Yeah, right, that was possibly the most untrue statement she'd ever heard.
"You don't need to walk me up, I can see myself to the door."
Half expecting him to insist, it surprised Shylah when he agreed so readily. "Okay, well, have a good night, Shylah."
Leaning down, Trent looked like he was about to kiss her on the lips. Realizing his intention just in time, Shylah turned her head so that his lips grazed her cheek.
Giving him an awkward smile, Shylah jumped out of the car before he could react.
He pulled straight out and drove away. Shylah tried not to feel annoyed at his quick getaway.
Jeez, he didn't even wait to check that she got inside her building okay.
Walking up to the building, Shylah made it into her apartment on tired legs. That was the last time she agreed to go to dinner with a man she hardly knew.
Opening her door, she expected to see Eden. Hoped to see him lurking in a corner. She had pushed through the terrible evening, all with the assumption that he would be waiting on her. Checking.
When nothing but darkness greeted Shylah, she tried to suppress the disappointment that boiled inside her.
He hadn't said he'd be there, so she had no reason to expect him to be.
Only she had expected him. She had looked forward to seeing him. He took away some of the loneliness inside her. The loneliness that had steadily built over the last fourteen months.
Taking a breath, Shylah straightened her shoulders. She was being dumb. What she needed was a big glass of wine and a bath.
Deciding that was what she would do, Shylah ran the bath while she got her wine. Moving back to the bathroom, she undressed and sank into the water.
The water was so hot that it scalded her skin. That was the way she always took her baths. The heat was like a cloak of comfort on her body.
As she lay in the water, her fingers absently stroked the scars on her stomach—the constant reminder of what she would never have.
She remembered the moment she'd woken up. Every muscle in her body had felt a bone dead tired that she'd never experienced in her life.
It was like she'd been swimming for miles and only then could open her eyes and rest.
All Shylah had wanted to do at that moment was go back to sleep, but doctors and nurses surrounded her.
First, she'd been told about her significant blood loss. Blood plasma and platelet transfusions were needed to save her life. According to the doctors, Shylah had been close to death many times.
It had all been so much to take in. There were so many unfamiliar people in her room that Shylah remembered feeling crowded. Claustrophobic even. She'd begged for Eden, cried for him. But he hadn't been there.
Then they'd told her the next bit of information. The information that would change her life and suddenly made her question whether Eden would even still want her.
Through closed eyes, a tear escaped and trickled down her cheek. She needed to tell him the truth. Let him decide whether he wanted her.
When he had all the facts, if he didn't want her, she would deal with it, just like she dealt with everything else life had handed her.
9
"There's no light coming from the west side of the building," Eden said quietly into his earpiece as he crouched behind the hedge.
"No light or movement south side either," Kye's voice sounded in Eden's ear.
Turning his back to the building, Eden's gaze scoured the empty landscape. If there was ever a place to have an illegal drug testing facility, this was it.
The government had given the team intel that there had been unusual activity in an old abandoned warehouse in a town only thirty minutes from Marble Falls.
In the same town, there had also been sightings of some Project Arma scientists who had gone into hiding. Surveillance footage had confirmed their identities.
"Just checking back entrance now," Oliver's voice came through.
"We go in when Ax is in position," Bodie said from the front of the building.
They tasked the four of them with the raid while Mason and Wyatt listened from Marble Protection.
Luca had the night off with Evie while Asher was close by for backup if needed.
"Remember, if we find people, we bring them in alive." Eden nodded at Bodie's words, even though his team wouldn't be able to see.
Eden didn't give a rat's ass about the lives of those scumbags. What he cared about was the information they had.
About a month ago, they attacked Evie in the hospital. The former SEALs who had harassed her told them that Project Arma was still very much alive and running.
That information was like a punch to the gut. Did they have new unsuspecting victims they were testing on?
"Clear. Let's go."
As Oliver's confirmation came through, Eden's muscles clenched before he moved forward, ready for any situation they could face.
Silently, he slid the side window open before slipping through. Dropping to the ground, Eden immediately moved behind the first object he saw.
Grateful for his night vision capability, Eden noticed he stood behind a pile of boxes in a room cloaked in darkness.
The team had decided before the raid not to communicate once inside the building. There was a chance others with the same advanced hearing as them would be there, and they didn't want to risk being heard.
Stilling his body, Eden listened for anything out of place. Other than the sound of his team's breathing and heartbeats, there was silence.
Moving to the side slightly, he turned his head toward the room and noticed the mess that filled the warehouse. Flipped tables, empty boxes, and shattered glass scattered the large space.
Damn it. They were too late.
Stepping out from behind the boxes, Eden saw his team do the same.
"Appears clear of any other people," Bodie said, talking to Wyatt and Mason through the earpiece.
"Shit. Check the place thoroughly. See if there's any evidence of what's been going on there," Wyatt muttered in frustration.
"Affirmative," Oliver said before nodding to the guys to begin the search.
Starting with the boxes, Eden noticed they were all empty. No indication of what they used to contain and no logo or writing on the sides.
Moving further into the center of the room, Eden stepped over glass shards that sat on the ground. Bending down, he inspected the glass closer.
