Trapped (The Condemned Series #1) - Alison Aimes Page 0,41
to go.” But unable to resist, he pulled her close, drawing in the sweet scent of her, memorizing the feel of her softness against him. “I want to be back before the next dust storm hits.” The thought of her alone for a few hours was hard enough. He wasn’t about to let a storm keep him away for more than that. “When I come back, we’ll take a trip to the Oasis. You can take samples. Measurements. We can even swim in the lake if you like.”
He held his breath.
It felt like hours, but eventually she leaned into him, her body a little stiff, but her arms still wrapped around his neck, her big green eyes bright with the kind of hesitant warmth that made him feel they’d be all right if he could just keep it together. He wanted whatever time he had left with her to be good.
“I’d love that. Thanks.” She rose on tiptoe and kissed his jaw, another good sign. “If Pogue and the others won’t listen, don’t stay around and try to convince them, okay? We’ll figure something else out. Just…just be safe.”
He tried to take away the worry. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Just don’t take unnecessary risks.”
His dark gaze bore into her. “Too late.”
He could tell by her puzzled expression she didn’t get it. Probably for the better. If she understood just how essential she’d become to his wellbeing, she might do something silly, like start talking again about redemption and how people could change, and try and convince him to come with her when he figured out how to make his jammer work in their favor. And as much as he wanted off this hellhole, he knew that wasn’t possible. Not if he wanted the Council to let her off this planet alive. They’d never let him set foot on that shuttle, much less Earth, and he’d only be putting her in more danger if he tried.
Knowing he couldn’t delay any longer, he stepped back, took one more good look at her…and vaulted upward, catching the rim of the window. Without too much effort, he swung his legs up and slid through, falling for a good few seconds before his boots slammed into the ground.
He looked up to see the top of her blonde head and two gorgeous worried eyes peering down. “You okay?”
“Fine. Careful on that table.” He didn’t like the idea of her up on that rickety thing. Hell, he didn’t like the idea of any of this. It would be so easy—so fucking easy—for her to get killed while he was away. “Board up the window like we planned. I won’t leave until I’m sure it’s done.”
Finding out Gwen had been screwing around on him had been bad, but he’d understood. They’d been young and dumb and known each other for less than six months when they got married. And while they’d definitely cared about each other, there’d been signs from the start that they weren’t compatible for the long run. For all her good traits—and there’d been plenty—Gwen had turned out to be less comfortable with standing on her own than they’d both expected. She’d grown increasingly resentful of every deployment and, eventually, found someone else who could take care of her in his absence.
Truth be told, once his ego had adjusted, he’d been almost relieved. He’d wanted her to be happy and he’d been willing to wish her well. Until he heard who she’d hooked up with. A married asshole Councilman from their District who lived like a king while the rest of the population got by on limited rations and supplies. Word was her new lover was extremely corrupt and a bad man to cross. Caine had warned Gwen, but she hadn’t listened. She’d wanted the attention, the easy life, the security too much. And he hadn’t done enough to guard her from herself.
In the end, it had cost them both everything.
He had no intention of making the same mistakes with his fighter girl.
Sweat rolled down his back as he waited for her to give the all-clear sign. His mind pictured her going through the instructions he’d laid out. First, she’d shut and bolt the wooden slats, and then, one big rock at a time, heft them into place in front of the window until she’d built a mini version of the same kind of barricade he’d placed in front of the door. No tigos would be able to get in. No 225 rapist,