They both knew he’d enjoy using brute force. “I don’t need anything. You’re nothing but a chemi-head pusher.”
“Darling, you say the sweetest things.” In a move too fast to evade, he had her earlobe pinched between his thumb and forefinger. One flick of his wrist and the shock of the twist had her mouth dropping open.
He popped the pill in. “Phase one.”
She swung at him, but since she was choking her aim was off. The next thing she knew he was yanking her head back by her hair and pouring the liquid down her throat.
She swallowed twice in self-defense before she managed to shove at him.
“I’ll kill you.”
“All of it.” With grim efficiency, he pinned her and forced the rest of the booster into her. “Phase two.”
“You’re a dead man, Roarke.” She swiped the back of her hand over her chin where some of the booster had dripped. “You don’t know it, but you’ve already stopped breathing. The walking dead.”
“I wouldn’t have to put us both through that if you’d take reasonable care of yourself.”
“And when you finally realize you’re dead, and drop to the ground—”
“Feeling better?”
“—and you’re laying there, I’m going to step over your cold, lifeless body, open the doors of that department store you call a closet, and I torch it.”
“Really, darling. No need to get nasty. Yes, better,” he decided with a nod.
“I hate you.”
“I know.” He leaned in to give her a light kiss. “I hate you, too. I’m in the mood for eggs Benedict. Why don’t you have your shower, then you can update me over breakfast?”
“I’m not talking to you.”
His grin flashed as he rose. “Such a clichéd and female weapon.” He turned, started down the stairs. And wasn’t the least surprised when she landed on his back.
“That’s more like it,” he managed as she squeezed his windpipe with her crooked arm.
“Just be careful who you call a female, ace.”
She dropped off, strode naked into the bath. Watching the indignant twitch of her ass, Roarke chuckled. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She only ate because there was no point in wasting the food. She only updated him because it helped her sort through data when she relayed events out loud.
He listened, idly stroking the cat.
“Between the hospital and MT staff,” he commented, “the media will have been fed by now. That could work in your favor.”
“I’m figuring. These two, they’re not the type to go into the wind. Too much ego on the line for them to stop cold. I’ve got a lot of data on them. Maybe too much, maybe that’s part of the problem. Too much data, not enough focus. You got all these lines to tug, they can get tangled on you.”
She got up to strap on her shoulder harness. “I’ve got to streamline it.”
“Why don’t you let me take Allegany? It’s mine, after all. People would be more likely to tell me things they wouldn’t tell a badge. And what they don’t tell me,” he added, “I can find out in other ways. Ways that would probably be legal, more or less, since I now own the company.”
“Your definition of more or less has a wider scope than mine.” But it would save her time, and time was essential. “Try to stay close to the line on it.”
“Whose line would that be? Yours or mine?”
“Har. I’ve got a briefing with the team at Central. Pass me anything you pick up.”
“Naturally.” Bringing the cat with him, he rose and crossed to her. Kissed her. “Take care of yourself, Lieutenant.”