Twice as Hot (Tales of an Extraordinary Girl #2)(84)
Author: Gena Showalter

As he spoke, I tried to throw my legs over the side of the bed. I wanted to wrap Sherridan in my arms.

But Rome had anticipated such a move from me. He released my hand and locked onto my ankles, tossing them back onto the bed with a flick of his wrists.

"Don’t even," he said.

Fine. I wasn’t sure I could walk, anyway. "Someone tell me how Desert Witch planned to use a spell-binding voice against me." And I knew it had been for my benefit. Why else take my friend?

"Sherridan would have commanded her to go to hell, and that would have entranced her. " Rome was shaking his head. "The only way to not fall victim to Sherridan’s voice is by having special filters surgically added to your ears. Filters Candace has. She wanted Sherridan to call you before her procedure to worry you, then after it was done so that you were guaranteed to answer and assuage your fears. But Sherridan wouldn’t do the latter, even upon threat of death." Candace, was it? Ugh. "Surely Sherridan’s voice wouldn’t affect me. Surely – "

"I guess we have to prove it. Lexis and I had filters implanted when we went through all our enhancements, and Tanner got his this morning, so you and Elaine are the only ones in the room without them. Brace yourselves. Show her, Sherridan."

"I’m so sorry, Belle," she said on a sob, and her voice was heaven. Absolute, utter heaven.

I shivered, my gaze drawn to her, my body leaning toward her. No, not leaning. I was trying to stand again, had to reach her. Touch her. She was so beautiful, and if I could just trace my finger over her skin, I knew I would be transported to the paradise I heard in her voice. It would be better than Rome’s kiss.

Hooked as I was to the IV, I couldn’t move fast enough, couldn’t move close enough. But I tried, oh, I tried. Until a hard restraining hand pushed me back on the bed and held me down.

"What are you doing?" I batted at the offending restraint. "Let me go. Sherridan, I need you. I love you."

A heavy weight descended, pinning me down. I fought and bucked and bit and scratched, all to no avail.

"Let me up, damn it!"

"Belle. Stop."

My struggles increased. If I could just reach Sherridan…hold her, kiss her perhaps. She was everything I’d ever wanted. Everything I needed. Sherridan. Even the name made me shiver.

Warm lips pressed into my ear. "Calm down, baby. I’m here. Rome’s here. I’ve got you. Concentrate on my voice. Do you hear me? Your body feels so good pressed against mine. Lush and sweet." Rome’s husky tone penetrated the love-lust haze thing I had going. I stilled, tendrils of horror sneaking up on me. I was panting, sweating, but my head was clearing. "Oh, God." Slowly Rome’s delicious weight lifted off me. I remained in place, though I wanted to latch onto him and take comfort.

"See," he said, settling back in the chair.

I shared a watery smile with Sherridan. "It’ll be okay," I told her. And then I looked away, because her sadness was more than I could bear.

My gaze landed on the other "happy" couple in the room. Tanner must have entered while I’d been trying to score with Sherridan. He’d been forced to hold Elaine down just as Rome had held me.

Thankfully, she was covered in another full-body stocking, preventing them from any skin-to-skin contact.

"Look on the bright side, Sher," Tanner said with a grin. "You’ve finally got a shot with Jessica Alba." Rome reached up and traced a finger over my arm. "Now you see how powerful Sherridan’s voice is.

Candace planned to use her as bait. Draw you to her. She would have found a way to make Sherridan cave, like threatening to kill Lexis in front of her. That was the disaster Cody was hoping to avoid. He couldn’t call us because Candace was paranoid and wouldn’t let him out of her sight. She had him monitored 24/7."

Goose bumps broke out over my skin. His touch…so warm, so gentle. "I want filters," I said. No way I’d make my best friend remain silent in my presence for the rest of her life.

"I’m sure that can be arranged," Rome said.

Sherridan waved in a bid to gain my attention. When our gazes met, she mouthed, I’m sorry.

"It happens to the best of us," I said. I held out my arms. "Look at me." A quiet, whispery bark of a laugh escaped her. But it was enough to make my heart pound and my skin tingle. Sweet Jesus, she was beautiful. Enough to –  Get hold of yourself, Belle.

"Knock, knock," Cody said. "Can I come in?"

Immediately Sherridan rolled to her side, facing me but giving Cody her back. Cody watched her, his hands fisting at his sides. There was a gleam of murder in his eyes, not that any other part of his expression betrayed it. His smile remained firmly in place.

Something had happened between them. I’d stake my life on it.

"Looks like the gang’s all here," I said. I was just happy John hadn’t arrived demanding blood. With Reese jailed, he would have had to take it the old-fashioned way, but still. I’d been through enough.

"The nurse told me everyone was awake. I just wanted to check on you guys." Though he spoke to all of us, his gaze kept returning to Sherridan. I remembered the way he’d held her when she’d exited her cage. Remembered how he’d caressed her back and held on as though she were…necessary.

Sherridan paled, opened her mouth to say something.

"We’re good," I rushed out, cutting her off. "Right?" I realized I’d asked about the men, but never about my girls, even though they’d been right in front of me the entire time. Or maybe because they had.

Lexis gave a brief nod, and Elaine said, "Better than ever." They did look good, as healthy as Sherridan.

"What happened to Desert Slut?" I asked. "Other than the fact that she likes to sleep with agents."

"Cody slept with her? Go, Cody!" Tanner laughed.

"I’m not talking about Cody." I stuck my tongue out at him. "But anyway, you don’t get to talk. You came in here and ignored me, didn’t hug me or even ask how I was doing." He flipped me off behind his back, and I was the one to laugh. That was my sweet Tanner, back to his old self completely.

"Be nice," Elaine told him.

"Anything for you, my little tampon."

Both of them chuckled, and I saw Lexis force her attention to her hands, as if they were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. Tanner and Elaine really did make a cute couple. I just hoped they found a way to touch each other. Surgery, maybe. Or, ugh, hopefully another experiment wouldn’t be necessary.

"Desert Gal," Rome prompted, drawing my attention. "You were curious about what happened to her." Oh, yeah. "Dead?" There was a mixture of hope and dread in my voice.