10. Frankie
10
FRANKIE
M y shivering had mostly subsided by the time Reath drove into his warehouse garage.
The brick warehouse was three stories, and the lower level looked to be mostly open parking. I didn’t bother to pretend that I wasn’t looking at everything. I needed the distraction, plus I was curious about his home.
I climbed out of his sexy car, looking around. I pointed at a door. “What’s in there?”
He headed for the door and opened it. “My home gym.”
My mouth dropped open. It was huge, and it looked all top-of-the-line, with every type of equipment a gym junkie could want. “Wow. You must work out a lot.”
“I do, but I do most of my workouts at my brother Beau’s gym.”
My brain got busy imagining what Reath looked like without a shirt on, lifting heavy weights.
He wasn’t huge, but he was all muscle. I could tell by the way he moved that he was fit. He’d be all toned muscle, and dark brown skin. My heart skipped a beat. I could easily imagine tight abs leading downward…
I blinked. Reath was standing at the stairs, waiting for me.
Right . Quit daydreaming, Frankie.
We headed upstairs.
“Middle level is the bedrooms,” he said as he continued to the top floor. “Upper level is the living area and kitchen. Plus, my home office.”
We stepped into a huge, open space. The wood floor was polished, but you could still see the nicks and wear from past use. Huge, black metal beams ran overhead, and the walls were a mix of concrete and brick.
“This is amazing, Reath. I love the industrial vibe.”
“Thanks. Now sit.” He pointed to the huge island in the kitchen. It was made of a white-and-gray flecked stone.
I headed for one of the stools, but suddenly, he gripped my waist and lifted me.
Oh . He set me on the countertop. He made it look easy. I wasn’t very tall, but I liked to eat. He spun to a cabinet and pulled out a heavy-duty first aid kit.
He set the red box down beside me and opened it. He pulled out some wipes and bottles.
“You’ve got enough stuff to take care of an army.”
“I like to be prepared.” He tipped some fluid onto a cloth, then began cleaning the side of my face.
My heart started beating faster. He was right in front of me, and I could smell his cologne. He smelled like lime and fresh water. Tension filled me. I felt it throbbing between us.
He stepped back. “Tell me about your project. Why does DARPA want it?”
I blew out a breath. Straight to business.
“My project is called ADAPT. The Advanced Acclimation and Protection Treatment. I’m designing an implant filled with bacteria that can create required medicines.”
A groove formed in his forehead. “Go on.”
“Medicine to help with unsafe food or water, and jet lag, and sleep disruption. Those are some of the largest problems soldiers in the field have to deal with.”
“I’m well aware.” Something flared in his eyes. “Can this implant create stimulants? Help increase stamina and strength.”
I stiffened. “That isn’t my primary focus.”
“Maybe not yours, but it’ll be DARPA’s. Stimulants on call.” Reath carefully put some antiseptic cream on my wound. “They could create super-soldiers.”
“It’s not genetic engineering.”
“But it would give soldiers a big advantage.” His face hardened. “And it won’t just be our military who’ll be interested.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “You think another country sent someone to steal my work and trash my lab?”
“Yes. And they tried to grab you.” He set the things back in the first aid kit, then sat on one of the stools.
I slid off the counter. “This is crazy . I’m only at the very beginning of my work. There isn’t enough to steal. This is real life, not a James Bond movie.”
“No, but espionage is real, Frankie. And countries and regimes far less friendly than ours would want your project. Even just the start of it.”
I glanced up. There was something in his tone, and a look on his face. He didn’t show much expression, but I was starting to read the little tells. “Are you speaking from experience?”
He didn’t respond.
“That’s what you did when you left the military. You were a spy.”
Again, he didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to.
I pushed my hair back, careful not to bump my wound. “Who do you think is after my work?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” His tone was sharp and resolute.
His cellphone rang. As he pressed it to his ear, he turned away, murmuring quietly. Then he stiffened.
I watched him and my chest tightened. Something was wrong.
“What?” I demanded when he ended the call.
His gaze locked on my face. “I sent a man to your house.”
My pulse skittered. “And?”
“Someone broke in. It’s a mess. They were searching for something.”
No . I pressed my hands to my cheeks.
“Is all your research data on the laptop that was stolen?” he asked.
“No. For security reasons, I keep some of it compartmentalized.”
“Where’s the rest of the data?”
I tapped my unhurt temple. “In my head.”
His jaw tightened. “That puts you in danger. Someone wants your work. Badly.”
I wrapped my arms around myself. “It’s nowhere near finished, Reath.”
“But give your data to a team of scientists, and it would give them a head start to replicate and finish it.”
“ God .” I felt the color draining from my face.
“You need to call your contacts at DARPA and update them. I’ll also call a friend I have there. You need extra security, and what the university is providing isn’t enough.”
I didn’t know what to say. So much had happened over the last day, and I felt like I was drowning.
“We have to find out who attacked you,” Reath said.
“All right,” I whispered.
“And Frankie, your house isn’t safe.”
“What about the alarm you said—?”
Reath shook his head. “That’s not enough.” His gaze met mine. “You’re staying here, with me.”