“She's waking up,” Nick’s deep voice destroyed his thoughts, and he watched Jenna’s long eyelashes flutter as she struggled to open her eyes.
Axel’s pulse spiked.Panic surged.It was raw, instinctive, impossible to ignore.An overwhelming rush of wanting Nick and himself to get out of here before she fully awoke snapped through him.They could leave.Go back to prison.She would just think she’d had some crazy hallucination.He sure didn’t want to bring her any more heartbreak.
Too late.
Her blue eyes were open wide now as she looked at him, her gaze filled with the same pain she’d shown years ago when he’d confessed to her that he had lost control and killed someone.The moment her gaze locked onto his, the years between them collapsed, and so did every defense he’d built.
Jenna stared at Axel trying to figure out if she was still dreaming.Her head felt thick, as if she were surfacing from deep water and the room tilted in slow, disorienting waves.
“Are you really here?”she heard herself mutter.
Her voice sounded as shaky as she felt.At the same time she reached out a trembling hand, fully expecting it to go through him, and she gasped with surprise as she touched his belly.The heat of him jolted through her like a live wire, too real, too familiar.Hard, hot muscles rippled beneath her fingertips through the thin shirt he wore.
“Yeah, it's me.In the flesh.”
Oh my gosh, his voice.It wrapped around her like a memory she’d spent years trying to bury and she fell in love with him all over again.
Concern flooded his face.Concern and a tightness around his mouth that he didn't have before.
“Did you escape?”she asked numbly.
Her stomach clenched, dread and hope tangling in a way that made her breath hitch.Would she be able to turn him in?No, she would never trust the system again where he was concerned.From what he’d confessed to her about beating up the men who’d crippled his father; she’d figured he’d get voluntary manslaughter at best for what he’d done.Instead, they’d thrown the book at him.
“No, ma'am.We are here because Cyn got us out using your Cowboys Online program.Said she had connections and you needed help, so she fast tracked us through the system,” the other man said.
Cowboys Online?Jenna’s senses swirled.
There were just too many reasons why this was all wrong.Conflict of interest was one of the issues.She’d already gone through rough audits and severe questioning by the government for placing female convicts with her two brothers, even though she had stepped aside during those times allowing Cyn to handle those placements.What the hell had Cyn been thinking bringing these two men here?She had gone through the audits and questioning right along with Jenna.There had been warnings that Cowboys Online could be shut down if this happened again.Cyn knew better than this.
“Where is she?”Jenna asked as she made a move to sit up.
The stranger stopped her.His strong hands wrapped around her upper arms, holding her still.His grip was firm but careful, and the unexpected gentleness steadied her.When she stopped moving, he lifted his hands away.
“Just lie there a little longer.It’s best to make sure you aren’t lightheaded,” the man instructed.
She noted the cool, wet cloth on her forehead.The refreshing damp towel wrapped around her wrists.A flush crawled up her neck, mortification prickling across her skin that she was dressed only in a towel in front of a complete stranger.
“How long have I been out?”she asked them, suddenly feeling worried for her baby.
Had she fallen to the floor?Had she hurt the baby?
Where was Cyn?
She would give that woman a piece of her mind and then she would fire her.
“You've been unconscious a few minutes.You fainted,” the stranger replied.
Her head ached and a touch of nausea zipped along her tummy.Morning sickness.
Oh crap.Being sick was not what she needed.
She stared at Axel again and inhaled at the awesome tightening of her vagina.Why was she still so attracted to him?And there was so much concern and other emotions she couldn't put a name to flooding his features.
“Where is Cyn?”she asked Axel.This was just too much to handle.She needed details.They might not even be able to stay here.Her tummy hollowed out in horror at the thought of losing Axel when he’d just gotten here.
“She dropped us off.Said she had business to attend to and that these would be our babysitters,” Axel said as he lifted his leg and then his left pant leg.She spied an ankle monitor.
“We've got an allowance of a twenty mile radius before it goes off.Something to do with helping you here and at Sam's place.”
