“Yes,” he answered simply. No words would convince her of that, only actions. He’d have to show her that he was on her side, but he was going to have to do it by figuring out a way to keep his hands off her delectable body. It was her vulnerability that called out to his protective side, drawing him in like a moth to the flame, but that was exactly why he couldn’t indulge himself.
She was sweet, innocent, naïve, there was no way he could corrupt her, and that was exactly what he’d do. Whitney had lived enough of her life in the darkness, it was time to rid it from her life and then set her free to fly toward the light.
“Here we are,” he said as he pulled up to a driveway, punched in a code, allowed the retinal scanner to scan his eye, and then drove through the gate as it opened.
There was a long, tree-lined driveway, and when they finally got close enough to the house for it to come into view, he heard Whitney gasp.
“It’s stunning,” she whispered, the same reaction everyone had upon laying eyes on the Gothic mansion.
“It’s home,” he said simply, a very different one than where he’d grown up, but a home nonetheless.
Lights were on inside the mansion, and he had expected his team to be waiting for them to arrive. They’d want to speak to Whitney themselves, and while he’d allow it, it would just be a cursory introduction. She needed sleep, they could start the real interrogations tomorrow when she was well rested.
Turning off the engine and climbing out, Blade was just opening Whitney’s door and offering her his hand when the front door of the mansion suddenly flung open, and Dragon came flying down the steps, yanking Whitney from the car and slamming her up against it as his hand circled her neck.
January 12th
10:22 P.M.
Blade lied.
He said it would be okay.
She’d believed him.
Stupid.
All he’d done was lull her into a false sense of security and then lead her right on into a trap.
Why didn’t she have an ounce of self-preservation in her?
What was the point of being smart if you couldn’t use that outside of a lab or a classroom?
Perfect scores and college degrees didn't keep you alive.
The hand around her neck tightened. Her throat had already been sore from Blade’s hands wrapped around it, but she’d been able to somewhat ignore it along with all the other aches and pains littering her body because she’d been so scared about this.
Coming here and being tortured all over again.
Should have run when she had the chance, risked it at least. Maybe she wouldn't have gotten away, but she might have Blade angry enough to kill her outright.
No.
Wouldn't have happened.
They wanted her intel.
Which meant this man—she hadn't gotten a good look at him as he flew down the mansion steps toward her because she hadn't been expecting a welcome quite like this one—wasn't going to kill her now.
Just torture her some more.
Maybe she deserved it after all the lives she’d destroyed.
How could one drug, intended to save lives and make the world a better place, end up causing this much damage and death?
Seconds seemed like an eternity.
A growl rumbled through the chest of the man pinning her between the car and his huge body. When he leaned in close, she got a glimpse of his eyes through the light spilling out of the windows and open front door. Violet eyes. Dragon.
