The Alpha Men's Secret Club 5(20)

She padded out to the little lounge of the suite, still naked. The temperatures were very well-controlled in here. She envisioned the publicity and campaign Rita had probably engendered. Rita wouldn’t let her down. Not with what she was willing to pay with Rust’s money. And being the publicity whore Rita was, she would have probably done it for free anyway.

There were two trays of covered food on the table. She hadn’t heard anyone come in. Maybe Rust had let them in. The agents in this place usually knocked before they entered during mealtime and they were always polite. That was the only thing that made it seem less like a prison.

She uncovered the silver platters.

The aroma of peppercorns wafted to her nostrils. Two succulent rib-eye steaks sat in delicious-looking brown gravy which was smothered in sliced mushrooms and carrots and peas. Mashed potatoes whipped in swirls were laid to one side, and strawberry pudding completed the ensemble. Even the bread rolls were steaming hot.

Her stomach growled. Pregnancy was making her so hungry, and she was certainly craving more meat than usual. Perhaps it was because she was carrying a little tiger shifter inside her – a thought which did not alarm her as much as it once would have.

She supposed Rust wouldn’t mind if she tucked in first.

After all, she was so very hungry and he needed his healing sleep.





16



It was a good thing the Director did not require her to be present in Quantico.

“He what?” Alyssa said to the Director’s image on the screen.

She was referring to the President.

“He wants us to show the O’Briens to the public on television.” The Director grimaced.

Well, sir, Alyssa thought, I did mention that it was a good thing to do so before public pressure surmounted, but you didn’t listen.

“Well, sir, that might not be a bad thing,” she said.

“Are they fit for public consumption . . . appearance wise?”

“Yes.”

“You haven’t done anything scandalous to them, have you? We don’t want another Abu Ghraib.”

Alyssa didn’t think Rust would tell anyone of what they did during the three-way. As for the others, he had consented. As had Moira and Connor. She had it all on written contract.

“They’re perfectly fine,” she said confidently. “Nothing has been done to them without their written consent.”

Besides, there were ways to ensure they said the right things to the press. After all, Rita Cunningham and her public bloodhounds did not ask to see Kate, did they now?

“Good. The President wants the press conference to be held two days from now. Arrange it.”

The video feed winked off.

Alyssa sighed. Rita Cunningham was going to have a reckoning once this was over.

The door opened. It was Dan, and his face was stricken.

“What is it now?” she said irritably.

“It’s the O’Briens. Something terrible has happened.”

At first, Alyssa thought it was a joke. But Dan’s face was very pale.

Oh my God, she thought, rushing out of the room.





17



Rust was in the throes of a strange dream.

In this dream – which he was not sure it was a dream – he was in the dark. He was lying on his bed, and he was alone. And yet, it was very clearly the room he was incarcerated in with Kate.

It was dark and it was cold. Another anomaly. The temperatures were well-controlled here.

He got up.

“Kate?”

There was no answer. But Rust was aware that this was a dream, and dreams led you to strange places. He reached for the lamp to turn it on. Light stabbed into the room suddenly, filling it with texture and color.

“Kate?”

He padded out into the lounge.

The small dining table was strewn with the remnants of a half-eaten meal. A pool of gravy sat on a mostly empty plate, while the other dish was still covered.

“Kate?”

Then he saw her. Her legs, to be exact.

She was lying on the floor beside the table, and she was unmoving.

A blow struck his chest immediately. He rushed to her.

“Kate?”

This is a dream, this is a dream, he told himself.

He turned her body over. No, not her body! She’s still alive! With our child! Kate’s eyes were shut and she was barely breathing. Her skin was very cold and pale.

Why was she naked? A towel had fallen to the floor next to her. The shoal of her belly was very obvious.

“Kate?”

He felt for a pulse. There was none.

Was this still a dream?





18



Alyssa rushed to the hospital wing of the FBI facility. The curtains were drawn around two cubicles, but she could hear the commotion behind them.

“Give me another 1mg of Epinephrine, stat!”

“OK, place the paddles. Clear!”

“Stand back.”