Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(36)
Author: Gena Showalter

"You should probably leave, too. We’ll fight, and that won’t do anyone any good." He remained in place. His dark hair was in disarray, stress lines around his mouth. His lips were red and moist, as if he’d chewed on them. Or maybe they were still red from the blistering kiss I’d given him.

"Quite a few days we’ve had."

Fine. He wanted to stay, he could stay. But small talk? Not gonna happen. "Make yourself useful and go convince John to sign Elaine’s custody over to me."

Expression hardening, he shook his head. "Not a chance. We’ve got her back in lockup and that’s where she’s going to stay. She took down an agent, Belle. You’re just lucky we’re gathering everything you promised her."

"It was an accident, Rome." I ran my tongue over my teeth and gave him my back again. I’d expected the refusal, just not that it would be delivered with such ironclad determination. "I want her out."

"Why? Were you lying and don’t really care about the boy on that bed? You said he was your best friend and there he is, practically comatose. Don’t you want to punish the one who put him there?"

"Like I said, she didn’t do it on purpose."

"You don’t know that."

"He touched her. Not the other way around."

"Doesn’t matter. She’s a danger to – "

"I’m a danger. Okay? That’s what you once said about me. But here I am, fighting for your team. So let.

Her. Out. I’ll take full responsibility for her. Actually, let her out and bring her here. She can keep me company. Anyone is better than the man I’m currently dealing with." A man who had defended his ex to me. Again.

"I questioned her about her past victims." Rome’s tone was flat, empty.

Had my words hurt him? Surely not. He would have to care about me, about my opinion. "And?"

"Many died within the first hour of touching her, their lungs too weak to fill on their own. Some survived for a day. A few, for good. Tanner’s already past the first hour, as well as the first day, and he’s now breathing on his own. I think he’s going to be all right."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to hope. It was hard, though, when Tanner looked so pale, so still.

"So…while I had Draino’s attention, I asked her some other questions. Specifically about Memory Man. She said they spent some time together in the cages and that he hated Desert Gal. Fought her every step of the way."

My brow puckered in confusion. "If he hated her, why’d he help her and take your memories? Why was he one of her favorites?"

"Maybe she was simply trying to win him to her side. We’ll have to ask him to know for sure."

"Which means we’ll have to find him," I muttered, scrubbing a hand down my tired face.

"Draino said – "

"She has a name," I interjected, my irritation clear. Paranormal nicknames were important; they were the drumroll before an entrance, a defining factor of our identity. I wouldn’t allow Elaine to be degraded by hers. So until we thought of a new one, Elaine would have to do.

A pause. Then, "Elaine said that a few times, when they’d both caved to Pretty Boy’s demands, she and Memory Man were sent on missions together. She’s seen him steal memories and said he only takes the ones he likes. That he often talked about how he wished he could have visited the places he saw in those memories, or met the people in them for real. Apparently he swore that one day, he’d make that wish a reality." Another pause, this one heavy. "Since he took all my memories of you, I can only guess he liked you."

I traced my fingers over Tanner’s arm. His skin was cool, his blood flow too sluggish to warm him.

"What are you trying to tell me, Rome?"

"That he’s here because you are. That he wants to meet you for real. That he might even try to win you." I laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. "Win me? " Surely not. "That’s…that’s…" Preposterous. "Can’t be right. I haven’t met anyone new. And why me? I’m sure he had an abundance of choices. I mean, really. He could have chosen Lexis."

"But he didn’t."

"Why?" I insisted. This honestly made no sense.

"I wish I knew," Rome said sharply, as if he really did want to remember. More than anything else in the world. "Maybe if I knew, I could make sense of this…obsession I seem to have with you." My hand stilled on Tanner, that sweet proclamation ringing in my ears. Where had this determined man been when he’d first awakened? When he’d gone home with Lexis? Yeah, he’d assured me nothing had happened between them. But it had still hurt. Unlike M-Squared, he’d chosen her over me.

"If he has my memories of you, I’m not sure if he thinks he’s me or he’s still himself, but either way he’s most likely…developing…feelings for you." His voice deepened, became more steely, with every word spoken. "I called Cody to talk some of this out, and he mentioned someone sent you flowers."

"That same someone also gave me candy." Could Memory Man have sent them?

"Candy?" An outraged hiss. "If he thinks he’s me, he’s going about this all wrong. I’d never send candy.

It’s too cliche. When did you get candy? And if you ate a single piece, I’ll – " I traced a finger along the line of Tanner’s IV. "I took them to the lab to be dusted for prints and tested for poison."

A blur of movement, and then Rome’s heat was radiating beside me. "Smart girl. When I leave here, I’ll check on them for you, see what was found."

"Thanks. Now, smart girl that I am, you know I wouldn’t ask this next question without reason."

"If you say so."

So suspicious. "Will you bring Elaine to me?"

"Sorry, but you’re not getting anywhere near her, Belle."

I pushed a breath out between my clenched teeth. "Look, we both know you don’t give a shit about me.

You’re just fixated right now because you’re frustrated at not being able to remember. That’s understandable. But you lost the right to protect me when you went home to your ex-wife." His hand settled atop my shoulder, hot and firm. "I told you. Nothing happened. And I do give a shit." I shrugged from his hold, saying, "Not enough." Not nearly enough. "I need you to leave now, Rome.

Please." I just didn’t have the stamina to deal with him right now.

"Guess who called me – " Sherridan’s voice ground to a halt as she entered the room. She must have spotted Rome. "Oh, it’s you." Yep. "What are you doing here, you traitor?"

"Hello, Sherridan. It’s nice to see you, too."

"So you know me? " she asked, some of her outrage falling away and pride taking its place.