Advancing ((Advance Industries #2))

by K A Duggsy

  And now I’m here, in a strange place after meeting with someone important. I knew this person would be important before we even met because I had to wait in a two storey home while all the other buildings were one storey. I also knew it would be a woman; subtle feminine touches caught my eye. I expected this all important leader to be a man. How sexist am I?

  She with no name has disappeared and I’m left wringing my hands as I continue my walk to who knows where.

  The woman I met was striking. If I had to guess I’d put her in her fifties, her hair was the colour of dark chocolate, coiffed to perfection on top of her head. She was wearing some kind of floor length black leather dress with slits up either leg, a chunky studded belt that matched her beautiful shoes. Her face was made up, smoky eyes, a hint of blush on her cheeks and nude lips. I couldn’t stop staring at her. I felt plain next to her. I know I’m not beautiful but I’ve never felt so... vulgar before. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but Kye doesn’t behold me anymore. Our meeting was brief. She talked and I listened, she explained and still I listened. She had an air of dominance surrounding her, the way she held herself and through her beauty, I could see this woman was a fighter, her arms were toned, muscular even. She owned the room and I knew she was a ‘take no shit’ kind of woman. She had a hard set to her eyes, eyes that I couldn’t look away from, they held my attention completely. Her unwavering authority reminded me of someone else I know; someone I was trying hard not to think about. She clearly and concisely stated her terms and even though I had information to trade for I was told that isn’t how it always works. Apparently happy with my responses and willingness to do whatever is needed she dismissed me with a wave of her hand and now I’m being led to my fate.

  The weedy guard stops before a wooden door; he opens it and pushes me inside. As it closes behind me, I turn to memorise my exit route. When I turn back around to see what I’m faced with my steps falter and my heart leaps out of my chest, I can feel it stretching out towards him.

  A most gorgeous sight stands before me, his back facing me as he stares through a small window. I drink in the sight of him. Is he an apparition? Yeah, my mind must be playing tricks, imagining things. He couldn’t possibly be here. I’m going crazy. I sigh at the realisation and the sound causes him to pivot my way. Our eyes lock and for a second he looks as though he imagined me too. His face lights up momentarily before it drops. His fists bunch at his sides and a scowl crosses that gorgeous face. He starts pacing and my heart sinks, he’s not happy to see me. In fact, he looks raging mad. He still hasn’t forgiven me. I still haven’t forgiven myself. I can’t process why he’s here? Did he come after me? If so why here, how could he know? I don’t want to look at him, I don’t want to succumb to the spell he always places on me. I left him for a reason and regardless of how much I miss him, it was the right reason. Why did he come? I would’ve made headway in getting over him... Sooner or later. But now seeing him all thoughts of forgetting him and being alone fly out the window. I want to go to him but I’m frozen in place. He looks at me again as though he expected I’d have disappeared and there it is, that pain in his eyes. One look at me and he dissolves into a madman.

  He slams his hand against a bench. “Fuck!” He turns to me. “Why are you here?!” He demands through gritted teeth.

  My eyes fill with warm tears burning me as I strive to hold them in. He didn’t come for me. I’m fooling myself. He was pleased I left and I’ve just turned his feelings upside down as well.

  “Faith.” This time my name is a gravelly caress on his lips. I look at him unsure what he’s playing at and see he’s still filled with tension, every cord of his body strained.

  “Faith,” He says again. “She can’t know what we mean to each other. She can’t know we even know one another.” He drops his head and I can see he wants to come to me but something is stopping him.

  I take a wary step closer knowing he’s hurting; my first reaction is to comfort him whether he wants me or not.

  “Baby you need to get out of here. You can’t watch this. Find the team, stick close to... Trask.” I see his Adams apple bob as he says my friend’s name. “He’ll keep you safe,” he practically whispers as his eyes flutter closed and he bows his head. Baby, he called me baby. Maybe he’s not as immune to me as I thought.

  “Kye?”

  “Yes.”

  “I have to fight you?” It was supposed to be a statement but as the words left my mouth it turned into a question. A question of disbelief, he’s my opponent?

