Gideon shrugged. “What makes you think I don’t feel anything for that child?”
Hope rolled her eyes. “A question with a question? What kind of conversation is this? We’re gonna keep asking questions and nobody will answer anything.”
“Hope,” Gideon warned, shifting his stance. “I still won’t hesitate to hit you.”
Despite the threat, Hope’s eyes lit up. “So spank me if you will.” She sighed. “Okay this is getting us nowhere. Then I will be the adult and ask straight out, Gideon do you want this child?”
Gideon moved over to the edge of her makeshift bed and she froze. For a long time, he sat there, watching her, then his gaze slid down to her stomach and came back up.
“Part of me wonders. I look at you and I wonder if I should bother. Can you honestly tell me that the baby will make it full-term in a world where women can’t have children?”
Hope didn’t know how to answer. Another bolt of thunder struck and Hope flinched. Gideon’s gaze said if she could make that promise, he would want it. The small movement inside her belly let her know that she could make that promise.
“So many things can happen, Gideon, but if you trust my gut,” she paused and glanced down, rubbed her hand over her stomach, and a slow smile spread across her mouth, “I believe he will at least be born. Through sheer determination maybe. What happens after is anyone’s guess. I want this child. I want it more than anything in the world.”
Gideon’s gaze softened. His gaze dropped to her stomach and he slipped his hand under her own. Hope moved hers away. Keeping a hand on her stomach, he told her, “If there is a person with more determination, I have never met them. If it helps, I want it, him, Hope. I wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to protect the two of you if I didn’t.”
Hope shook her head and turned away. “Well that’s great. I’m happy to be your incubato—” Before she could finish, a movement in her stomach caught her attention. Both of them looked down.
Warmth came after that. Comforting warmth that Hope hadn’t ever felt before. It was coming from him. The baby responded to Gideon’s voice to his genuine want of him, trying to tell his dad, he was there and he’d do everything in his power to survive.
If Hope had plans to resist developing feelings for Gideon, they died then. Never had she seen him look so gentle and kind. Every wall she’d built crashed downward.
The words rushed out as soon as Gideon felt the movement, “Do you think—”
“Yes,” Hope cut him off. “He’s responding to your voice.” Not resisting the urge to touch him, Hope took his hand and moved it over to where Gideon could feel the movement better. She left her hand on top of Gideon’s, and he didn’t stop her.
“That’s incredible,” he told her with an adorable smirk.
Hope nodded. “I think he’s trying to tell you not to give up on him.”
Gideon looked up at her and she felt the stirrings of deeper feelings than mere liking. The look in his eye was one she couldn’t discern. He removed his hand from beneath hers on her stomach.
Hope figured he’d move away, but he didn’t. Instead, he scooched further up the bed and brought his hand up to her face, then trailed a finger along her jaw, paying close attention to the movement, down to her lips. “I think you’re right. If any of your strength has transferred to that child in your stomach, it’s planning on fighting for its life.”
Hope smiled and said, “Him.”
“What makes you continue to say that?”
Hope shrugged. “Gut instincts.”
“Sounds good.” He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. As he got up to leave, he lowered his voice and told her, “I hope he inherits those talents his mother possesses.”
Hope’s lips tingled for a while after, in memory of their kiss. What did Gideon think were her talents? The rain continued to pelt the windows and Hope listened to it until the sound lulled her into a deep sleep.
Time passed in a blur after that as Gideon busied himself with other things and paid little attention to Hope. Hope kept to herself, figuring it better not to start any fights. As night fell, the bed shifting under the weight of a body woke Hope. Her eyes ripped open and she was ready to leap out of bed when Gideon’s shadow fell over her.
“What is it?” she whispered, anxious and worried someone was attacking them and they had to run. She propped herself up on her elbows.
Gideon grinned and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He kept his voice low, “Everything’s fine. Relax.”
Hope glared at him. “That’s not nice. Not nice at all,” she said as she lowered down.
Gideon reached out to stroke her cheek. “I was trying not to wake you, but I guess I should’ve known better.”
