John confounded her at every turn. Even now, as he veered off the cobblestone trail and sprinted across the lawn, she couldn’t guess what he was doing.
The grass was cut short, but a few minutes into the detour, the ground became uneven, the terrain unused and unkempt. When her pace slowed, he shot an aggressive look over his shoulder.
If only he would trip and impale himself on something sharp.
“There are dozens of running trails.” She panted, pumping her legs twice as hard to keep up with his long gait. “Do you know where you’re going?”
A grunt was all he gave her.
Nasty redheaded gorilla.
As he and Tomas led her farther away from the outdoor luxuries of the estate, she remained a few clips behind them, growing suspicious.
She knew every corner of this property, every building, pathway, camera, and blade of grass. A two-mile, unclimbable stone wall enclosed the compound, every inch of it monitored either by technology or armed guards.
Except one section. One shaded, overlooked nook. And there, behind a maze of cobwebs and dead trees was a way out.
Yesterday, she was caught far away from that area, thank God. She’d attacked a guard near a different section of the wall in an attempt to knock him out and take his clothes, weapons, and earpiece before making her escape. Unfortunately, she hadn’t counted on the second guard who had sneaked up behind her.
Up ahead, Tomas angled closer to John and said something too low for her ears. Then he gave a subtle nod to the left, spoke again, and jogged off.
The camera. There was only one in this area, hidden in a tree, and he’d just pointed it out.
So this was a scouting expedition disguised as a run?
John made his way to a small grove beyond the range of that camera. The property spanned multiple acres, and he plopped down in one of the few places that wasn’t monitored by the cartel.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. Was he a spy? Some kind of operative in the military? Whatever it was, she didn’t want any part of it.
“Come here.” He met her gaze from across the field, his tone brooking no argument.
Tomas was nowhere in sight. Not that he would come to her defense, but she didn’t want to be alone with this man.
He didn’t repeat himself and didn’t need to. His look spoke louder than words.
Seconds ticked by. The stare-off extended past stubborn and dipped into dangerous territory. If she didn’t obey him, he would physically force her, and she would lose. Again.
Shoving her feet forward, she trudged toward him and paused a few paces away. “What?”
“Sit with me.”
“No.”
He lunged, and though she was ready for it, he pounced lower than she expected. She didn’t see his leg shoot out until it collided with her ankles, knocking her on her ass. With a yelp, she scrabbled away only to be overpowered once again by his sheer size and strength.
Lying on her back in the overgrown grass, she gazed up at him and didn’t move. Wriggling beneath his weight would only turn him on, and she still felt the tenderness of the last violation.
Maybe he would hurt her anyway, but his demeanor didn’t suggest cruel intentions. He held the back of her head in a firm palm and drank in her features, the brilliant green of his eyes making an unhurried exploration.
Leaning closer, he slid a thumb along her jaw, nudged it down, and forced her lips open. She gulped, and he pressed closer, breathing in her gasp. The way he stared so deeply into her eyes, he looked like he wanted to kiss her, like he wanted to peel her open and climb inside.
“Do you know why I chose you?” The question rumbled from deep in his chest.
“I was the only woman still alive in the room?”
“Alive.” He licked his lips, tasting the word. “Exactly. You’re so alive you glow with fire. Not only when you fight, but when you watch and listen.”
“I’m a side-effect of men’s cruelty.” She didn’t appreciate him analyzing her as if he knew her. “What do you want?”
“Only to talk.”
“Talk?” She narrowed her eyes. “Like we did in your room this morning?”
“Since there are no cameras here, we can interact like normal people.” He rolled off her and pulled her to her side to face him. “Tell me something. Anything.”
“What do you mean?” She was still stuck on the camera comment. “Did you fucking rape me because you knew they were