  His head snaps up and his face completely transforms. He’s scary, intimidating and hot as hell. Penetrating eyes meet mine.

  “What did she tell you?”

  “That I have to fight and lose.”

  He starts pacing again, eating up the floor space with his quick march. “Motherfucking bitch!” He grinds out, “Fuck!”

  I take another step closer. “Kye what’s going on?”

  “You need to leave.”

  “No, I need her help.”

  “Faith get the fuck away from here. I mean it. Go!”

  “No!”

  He steams towards me and I take a step back. Fury and some other emotion sweep over his face but before I can retreat any further he’s hauling me against him. His eyes are ablaze and I don’t know if it’s from want and a hunger for me or if he’s still mad as hell.

  His lips claim mine in a scorching kiss, my arms automatically wrap around his neck and I curl my fingers in his hair. I’m lost, swept away in his intensity. I didn’t let myself believe I’d ever be able to kiss him again and I pour everything I have to give into it. I left him so quickly before, with no contact except our words. I just want to feel him before I go back to being alone.

  He pulls back, his eyes closed as he speaks against my lips, “I love you, baby. I can’t let you do this.” His eyes open and flick to my stomach. “You’re my weakness, Sweetheart. If she finds out it’ll be a whole other ball game.”

  He releases me and puts distance between us. Let’s keep this in the here and now otherwise I’ll hope for a future with him I can’t have. He loves me? Still? “Were you told to win?” I ask.

  “No,” he murmurs. “There’s always a winner and a loser. I don’t know what she’s playing at telling us both to lose.”

  “What happens if we refuse to fight?”

  “Usually nothing. No fight, no help, that’s it. But she was different today. I think she’s upped the ante.”

  “So we fight. It’ll be like training.”

  “It’ll be nothing like training. That crowd want blood.” He walks over to me and stoop to look at me, I stare at his soulful eyes. “You think I can stand out there and strike you? Hard. Punch you?” He runs a finger down my cheek and over my lips. I try not to tremble. “You think I can bruise your perfect skin? They want a show Faith. It’s expected.” He backs up and his shoulders slump. “I won’t lay a finger on you. I won’t let any other fucker either.” It’s a promise.

  The door bangs and, “five minutes,” is shouted from outside.

  “Fuck!” He yells.

  He turns to me and pointing at the bench he orders, “Sit.”

  I do immediately; he’s clearly not in the mood for my stubbornness. He sits beside me and takes my hand, stroking my palm.

  “Baby I need you to listen. I need you to trust me. Tell me you still trust me?” He begs.

  Do I? We’re running out of time so I nod. It’s myself I don’t trust. He releases a breath.

  “Listen. Don’t interrupt, okay?”

  “Okay,” I tell him.

  “Faith I didn’t want to do it this way but I have no choice. You need to know and they’re gonna take you in a minute. Baby... What I said before you left was true.” He holds his hand up to silence me when I start protesting. “It’s not a cruel joke, I wouldn’t do that to you. It’s not a lie. Saunders ran your blood; you were carrying twins, Sweetheart. You’re still pregnant, baby.”

  His f
inger starts making small circles on my wrist, trying to soothe me. I snatch my hand away and jump up. I turn my back to him.

  “Faith I know it’s huge and I wish I hadn’t dumped it on you like this, but you need to understand why I can’t let you fight.”

  The door bangs open and weedy guy is standing there. “Time’s up,” he says.

  I look at Kye, regardless of what he’s told me I want to hold him again before we’re separated. I’m greedy and prolonging the inevitable but I can’t stop what the heart wants. He reads me and shakes his head ever so slightly before flicking his eyes to the guard. Oh right, they can’t know we know each other. So I’m supposed to walk out of here without a backwards glance, without finding out more? Without telling him how much I love him and have missed him? I’ve traded one sick city for another. I’ve had enough.

  I walk to the guard and when I reach him I stop and double over. I hear Kye leap to his feet but he doesn’t move towards me. The guard takes my arm and asks, “Are you okay?”

  As soon as he’s close enough I whip out Trask’s knife and hold it to his throat.

