Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(74)

Rome and I moved into a hedge of trees, the leaves swaying behind us. Twigs snapped under my heels, minute after minute passing in fraught silence. Before I could force my mind down an anger trail, we broke through another thick bush and a well-lit building came into view. A bar. Red neon flashed: Pool here. A group of middle-aged men exited the front door, smoke billowing behind them. They were talking and laughing and slapping one another on the shoulders.

All four stopped and gawked at me as I passed. One even whistled. Guess my cleavage was visible through the slit in Rome's jacket.

Rome growled at them, but at least he didn't attack. He simply quickened his pace, and once again I had to run to keep up.

"Where're we going?"

"I need some equipment, then we'll find a place to rest."

"Equipment? Other than what you've got in the car?"

"There's nothing in the car. Sorry, I lied. I just wanted you safe so that I could assess the situation." And to think I'd been wondering how to make myself mad. I popped my jaw, my anger simmering as I'd wanted. Rome believed in doing what he thought was right, no matter what. It was part of the reason I loved him, but that didn't make it any less frustrating.

"Don't do that again."

"Can't promise that. But I'm wondering, did I ever lie to you? Before?"

"At first. But we'd reached a point where we were totally honest with each other, no matter how badly it hurt."

He was silent a moment, contemplating my words. "Fucking Memory Man," he muttered.

Bye-bye anger. His remorse was irresistible.

Where was Memory Man, anyway? I'd pondered it earlier, but now I was surprised by his absence.

He'd called me a magnet for trouble, had claimed he was desperate to protect me, but hadn't been here for the action. Did that mean he had remained in Georgia? Or had he lost my trail?

"We can get there again," I said. "We just have to - "

"I can't discuss that now, Belle. I want to, but I can't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I have to keep my mind clear, focused, and when we talk about our feelings, the past, I just want to hold you, and I can't right now...."

Ir-re-sistible. But I'd try to focus on the matter at hand, as he wanted. "Maybe you haven't noticed, Rome, but everything's closed," I said, looking around at the darkened storefronts. Well, except for the bars, but I doubted they had what he needed.

"Doesn't mean I can't get in." He squeezed my fingers in reassurance.

I should have known he'd add B and E to our long list of necessary evils. "Where are we going exactly?

What if we're being followed?"

"So far I haven't spotted anyone trying to follow us. Besides, Desert Gall doesn't need to follow us. She has something we want, so she knows we'll go to her."

I nodded shakily.

"Everything will be okay." He drew my hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on the inside of my palm. A kiss of comfort, I imagined, but it was enough to fog my brain.

Okay, that wasn't helping. Back to the anger thing, I thought as we reached an abandoned sidewalk.

What made me mildly angry? Traffic. Slowpoke drivers. Memory loss. Oh, yeah. That was the ticket. A spark lit inside my chest, burning, melting away the cold.

"Why are you suddenly radiating heat?" Rome muttered. "Pissed?"

"Slightly, and it's on purpose. For our protection."

"Good. This will be a good test for both of us. If it becomes too much, give some of it to me."

"Uh - "

He pinned me with a fierce glance, the force of it nearly knocking me backward. "You will this time, Belle. No excuses."

I swallowed, despite the fact that my mouth had dried, and nodded. I didn't want to hurt him. That would make me a worse agent than I already was. But I would do this. For us, for Sherridan. Maybe even for Lexis. If my anger spun out of control, I would give some of it to him, whether he knew what to do with it or not, forcing it from my body and into his. But if he burned because of it...

Don't think about that.All right, so. I needed more anger. Lines were irritating. Waiting in the doctor's lobby for forty-five minutes, then half an hour in the actual examining room. Then, of course, the doctor would have an emergency - a.k.a. running late because of a long lunch - so the appointment would have to be rescheduled. Memory loss.

Flames broke out over my fingers.

"You're about to burst. Give some to me, Belle."

"No, not yet. I can handle this." Memory loss. The flames spread, licking up my wrists. Shit. I had to stop thinking the words memory loss. The fire spread to my armpits and Rome yelped and jumped away from me. Damn it! Okay, calm down. Happy thoughts now.

"Belle," he growled. "Do it. Now."

"We're not at that point yet. I can calm on my own." Ice cream. Memory loss. "This isn't critical yet." Chocolate cake. Memory loss.

He snarled. Stomped to me. Grabbed my shoulder despite the heat I radiated and shook me. His teeth were bared in a scowl. "Do it!"

You promised. Memory loss. No other choice. Memory loss. You'll BBQ both of you if you don't at least try. Memory loss.The fire was leaping inside me, desperate for escape. Any moment it would spring free. Shaking, I closed my eyes and shoved the hottest edges of my fury at Rome, my body instantly cooling.