Page 52 of Boxed In

So he jumped in his car and backed out of the space, just as the three men came around the side of the apartment, their expressions angry.

Carl hit the accelerator and sped out of the parking lot, praying that the men couldn’t get to their car in time to catch him and ask if he’d been spying on them.

oOo

Luke wanted to scream at the bastard inside his head to leave him the hell alone. He’d damn well had enough of this performance art or whatever it was. He could see Olivia was wondering whether to trust him. And he wanted to take her in his arms and use some gentle persuasion.

He’d finally connected with her, and despite the smug warrior’s assumptions, making love with her had had as much to do with Luke Garner as Zabastian. He knew how to satisfy a woman, even if he didn’t know some of the warrior’s fancy moves.

Okay, you had as much to do with it as I did.

Shut up.

I’m acknowledging your contribution.

Shut up.

I will. We can have this discussion later. We have to find the Master of the Moon.

And how are we going to do it?

I need your help.

Luke sighed. Oh yeah? What kind of help?

As soon as I understood something of the computer, I knew you would be an asset.

Luke looked back at Olivia. Okay. I’ll do a Web search, if that’s what you want. But let me talk to Olivia first. She’s got to be wondering why I’m blowing hot and cold with her.

Later. You can manage your love life later.

Not just my love life. You’re pretty wound up with her.

But she cannot be my greatest concern. I am pledged to defend the box.

The box. Yeah.

Luke sighed. He was stuck. And the faster he did what the big Z wanted, the faster he was going to square things with Olivia.

Right, the warrior’s confirmation echoed in his head.

You’re not going to screw me up?

Just sit down at the computer and do your job.

oOo

Carl barreled down the road, then slowed so he wouldn’t get stopped by a cop. At a nearby gas station, he found a phone and reported the break-in, then hung up without giving his name.

He drove a few blocks away, continuing down a residential street as he considered what to do. He’d gone looking for Olivia and hadn’t found her. Maybe she was at Luke’s office.

He didn’t know where the guy worked, exactly. But the office must be in the phone book. What the hell was it called?

He thought for long moments and came up with Marathon. Yeah, that was it.

Would those guys in the business suits go there?

He tried to reason his way through the logic of the situation—which wasn’t his strong suit. The men had gone to Olivia’s apartment, and they’d been able to figure out who she was because she worked for him. But if they didn’t have Luke’s name, it would be okay to try his office.

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