James blinked. “I don’t have clearance for that information.”
Bones walked into the clearing right as I grabbed James by the shoulders and lifted him off his feet, almost shaking him with my sudden surge of hope.
“Who does?”
The two words were spaced from my vehemence, but they merely earned me another slow blink. Then James spoke, and my short-lived hopes were crushed.
“Only the old man, Director Madigan.”
I yanked the tiny shower door open, then cursed when it ripped off. In my foul mood, I’d forgotten to check my strength, a rookie mistake I hadn’t made in years. Next I’d flash fang at a tourist and tell him in a Euro-trash accent that I wanted to drink his blood.
“All isn’t lost, Kitten.”
Bones appeared in the RV’s tiny bedroom. I wrapped a towel around me as I shot him a jaded look.
“You’re famous for your honesty, so things must really be bad if you’re lying to make me feel better.”
A smile ghosted across his lips. “Not lying, luv. James knows more than he realizes.”
I went over to the narrow closet and picked out another outfit, glancing behind me to make sure Bones had shut the door before I dropped my towel. Ian would shamelessly peep on a free show, family ties or no family ties.
“Aside from making my brain hurt over the intricacies of genetic code and DNA splicing, I don’t see how his knowledge will help us find our friends. If Madigan hasn’t already killed them.”
From the lingering looks Bones gave certain parts of my body, he wasn’t above admiring a free show, either, despite the seriousness of the topic.
“While you were showering, James revealed that new blood samples are shipped to the building every two weeks for testing. The last one was eight days ago, so soon, a new one will arrive. That courier will have information on where it came from, and we’ll find the facility from there.”
“You think Madigan’s dumb enough to have a return address stamped on a FedEx label?”
My question was brusque to cover the spark that flickered within me. Please, God, let this work, we don’t have anything else . . .
Bones took the clothes I was about to put on and threw them aside.
“No, but the courier will either be coming from that facility, or he’ll tell us who he received the package from. That will leads us to Tate and the others, Kitten. I promise.”
Then he pulled me to him, his mouth slanting across mine. One by one, shirt buttons popped open until nothing but hard, sleek flesh rubbed against my bare skin. My moan turned into a gasp at the demand in his kiss, and when his shields dropped and lust poured over my emotions like hot caramel, I shuddered.
“Ian,” I managed.
A chuckle vibrated against my lips. “Don’t fancy him joining us, sorry.”
I shoved against his chest, but it didn’t move him. “He’ll hear us,” I got out before Bones’s mouth stole away my voice. Then his hand stole my reason when it slid between my legs, stroking flesh that swelled and slicked beneath his touch.
Another chuckle, this one distinctly wicked. “Yes, so don’t be stingy with the compliments.”
I intended to argue more. Then his hands weren’t the only things caressing me. Power swept over my body in delicious tingles, making my flesh hum before settling on my most sensitive parts with sensual intent. I barely noticed when Bones lifted me onto the bed, his body blanketing mine before my back hit the mattress. By the time his mouth scorched down my stomach and lingered between my thighs, I didn’t care what Ian heard.
All I cared about was that Bones didn’t stop.
Nine
The woman wore a UPS uniform, but her plain sedan and thoughts revealed that she worked for another employer. Still, if Bones and I wouldn’t have had our senses lasered on everyone who entered that parking garage, we would have skipped right over her.
For starters, she parked at the sidewalk instead of inside the garage even though that’s where she was headed. Furthermore, everything about her seemed designed to be forgettable, from her short, lackluster hair to her average build and her pleasant-yet-plain features. Dress her in another uniform, and she could serve you pancakes at the local diner without once piquing your curiosity, yet her thoughts were in stark contrast to her appearance. She took note of her surroundings with military precision I’d worked hard to drill into my men when I commanded my old unit.
She’d never fall for the broken heel in the street act. She’d run me over first and check to see if I was an actual threat later.
Which meant we needed a new plan.