Ghostwalker 03 - Night Game

her.

    “My friend told me about a nice boutique for young women and they had everything. It made it easy to shop.” Nonny said. “I just made a cup of my special tea. Would you like some?”

    Gator’s fingers began a slow massage along her collarbone and up toward the nape of her neck.

    Flame’s face was bright red. She could feel the color, hot and bright, glowing like a neon banner for everyone to see. What nice shop? Did it specialize in sex toys? Did she dare drink the tea? It could contain an aphrodisiac. “I’d love a cup of tea.” Her voice nearly croaked.

    “Are you certain you’re all right, cher ?” Nonny asked. “Maybe you’ve gotten out of bed too soon. Raoul, maybe you should take her back to bed.”

    Wyatt nudged his brother, winking. “ Grand-mere wants you to take her back to bed.”

    “Thas no way for a gentleman to talk, Wyatt,” Nonny reprimanded.

    Wyatt grinned at her, clearly unrepentant.

    Flame let out her breath in a long hiss promising retaliation. It had to be Wyatt who provided her night attire and the sex toys. She’d find a way to get even, but at least it enabled her to relax a little around Nonny.

    “The kitchen is a mite crowded. The boys have been eating since they got here, Raoul. I don’ think those boys have had a good home-cooked meal in a long while.”

    Flame stiffened. This was getting worse and worse. She had a feeling the “boys” weren’t Gator’s other two brothers.

    “Grand-mere,” Gator said, kissing his grandmother on the forehead, “those boys have never had cookin’ like yours. You’re the best of the best and everyone in the bayou knows it. I can’t blame them for eating so much.”

    “They’re good, polite boys,” Nonny said. “I don’ mind cookin’ for them.”

    “That’s a good thing, Nonny, because Tucker never gets filled up,” Gator said.

    Kadan and Tucker stood up as the women entered room, Tucker grinning at Nonny a little sheepishly.

    “I finished up the gumbo, ma’am. I’ve never had anything so good.”

    Kadan nodded his agreement. “Thank you, ma’am.”

    “No need for that, boys,” Nonny said, looking pleased. Flame felt the impact of the two GhostWalkers’s gazes. Hard. Penetrating. As if they were looking straight through her to see inside of her. She became aware of Raoul’s hand then, his fingers stroking hers, covering her fist curled around the hilt of her knife. He was very close to her again, his body deliberately crowding hers so it would be difficult to draw the knife and throw in one smooth motion.

    “They’re my family, cher ,” he reminded, his lips close to her ear.

    Flame felt the stirring of his warm breath, heard the reassurance in his voice, but her gaze immediately covered the room, noting all exits, windows, and every single item she could use as a weapon should she need it.

    “Flame, this is Kadan Montague and Tucker Addison. Both are my friends and work with me,” Gator said.

    “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Tucker greeted.

    Kadan registered the fact that she hadn’t loosened ha grip on her knife and Gator’s hand held hers stationary. “I hope you’re feeling better. Gator told us you won a fight with an alligator.”

    She forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and made a conscious effort to open her fingers and let go of her lifeline. “Well, I don’t know about that. He lost an eye and I nearly lost an arm, so I’d say it was a draw.”

    “Rye called this morning and said the man you identified as Rick Fielding died four years ago running an ops in Columbia,” Kadan announced.

    “That’s impossible. He took the psychic test the same time I did. I’m not mistaken,”
    Gator protested. “It was the same man.”

    “You probably aren’t mistaken,” Flame said. “If I had access to a good computer I’d run a list of names of soldiers who took that test, supposedly didn’t make it in but were listed as dead or missing a few months later. My guess would be they’ve become part of another team and someone with a lot of money and a lot of contacts is running them.”
    Kadan’s gaze had such an impact she hunched, but refused to look away from him. She brushed palm over the hilt of her knife for reassurance.

    “I’d agree that running that list of names and comparing them to men who are supposed to be dead is a very smart idea,” Kadan agreed. “I’ll pass it on to Rye and see what he comes up with. He also mentioned that a