  “No, I’m not,” I tell him. “Get the door,” I tell Kye.

  He walks over but stops at my side; he pries the knife from my fingers and takes hold of the guard. “You get the door,” he says.

  I close the door and look at him holding the guard, he raises his brows as if to say ‘what next?’ but I don’t know, that was impulse. I just knew I wasn’t ready to leave this room, to leave Kye. I didn’t think beyond that.

  “Make the call,” he tells the guard.

  Kye

  All this time worrying about finding her and my girl finds me. The shock I felt at seeing her standing there was like a million volts of current running through me. I was torn between holding her and never letting go and keeping my distance for her own safety. Palpitations started ricocheting in my chest and I reacted angrily instead of falling to my knees and begging forgiveness.

  She has no idea what she’s walked into and I have no idea how to get her out of it. Keeping her at arm’s length is torture but they can’t know. They can’t know she’s my whole world.

  Weakness.

  I shouldn’t have even kissed her but I guess Charlotte’s right – I’m a weak man. What am I going to do with her? Threatening that guard was a total balls-up. I’d never tell her that, though. She’s made this ten times worse but I won’t let her take the fall. I can see the desperation she was toying with; how could she leave after what I told her. I knew I should have stayed quiet but I needed her to see the risk. If she left this room without knowing, then I know she would have been intent on fighting. My fingers are itching to reach out to her, to comfort her, to let her know I’m here for her and we’ll be okay. I can’t though, I can’t and it’s destroying me.

  She’s sat on the bench her head in her hands, she’s deathly white. The guard has had his hands tied but his mouth is still working fine and Charlotte is on her way. I wish I could Comm my men.

  The door opens and in she walks followed by two men.

  “Just you,” I warn her

  She dismisses them with a wave of her hand and walks in looking thoroughly bored. She closes the door behind her, assessing the situation. Before she speaks to me she looks over at Sebastian and scolds him, “You failed miserably, look at you, you’re pathetic.” He drops his head and I know he’s in for a harsh punishment. She finally addresses me, “Kye why do you do this? Why are you always so determined to disrupt proceedings?” She looks over at Faith. “Have you taken a shine to this one?”

  “What the fuck is wrong with you Charlotte? It’s bad enough to pit me against a woman but...”

  “Women are more than capable of fighting, you know this. In battle, women will fight alongside you men. Why wouldn’t I allow this?”

  “Because fighting pregnant women isn’t my thing. I refuse to do it.”

  “Pregnant?” She questions. She walks over to Faith and stands towering over her. “Is this true?”

  Faith nods.

  “Why did you not mention it?”

  “Because I was warned any weakness was a no-go. I’m prepared to do what I have to; to get what I need.”

  In that moment I’m so proud of her, she’s playing the game beautifully.

  “Hmm.” Charlotte thinks that over. She looks at her Comm and sighs. “We’re late and the crowd awaits, it’s been announced already. The crowd wants what it wants and if she is prepared to continue then I won’t stop it.”

  “I will. I won’t fight someone in her condition.”

  “Why? You know the rule so all you need to do is stand there and take it. You won’t have to touch her.”

  “Un-fucking-believable!”

  “When war comes do you think those in power will care if they hurt the pregnant, disabled or children? They won’t. Wake up Kye. You’re going soft; I saw it the moment you returned. Life is tough, lessons are tougher but they have to be taught.”

  “Fuck you. Keep your weapons and Comms. I’m done, nothing is worth betraying my beliefs. The only way you’d get me to fight a woman is if it was you I was up against.”

  She strolls around the room a picture of togetherness before turning,

  “That may be just what we need. I think my people forget what I was before. Do you want to fight me, Darling? Bring it on.”

  Shit. Never in a million years did I think she’d agree to that.

  I gesture to Faith. “Does her ‘rule’ apply to you?”

  Charlotte purses her lips and her eyes narrow a fraction before addressing Faith, “My, you certainly told him all your secrets didn’t you?”

  She starts looking between us and Faith looks away. She starts fiddling with her hands and I try to connect with her telepathically ‘hold it together, be strong baby.’ Charlotte walks over to me and addressing Faith again says, “What does he have that made you open up to him so willingly?”