“Well, yeah,” she said. “Wait, were you thinking of watching me while I sleep?” Hope smirked.
Gideon shook his head. “Already been doing that.”
“Not what I was expecting you to say.”
“You’re beautiful when you sleep. When you’re being quiet.”
Hope huffed. “And you had to ruin it by waking me. Too bad for you.”
“Not if I woke you on purpose.” Gideon’s gaze traveled to her lips.
“Why on earth would a man who hates me so much want to wake me on purpose?”
“What’s the matter, Hope?” he asked. “Trying to turn this into a fight because the situation makes you uncomfortable?” He smiled that demonically seductive smile and scooted closer to lean over her. The dim light caught the sparkle in his eye. Hope’s heart skipped a beat. So this is what it’s like to feel something for someone?
“The situation where you’re being nice? Maybe.”
His smile grew, aware of her trying to play it off. Gideon trailed a single finger down her cheek. “So I figured out what gets under your skin.”
Hope tried to turn away, but Gideon caught her face and stroked his thumb along her lips. She tried to deny the hunger developing, but more so, the bond that forged. Everything he’d done didn’t seem to matter anymore. She saw the real Gideon for a change and the past seemed less important. It was a struggle not to give in, while at the same time, she didn’t want him to stop.
“You’re turning me on. Pregnancy hormones are your friend.”
“You sound frustrated.” Gideon leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Don’t you like it?” Next, he kissed her neck and Hope’s fight faltered, pleasure skittered down her spine. Gideon pulled back until their mouths were a breath apart.
“I already told you, you’re turning me on. What more do you want?”
“I want,” Gideon whispered, looking down at her mouth, “for you to acknowledge there is much more happening than just hormones.”
His mouth stayed so close to her own that her heart remained out of control. She wanted him. He knew it and she knew it. It killed her not to give in, but that’s what Gideon was aiming for. It took everything in her to fight the urge to give in, but she held strong.
“You don’t like me, Gideon. Why would I admit I like you?”
“You sound like a woman trying to find any excuse not to give in. What would happen if I were to kiss you, Hope? Could you fight it then?” Gideon leaned closer, but instead of kissing her on the mouth, he kissed the tip of her nose.
Hope sighed. “You never answered my question.”
“You’ve never had a problem with that before.”
Hope shrugged. “Hormones.” Though she fought it, the smile came forth and she shook her head, annoyed with herself for giving him the satisfaction. But they’d been in this place before. Gideon used that moment against her. Hope refused to do that again.
Gideon watched her for a long moment, before saying, “I’m in love with you, Hope.” He paused and added, “But I won’t ever say it again in this lifetime.”
So I’m not the only one who’s bad with emotions. Her brain shut off and she didn’t acknowledge nodding, or even saying, “Thank you.”
Gideon wasn’t
fazed. He saw it in her eyes. Those words were her way of saying she felt the same. “Tell me you want me, Hope, or I just may leave you to your hormones.”
Hope sighed in aggravation. The man could be infuriating. Push, push, push. Fidgeting a moment, she gave in, “I want you.”
He leaned down and kissed her neck, trailing kisses from neck to jaw before taking her mouth in his. When he did, there was no more fight left. The passion took over and she let it. His hands trailed down her sides, sending tidal waves of pleasure with them. Gideon grabbed her shirt and raised it up over her head.
TWENTY TWO
HOPE WOKE FROM A deep sleep to the sounds of metal clanging and glass breaking. When she opened her eyes, she was surrounded by a group of armed men. Gideon yelled at them to leave her alone.
Another group of men dressed all in black were holding him back. They grabbed Hope and dragged her to her feet. She screamed. Gideon struggled to get free and come to her aide, but couldn’t manage it.
Hope thrashed about, doing everything to get herself loose, but she couldn’t find the strength. One of the men had dropped e-cuffs on her wrists before she woke and the charge sapped her energy. She eased her fight, worried for her baby.
