Regardless, embarrassment and shame ran through him. He wondered if he’d be tortured and asked to give up the rest of his people. He’d never break—he’d never even bend. He’d die before he put the rest of the SR44ians and their mates in any type of danger.
He thought back to the night that had ended him in this mess. As he recalled his time with Olivia, he couldn’t help but grin. She’d been different than the other women he’d been with—smart, sexy as all hell, and funny. He’d never been able to find a woman with all three traits, and he thought there’d been something between them besides sex. He’d felt there’d been a connection, but he’d obviously been wrong or she wouldn’t have dispatched the ape to get rid of him in such a violent manner. He knew it had been her apartment—he’d watched her enter it the night before. The only reasoning he had to explain his tangling with the ape had been her sending him.
His body trembled as he sat down on the bed, scared and alone, wondering what torture he’d have to endure.
Sighing, he removed his remaining contact. He’d been able to see the person on the other side of the glass by holding his hand over his uncovered eye. They wouldn’t see the glow, but he could still see them.
He supposed that now, trying to hide anything simply didn’t matter because soon enough, he’d be nothing but a bunch of body parts laid out on a table.
Chapter 17
Blake held the door open for Justice and sipped his coffee. After a good night’s sleep, a harsh workout, and his third cup of ambition, he felt raring to go. Too bad he didn’t have anywhere to be.
Kade and he had worked until midnight setting code into the computer systems of the Phoenix PD and the local hospitals to look for specific search parameters: a male between twenty-five and thirty-five, tall, dark hair, first name Roman, last name, Johnson, general failure with women, but a nice guy overall.
He chuckled to himself. They couldn’t put in that last bit, but he felt certain they’d pinpoint Roman in a minute if it had been an option.
Justice grinned. “How’s things going, Blake? You’re looking mighty cheerful.”
“Happier than a tornado in a trailer park.”
He furrowed his brow. “Those things cause a lot of damage and destruction. I don’t think it’s anything to joke about.”
Blake rolled his eyes and sighed. “It’s just a saying, man. Relax. You know I don’t mean harm to anyone.”
“Well, you are part Colonist …”
He stared at Justice for a moment, hoping to convey he had finished this stupid conversation. The guy got the hint and went into the War Room without another word, and he followed.
All the Warriors had gathered, except Annis. Cohen explained she had been up with their son and needed to sleep.
Chance still looked like he’d lost his best friend; Axel still seemed like he’d rather murder someone than have a conversation with them. Kade tapped away at the computer. Everyone else sat around talking quietly.
He took his seat.
“What do we have, Blake?”
He looked over at Kade. “Pull it up, man. Let’s see what we’ve got.”
Type-written lines appeared on the white screen hanging from the ceiling as Kade spoke. The guy could type and talk at the same time, and in Blake’s book, that spelled out genius.
“First, we have a guy from a car wreck that fits the description. He was checked into the hospital downtown. Second, a drunk at the jail. The third one, a guy was picked up by ambulance in Phoenix. He …”
Kade’s voice faded away, and Blake looked over at him, wondering what the problem was.
“He what?” Hudson asked.
Kade turned to the group, his face pale. He removed his glasses and rubbed his face. “Before he passed out, he told the paramedics that his girlfriend had tried to cut off his junk with gardening shears.”
A collective groan went through the room, and Blake felt an unpleasant jolt in his groin. He noticed a lot of legs crossed and some faces paled.
“What type of female would do that?” Hudson asked, his face ashen. “Good God.”
Blake answered. “Probably the same kind who would stab a guy for a bad pick up line.”
All heads turned to him. “Kade, can you get a name on that poor son of a bitch?”
“Right now, he’s a John Doe. They won’t have a name until he wakes up.”
Noah sighed. “That could be him.”
Blake squirmed in his seat. “If it is, he’s going to be singing soprano.”
They all stared at the screen where it detailed the guy’s injuries. If it had been Roman, what exactly had he gotten himself into?
A crazy female, that’s what.
A few moments passed in complete silence, then Noah cleared his throat. “Have we heard back from Rayner, Titus, and Jovan?”
Blake and Kade shook their heads.
“Nothing?”
Blake sensed a bit of a Noah-type blow-up coming. “Nope.”
Noah stood and walked to the door. “Tell them to get out of Disney World and get to work.”
“I will,” Kade answered.
“When they finally do their damn jobs, I want a report.”
Everyone watched as the door closed behind him.
Blake broke the silence. “I expected more from him.”
“I did, too,” Hudson said. “I thought we’d see the usual—a lot of yelling, pacing, and cursing.”
“Yup.”
Hudson looked over to Cohen, who also grinned. “Looks like the big guy got taken down by the little one, right?”
Cohen nodded. “Yup. I’ve found newborns will do that to you. It’s crazy how something so small and fragile can bring a grown adult to his knees.”
Hudson laughed. “Then the little guy takes you to the ground, rubs your face in the dirt, and kicks you in the balls—all while weighing eight pounds.”
