitney’s eyebrow shot up. “I suppose we could both pretend you haven’t threatened to slit my throat the first chance you get and that the only reason you haven’t done it is because I’ve bought your cooperation by holding a gun to the head of the other women—your bored sister soldiers.”

Mari silently cursed her big mouth. She had threatened him on many occasions, meaning every single threat. Whitney wasn’t going to buy into her cooperation act. She tried another course. Mari looked down at her cuffed hands, trying to look chastised. Sean grunted in disbelief and she shot him a quick glare. “There’s one more thing you should know. I met Lily. I met your daughter. She saved my life.” She hastily looked up to catch the expression on his face.

There was a long silence. Whitney stood without moving or speaking, blinking down at her as if confused.

“Dr. Whitney?” Sean broke the silence. “Do you need a glass of water?”

Whitney shook his head. “Lily is brilliant. I’ve been so proud of her work lately. She’s a fast learner and very astute. Did she appear healthy?”

Mari nodded. “She looks very healthy and is obviously happy.”

“And pregnant. Why weren’t you going to tell me about her pregnancy?” Whitney bent down, sticking his face close to hers, eyes furious. He could get remarkably angry when someone thwarted his plans. And he was angry now.

“I didn’t have a chance. I didn’t know if you knew, and I wanted to break it to you gently. I know good breeding is important to you, and I was afraid . . .” She let her voice trail off and tried to look helpless and distressed. She just wasn’t good at this actress crap. She’d rather be boiled in oil than pretend concern and look girly-girl nervous.

Rose assured her that turning girl worked, though, and she was feeling on the edge of desperation. They told her the soldiers always fell for it, and Whitney would become so disgusted he’d walk away. The other women had actually made her practice looking tearful. They’d all laughed at her, and right now she wished she’d paid a lot more attention to their lessons. She really, really wanted Whitney to walk away right now.

“Did you see her husband?”

Mari nodded again. The one thing she’d learned about Whitney over the years was that he had poor social skills. He rarely bothered to read other people—certainly not enough to know if they were telling the truth or not. If she could say what he wanted to hear . . . She chose her words carefully. “Yes, he’s definitely a good soldier and psychically talented.” She kept her tone reluctant.

“But . . .” Whitney pressed.

“I doubt he’s her intellectual equal.”

“Do you think that matters?”

Whitney had never really asked her opinion before. It was a trick question; she could tell by his tone and the sharp look he was giving her.

“I have no idea.”

“Lily is unquestionably brilliant.”

“As I said, she saved my life. She has discovered that Zenith kills if it stays in our systems too long, but you must have known that.”

“Of course.”

“And the risks are acceptable because . . . ?”

“I don’t have to answer to you.”

“No, you don’t. But I figure they’re acceptable because the benefits outweigh the risks. Those of us who need anchors can perform without them being too close to us. If we’re wounded, we heal much faster, and if we’re captured, we don’t have time to give up information under torture.” She kept a straight face, simply reporting, not thinking about breaking his scrawny neck. She wanted to recite the reasons in front of Sean. Sean—who often ran missions and was shot full of the drug. Sean—who had turned on the very people who had been his family.

Sean met her gaze and looked away. Good. He was getting it—finally.

“You will be taken to the medical facility and examined there, Mari. In a few days we’ll test for pregnancy. I’ll send Norton’s file to you so you can read the data I’ve collected on him. I think you’ll see it’s a good match.”

Mari nodded, keeping her head down, afraid she wouldn’t be able to hide the relief she felt. The story was plausible, and Whitney was happy there was a chance she had conceived a child with Ken, so he wasn’t going to delve too much further. She waited until he was gone before looking up at Sean.

“Unlock the cuffs.”

“This isn’t over, Mari. You’re not having that man’s baby.”

“Better his than Brett’s.”

“I was taking care of Brett.” He reached for her hands and unlocked the cuffs.

She rubbed her bruised wrists and sent him another glare. “You didn’t have to put them on so tight.”

Sean took her hand in his, thumb sliding over the bruises. “Did Norton force you?”