"We have what looks like broken test tubes here," Eden said to no one in particular.
"I found some empty syringes," Kye said from the other end of the room.
A pit formed in Eden's stomach. The combination of test tubes and syringes suggested laboratory work. Medicine. Experimental drugs. It was looking more and more likely that their suspicions were correct. They were standing in the warehouse that Project Arma had been operating in.
"Looks like whoever was here cleared out in a rush," Bodie said as he moved around the overturned tables. "Smells like everything was wiped clean with ammonia. Assholes must have known we were coming."
"How the fuck is that possible?" Oliver fumed as he flipped a table over. The sound of the wood splintering on the ground echoed through the otherwise quiet space.
"The fuckers clearly have a far reach," Mason said through the earpiece. "If they left in a rush, there could be some evidence they overlooked. We'll do a thorough sweep for prints and liquids when it's light, for now, look for anything that stands out."
For a warehouse, the space was clean from the outdoors. No rats or dust. Eden couldn't even see a speck of dirt.
Glancing up, he noticed a camera pointed down. "There's a camera on the roof."
Eden's brows drew together. Were they being watched right now? If so, he hoped the sight of his team raiding their facility filled them with fear, because they were sure as hell going to be caught soon.
"Probably disconnected when they left, but we'll check it out. I'll try to hack into it from my end," Wyatt said, likely already on the jo
b.
"Fuck." Kye's tone was grave, filling Eden with dread. "You guys might want to come over here to see this."
Moving toward Kye's voice, Eden saw the metal first. Huge bars occupied the entire left side of the warehouse.
Wrapping a hand around the metal, he discovered they were damn thick—a hell of a lot thicker than your average cell.
"A cage?" Bodie's voice dripped in disbelief.
"A big-ass cage," Eden mumbled. And lots of them. Eden's eyes scanned down the row of cages. He stopped when he noticed some bent metal, seemingly pulled apart, as if someone were trying to escape. "Looks like whoever was in here sure as hell didn't want to be."
Oliver walked over to the bent metal, hand skimming the bar. "They were strong."
Walking to the corner of the cage, Kye bent over. "I think we have blood here."
"We'll be able to get it tested in the morning," Wyatt said, with the sound of keys tapping on a keyboard in the background.
Spinning around, Oliver's fists clenched. "The assholes are locking people in cages now? Testing drugs on them like damn animals?"
A deadly silence filled the warehouse.
If that was the case, Eden and his team needed to find them and find them now. Who knew what type of drugs they were currently testing and what the effects would be on the victims.
"We'll know more soon, Ax." Bodie's tone was solemn as he headed out of the cage. "Let's split up and see if we can find anything else."
Moving away from the metal structure, Eden pushed down the anger. He needed to focus on finding evidence now and could let the rage consume him later.
These assholes would pay. Eden and his team would see to that.
Moving to the back of the building, a cool breeze filled the space. Glancing up, Eden could see it came from the door that Oliver had entered from.
On instinct, Eden stepped through it and looked over the landscape. Trees and bushes scattered around the area, but other than that, there was nothing.
Yeah, this place was fucking ideal as an underground drug testing facility.
About to turn back, a soft thumping caught Eden's attention. Shooting his gaze back to the trees, his eyes narrowed. Another heartbeat.
Body tensing, Eden prepared for action.
Catching Bodie's eye from the other side of the room, he made a signal with his hand to say that there was company. Bodie would know exactly what the signal meant.
Turning his head slightly not to draw attention, Eden focused in on where the sound was coming from.
East corner. Likely in the small cluster of trees.
When he had his location, Eden sprang forward. Pushing his body to move faster than the average man, Eden flew past the trees and bushes.
The leaves in the distance rustled just as a body sprang from the tree. The asshole took off, a distant blur of movement in the darkness.
Damn, he was fast.
It meant he wasn't quite human. That's okay, neither was Eden.
Eden pushed his body faster.
Ignoring the rocks and uneven ground, Eden's eyes focused on the body ahead. Eden was gaining on him. He could hear the man's breaths coming out faster and his heart speeding up.
Maybe the man wasn't just like Eden. Certainly not as durable.
Behind Eden, the crash of footsteps colliding with the dirt told him that someone on his team was close. Not pausing or hesitating, Eden continued his pursuit.
Closing the distance, Eden prepared for his next move.
The sound of a car engine broke through the silent night. Realizing there was a road ahead, dread pooled in Eden's stomach.
Picking up the pace, the man was now close enough that Eden could almost leap forward and grab him. Almost.
The trees broke, and the man hurled himself into a truck.
Motherfucker.
Eden just made it to the road in time to see the gray pickup speed away, leaving dirt flying in its tracks.
Frustration erupted in Eden. They got away. Again.
The shuffle of footsteps behind him sounded, telling him he no longer stood alone.
A hand clasped Eden's shoulder. "Did you get the license plate?"
"Didn't need to," Eden ground out. "Wyatt already ran them, and nothing came up."
A moment of silence followed before Bodie asked, "The gray pickup truck again?"
Nodding, Eden fisted his hands. "The very same one."
10
Shylah took a breath as she made her way to the next patient.