As Cohen and Hudson laughed, he once again found himself so happy he and Sophia had decided never to have kids. It would be too big a risk with his Colonist genes, and besides, the thought of diaper duty, lack of sleep, and being spit up on all the time seemed very unappealing. And hell, don’t even get him started on the no-sex part. That, he simply couldn’t do without.
He turned his attention back to the big screen and hoped that the guy getting his dick reattached wasn’t Roman.
Chapter 18
Olivia woke with a little less enthusiasm than the day before. She needed some exercise and sunshine, and decided that she’d head upward later to get both. Yes, they had a gym here, but a run in the fresh air sounded great.
After showering, she went down to the dining room and had a spinach omelet, bacon, and two cups of coffee. She chatted with some of the military people, both men and women. Most had been stationed in the Phoenix area and were excited for their new positions at the facility, mainly because it meant a pay increase.
“We’re supposed to have a visitor later today,” a corporal named Beth said. “Some big-wig General from Washington D.C. wants to see the freak show upstairs.”
Olivia took a sip of her coffee. “Have you spent any time with them?”
“No. I have no desire to. They’re aliens and they’re in our country. As far as I’m concerned, we should just line them up out back and mow them down.”
Setting her coffee down, she found her heart beating a bit faster. Why on Earth would they hire this woman to work here with that type of attitude? They were supposed to learn from Eden and Benedict and help them assimilate back into society. “Why would you say that? Have they done anything threatening?”
Beth leaned in. “If there are three of them, that means there are more. How do we know that they aren’t responsible for some of this country’s problems? Maybe they’re a bunch of mass killers or something like that. Who knows—maybe they’ll poison our water or send word that it’s time for them to destroy us.”
Olivia tried to imagine Eden being responsible for anything awful, and bit her lip to hid
e her grin. “Do you have any evidence of any of that?”
Beth shook her head. “Nope, but why else would they be here? As far as I’m concerned, they’re up to no good.”
She sat back and drank more coffee. Maybe the new guy had wicked intentions. However, she had no reason to doubt Eden’s story, which meant they had no say in their existence here on Earth.
Just as she was about to explain this to Beth, the woman stood up. “I’m on shift in the Control Room today. I better get going.”
“The Control Room?”
Beth nodded. “Yes. It’s the hub of security. We watch over the cameras to make sure everyone is where they’re supposed to be.”
“I’ve never seen that. Which floor is it on?”
“Fifth. You can come by this afternoon and I’ll give you a tour. It’s not much to see, but the technology is interesting.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that.”
As Beth left, she finished her coffee. Her heart pounded as she thought about meeting the new alien—or had she had too much caffeine? Either way, she had to get moving.
She stood just as an announcement came over the loudspeaker. “Olivia Waterhouse, please report to Major Holmes’ office.”
It startled her to hear her name, and she glanced around. The few people left paid her no attention.
As she rode the elevator up to the Major’s office, she wondered what he wanted from her. She’d been ready to head in to see Eden and Benedict, and meet the new guy.
Loud laughter caught her ear as she reached the Major’s floor.
As she rounded the corner to his office, two military personnel leaned against the walls, looked at her, then stepped into the hallway, blocking her.
The slim, blonde woman spoke first while resting her hand on the handle of her gun. “Your name?”
She stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding. The gun seemed a little unnecessary, and she kept her eye on the woman’s hand. “I’m Olivia Waterhouse.”
She nodded. “Wait there, please.”
Olivia did as instructed as the blonde went down the hall to the Major’s office while the other guard’s gaze never left her.
Olivia heard the blonde speak despite her low tone.“Ms. Waterhouse is here, sirs.”
The Major poked his head out of his office and waved at her. “Excellent. Let’s begin the tour, General.”
As the General and Major filed out, the woman and her partner fell in behind them.
“General Shields, please meet Olivia Waterhouse. She had her first meeting with the aliens yesterday. I read her report, and I’m very impressed with her work thus far.”
The General, a man she pegged to be in his sixties, had a completely bald head that gleamed in the fluorescent lighting, and a face like a Bassett Hound. His jowls wiggled when he talked. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Waterhouse.”
She shook his hand. “Please, call me Olivia.”
“Very well. The Major says you just came onto the group recently.”
“Yes.”
“Welcome. The Major gave me the bullet points of your interviews with the visitors, and it seems you’re doing a fine job.”
“Thank you, General. I’m excited for this opportunity, and I do believe yesterday was a good start to building a relationship with them. I feel I was able to establish a good foundation of trust in a short amount of time, especially with the female.”
A feeling of unease rolled through her as she caught the Major staring at her out of the corner of her eye. Why, she didn’t know.
“Excellent. I’m glad to hear it. It’s always nice when someone loves their work, right, Major?”
“Yes, sir, it is.” He looked over at Olivia again. “We wanted you to join us on the tour, Olivia, to get your feedback on any ideas we may have.”
“Of course. I’m happy to offer you any insight I can.”
