Nonny smiled at him for the first time. "I'll bring you some beignets and cafe."
Larry nodded and followed Wyatt back outside. On the porch he stopped. "There really is something dangerous loose in the swamp. She shouldn't be out there."
Wyatt studied the man's face. "Did somethin' get out of that lab that could hurt her or anyone else?" he prompted.
Larry shrugged. "Just watch her. I can't say more."
Wyatt nodded toward the two men trying to get into the locked garage. "I understand. Is that why the others are lookin' around my property?"
"Yes." Larry's voice went clipped. Tight. "What's in the garage?"
"I'm a doctor. My equipment and lab are in there. And no one's goin' to go through my things. It's a sterile environment." Wyatt put a little hard-ass into his voice.
Larry and the dog stepped off the porch. He whistled. The two men by the garage turned and noticed Wyatt watching them from the porch. They didn't move.
"You might want to warn them, there's a high-powered rifle trained on them right this moment and the man behind the trigger doesn' miss. Not ever. They break that lock and he'll kill them." Wyatt's tone was back to mild.
Larry visibly paled. He hurried over to the two men. They argued for a moment, and then one of them, Blake, took a careful look around, still shaking his head, clearly not believing.
Put one right in front of his boot. In front, Wyatt emphasized, not in his boot.
The bullet hit dead center, less than an inch from Blake's boot. The sound of the single shot echoed through the bayou. The three men froze, raising their hands slowly. Two more men rushed around the corner of the house and skidded to a halt. One was limping and his clothes were torn up. Wyatt would have bet any amount of money that he would be pulling nettles out of his legs for some days to come. He was going to be one uncomfortable man for a while - and that was if he wasn't allergic.
"Gentlemen," Wyatt said, beckoning them toward him. He waited until they walked slowly up to the porch. "I believe I've been more than patient with you. This is my home and ma famille. I will defend them with everythin' in me. By now, you can tell this isn' my first party. Next time you come round my property without bein' asked, I'll be feedin' you to the alligators."
"Don't think this is over," Blake snarled.
"Shut up, Blake," Larry said. "It's over. These people have nothing to do with our business. We're going," he added.
Wyatt nodded, feeling a little sorry for the man. Larry had a job to do, and he had no real idea of what he'd gotten himself into. Probably most of the other guards were like him. They'd been hired to guard a plastics company that they'd probably been told was a front for a military laboratory. They were convinced someone was trying to break in and get their secrets. The guards had no idea what else was in that laboratory.
Not that he excused them. They knew something else was going on and, although they were leery, they didn't bother to check because they didn't want to lose their jobs. There had to be one part of the building none of them were allowed into. They were told to keep whatever was in there inside, and everything else out. He didn't think ignorance was an excuse, not when you knew your place of business was lying their ass off to the outside world - and to you.
He watched them all get onto the airboat, knowing both Ezekiel and Malichai watched their every move as well. He would definitely need a couple of more members of his team and soon. These men were not part of Whitney's crew. They were civilians, and the GhostWalker teams could get in and out without detection.
The moment Whitney heard that Braden had sent his guards to the Fontenot residence, he would send for his own supersoldiers, and that would make things a whole lot more difficult.
Chapter 9
"Wyatt, I can't do this," Pepper said. He was crazy. There was no other explanation. She hadn't seen insanity in him until this very moment.
"
"
Wyatt grinned at her. "We're just goin' into town, little darlin', nothin' all that difficult. Here's how you do it all nice and easy."
She glared at him while he pulled open the door to the passenger side of the Jeep and gestured.
"Just hop up there on the seat and put your seat belt on. If you don' know how to do that, I'll be more than happy to show you."
She backed away. "I'm not getting in that vehicle, and I'm certainly not going to any town with you."
"Yes, you are. We need supplies. Clothes for the girls. I have to order some things to be delivered. Too many days are gettin' away from us."
"You can go by yourself."
His eyes didn't leave her face and she found herself shivering. She was supposed to be the seductress, not him, yet standing there, draped against the Jeep, his dark eyes moving over her face with faint laughter and way too much intensity, he looked so sexy she was afraid to move an inch, afraid she might fling herself at him.
The terrible hunger that was never sated, that crawled through her night and day without reprieve, had settled on this man. That was a bad thing. A very bad thing. She had to fight herself, her nature, not to deliberately entice him. Not with her voice, her body, her movements.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and instantly his gaze dropped to her mouth. The impact on her was frightening. She took in a deep breath, struggling for strength. His gaze dropped lower, to the fullness of her breasts, caressing her, stroking her soft skin until her nipples peaked. He hadn't even touched her.
"Stop." She whispered it. Implored him. "You have to stop."
"Pepper, get in the Jeep."
His voice was low and firm. Commanding. Affectionate. She'd never known affection. He was getting to her in spite of all her resolve. She took two more steps back, wanting to save him. Going with him would be a disaster. He just didn't understand.
Swift impatience crossed his face. His jaw set. A small muscle ticked there, warning her, and then he was on her fast, so fast, she hadn't even seen him move. His arms swept around her and he lifted her easily off her feet, swinging her up to his chest.
She caught him around the neck, undecided whether or not it was worth it to struggle. He was enhanced. A GhostWalker. There was no winning in a battle of strength. The heat of his body seeped into hers. She was always that little bit cold. He was always so very hot. She felt as if her skin melted into his. He set her body on fire. Fire.
Fear spread through her on the heels of the flames consuming her. There would be no going back if she gave herself to him. She would be lost. Maybe she was already lost, seduced as much by the idea of family as the man himself. Confusion and fear reigned. Like an idiot,
she struggled, even knowing it was futile.
"Babe."
Wyatt's voice slipped under her skin, pierced her heart. Did things to her bloodstream. Her gaze jumped to his. His face was inches from hers. A scant two inches. Her fingers curled hard into his shoulders. She was drowning, and there was no way to save either of them.
His mouth found hers and the world shifted away from her, spun out of control. She could spend a lifetime kissing him and never come up for air. He did things with his mouth she hadn't known were possible. He took complete control of the kiss and just devoured her, his tongue and teeth and all the hot masculine macho sexy energy poured into her, inflaming every cell in her body.
She felt the seat against her back as Wyatt pressed her into the passenger seat, and, still kissing her, snapped her seat belt around her. Only then did he lift his head. She felt dazed. A little drunk even. Her bones had turned to liquid and every brain cell she had was seriously fried.
Wyatt closed her door firmly and she watched him move around the hood of the car to the driver's side. Even the way he moved, all fluid and easy, was sexy. She had sex on the brain. Maybe that was the trouble and once she gave in, she'd be over him.
Wyatt slid in beside her, smoothly clicked his seat belt in and started the Jeep before looking down at her. "Honey, you're broadcastin' loud and clear. You're not goin' to be over me. We're goin' to have sex, lots of it, often, and you're still not goin' to get over me. Just put that right out of your head."
She closed her eyes against his cocky, sexy grin. "You do it on purpose, Wyatt, and you're playing with fire. What happens when I can't resist you anymore and I stop trying to protect you from me?"
"Paradise, sugar, that's what's goin' to happen for both of us."
He set the Jeep in motion, gave a little wave to Ezekiel and Malichai, who were busy with a new security system - cameras, motion sensors, alarms. The Fontenot property was large and they had a lot of work to do to make it into a fortress.
"I can't shield everyone for too long, Wyatt. It takes a toll on me. I don't know why it's so difficult, but after an hour or two I need a respite. My head feels like it's going to explode. What do you think is going to happen when we're in town and I just can't do it anymore?"