Jeanie believed him. She ignored the throbbing pain in her side that Jordan had caused, staring up at Trey Roberts in a daze. “I don’t understand. He had a badge and knew all the information I gave the NSO. He had the number for the disposable cell I bought. No one had that except where I left it in the message.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jordan snorted. “She’s going to play this game to the end. Let’s just call Fuller for a pick-up before I lose my temper. I’ve never decked a woman in my life but I’m tempted to make her the first.”
“I’m trying to help you, believe it or not,” Trey whispered. “We’re under orders not to hurt you but we don’t run Fuller. Make a deal with us or they’ll interrogate you. New Species don’t hurt women but we’re not that squeamish. You’re just going to be a number in prison.”
“I’m telling you the truth. I swear.” Desperation set in. “I get that it doesn’t make sense if what you’ve said is true but that’s how it happened. He said he was an agent, had a badge, and I thought I was working for the NSO. I wanted to get those New Species freed.”
“I can break her,” Jordon swore. “Give me five minutes alone with her.”
“No way in hell,” Trey answered. “I won’t allow that to happen. You were already too rough with her. It’s one thing to make threats to create fear but another to rough her up. You’d know everyone in here agrees with that if you’d take a second to glance around at the dirty looks you’re getting.”
“I’ll call Fuller for a pick-up then,” Jordan warned before turning his angry stare on Jeanie. “Bye, sweetheart. These are the last friendly faces you’ll see. I suggest you look long and hard out any window inside that van since it’s also the last time you’ll see anything without bars blocking the view.”
“That’s not accurate.” 710 drew her attention. “Dean Polanitis is there so you will be able to see him again every day. I am certain he will be happy to see you since you both will have a lot of catching up to do.”
That information was an emotional blow to Jeanie. Even hearing Dean Polanitis’ name made her break out in a cold sweat of terror. They were taking her to where he was being held. She’d have to see him again. All the nightmares, the sleepless nights and constant anxiety of the possibility that he might escape one day slammed home hard.
Dean Polanitis would kill her, no matter what it took. He had to know she was the reason he’d been arrested and Drackwood taken down. Flashbacks of the horrible things done to her caused a full-blown panic attack to strike. She was right back in that horrible lab room, restrained to a gurney, seeing his cruel smile as he watched her being injected with drugs. The pain she’d suffered seemed to amuse him and Dr. Brask. He’d be at that prison too.
Jeanie couldn’t stop herself from freaking out, recognizing the signs when she began to pant. She struggled with the task member holding her wrists behind her back, not caring if he broke her arms. She just needed to get away, to find a dark corner and curl into a ball.
“No! No!” she got out, throwing her head back.
Chapter Four
True turned away, angry that he’d been so completely fooled by Jeanie Shiver in the past. It was a poor excuse that he’d been a prisoner at the time, the lowest point of his life. The connection he’d felt toward her had been a lie, a ploy on her part.
It was cold consolation that the coconspirators would be kept so close yet so far away. Polanitis had been evil and Shiver was as guilty as the male. It seemed fitting that she’d suffer the same fate. True just wanted out of the basement, away from her and the past.
He had taken three steps when she cried out and her screams began. He spun, saw her thrown out of the chair. Chris had done it, his hands going to his bloody nose as he cursed. Trey and Jordan reacted by attempting to grab her but she rolled, clawing her way to her feet. She lurched on unsteady feet right into Jericho. He tensed when the male tried to hold her still by gripping her hips.
She screamed again and her hands fisted, frantically beating on the male’s chest. True stalked closer, knowing the male could restrain her. Her knee lifted and the primate snarled, caught off guard. True winced, understanding she’d scored a direct hit when the male released her and fell back to grab the front of his pants. He could have struck her on his way down but he knew the male purposely resisted hitting a female. She was small enough to kill with one blow.
Chris recovered first, blood all over his lower face and hands as he rushed up behind her, his intention clear—to tackle Shiver. Rage twisted the human’s face and True snarled, sure the male would cause her great harm.
“Don’t!” He rushed forward, moving faster than the human. He hooked an arm around her ribs and barely swung her out of the way when the task force member ignored his order. The other male brushed against his side from the near collision, on his way to hitting the floor as True whisked her beyond his grasp.
True lifted Jeanie into his arms as she screamed again. Her legs kicked wildly and her fists flailed the air. He glanced around, searching for somewhere to take her that she couldn’t be hurt if he put her down. There was nowhere. She bucked in his arms and it was difficult to keep hold of her.
He just dropped to the floor, her ass on his lap where he sat. A snarl tore past his lips as he adjusted his grip on her and managed to pin her arms over her breasts by hugging her against his chest, one hand pressing them down over her ribs to keep them contained between their bodies. His other hand fisted in her wet hair near the base of her neck as he leaned forward, glaring at her when he managed to keep her from tossing her head.
“Enough!” he roared. “Stop.” He winced when one of her flailing feet hit the concrete but he protected her head from the same fate.
She stilled in his arms as her struggles ceased. The way she looked at him with pure terror was something he’d hoped to never see. He inhaled, almost choking on the scent of her fear. It had to be a very strong emotion for him to smell it, which assured him of the sincerity of her response. A human couldn’t fake those kinds of extreme physical reactions that could be picked up by Species senses. The rapid rise and fall of her chest reminded him of the danger of her having a heart attack. Had the drug she’d been given caused some type of damage? She panted, seemingly unable to catch her breath.
He cleared his throat, softened his tone. “Easy. Breathe in and out. Slow it down.”
She stared into his eyes as if he were a lifeline but responded by licking her lips, obviously attempting to do as he instructed.
“Get the damn medic!” Trey yelled. “Now!”
“I’ll be fine,” Jericho growled low, sitting up, but kept one hand over the front of his groin in a protective gesture. “It hurts like hell but give me a minute.”
“It’s not for you. The female is in distress.” Flame kept his distance. “I can smell her.”
“The bitch is nuts,” Chris muttered, pushing himself off the floor to a sitting position. He shot a glare at True. “I think she broke my nose when she threw her head back into my face and I probably just busted my lip when I kissed the floor. I would have had her if True hadn’t interfered.”
“You hit the floor hard,” Flame pointed out. “That looked painful.”
“Fuck you.” The human stayed on the floor and checked out his palms. “Great. They are bleeding too.”
“How can you tell? They were already covered in blood.”
“Shut up, Flame.”
“Both of you shut it,” Trey demanded, staring at True. “Is she okay? So much for thinking she shouldn’t be in handcuffs or that she’d avoid a physical altercation with us.” He spun around to glare at Jordan. “I told you to reel it back, goddamn it. She’s not ex-military or some thug. Women snap under too much pressure. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”