Hope had never seen Gideon so angry before, nor anyone ever dare hold him back. A malevolent shadow passed through him but disappeared as quick as it came. She could swear his eyes flashed in the darkness. Gideon knew what was happening, and whatever that was, it wasn’t good. Hope’s stomach rolled over on itself, and what little food she held inside, threatened to come out.
They dragged Gideon and her from the corner room, then through the warehouse. The answers to questions about where Gideon's men were, became apparent as the captors hauled Hope and Gideon past dead bodies littering the floor of the warehouse.
The men led Hope and Gideon through the darkened city streets, through alley after alley. When Hope or Gideon stumbled the men shouted, “Get up!” and jerked them back to their feet.
A group of men awaited their arrival at the cross-section of two alleys.
Gideon was led first, and it was then that Hope saw Gideon’s face. Cuts and bruises marred his cheeks and face, blood dribbled from his nose. He fought to get loose and caught Hope’s gaze.
“Get off me!” Gideon yelled. Thunder wracked the sky. Hope saw the anger contorting Gideon’s face, but she saw the fear for her and the baby that was more prevalent. Everything he wasn’t able to say.
The men threw Gideon down in front of the leader’s feet and turned. Gideon went to get up and a man struck him between the shoulder blades with a rifle. “Stay down!”
Gideon recovered, spun, and wrapped both hands around the barrel of the gun, then shoved it back as hard as he could into the man’s chest, launching the man back off his feet. Gideon gained control of the gun, got to his feet and used the butt of the gun on the closest man to him. Gideon took a second to flip the gun around, but a group of men converged upon him. They took him to the ground once more.
Hope screamed and fought against the e-cuffs, but the energy surged and it flew through her. She feared for the baby and settled before it wracked her again. One of the men closest to her grabbed her hair and forced her to watch what they did to Gideon to get him under control. He earned himself e-cuffs as well. Gideon ground his teeth.
Hope sucked in a breath. Her eyes widened. Her veins turned to ice. Behind Gideon, in front of the entire group, stood a man who shouldn’t be alive. A man who had tried to kill her. How are you alive?
Kaden smiled. “Hope. So great to see you again.”
Hope screamed at the top of her lungs, “How many times do you have to be killed before you’ll die.”
Kaden grinned. Gideon tried to get up once he got his bearings back, but a man knocked him down all over again. Seemed the e-cuffs meant nothing to a man who wanted to protect Hope and their child.
Kaden watched Gideon for a time. “You need to relax, Gids. There is nothing good going to come of this if you continue to fight the way you are. We wouldn’t want to hurt that little moneybag inside of her, would we?”
Hope struggled to get free. The current ripped through her again and she yelped. She had to stop forgetting. “Like hell. You’ve wanted it dead ever since you discovered I was pregnant.”
Kaden laughed a sickly laugh. Hope’s anger boiled. “Ah, but Hope. That was before I found out how much it was worth. Turns out when you’re struggling to survive after being killed and left—” he gave Gideon a dark glare “—for dead, then come across scientists who hear of a baby? They become very interested in a woman who can have children. Finding out she’s alive and well? They offer mucho money to find her so they can study, study, stud-ay.”
The sounds of a struggle drew their attention to Gideon trying to stand again. “You bastard. Hope isn’t a lab experiment to be caged and studied.” Gideon lunged for Kaden. A fight broke out until Gideon was overpowered and they lay him to the ground once more.
One man grabbed Gideon’s right arm, another man grabbed his left arm, his hands still bound by the cuffs. A third stood behind Gideon, holding a massive blade, and a fourth man held a gun to Gideon’s head. Blood dribbled from the side of Gideon’s mouth, proof of his defiance. The e-cuffs sizzled against his skin.
Hope’s eyes watered, knowing she couldn’t do anything without the possibility of killing her child. Gideon’s child. The men holding her moved Hope in front of Gideon, instead of keeping her off to the side. They wanted her to have a clear view of what they were going to do to him. They forced her to kneel in front of Gideon.
“Careful Gideon,” Kaden said. “Your feelings are showing. We both know she isn’t human. No telling what is inside of her.” Kaden took a knife from his belt, moving closer to both of them, and Gideon struggled against the hold on him.
