Read Online The Touch by Jaymie Holland - Free Book Online Page A

positive she and Wade were as good
as dead.
    When Wade’s arms were down he added, “You
know the agent won’t pass over the chip unless I’m here to take
it.”
    “Fuck.” Mike pushed the barrel of his
Berretta against Chandra’s chin so hard she flinched. Her eyes
watered and she swallowed hard.
    “Why are you doing this?” Wade asked as he
fisted his hands at his sides.
    This got a grin out of Mike and he let the
barrel fall away from her chin. When she glanced up at him, he
actually looked handsome.
    “Why else?” he asked. “You’re not possibly
that dense. A hell of a lot of money from the sale of that
microchip will be mine.” He glanced at the men and women
surrounding them. “Ours.”
    “Do you really think it’s worth it?” Wade
said quietly. “You won’t be able to return to the States. You’ll be
hunted, always having to watch your back.”
    Mike smiled and Chandra couldn’t believe how
normal he looked, as if he was having a pleasant everyday
conversation with a friend, instead of threatening to kill them as
well as steal the chip.
    “You’re going to be blamed, friend.” He drew
Chandra near him again and kissed the side of her face. She
couldn’t suppress a shudder. “As far as the PIA will know, you and
your woman stole it and sold it before we could stop you. A
shitload of money has already been pumped into your account to show
that you were getting an advance on delivery.”
    “Isn’t that cliché, Mike?” Wade asked.
“Especially for you? I thought you were a lot smarter than
that.”
    Mike shrugged. “Why break what works?”
     
    “We take the woman and as soon as the chip is
delivered we’ll make an exchange—the chip for her.” Mike’s tone
turned harder yet. “Even if she was a one-night fuck, I know you,
Branson. You won’t let her die. And that’s exactly what’s going to
happen if you don’t have the chip by noon.”
    Fire burned in Wade’s eyes and his face was
dark with anger. “Where?”
    “You’ve got my number,” Mike said. “Call as
soon as you have it. You know the drill. No one else involved.” He
shifted behind her as he said, “Richmond. Do it.”
    Chandra barely had a chance to blink when
Richmond drew out a bottle. He sprayed the contents at Wade’s
chest.
    A smell like dirty laundry hit her just as
Wade shouted and dropped to his knees, then his haunches. He fisted
his hands on his thighs and his jaw was tight as he stared at
Fields. Horror seared Chandra’s belly. What had they put on Wade?
His shirt smoked where the fluid had hit him.
    Or was that his body? He seemed to fade away
before solidifying again.
    What?
    Even as terror for Wade ripped through her,
her eyes widened at the sight. Was she imagining things, like when
he’d stumbled from the trap door?
    Fields chuckled, a sound that churned
Chandra’s stomach. “The Exposal will keep you in line,” he said.
From her side vision she saw him nod to Valdez. “Stay with Branson.
As soon as he has the chip, call me.” Fields turned his gaze on a
couple of the other operatives. “Fix that fucking door so that it
doesn’t look like it’s been damaged.”
    Wade remained on his haunches and Chandra
could tell he was gritting his teeth from pain at the same time
concern for her was in his eyes. Raw fury twisted his
expression.
    Mike yanked her sideways, the gun still under
her chin. In that moment the pendant flipped over and her heart
went still. Her eyes met Wade’s and shock registered in his gaze
before his features turned to stone again.
    When Mike jerked her fully around, the
pendant turned back over so that the chip was to her chest again.
No one said anything—they simply followed her and Mike out of the
room.
    She breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously no
one but Wade had noticed.
    The irony of the situation hit her. She was
being kidnapped by Mike to be exchanged for something he already
possessed.
    #
    The operatives filed out of the room but Wade
was in too much pain to