Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2)(64)

“If you didn’t like me answering my phone, you’re really not going to like what I do next,” she said, never taking her eyes off Owen. “Bye, Larry. I hope things work out between you and Lacey and whatever doggie dad you pick. Bye.”

“Hey, where are you going?” Larry stood up.

But she was already jogging for the gate. She tossed it open and Owen was suddenly standing in front of her, the extra helmet in his hand.

“You done playing the field, love?” he asked.

She loved how tall he was, how petite he could make her feel. She moved through her days treating her body like the tool it was, but Owen reminded her she was a woman who needed attention and physical affection. And that she was a woman who needed to take a couple of risks. “Yes. I told Cathy not to try to set me up again. I don’t think she knows what I want.”

He towered over her. “Good, because I know exactly what I want and I don’t want to share. Walking out this morning was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in a long time. I’m going to be honest, I don’t like the idea of you seeing other men. I don’t have any interest in other women.”

“Okay.” She was done pretending and done playing by any rules other than her own.

“Just like that?” He put the helmet on her head, checking carefully to make sure it was secure.

“Just like that.” She went up on her toes and brushed her lips against his.

“What are you doing?” Larry stood on the other side of the fence, his hands on his hips.

“Diving in,” she said as Owen settled on the seat and held the bike for her to get on the back.

“She’s with me, mate, and I’m not giving her back,” Owen said, revving the engine. “Better luck next time. This one is mine.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on for the ride.





Paul Huisman wasn’t sure exactly what he was dealing with. His new “friend” was an odd one. Levi Green sat in a huge wingback leather chair that at one point in time had been Huisman’s grandfather’s and he looked over the gorgeous raven-haired woman who’d shown up exactly when Green had said she would.

His father’s mistress was also a spy. It was kind of hard to believe, but she’d dropped the sweet, shy act the minute she’d seen Levi Green.

It was rather odd having two spies in his office.

“What do you want? Obviously you know who I am,” the woman with the raven hair said. “And I’m not foolish. I know exactly who you are, or at least who you say you are, Levi Green.”

Green tipped his head her way, taking a sip of the ridiculously expensive Scotch Paul himself almost never drank. It was there for show, but apparently Green believed in enjoying the finer things in life. “Ah, Mo Chou, it’s good to know my reputation precedes me. So what is MSS interested in at the Huisman Foundation?”

“Well, we would have been more interested in the son had we known he has dealings with the Agency.” She looked Huisman up and down, assessing him with dark eyes. “I didn’t expect that of you. The way your father talks you can barely tie your shoes.”

Humiliation burned through him and hardened his resolve. If Levi Green could take his father and that bitch Walsh down, he would give the man anything he wanted. Especially since what he seemed to want was Dr. Walsh herself. “I assure you, I can do more than tie my shoes.”

The foundation would be his and then that mansion his father occupied would be his, too, or his father could see how much he enjoyed prison. It would be fun to have the man at his mercy for once.

Mo Chou sank into the seat beside Levi, turning her attention to him. “What do you want? The fact that I don’t have Canadian police knocking on my door means you want to deal. The fact that you’re here with Paul Huisman means you know what I want.”

“I suspect you’re interested in many of the high-tech medical research here, but more specifically in the treatments for cancer. Someone’s close and that could mean trouble for big pharma. What’s R&D up to now? You’ve got six of the top thirty-three pharmaceutical companies with research and development centers in China now. I would bet they might pour more money in if you could give them a heads-up on what’s coming down the pipeline.”

“Seven,” she corrected. “It’s an up-and-coming industry and one that we will take over. The jobs are better. It’s rough keeping the peasants down, you know. We need to offer them a bigger economy and more opportunities. Also, wouldn’t it be nice if our own state-run research managed to find a cure?”

“Yes, I can see that,” Levi agreed. “It would likely make China look more and more like a world leader. Unfortunately, I play for the other team. I can’t give you what you want.”

She stood. “Then have me arrested. I don’t care. There’ll be another one just like me here in a week. Hell, there’s already several of us in place, but I suspect you know that. I take it you’re planning a coup so you can get the intel for yourself.”

“Not exactly,” Levi hedged. “I do want something from the foundation, but not what you think. I need your help setting it up. Or rather setting her up. Mr. Huisman had his own plans in play, but I like to call an audible in the field every now and then. Would you care to explain what you’ve been up to, Paul?”