Kaden stepped closer to Hope. “Tell your man there to calm down, Hope. The people I’m bringing you to want you alive. Cooperate and you’ll do fine.”
Hope swallowed the lump in her throat, her heart raced. “Screw you, you bastard. Get away from me and my child or I swear I will kill you.”
Kaden closed the distance and struck her. Hope cried out. Sharp pains shot through her stomach. With wide eyes she dropped her attention to her stomach, then to Gideon. Something wasn’t right. Gideon’s gaze darkened. Thunder wracked the sky, explosive in the atmosphere, lightning crossed the sky, warning of war to come.
Gideon’s rage grew and he fought until Kaden had had enough. Storming over to Gideon, Kaden didn’t think twice before he punched the knife into Gideon’s heart. Hope screamed. Blood poured from Gideon’s wound. The men held Gideon until they were sure he wouldn’t move anymore. Kaden removed the knife and the men let Gideon fall to the ground, then came Hope’s turn. The men with him removed the e-cuffs from Gideon. The cuffs were too valuable to be left behind.
The silver gleamed in the moonlight as Kaden rotated his blade over and over in his palm. “This can never get out. Don’t you get that, Hope? You sealed your fate. I prefer to put it all on you. All on your shoulders. It feels . . . good. Real good. You made me kill him, you know that? You did it. Since you won’t cooperate, you leave me no choice.”
Kaden moved behind her and tangled his hand in her hair. Hope struggled as Kaden dragged her head backward, causing her to suppress her scream. Another clap of thunder struck the sky.
“I don’t care what you do to me, Kaden. You’ll always remember what you did. One day you’ll get what’s coming to you.”
The cold blade pressed against her neck and a chill crept over her body. A few drops of rain fell upon her face, another cramp shot through her stomach.
Kaden leaned down and kissed her mouth with his icy lips. “Oh Hope. If you hadn’t gotten yourself into this mess, we could’ve had a lot of fun.” The blade made its way along her throat. Warm blood gushed down her throat as her skin parted, but Hope went numb to the pain.
“Let’s get out of here,” Kaden said, letting he
r fall to the ground. He removed the cuffs from her and they all disappeared.
Hope clamped her hand to her throat, desperate to stop the blood. She grabbed her scarf and wrapped it around her throat a few times, if only to slow the bleeding. The pain in her stomach grew worse as more rain bombarded the earth. The thunder whispered her name, but she ignored it. Her world wobbled.
She was going into labor. It was too soon. Far too soon. Hope pressed a hand against her stomach as if she could delay the inevitable, or hopefully stop it. “No.”
“You have to . . . out . . . of here . . .” Gideon choked out. Hope’s heart flip flopped. He was still alive! She dragged her body along the cement to him, and reached him as he whispered, “now.”
Tears streamed down her face. Hope raised his head to her lap as blood fell from her scarf to his cheeks, mixing with the rain.
She shook her head, trying to tell him she couldn’t. She couldn’t leave him. Not like this. There was a chance she could save him. Another wave of pain crashed through her entire body and Hope fell back with a whimper. When she turned over, a massive amount of blood soaked into the cement next to her.
Her own.
Gideon struggled to reach his hand out when she made it back to his side. “If they come back . . . they’ll . . . dead . . . Get far away . . . We’ll . . . see each other . . . again.”
Hope shook her head, the tears and blood intermingled as they fell on his body. Gideon shoved at her body, pushed her thighs, her ankles, anything he could reach, but his strength failed him. He gave her his once vicious stare that no longer bothered her. “Go—” the words died on his lips as his last breath came.
Hope sobbed and choked on the blood gathering in her throat. She tried to stand and fell to the ground, barely getting her hands out before her stomach hit. She spit out a lot of the blood that had gathered in her mouth.
The world spun on its axis. She didn’t know which way was up. Her vision threatened to darken, stars danced in her field of sight. All she was aware of were those dangerous pains in her stomach, and the cold hard cement, reminding her of reality.
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