Page 45 of Lethal Game

Fifteen minutes later, they reported for duty only two minutes late. As soon as she said hello to Eugene, Max was in the doorway to his office.

“Sophia.”

“Yes, sir?”

He didn’t reply, just looked at her for a moment, then went back inside. Wonderful, he was in a mood.

She followed.

Con touched her arm and asked in a low voice, “You okay?”

He asked her that now instead of when they woke up? Or was his complete avoidance of their sexual encounter his way of reinforcing theno relationshippart of their relationship? “Of course, it’s just Max.”

“If you need anything, you call me. Got it?”

“What, like a cup of coffee and a muffin?”

One eyebrow rose. “Funny.”

Oddly, needling him made her feel better, almost normal.

She went into Max’s office. He was reading something on his computer and didn’t look up when he said, “Close the door.”

She closed it then sat down in the chair in front of Max’s desk. Good God her back hurt. Con was wrong. That thing he slept in wasn’t just a bed, it was a bed of nails.

Max turned away from the computer to examine her as if she were an interesting new disease. “How are you?”

How are you?orhow did this happen?Max often began with these questions. They were part of his informational fishing expeditions. If she answered honestly, she’d probably be in therapy the rest of her time working for the Army.

“Tired and irritated.”

Her answer seemed to surprise him. “Irritated?”

“You’d understand if you had a six-foot-something guardian soldier watching your every move for signs of injury, distress, or even worse, a paper cut.”

Max grunted. “Good. The lone man who tried to gain entry to your room leaves on a flight later today.”

“Good.” They stared at each other for another moment. Then Sophia said, “Anything else?”

Max shook his head. “Send Button in.”

She nodded and left. “Max wants to see you,” she said to Con. “I’m going to my office.”

“See you there.”

She kept walking, but Con didn’t move. He was still watching her when she glanced back as she opened her door.

Paranoid much?

She flipped on the lights, made her way to her desk and logged in to her computer. After looking at all the lab results for all the tests completed this morning, she began reviewing blood smears.

Everything about the day was normal, so why did shivers rack her body every few minutes?

Con stuck his head through the doorway. “Everything okay?”

“Yes.” She looked him over. “You appear...”Perfectly lickable.“Undamaged.”

He grinned. “Max is a professional. Roughing me up would hurt his reputation. I’ve got to pick up some additional gear. I should only be gone for a bit.”

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