Deadly Game (GhostWalkers, #5)(88)

Her stomach lurched. “I don’t understand.”

“Oh, you’re a very smart woman, Mari. I’m sure you do understand. Senator Freeman is coming here and wants to talk to all the women, but he mentioned you specifically. Freeman has no authority here.”

“I thought Freeman was a friend of yours.”

His cold gaze swept over her. When she was a child, that particular look would wither all defiance instantly. Now it left her with sweaty palms and a dry mouth.

“People who ask a lot of questions about things they shouldn’t have any knowledge of have a way of disappearing.”

She knew he caught the sudden exhale as air left her lungs in a rush of comprehension. “You ordered the hit on Senator Freeman. You wouldn’t have allowed our team to protect him if you’d been there to stop us.”

“Cooperate this time, Mari, give me what I want. I’ve grown very tired of your tantrums.”

“Why? Why would you do that? He’s Violet’s husband.”

“Violet has forgotten where her first duty lies and so has the senator. We put him in that position, but he’s growing more arrogant and ungrateful every day.”

“I didn’t ask him to come here. I never even got close to him. I was shot.”

The dead eyes remained fixed on her face in accusation. “You found a way to get a message to him. Violet would, of course, listen to you and persuade him. She will find I make a far better ally than enemy.”

Mari wanted to remain silent, afraid whatever she said would push Whitney over the edge and get someone hurt, but she couldn’t let him leave without trying to save herself. She didn’t dare look at Sean. The same brutish grin remained on his face throughout the conversation. She stiffened to attention, becoming the perfect soldier reporting to Whitney.

“I shouldn’t have left without permission, but I was going crazy locked up. I thought if I could run a mission or two I’d feel better. You trained us as soldiers. Staying in these tiny cells is making us all crazy. I didn’t speak to the senator, and when I was captured, I tried to reach out to my unit. My first priority was to escape, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I did so. Sean can verify that.”

Whitney studied her face with his dead eyes, giving nothing away of what he was thinking.

“That is correct,” Sean said.

Whitney ignored the soldier. “You left without permission.”

“Yes, that’s true. And I more than paid for my mistake.”

“Your point, Mari?” He was suddenly impatient.

She forced her gaze to the floor in a more submissive role. “I’m tired and worn out tonight and would ask that you wait before you send Sean to me. At least wait until we know whether Norton got me pregnant.”

“No!” Sean was adamant. “You gave me your word, sir.”

Dr. Whitney held up his hand and Sean fell silent. “I certainly increased your chances with all the fertility shots I gave you,” Whitney told Mari as he studied her face. “I don’t think so. I think you have your own agenda, and as Sean pointed out, I did give him my word.”

Mari stayed ramrod straight, keeping her expression blank, but she couldn’t control the sudden pounding of her heart. She wanted to crumble and fall into a sobbing heap on the floor. She couldn’t go through this again—not with Sean. What had possessed him to allow Whitney to include him in his insane program? They had often discussed how the men turned into brutes after taking Whitney’s chemical cocktail.

Dr. Whitney glanced up at the camera. “After you’re done here, you’ll report to the med labs for a few more tests. I didn’t realize your psychic powers had developed enough to damage not just one, but several of the cameras and the auditory equipment.”

He waited, but she refused to take the bait, remaining silent.

“Ah well. I wish you a very pleasant evening,” Whitney said. His smile remained firmly in place as he pushed Brett’s foot aside with the toe of an immaculate shoe. “I’ll have someone collect the body.” He turned on his heel and left them.

The door slid shut behind him with a familiar clang. Mari shuddered at the thought of Brett’s dead body lying within a foot of her door while his killer faced her, blood on his clothes and hands.

She shook her head. “Why did you do this, Sean?”

“You know why, Mari. You’ve always known how I felt about you.” He stalked past her to the small bathroom, his shoulder brushing up against her, nearly knocking her back.

She pressed back against the wall, tears burning behind her eyelids and choking her throat. “I don’t, Sean. I swear to you, I really don’t.”

He came out, drying his hands off. “How did you think it made me feel letting Brett in here and hearing you fight, hearing him beat you? There wasn’t anything I could do about it. He didn’t belong with you; he never did. You knew it, and I told Whitney he didn’t. Whitney agreed with me.”

“So you took his place? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Better me than someone else. I’ve always wanted you. I didn’t hide it from you. You were the one who wanted to keep if just friends.”

“And that should tell you something. You let Whitney pair us knowing I didn’t want to be more than friends with you. That’s not saving me, Sean.” For the first time she felt absolute despair. He was looking at her without comprehension, uncaring what she thought or felt. “This is about you. You wanted me, and this was your way to get me. You didn’t care at all how I felt, did you?”