Fatal Tide - Iris Johansen [49]
“It didn't make me uncomfortable.” He grimaced. “It made me mad. For you and at you. I was all set to have a hell of a good roll in the hay, and you stopped me in my tracks.”
She moistened her lips. “I didn't mean to tease you. I was upset and it was pure instinct. A throwback to Kafas. I knew it was something a man would value.”
“You can say that again. Pete isn't the only one who's highly sexed.” He got to his feet. “But I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry. I can't promise not to have my moments, but I'm usually in control.”
“Are you? And is that what this chat is all about?”
“We're going to be together a lot. I don't want you tense.”
“I'm not tense.” As he looked at her skeptically, she amended, “I'm not nervous or afraid of you. You just disturb me sometimes.”
“Disturb you?” His gaze narrowed on her face. “How?”
“I don't know.” It wasn't true. She knew all too well. She was too aware of him. He dominated any room he entered. She jumped to her feet. “I have to go check the thickness of the padding in the slings. I'll see you at dinner.”
“Right.” He rose to his feet. “It's Nicholas's turn to cook, so don't expect much. He says it's not included in the shaman job description.”
“I may be too busy to—” Her phone rang, and she went rigid. Not now. She had too much to do and her nerves were always in shreds after a phone call from Archer.
“Don't answer it, dammit.” Kelby's demeanor was as taut as her own. “You told me he'd hurt the dolphins if you didn't talk to him, but they're safe in the pens.”
“They won't always be in the pens. Besides, he has to think I'm afraid and weakening.” She vaguely heard him mutter an oath as she pushed the button. “You're early, Archer.”
“That's because I'm taking a jet in a few hours and I couldn't bear not to talk to you. I so enjoy our conversations.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where you're going. Las Palmas. I understand the Trina arrived there last night.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Do you think I haven't been keeping close watch on you? Kelby may have gotten to Cobb and Dansk, but it was easy for me to hire more men. And he really hasn't tried to keep the leasing of that Delta cargo jet a secret. Taking those dolphins must pose all kinds of problems for him. Kelby must be completely besotted with you to put up with it. What did you have to do to persuade him?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“Screw you.” She paused. “Cobb and Dansk?”
“Don't tell me you don't know he took out two of my employees who were watching the island? Of course, they were very amateurish or he wouldn't have been able to—”
“He probably didn't consider it important enough to tell me.”
“Or maybe he knows how weak you are. Only good for one thing.”
“He doesn't think of me that way.”
“Your voice is shaking. I could tell you were crying last night before I hung up. Why don't you give me the plans and let me go my way?”
She was silent a moment. Let him think she was trying to recover her composure. “I wasn't crying. You were imagining it. I don't cry.”
“Close enough. You've been near the breaking point several times in the last few days. It's not going to end, you know. I'll be waiting for you in Las Palmas.”
“Good.” She didn't try to keep the trembling from her voice. He would think it was caused by fear instead of anger. “I'll tell the police you're on your way. Maybe they'll arrest you and put you away for the rest of your life.”
“I have too many contacts to let that happen. You're not talking to an amateur. And there's a very influential leader in the Middle East who can pull strings to get me whatever I need. He loves the idea of a sonic gun.”
“He's not going to get it.”
“He will. You're coming along quite nicely. Now I'm going to put on tape two and you're going to listen. It may be my favorite of all of them. When it's finished, there's going to be a quiz, so don't try to block it out.”
Then she could hear her own voice on the tape.
She could see Kelby's