Rebecca Zanetti: Blind Faith

His gaze unwillingly shot to the bed before focusing back on her. “Information.”

“About what?” A little frown settled between her arched eyebrows.

“Everything. Where’s the commander, where’s the headquarters, where’s your mother, and more importantly, how do we defuse the chips?”

“What chips?” she asked.

Fury rushed through him so quickly his ears tingled. He grabbed her arms and hauled her up, stepping into her space and staring her down. “Don’t ever play dumb with me, Audrey. I promise you won’t like the result.”

Sparks burst in her eyes, and she shoved him two-handed in the chest.

He didn’t move.

“I’ve never played dumb, and I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her hands remained on his chest, nails curling into his pecs.

The idea she couldn’t help him was unthinkable, and he gripped her tighter. “The chips near our spines. Where’s the computer to defuse them, and who has the damn codes?” Only stubborn will kept him from shaking her.

She blinked and bit her lip. “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re lying.” She had to be.

She shook her head, pursing her lips. Soft, kissable lips he still tasted in his dreams. Far too tempting for any man to ignore. “I’m telling the truth.”

The denial cut him deep, and he struggled to maintain clarity. The woman stood so close—touching him. Her nails bit into his skin, sending electrical zaps through his body. His mind shut down. He yanked her closer, and his mouth took hers.

Anger and desperation hinted on his kiss as he took her mouth. No finesse, no cajoling, just a furious taking.

Even so, she kissed him back, losing herself in his storm, her hands flattening across his hard chest. She’d missed him. Missed this. The feeling of being swept up, of being everything. His passion made her feel alive. Although the kiss was full of fury, her body ignited for the first time in five long years.

His tongue swept inside her mouth, tasting her, taking everything. One broad hand slipped to the small of her back, pressing her against a rock-hard erection full of demand.

Her cleft swelled, and her knees trembled. A cramp started in her bad leg, and she ignored it, caught up in the moment.

With a low growl, his free hand tugged down the top of her dress. Wrenching his lips free, he nipped her earlobe, wandering lower, taking one nipple into his mouth. Electricity shot from her breast to her clit. She bit her lip to stop from crying out.

Her legs gave out.

He swept her up, her legs straddling him, and pressed her against the wall.

This couldn’t happen. She stilled, her hands sliding through his thick hair. “I wondered if you’d grow it out.” Was this her voice? Husky and needy?

He scraped her nipple with sharp teeth.

Need zinged through her body to settle between her legs. She gasped. Nate had always been beyond gentle with her, and she’d wondered at the primal male she knew lived within him. But in their short time together, he’d treated her as something fragile and delicate.

Now the real Nate was unleashed.

At sensing the real man, her heart thumped. For so long, she’d wondered about him. Very few people in the world were allowed to see who he really was, and for the first time, she was on the inside. Where she’d always wanted to belong.

With a soft pop , he released her nipple to glance up. Even behind the contacts, those eyes darkened, glittering with hunger. His nostrils flared as he exhaled. As he regained control.

That cut jaw hardened. “Now tell me about the chips.”

Vulnerability competed with the desire raging inside her. Her skirt had pooled up, and her legs were spread, his erection pressing against her panties. The top of the dress remained down, revealing her breasts. “Put me down, and we’ll talk.”

“Oh, we’ll talk now.” His hands clenched on her buttocks.

She began to struggle and only succeeded in brushing her breasts against his chest and her sex against his cock. Lust caught her breath in her throat. “Now, Nate.”

“No.” Determination lived in every line in his chiseled face. “This is a perfect position for you to tell me everything.”

She couldn’t physically take him, and she knew it. A punch to his eyes would result in an irritated smile from him—and she wasn’t armed. She tried to harden her expression, but her leg cramped, and she winced.

His gaze narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

She wanted to lie, but it was really starting to hurt. “Leg cramp.”

He glanced down at her left leg and stilled. “What the fuck?” Moving quickly, he pivoted and deposited her on the bed, sliding the dress up farther. “What happened to you?”

She sighed and reached down to rub the area right above her knee. “My leg broke in several places and needed a few surgeries to repair.”

“How?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

She’d give anything to be able to lie, but Nate was a human lie detector. “The day you escaped the military organization, I was at the facility.”

“No.” He shook his head and released her, stepping back. “I made sure you were off base when we blew it apart.”

She nodded. “I started bleeding and went to the infirmary.” They had the best medical facilities in the world, and she had hoped they’d be able to save the baby.

He coughed, going pale. “So I did this?”

“No.” She shook her head. “The ceiling collapsed, and debris trapped me. You were right in that I wasn’t supposed to be there.”

He paled further. “D-did I kill the baby?”

“No.” She swallowed, tears pricking the backs of her eyes. “I promise. You didn’t.” She’d done everything possible to protect the baby, but what if the stress and fear about the military organization had caused the miscarriage? Logically, she knew better. But emotion, not logic, kept her up at night anyway. She couldn’t forgive herself, and there was no doubt Nate would ever forgive her. His world had to be black and white, and she had understood that from the beginning.

He rubbed his chin, his shoulders relaxing. “All right.”

She wiped her nose. “I’d already seen an ultrasound, and the baby was gone. I promise, the explosion didn’t harm the baby. It was already too late.” Nate would never be able to live with having caused the miscarriage. “I’m sorry.”

He ran a hand through his thick hair, looking more out of sorts than she’d ever seen him. “Promise me.”

She nodded, her gaze meeting his. “I give you my word.”

He blinked and dropped to his haunches. Wide hands settled on her knees. Dark sorrow and determination angled his features. “I don’t want any more hurt between us, Audrey. I’m sorry about the baby, but I need to save my brothers.”

“I understand.” She’d been trying to save both him and his brothers since the beginning. “But the best thing for you is to stay hidden from the commander. He’s looking for you.”

Nate scowled. “I don’t have a choice, and you know it. Tell me about the chips.”

What in the heck was he talking about? “Again, I don’t know about any chips.” She placed her hands over his.

He frowned and studied her for several tension-filled moments. Then he closed his eyes on a strong exhale. “You really don’t.”

“No. What chips?”

His shoulders slumped. “The ones planted near our spines that are set to detonate in less than three weeks.”

“Detonate?” Fear prickled her skin. “How did this happen?”

“During routine surgeries, the doctors implanted the devices near our spine.” He rubbed his chin.

She gasped. “My mother had a part in this?”