Read Online Taming the Fire by Sydney Croft - Free Book Online

the man who ran it. The man who'd given life to Dev and used him last year in order to gain knowledge about ACRO.
    Dev had been making plans—he and Oz had been making plans to wage a war against Itor, the likes of which they'd never survive. Dev had just begun to concentrate on his mission again. And now he was focused on a fucking folder, scared to touch it because he didn't want to know what it held.
    He'd spent an uncomfortable night after the guards had come to pick up the wayward operative, spent his time roaming the house and trying not to imagine what the young man would feel like under him.
    He fought the urge to bang his head on the desk and gulped his coffee instead.
    “Rough night?” Marlena slid a second cup next to him.
    He looked up at the beautiful woman who'd been by his side for nearly six years now. Although it didn't show on her face, she'd had a rough night too. He was as finely tuned in to her as he was to himself.
    He'd been woefully neglecting her feelings over the past months while he'd been mourning. She understood, but he had a lot of making up to do.
    She glanced at the file. “New guy.”
    “You've looked.”
    “Would I do that before you with classified information?”
    “Every single time.” He couldn't help but grin. “Do we have an intake sheet yet?”
    “He filled it out late last night after we got him settled into the trainee quarters.” She pulled the papers out of the appointment book she carried with her.
    Dev knew if he held the pages between his fingertips, he'd know too much. Having something the new recruit had touched made it much easier for him to get a read. He motioned for Marlena to put it down on the desk instead, and she complied, albeit with a quizzical look.
    He picked up the second cup of coffee, took a long sip, and then, “This operative was dropped at my house last night. Any idea who gave those orders?”
    “No clue. Did you call the gate?”
    “They said he walked away—he claims he was driven to me.”
    Marlena raised her eyebrows. “I'm assuming reprimands are in order.”
    “Perhaps even dismissals,” Dev growled in agreement. “That's a complete breakdown in protocol.”
    “I agree. Let me pull the gate records and bring in everyone who worked last night.”
    Dev rubbed his head, even as Marlena moved behind him to rub his neck. “Thanks.”
    “I'm here to make your life easier,” she said, as Annika slammed into the office without bothering to knock. It didn't matter—Dev had sensed her presence as she rode the elevator to his floor.
    “The new guy is a problem,” she announced without so much as a “Good morning.” She wore her PT uniform—black sweats and black T-shirt, and her blond hair was pulled back in a pony-tail. She looked every inch the drill instructor she was.
    A drill instructor with the ability to shock people to death.
    “Tell me something I don't know.” Dev leaned back in his chair. “I didn't call you here to talk about the new guy. He's not my concern now. I have a jet on standby to get to Trance. You'll leave in less than forty-eight hours if all goes as planned, less if it doesn't. You need to be packed and ready to go.”
    “I'll be ready,” Annika told him—she was one operative he didn't have to worry about. Annika had it together when it came to her job. And, of course, if the new guy didn't fall into line immediately, it would annoy her to no end.
    “Can we talk about the new guy?” Annika asked, and then continued without waiting for him to answer. “He's giving his handler hell, and he's got attitude out the ass. I know he's had a fucked-up life, but he needs to chill. He's too dangerous to be with the other trainees right now.”
    A fucked-up life. Dev didn't have to read his file to know it would show desolation. Loneliness. Foster care, juvie and jail. Dev could've exchanged it for over half of his agents with special abilities.
    Could've exchanged it for Oz.
    Dammit, he didn't want a replacement