Page 30 of Secret Redemption

"What about here?"

"We’re secure, nobody knows about this place. Plus, I have you, Smithy, and now Zin." She knew she was challenging him by shoving Zin in his face, but she didn’t care. He needed to know who was in charge. She trusted Zin not to betray her. After all, his life was riding on it.

The man nodded his jaw tight, eyebrows a slash of anger.

"Leave, deal with your betrayers. I will speak with Smithy now." Rhea rose and crossed to the door, the Butcher at her back. A buzz went through her at the slight tingle of fear she felt at his nearness. She tamped it down and reached for her pills. These feelings were getting more pronounced, and she didn’t like to feel anything.

Her heels clipped as she sashayed down the stairs of her home near the cliffs on the Isle of Man. This place was her haven, and now it was her fortress. Reaching the bottom step, she ran her hand along the balustrade of art deco metalwork and carried on towards the west wing where her guest was recovering slowly.

The injuries had been substantial, and it had been ‘touch-and-go’ for a while, but she seemed to be responding to treatment. The damage to her legs and pelvis were what concerned Rhea though. But the doctor had assured her that she may still be able to carry a child, but if not, she could still conceive one through artificial means.

The coma they had kept her in had helped the healing; the nurse worked the muscles to stop them from atrophying and to build the strength in her pelvis. Maybe in a few days, they would bring her around and see if there was anything left of her mind.

As ever, Smithy was standing like a sentry outside the door, his body rigid and ready for a fight. Rhea wondered if he had any clue who it was he was guarding or if it was a subconscious thing. She stopped and looked at him. His gaze never left the wall in front of him though. It was if he had checked out completely since the attack at the facility.

His body was there but his mind was gone somehow, it made him a better soldier but also a more dangerous one as he had become more aggressive with the others.

"Smithy, I have a job for you," she stated and watched as something flickered behind his eyes for a split second. He said nothing, and she continued, "I need you to go to the UK and bring this woman to me.” Rhea showed him the image that was on her phone, and he didn’t flinch. “Bring her back to me and under no circumstances is she to be harmed."

"I have a job!" he answered, and again his gaze stayed on the wall behind her. She wondered what it was about this injured bird in the room behind him that had made him flip.

"She will be fine while you do this. I have a plane on standby; you will fly in tonight, grab the woman from the hospital and fly out tomorrow afternoon. Twenty-four hours and you will be back and standing at this door again. If you do this for me, I will allow you to spend fifteen minutes with the patient."

He said nothing but bent his head to look at her, his handsome gaze giving nothing away. She knew it was a risk, but she also knew that she would get more from him by allowing him to form a bond with the woman that she could exploit than by threatening his life. Men like him didn’t care about their death.

Smithy slowly turned and walked away without a word.

Rhea smiled to herself as he walked towards the soldier’s quarters in the barn. "Smithy," she called as he opened the door. He stopped but didn’t turn. "The Butcher has the details for you."

Smithy dropped his head and left without a word. She watched through the hallway window as he marched towards the barn and then turned and let herself into the room.

Rhea walked to the hospital bed and looked down at the broken woman there. Her face was pale as a snowdrop, and her dark hair was stark against the white sheets. Looking at her face, no one would have any idea of the damage she had sustained. Not a mark marred her beautiful features.

Gently Rhea pulled back the sheet to reveal the horrific injuries to her legs. Rods and braces held her pelvis stable, and the scars from the surgery to her legs were long and angry looking down either side of her thighs.

They had been lucky to save her, the crush injuries themselves to her internal organs had been so bad that they’d had to remove a kidney and her spleen. She was recovering though, and Rhea felt sure that in a few days they could bring her round and start work on the rehabilitation that would enable them to move forward and start the impregnation process.

That gave them some time to get the Sperm Donor back, but she had a plan for that. Covering the grotesque legs up, she backed away and made her way back to her office. She needed to make contact with Zin. He had sent a text to say there was a complication but he should have the Phial by tomorrow evening.

Everything was coming together again. Rhea had one or two loose ends to fix that afternoon though, starting with Felicity.