“Well, we do know how to finish them off for good. Jon’s done it before, I’m sure he’d do it again if you asked him nicely.”
Jon was the only person to ever permanently kill one of the “indestructible” Collective. He’d ended up in the high-security prison on Trakis One as a result, waiting for transport to the Meridian mines, until the crew of El Cazador had broken him out. He didn’t like the Collective. Hell, he didn’t like many people, though he’d mellowed a lot since he’s come on board. Falling in love would do that for you.
Tannis had no doubt that he would kill Callum if she asked. But she wasn’t sure yet what her plan was.
“Well?” Rico asked.
Rico sounded impatient and she frowned. “You’re awfully keen to finish him off. Why?”
“You forget I spent three months in that place as well. I would have died there if you hadn’t gotten me out.”
That was true. Tannis paced the room as she tried to think through the rage that clouded her mind. She realized she still wanted the Meridian treatment, though it was becoming increasingly clear to her that she wanted nothing to do with the Collective afterward. And to get the treatment she needed to go to Trakis Seven, and she needed Callum alive. She would worry about the rest later.
So for now, she had to curb her impatience and not set her resident assassin on him and his blond friend. There would be plenty of time for that, and she’d enjoy it all the more for the wait.
What to do?
While she might be willing to put off her revenge, she needed some sort of immediate retribution or she might explode. She ran her tongue over the sharp points of her incisors.
“Don’t do anything,” she said.
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing permanent. I want my Meridian treatment, so they live—for now.”
…
When she entered the conference room, the two were sitting close together, reading something from a palm screen Venna had opened. They were so engrossed, they didn’t notice her, and she stood just inside the doorway and watched them for a minute. They made a beautiful couple, Venna’s blond beauty the perfect foil for Callum’s dark good looks. Hatred coiled inside her, but Tannis kept her face expressionless as she coughed to make her presence known.
They both jumped and glanced up guiltily. A flash of annoyance crossed the blonde’s pretty features, and she snapped the screen closed as though to hide it.
Callum looked pleased and then a puzzled frown settled on his face. “Are you okay?”
She pushed herself away from the wall and sauntered over. “Sorry, I had to run out there,” she said, pasting a sugary smile on her face.
“Is everything all right?”
“Everything is fine.”
She’d never done this before, but there was a first time for everything. She lowered her lashes and peeped at him through half-closed eyes. Her tongue flicked out, and she moistened her lower lip. His gaze followed the movement, and his eyes darkened.
Good.
She moved a little closer and put her hands in the pockets of her pants pushing her small breasts forward. His gaze dropped.
Even better.
“Callum!” Venna’s tone was impatient, but he waved her away with a careless gesture of his hand, his gaze never leaving Tannis.
“Could I talk to you a minute?” Tannis murmured.
“Of course.”
Her gaze flicked to Venna. “Alone.”
He almost jumped to his feet. “Definitely.”
She pivoted and walked from the room, trying to make her hips sway the way Janey’s always seemed to do. She sensed Callum coming up behind her. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw Venna still seated, her mouth open. Then she dismissed the woman from her mind. Her time would come. Once out of the room, she turned to Callum and placed a hand on his chest. His heart rate was fast beneath her palm.
She leaned in close. “Let’s go to your room,” she whispered the words against his throat, then stepped back and looked up into his face.
“Why not yours?” he asked.
“Because yours is nearer.” She stroked her fingertips down his chest and over his belly, to hook in the waistband of his pants. “And I really don’t want to wait.”
His breath caught in his throat with an audible groan. He grabbed hold of her hand and almost dragged her along the corridor. They were at his door in seconds, and he slammed his palm to the panel and hustled her in as the door slid open.
Once inside, he crowded her against the wall so she could feel the cool metal through her shirt at the back, and his hot body pressed the length of her front. She gasped as she felt the hard length of his erection prodding her belly.
“Were you jealous?” he asked, his tone smug.
She had to bite back a bitter laugh at the question. Of course, that’s what the egotistical bastard would think.
“I didn’t like seeing you with her.” Well that was the goddamn truth.
“She’s an employee, that’s all. No need for you to be jealous. It’s you I want.”