Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(30)
Author: Gena Showalter

I needed more rain. Which meant I needed more sadness.

Before I could work up a good reason to cry, though, another round of footsteps echoed. Ice-cold foam was suddenly sprayed at me, dousing me completely. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips together, even stopped breathing so I wouldn’t inhale the frigid stuff. Since employing me, John had made sure a fire extinguisher waited in every hallway.

When the spray stopped, several moments ticked by in silence.

"It’s okay," Rome said, panting. "The fire’s out."

Slowly I cracked open my eyes. I had to wipe my face with my hand to clear my line of vision. Rome hovered in front of me, his face concerned.

"You’re covered in soot and your clothing has holes," I told him, shivering as the cold seeped into my bones. And I had done that to him. Me. I had placed him in danger. Hurt him. Could have killed him.

"I’m sorry. So sorry."

"Well, you’re naked." There was no anger in his tone, no accusation about what I’d done. He was genuinely amused. "Nothing to be sorry about. I like the end result." Still. Tears burned my eyes as I surveyed the damage to myself. I gasped. My gown had indeed burned away. The only thing that saved me from a complete, full-body flash was the white foam. I looked like a snow queen, covered as I was with it.

Rome scooped me up, and I yelped in surprise. "I’ve got you." He latched onto the blanket before settling back on the chair with me on his lap and draping the material over me. "You okay?"

"Yes." Embarrassed to my soul, but fine physically.

"Does that kind of thing happen – "

"Belle Jamison. Want to tell me why – " John, who’d charged into the room, stopped abruptly. His expression didn’t change when he spotted me sprawled on Rome’s lap, but his voice did calm. "I don’t even want to know what kind of kinky sex games the two of you have been playing this time, but it’s nice to have you and your memories back, Rome. I’ll want an EEG, of course, to compare your brain waves then and now."

Rome lost his air of relaxation. "My memories haven’t returned." John’s gaze flew to me, confusion registering. "Oh. Then why…Never mind." My cheeks heated and I scrambled off Rome and back onto the bed, taking the blanket with me. I covered myself as best I could. Cold as I was, I couldn’t hide the two little pearls saluting anyone who glanced my way.

"Fine. I have to know. Something happened between the two of you." Both of John’s brows arched, and he sighed. "What?"

"You already know, you pervert," I snapped.

He didn’t back down. "Reese says the components that make your blood different from the average human’s increase every time he tests you. This time, they were off the charts." I’d suspected that before, that the bloodletting was making my powers wonky, but had decided that was wrong. I still thought so. Being without my filter was the issue. Had to be. Because every time Rome left me, I had problems. I didn’t tell that to John, however. Not now. He might try to find me another filter, someone who didn’t mind being with me, and that wouldn’t do. Not when the only person I wanted that close to me was Rome.

"Well, something’s off," I said, which wasn’t a lie. "I managed to set myself on fire." John’s eyes widened and he looked to Rome for confirmation.

Rome gave an ominous nod.

"I wonder what’s different. Is the formula strengthening as time passes?" Silent, John tilted his head to the side. He tapped his chin. He looked from me to Rome, Rome to me, and his eyes widened further.

"Ah, of course. You hinted, I think, but I didn’t understand. Something’s different about you every time he leaves, yes?"

"What’s different?" Rome asked.

Crap. John had figured out the truth on his own.

"Should we put her in lockup?" he asked, surprising me, the question clearly aimed at himself. He continued to tap that finger against his chin as he studied me.

"I’m right here! And no, we shouldn’t. I’m not a scrim. And before you say it, I do not want another filter."

Dark eyes leveled on me with unerring intensity. "I do what’s necessary to protect both my agents and the world, no matter what’s required. You know that. If your powers are that unstable…"

"I can handle it," I told him. "I’d already figured out the problem, but hadn’t realized how bad it could get. I know now and I’ll take precautions." Though the only precaution I could think of was staying away from Rome until his memories returned, and that wasn’t acceptable. "Just back off."

"Listen hard, Miss Jamison," John said through clenched teeth. "You are not my boss. You do not issue commands. I, however, do. From now on, you are to inform me of every change that occurs, not just hint about them. You could have killed someone today! Understand?"

"I understand." And I did. He wanted the best for everyone. So I backed off instead, remorseful.

"New tests need to be run."

"Of course." I’d known that would happen, which was part of the reason I’d kept quiet. John liked to test everything. In ways that were sometimes painful, sometimes humiliating, but always a nuisance. He meant well, I knew that, but it didn’t lessen the aggravation.

Dr. Roberts, the scientist who had secretly placed that formula in my grande mocha latte, had also given it to several other people. I was the only one who survived – and still, months later, no one knew why – so I was the only living vessel John had, which made me the only source for answers.

"If I let you stay in the field," he said, "you’ll have to be monitored." I shook my head, my hair slapping my cheeks. "No way." Monitored equaled babysat. Reports would be made, detailing my every mistake. Any sense of privacy I had would evaporate.

He didn’t back down. "No exceptions. No negotiations."

Rome watched the entire exchange, attention volleying back and forth between us. Blank as his expression was, I had no idea what thoughts he entertained. Perhaps it was better that way. He’d just kissed me to climax, watched me catch on fire and had nearly lost his life – not to mention his eyebrows – because of me.

"Fine." A tremor raked my spine, vibrating into each of my limbs. Damn cold. "Tanner can – "

"I’ll do it." Rome’s voice echoed in the sudden silence.

"Which will cause you and Lexis to fight, and fighting isn’t good for our cause," John said. "With your memory loss – "

"I haven’t forgotten how to do my job," he snapped.

Nope, he’d just forgotten me.

"I’m damn good at what I do," Rome continued, "and I have more experience than anyone else you’ve got. You want to win this one, you’ll send me out there. Whether Lexis and I fight or not, we would never compromise a mission."