Read Online Circle of Desire by Carla Swafford - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carla Swafford
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
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the guy ever let loose? He stopped in front of elevator doors and pressed the down button.
As she stepped into the car, the red numbers overhead dropped quickly until they passed G and started with B numbers. It finally rested at B10. Where were they? Hell? She’d already been there once and had plenty of souvenirs etched onto her body to prove it.
Of course, he already knew that.
Whatever he dished out, she would protect the orphanage. She’d endured before, and compared to Theo, Mr. Uptight was a walk in the park.
Chapter Four
T he elevator paused and a red light bathed the small enclosure before the doors opened.
Grinning at the thought, Olivia stepped out. Ten? She still couldn’t believe the size of the building hidden beneath the street level.
Within feet from the metal doors, a large open area revealed soft natural-colored walls with plants and a waterfall tinkling into a small pool focused in the center. Each step as she followed Collin revealed overstuffed chairs in little nooks, perfect for small-group meetings, and two exercise rooms with what looked like a cafeteria in between.
“What is this? A spa?”
As she expected, he ignored her question and turned into a short hallway. Beautiful, expensive looking artwork hung at the end of the hall. They stopped in front of a steel door that wouldn’t look out of place in a prison. He punched a long list of numbers into the stainless steel keypad and a series of clicks emitted from the lock. The door swung open. He stepped to the side and waited for her to enter first.
“It’s your new home,” he said.
Go figure.
She walked into a spacious living room. The flashing red lights in each corner warned her of cameras watching her every move. She wondered how many more were hidden. An apartment tastefully furnished with 24/7 surveillance.
Collin stood back as she examined the kitchen and the archway leading to a bath and bedroom. With each step, her blood pressure rose. Flushed and sick to her stomach, she hoped she was wrong until she noticed the small chip on a corner of the coffee table. It was her furniture. The entire apartment was filled with her personal effects. Sure he’d told her they had gotten her things. But she’d thought clothes, makeup, maybe even her deodorant but not everything.
“My clothes and my furniture?” She paused in her examination. “Why?”
“We want you to be comfortable.”
“More like that you hoped I would stay, refusing to leave my possessions behind.” She suspected material things would never stop him from escaping.
“Maybe.”
Furious and trapped, she stood in the middle of the room with her hands on hips. How had he known the odds and ends she’d collected over the years represented her home? Her first home.
She threw back her head and blinked several times. Dammit. A red glow caught her attention. She hated the beady little lights taunting her from every angle.
“How did you get through my security system?” Her gaze narrowed onto him.
“Nic had a hell of a time. Who set up the security at your house?” Collin sat in the middle of her couch, placing an ankle on one knee and stretching his arms along the back.
“I did.” She’d worked months getting the traps set. Anyone who broke in would regret it pretty quick.
He cocked his head. “You keep surprising me.”
“What did you think I was? All brawn and no brain?” She wasn’t some killing machine. It took organization and intellect to set up the hits and get away unseen. Her handler told her who to hit but never the details to accomplish it. “I’m astonished they didn’t blow it up.”
“Four are in the hospital.” Though he said it with an even voice, she detected worry in his eyes.
Uncomfortable with the thought, she wandered through the room, picking up a knick-knack she’d purchased in Singapore and rearranged it on the end table. Then she wiped off dust from a candy dish she’d picked up in Chicago and straightened a
As she stepped into the car, the red numbers overhead dropped quickly until they passed G and started with B numbers. It finally rested at B10. Where were they? Hell? She’d already been there once and had plenty of souvenirs etched onto her body to prove it.
Of course, he already knew that.
Whatever he dished out, she would protect the orphanage. She’d endured before, and compared to Theo, Mr. Uptight was a walk in the park.
Chapter Four
T he elevator paused and a red light bathed the small enclosure before the doors opened.
Grinning at the thought, Olivia stepped out. Ten? She still couldn’t believe the size of the building hidden beneath the street level.
Within feet from the metal doors, a large open area revealed soft natural-colored walls with plants and a waterfall tinkling into a small pool focused in the center. Each step as she followed Collin revealed overstuffed chairs in little nooks, perfect for small-group meetings, and two exercise rooms with what looked like a cafeteria in between.
“What is this? A spa?”
As she expected, he ignored her question and turned into a short hallway. Beautiful, expensive looking artwork hung at the end of the hall. They stopped in front of a steel door that wouldn’t look out of place in a prison. He punched a long list of numbers into the stainless steel keypad and a series of clicks emitted from the lock. The door swung open. He stepped to the side and waited for her to enter first.
“It’s your new home,” he said.
Go figure.
She walked into a spacious living room. The flashing red lights in each corner warned her of cameras watching her every move. She wondered how many more were hidden. An apartment tastefully furnished with 24/7 surveillance.
Collin stood back as she examined the kitchen and the archway leading to a bath and bedroom. With each step, her blood pressure rose. Flushed and sick to her stomach, she hoped she was wrong until she noticed the small chip on a corner of the coffee table. It was her furniture. The entire apartment was filled with her personal effects. Sure he’d told her they had gotten her things. But she’d thought clothes, makeup, maybe even her deodorant but not everything.
“My clothes and my furniture?” She paused in her examination. “Why?”
“We want you to be comfortable.”
“More like that you hoped I would stay, refusing to leave my possessions behind.” She suspected material things would never stop him from escaping.
“Maybe.”
Furious and trapped, she stood in the middle of the room with her hands on hips. How had he known the odds and ends she’d collected over the years represented her home? Her first home.
She threw back her head and blinked several times. Dammit. A red glow caught her attention. She hated the beady little lights taunting her from every angle.
“How did you get through my security system?” Her gaze narrowed onto him.
“Nic had a hell of a time. Who set up the security at your house?” Collin sat in the middle of her couch, placing an ankle on one knee and stretching his arms along the back.
“I did.” She’d worked months getting the traps set. Anyone who broke in would regret it pretty quick.
He cocked his head. “You keep surprising me.”
“What did you think I was? All brawn and no brain?” She wasn’t some killing machine. It took organization and intellect to set up the hits and get away unseen. Her handler told her who to hit but never the details to accomplish it. “I’m astonished they didn’t blow it up.”
“Four are in the hospital.” Though he said it with an even voice, she detected worry in his eyes.
Uncomfortable with the thought, she wandered through the room, picking up a knick-knack she’d purchased in Singapore and rearranged it on the end table. Then she wiped off dust from a candy dish she’d picked up in Chicago and straightened a
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