“How am I supposed to deal with all of that?”
He wasn’t sure what emotion he read on her face. Hope? Doubt? Fear of the unknown?
“You could let me help you,” she answered. “Or—we could help each other.”
When she stepped forward, he stayed where he was. He had watched her and Travis and thought how lucky the guy was to have her. But that was before he was forced to deal with his new truth.
When her arms came up to wrap around him, he stood rigidly for a moment before letting himself relax into her embrace.
As she gathered him to her, he knew that he wasn’t just the fusion of two men. One of them was bonded to the woman who held him in her arms. He could talk to her without saying any words aloud. Could Gabe do it too? As a test, he said,You could have been talking to me inside my head when you first came in.
Yes.
Why didn’t you?
I didn’t want to push you into anything...unfamiliar. I know you need to ease into it.
His body shuddered. Whether he was ready for it or not, it was here.
She didn’t move, only held him, and his own arms came up to clasp her. She was offering him comfort and a whole lot more.
Before he could take that reality any further, a knock at the door startled them both, and they sprang apart. Gabe ran a hand through his hair, and Olivia pulled at the hem of her T-shirt.
When Gabe opened the door, Jake was standing on the walkway outside.
His expression was apologetic as he said, “Sorry to interrupt, but Rachel needs to talk to Travis.”
Gabe goggled at him. “Talk to Travis,” he repeated.
“We need his help—uh, your help,” Jake clarified.
“With what?”
“Gabe and Olivia were unconscious when the boat left the dock. Travis was the only one awake. Rachel thinks he can tell us where to find Smith. He’s harmed a lot of us—not just you two. Maybe he even got some of us killed. If we can shut him down, we can keep him from going after anyone else.”
Gabe felt a ripple of excitement. It was followed by a jolt of fear. He flashed back to the room where he’d been held—and to what Smith had done to Olivia and Travis. He’d vowed to make the bastard pay. Jake and the others were just as anxious to put an end to Smith’s obsession with Dr. Solomon’s experiments. Now he had the chance to make good on his vow.
“Okay, what do you need from me?”
“Come down to our room.”
He glanced at Olivia.
“I’m coming too,” she said.
“Of course,” Jake answered.
They both followed him along the concrete strip fronting the motel. Rachel and Jake’s quarters were larger than his and apparently being used as a sort of headquarters. The rest of the rescue group was already there, sitting on extra chairs arranged in a circle.
Gabe stopped short. He’d been asked here to talk to Rachel. It seemed it wasn’t just her.
When all eyes turned to him, he felt suddenly awkward. The star attraction in an impromptu reality show. Probably they were all wondering how his...transition was going. At least nobody asked any direct questions.
He scuffed a foot against the worn carpet. “I should thank you for saving my life.”
“Travis did it,” Rachel said, perhaps reminding him why he was standing there.
Olivia jumped into the conversation. “But both of us would be dead if you hadn’t flown halfway across the country, rented a boat, and come after Smith’s men.”