  She walks around me, touching me as if she stalked her prey, caught it and now wants to play with it. I try not to flinch. I know what she’s doing; she’s trying to provoke a reaction from Faith. She whispers in my ear, her lips just touching my earlobe. I will myself to stand still, not to flinch or pull away. “The rule applies on one condition.”

  I raise my brows at her. Loudly so Faith can hear she says, “Kiss me for luck.”

  “Funny,” I reply knowing she’s referencing Jonah’s marked face.

  She continues, “One kiss, one heart-stopping, once in a lifetime kiss and this all gets called off.”

  My heart plummets. She means this, she’s not just fucking with me over the prank I pulled. I look at Faith; she’s closed her eyes. Her face is screwed in pain.

  “No fight?” I ask

  She nods and licks her lips. I look at Faith again; I need her permission. It’s the last fucking thing I want to do. I feel sick for even considering it especially as Faith has to witness it but a kiss to make this go away? I can’t refuse. Faith won’t look at me, I know she understands but that doesn’t mean she has to like it and she’s not gonna make it easy for me by letting me know she’ll deal with it. If roles were reversed and some guy wanted from her what Charlotte wants from me, I couldn’t do it, I know I couldn’t.

  Resolved to do whatever I need to keep her from fighting, to keep our unborn baby safe, I reply quietly, “Let’s get this over with.”

  She smiles and looks at Faith as she says, “Make it real Kye. I want to feel the truth of it. Kiss me as though you were kissing someone you’re madly in love with. Taste me without holding back.”

  She stares at Faith who is as stiff as a board. She stares at her willing her to react and I don’t know how but I twig that she knows. She knows Faith is mine or at the very least is someone I want and she’s exploiting the weakness. She’s going to feed off weakening our relationship like it’s not on the rocks already. I fucking hate this woman. I pull her to me roughly, to stop her burning holes in Faith and when my lips are inche
s away from hers, she breathes, “I didn’t say I wanted the kiss on my mouth.”

  Chapter 15

  Faith

  I can’t watch this. Just listening to her say it has my blood boiling and instead of putting the self-righteous bitch in her place I’m keeping schtum all because Kye doesn’t want them to know about us. I’m livid, trying to stay still and not react but how could any woman in love remain impassive, especially when she says what she just said.

  I kissed Trask, I know, but it was a goodbye kiss not an I love you and I didn’t do it in front of Kye’s goddamn face. I stand up feeling the flame of my face and she smiles. “Just joking.” She laughs. “Unless that’s where you want to kiss me of course?” She moves closer to him and raises her leg, it looks like she’s ready to wrap it around his thigh, the slit in her dress hides nothing as it rises with the motion. She looks at me to check I saw and smiles before stopping.

  Kye looks repulsed and it makes me feel better, not by much but this woman is stunning and knowing he’s turned off by her soothes my frayed nerves. It’s a means to an end, I get it, I really do. But I know it’s going to hurt. I can feel the tears welling up already. This will be an ugly cry, no silent tears running down my cheek but a waterfall of liquid erupting from my eyes while I choke and splutter on the ugliness. I could just not watch but somehow that seems worse. If I don’t watch I’ll imagine him enjoying it, my mind will conjure up all sorts of untruths. If I watch at least I’ll know whether he starts off hating it but in the end wants more?

  I dig deep and urge this to end. I summon some residual strength and do what I’m used to doing, putting on my mask. “Hurry up for God sake. I’ll kiss her otherwise.”

  He turns apologetic eyes on me, they’re already swimming with remorse and apology. His features have completely softened when he looks at me now compared to minutes ago when he looked like he wanted to kill me. For someone who doesn’t want Charlotte to know about us he’s not hiding his emotions very well. I’m grateful though, I’m glad he’s shown me how much this hurts him too. He’s taking no pleasure in making me endure this. She moves closer and I hold my breath. The second his mouth touches hers I won’t be able to pretend; my avalanche of emotions will take over in a never ending torrent. She’ll know he’s mine. She’ll know I’m weak.