Free Circle of Desire by Carla Swafford

time, a knock brought his attention to the view panel next to the door.
    Rex grinned into the camera and raised his middle finger.
    Phone to his ear, Collin strode over to the door and keyed in the code. His second in command eyed the living room with unease and slid into a chair across from Collin. He jerked to look behind him as if Olivia planned to jump out and attack.
    Collin nodded toward the hallway, letting Rex know where Olivia was as he resumed listening to one of his handlers describe a clash between OS and Circle operatives.
    Rex lifted his chin in understanding and continued checking out the room while seated. He wrinkled his nose in distaste, waiting for Collin to finish his conversation. With a snap, Collin closed his cell phone and looked questioningly at Rex. The man hated Olivia and would never come into her apartment willingly.
    “What’s going on?”
    “Word has reached The Circle that you’re responsible for Olivia’s disappearance. They’re beginning to doubt you killed her.”
    Collin glanced at the hallway and back to his friend. “You know what that means.”
    “Yeah. We’ve got an infiltrator.” Rex stretched his long legs out and crossed them at the ankles. “I’ve got Nic checking to see if they’re sending messages out through the Internet or freestanding micros.”
    “Good. I’d hoped we would have a little more time.” He needed her fully encamped and questioned about every tidbit of information she possessed of The Circle.
    “Collin . . .” Rex’s hesitation pissed Collin off. When did his second in command hold back? Was everyone so certain he couldn’t handle the woman?
    “Spit it out.” He gritted his teeth to keep from saying more.
    “I know you examined her but could she be sending messages?”
    Collin stood and walked over to the hallway. The humming of a blow-dryer assured him Olivia wouldn’t hear.
    “I examined her thoroughly twice and Dr. Shelton once. She’s clean. We’ve checked under her skin and in all of her possessions for GPS micros or anything used for communications.” His body tightened with the memories of touching her body, all in the name of security.
    “I know you thought of everything, but I’ve never seen you so wrapped up with taking on a Circle operative like her. There are several operatives capable of handling her. She’s deadly and we need you elsewhere.” Rex inhaled deep as if he expected to be roundly reamed.
    “What happened to Jack won’t happen to me.” Collin hated to bring it up especially when his words drained the color from Rex’s face. “Maybe one day we’ll get all the specifics from her about Jack and Abby. Until that time, she’s needed. She’s the key to bringing down The Circle.”
    Rex jumped to his feet. “Don’t you think I don’t know that?” He stomped to the door and placed his palm against the steel, bowing his head. “You’re like a brother to me. I hate to see her sinking her claws into you too. She fooled Jack. Few were better than him. We all know she set up Abby.”
    No one deserved to live in the pain Rex did every day. For a man to lose his fiancée, the woman he planned to love and cherish forever, mere months before their wedding had redefined his thoughts of a happy ever after. Collin stopped behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. The big man’s body shook.
    “I’ll be careful.” Collin leaned to the side and punched in the door code. “Go and get things ready. Three months and then we’ll activate the plan.”
    When the door clicked closed behind Rex, Collin turned to see Olivia reclining on the couch with a white robe wrapped around her. Her bare toes painted a pink. They’d been red before.
    “Why three months? And what’s the plan?” she asked.
    Absent of makeup, her face looked younger. Then he remembered her file had said she was twenty-eight. Considering the difficult life she’d led, it stood to reason why she acted older, more cynical than most people her