As they all piled into the elevator toward the floor where Benedict and Eden had been housed, she began to feel claustrophobic. The small blonde solider seemed to be studying her, and her gaze made her uncomfortable. It almost felt as if she was being judged harshly, and she’d barely spoken to the woman. She cleared her throat and tried to ignore her.
When they arrived at their destination, they stepped out of the elevator. The Major led them down the hall, and Olivia found herself trailing behind with the female soldier, but no words were exchanged. She briefly thought about striking up a conversation, but decided against it.
When they entered the secured area, the General glanced around, then went directly to Eden’s room.
As she came into Olivia’s view, she realized the poor thing didn’t even know anyone was watching her as she stood with her back to them, her dark hair cascading down her spine. She lifted the linen gown over her head, revealing her bare bottom, then rounded the corner to the restroom facilities.
The General laughed. “Oh, she’s a pretty one, isn’t she? Cute ass.”
Olivia’s blood heated at the blatant disregard for personal space and privacy. If they wanted to earn Eden’s trust, they had to show some respect for her.
The General turned to Olivia. “Tell me about her.”
She took a deep breath, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. “Her name’s Eden. She’s one hundred and fifty years old. Her brother and she buried their mother ninety years ago. They come from the mountains of Virginia.”
For some reason, she didn’t want to share anything else.
“Where’s the father?”
“We don’t know.”
The General turned to the Major. “Probably fucked her and bailed to avoid child support.”
They both laughed, and she glanced over at the blonde woman whose nostrils seemed to flare. She didn’t find their jokes very funny, either.
Moving to Benedict’s room, they discovered him lying on the bed, unmoving, his face invisible as he’d buried it between two pillows.
The General looked at her again. “And him?”
“He’s her twin. I haven’t had a chance to interview him yet.”
The General didn’t seem to have any interest in Benedict, and they continued down the hall.
As they approached the last room, her apprehension increased. It would be her first time seeing the new arrival.
When he came into view, she tried to hide her gasp, but couldn’t. A second later, she realized the blonde woman had had the exact same reaction.
She glanced over at the blonde, who quickly rearranged her facial features to neutral. Then, she took a deep breath and did the same, glad the Major and General hadn’t heard her reaction.
Roman had just finished using the bathroom and he rounded the corner to see a bunch of people looking at him. His anger at the situation escalated when it registered that he was basically wearing a fucking white dress, and it would be tough to look manly while sporting that.
He first saw some military big-shots, then his gaze registered on … holy shit.
Olivia.
Olivia from fucking Virginia.
The urge to bang his head against the wall until his brain turned to mush proved almost overwhelming.
So, he’d screwed and sort of fell for a woman who worked for the government who wanted to slice and dice aliens.
Nice one, Roman.
Holy gods above, he’d never live this one down—if he ever got out of here.
His gaze slid to the two others in the group, and he didn’t know whether to cry with relief or slink under the bed in complete shame when he saw Holly, Justice’s significant other. For a few brief seconds, she stared at him in blatant surprise, but then quickly masked her features so they seemed impassive.
The two males with the medals on their uniforms talked, but he couldn’t hear anything being said. He tore his gaze from them and back to Holly and Olivia.
Holly would let the Saviors know what had become of him. He thought he saw tears welling in her eyes, but she adverted her gaze. Olivia, on the other hand, continued to watch
him. He thought he noticed confusion and hurt in her stare, but then after a moment, she wouldn’t look at him, either.
The two big-wigs talked for a few more moments as he stared them down, then the group left. Holly and Olivia seemed to be lingering the longest, as if each of them wanted to convey a message to him, but the other’s presence didn’t allow for it.
Both looked at him for a long moment, then turned toward the way the rest of their party had gone.
As they left his line of sight, he sank to the bed, unable to believe what a complete fuck-up he’d become.
Chapter 19
After the General left, Olivia locked herself in her office and began pacing the small area. She didn’t know whether to scream or cry. Talk about epic fuck-ups in one’s life. How had she not known Roman had been an alien?
She’d been attracted to him because he’d seemed different than other men. She snorted. Well, at least she now knew why.
Anger rolled through her at the lies he’d told. What had been his objective by seducing her? To impregnate her? To further his race on unsuspecting humans? Is that how Eden and Benedict had come into this world? If so, exactly how long had these assholes been doing this?
She longed to head over to that area and scream and yell at Roman, then pound his face. However, it looked like someone had done that for her. That welt on his cheek and the black eye caused her concern, despite her fury. Had it been the security people here who were responsible? If so, why? And how had he been detained? The last time she saw him, he slept soundly in her bed. He should have just gotten up and headed back to wherever he called home.
Sinking into her chair, she shut her eyes and tried to think rationally, not emotionally. If she were to get any answers, she couldn’t go in yelling like a raging lunatic. He needed to trust her, just as Eden had done. However, when she’d interviewed Eden yesterday, she hadn’t cared if the microphones had been on. Now, she very much did. The Major wouldn’t be too happy with her if he found out she’d slept with the alien only a couple of days ago. How could she communicate with Roman that they needed to keep their conversation quiet?
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