Chapter
Eleven
January 12th
10:28 P.M.
Tension hung heavily in the air as Whitney gave a weary nod.
If he’d had any inkling whatsoever that Dragon was going to do that the second they arrived, he would have handled things differently.
Honestly, he’d forgotten all about the explosives. He’d been too busy trying to decide if Whitney was telling him the truth about her past and how it connected to Dr. Gardner’s. But they’d assumed when he originally went after the person in the woods immediately after the explosion and saving Cassandra and Rose from the bounty hunters, that they were the one to set the explosives.
Knowing that the place had been cleared out before they got there, Blade could make a guess at why Whitney had set them, assumed everyone else other than Dragon, who wasn't thinking clearly right now, could, but Whitney would have to explain for herself.
It was important to him that the others learn to trust her simply because they did and not because he said they should. It shouldn’t be important. Once they had intel from her and her former boss was no longer a threat, Whitney would leave, finally free to forge her own path in life. But it was important. More than it should be.
Because he wasn't entirely confident that Whitney could stand on her own two feet, she looked like a gentle breeze could knock her over, Blade released his hold on her chin, let his fingers once again brush over the darkening marks on her neck, bruises layered upon bruises, and took hold of her elbow, pulling her up with him.
When she swayed, he tightened his hold, doing his best to make it feel supportive instead of restrictive. But from the way Whitney’s bottom lip trembled, he was pretty sure she felt like she was trapped and being led to the slaughter.
Dr. Gardner viewed them as monsters, beasts, one step away from animals that he could train to be his pets. Blade was pretty sure that Whitney didn't view them the same way, but she was terrified of them, and so far she had good reason to be. He’d almost killed her the exact same way that Dragon almost had tonight.
Guiding her up the steps and inside, he noticed how her trembling increased the second the front door closed behind him. He had no idea how to convince her that she would be okay. As far as she was concerned, he’d already lied to her when he told her things would be fine when they arrived.
Damn Dragon acting before he thought.
“You want something to eat?” Rose asked when they all entered the living room.
Shooting her a grateful smile, he gently squeezed Whitney’s arm until she looked up from where she’d been staring atthe floor, her blue eyes confused, and it was clear she hadn't expected the question to be aimed at her.
“Not hungry,” she murmured her response, but he frowned at her.
“You haven’t eaten since breakfast. She’ll have something, whatever you make is fine,” he told Rose.
“No, I can't … I can't eat,” Whitney protested, her free hand pressing to her stomach.
Offering her an encouraging smile, Rose indicated to one of the couches. “Maybe after we talk you’ll realize no one here is a threat to you. Dragon is just … he has anger issues. Trust me, I know. Some days I'm still not sure if he’s going to try to kill me.”
“Told you a million times I'm not a threat to you, Rose,” Dragon grumbled, making Rose laugh, breaking some of the tension.
It was barely noticeable, but Whitney relaxed ever so slightly. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I know why he wants to kill me. Why you all do. I'm the one who created the drug. I'm the one responsible for what happened to you. I deserve your anger and whatever you decide to do with me after I tell you what you want to know.”
She spoke the words so bravely, her spine straightening as she gained momentum, and he knew she meant every single word. Whitney absolutely believed that once she told them everything she knew about Dr. Gardner, they were going to torture and kill her.
Yet she’d come here anyway.
Because she felt like she owed them, that all the deaths from the drugs rested squarely on her shoulders.
“You don’t deserve to pay for someone else’s sins,” he said firmly as he maneuvered her onto one of the couches and then sat beside her. “Dragon is an idiot. He acts without thinking,but he won't hurt you again. Right?” Shooting a glare at his teammate, Blade dared him to disagree.
Stubborn man that he was, Dragon didn't answer. “You set the explosions, there’s no point in pretending otherwise. I can smell it all over you. Tell us why,” he demanded.
“It was the only way,” Whitney said, the shaking in her slim body increasing until he could hear her teeth chattering together.
“Only way to what?” Blade asked, keeping his voice soft when what he wanted to do was yell at Dragon to tone it down. He was scaring Whitney, and she’d been through enough these last few days. Enough in her entire young lifetime.
“To make sure he couldn’t keep using my equations,” Whitney replied. Her gaze darted to Rose, and he could tell that she knew who the woman was. “I'm sorry, but your brother, he’s not as good at chemistry and biology as he thinks he is.”