It had been a busy day, and her shift wasn't even over yet. The hospital had been inundated with patients. Some were elderly, a few were kids, but mostly it was teens thinking now was the right time to become the next internet sensation.
Even when the dangerous tricks landed them in the hospital, they still seemed to have little remorse.
She'd bandaged three huge graze wounds, two broken arms, and some dislocated knees.
Sighing, Shylah stepped in front of room twenty-three. Skimming over the chart, she noticed the patient needed stitches removed from the back of the head and broken ribs checked.
Opening the door, Shylah almost tripped over her own feet when she saw Evie sitting on the hospital bed with Luca standing beside her.
Damn, she should have looked at the name.
When the couple glanced up, Evie's face lit up into a sweet smile while Luca gave her a nod.
Stepping further into the room, Shylah put down the file, and she slipped rubber gloves onto her hands.
"Hi, Evie and Luca, it's lovely to see you both." Shylah tried not to sound as awkward as she felt.
Luca had his hand on Evie's back in both a protective and comforting gesture.
"Hi, Shylah." Luca's tone was neutral, with no animosity or anger, which Shylah was grateful for.
"Shylah, it's so nice to see you," Evie said softly.
Moving to the spot next to Evie, Shylah returned Evie's smile. "I'll be looking after you today. How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling really good. I'd say just about all better."
Shylah noticed the narrowing of Luca's eyes and had a feeling he didn't share Evie's optimism.
"Why don't we check the ribs first, and then we'll take the stitches out?" At Evie's nod, Shylah lowered the back of the bed. "Just lie down. I'll feel around for a pain indication. If I notice any excessive pain or extra bruising, I'll get the doctor in here, and he'll likely recommend an X-ray."
Leaning back onto the bed, Evie raised her shirt.
Splashed across her stomach was a mixture of brown and yellow bruises that looked to be about a month old.
Jeez, whatever had happened to Evie, hadn't been good.
Ensuring her expression remained neutral, Shylah used her right hand to feel around and watch Evie's face. Evie's expression didn't change.
"Can you tell me your pain level from one to ten, one being no pain at all and ten being excruciating pain?"
"Two."
"Evie," Luca growled the word in a low tone.
Turning her head, Evie looked at the man who was clearly infatuated with her. "I'm telling the truth, Luca. Honestly, it barely hurts."
Muttering something incoherent under his breath, Luca started rubbing Evie's arm.
"So, a two, barely any pain, is that correct?"
Turning her attention back to Shylah, Evie nodded. "Yes."
"Okay, that's great news, Evie. Speedy recovery. Luca must take excellent care of you." Darting her gaze over to Luca, he was still watching Evie with predatory eyes. She wished Eden looked at her like that. Like she was the only woman in the world who existed. "I'll just note it, and then we'll look at those stitches. You can sit up now."
Turning, Shylah wrote her notes on Evie's chart. When she went back to face Luca and Evie, she saw the way he helped her into a sitting position with such care.
A shot of pain cut through Shylah's chest. That was the way Eden used to treat her. Before.
Pushing that thought to th
e back of her mind, Shylah pulled out the equipment she needed. "Evie, you have the option of lying on your stomach or sitting for this."
"Sitting, please." Evie said the words quietly but firmly.
Standing at the edge of the bed, Shylah watched Evie sit with a straight back.
"You shouldn't feel anything, but maybe having a conversation with Luca might help distract you in case there's any sensitivity."
Evie and Luca had eyes only for each other. No one spoke for a moment until Luca broke the silence.
"Maybe we should stay home tonight to give you some more time to rest."
Shylah could almost feel Evie's eyes roll as she started removing the stitches.
"Luca, I can't stay in that house any longer. As it is, I only go out when I go to Marble Protection. I'll be fine. You'll be there, and we can go straight home if we need to. Besides, I promised Lexie that I would go."
Luca opened his mouth to respond when Evie cut him off.
"Shylah, are you coming tonight?"
Pausing for a moment, Shylah took a breath before continuing to remove the stitches. "What's tonight?"
"You don't know? Every year in Marble Falls, there's the big party by the lake. Luca told me that everyone in town goes. This will be my first one, and because you're new in town, you need to come too."
Almost finished, Shylah took out the last few stitches. "I don't know, Evie. I don't know many people in town yet."
And drinking by herself at a party didn't sound like a good time.
"You know Lexie and me. You can hang out with us."
Noticing Luca hadn't said anything, Shylah looked up at him while removing her gloves.
"You should come, Shylah."
For a moment, Shylah thought Luca might just be trying to be polite. When she saw nothing but sincerity in his expression, a small weight lifted from Shylah's chest.
Maybe all of Eden's friends didn't hate her like she thought.
"Okay. Sounds fun." Moving her equipment to the sink, Shylah picked up the chart again. "All done, Evie."
"Great and great. Thanks, Shylah."
"No problem." Evie stood up, immediately reaching for Luca's hand. It was like they couldn't bear not to be touching. "Everything looks wonderful. I'll write it all up in your chart, so the doctor knows. I would still take it easy until you're completely healed."
Eden: A steamy contemporary military romance (Project Arma Book 2) Page 7