Page 54 of Dark Lover

Ian folded his arms tightly across his chest. “Sam didn’t die.”

Nick smiled pleasantly. “Let’s keep it that way. Because I’m real fond of my little Frisbee-wielding femme fatale. If Sam dies on your watch, you die.”

Ian smiled back at him unpleasantly. “The one thing I don’t want,” he said very softly, “is our Sam dead.”

“Be careful, Maclean. Because the player might get played.”

“I look forward to it.”

Sam stepped between them. “Time out. We’re making a deal, remember?”

“How could I forget?” Nick asked too softly.

Sam lost her temper. “Then do it! Nick, he’s one of the good guys, damn it.”

Nick finally gave her his attention. “No, he’s not. He could be, but instead, he deals with demons and mutts, the tainted, the corrupt. He’ll sell the page to anyone, good or evil, as long as the price is right. And he might even sell it to evil, just to say I gotcha. Am I right, Maclean?” Nick’s cold blue gaze settled on Ian.

“Yer so right,” Ian said. “In fact, if ye don’t give me the file and destroy all copies while I watch, I will sell it to the first demon who bids on it—with pleasure.”

This was going from bad to worse.

Nick shook his head, his mouth hard and tight. “I knew it. He’s played you for a fool, Sam. He doesn’t need a break. He needs to be broken.”

“Can you try to remember what he’s lived through?” she cried. “He’s already broken!”

Ian whirled. “Shut up,” he told her, livid. “I don’t need your help and I don’t want it.”

She stiffened. Damn it, she thought, really shaken. Her heart actually ached for him. He shouldn’t have this kind of past to hide.

“I thought so. You feel sorry for him,” Nick accused.

Sam tried to block her thoughts from him. “I’m trying to broker a deal here. No easy task, with both of you being hormonally challenged. Maybe we should bleed some testosterone out of you both the way wildlife guys milk rattlesnakes, before this meeting becomes World War IV.”

Nick ignored her. “Okay, Maclean. Here’s the deal. I’ll give you the original file and walk you through the destruction of every copy—after you’ve handed over the page and it’s been authenticated by my people.”

Ian laughed, the sound mocking. He said, low and still flushed, “I’ll consider selling the U.S. government the page. And as a sign of my good faith, I’ll postpone the auction fer another week, so you can find the cash you’ll need to make a proper bid. I’ll even discount it. But in return, ye give me the original file now. When we make a deal, I’ll destroy the copies and then give ye the page.”

Nick stared. “You know we don’t have the kind of money that Hemmer and his kind have. Our budget is about two cents. And I don’t trust you as far as I can spit.”

Ian shrugged. “I’ll let the page go for twenty-five million, U.S.” he said. “Hemmer paid over two hundred million dollars for it,” he added unnecessarily.

Nick stared angrily at him. “I’ll never get that kind of budget approved.”

“Then yer out.”

“Then you’ll never know what’s in your big fat two-inch-thick file, will you? Give us the page and you can have your file, right now. I’ll destroy the backup myself, as you watch.”

Ian glanced at her briefly and said, “Five million U.S. dollars. And I walk out of here with the file. When I receive the cash, we’ll make the trade.”

Nick said swiftly, “I’ll need to make some phone calls. I don’t have the authority to approve the cash and you’re still out of my budget.”

“Fine. Make yer calls. But I am leaving here today with the file.”

Nick shook his head. “Impossible.”

Nick was playing a delaying game, Sam thought. Once Ian saw his file, he’d realize there were no horrifying details in it, and he wouldn’t care that CDA had it. He would then continue on with his auction. Or would he?

Ian glanced at her, and in spite of his set face, Sam saw the question in his eyes. She tensed.