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He tugged her close to him. His other hand threaded through her hair. His head dipped and he whispered, “Thank you for that. But consider that, if everything goes smoothly with the data transfer and your laptop remains fully intact… Nik, I wouldn’t expect you to upload all of those photos to a cloud environment, only. Yes, I’m telling you to back up your data,” he quietly, pointedly said, “but I wouldn’t expect you to clean your computer of all those memories. They’re a part of your life, they’re a part of you. A part you’ve shared with me.”
Tears burned her eyes once more. “I like that we don’t have any secrets between us.”
“It doesn’t solve our dilemma, but… I like it, too.”
She gave a slow nod. And added, “It also doesn’t help that… I’m in love with you.”
Damen’s head twitched, ever-so-slightly. Then inclined to the side as curiosity flickered in his eyes.
She rushed on, saying, “Really, how could I not be? You represent everything I’m drawn to... But it’s so much more than that. From the very beginning, there’s been a connection between us. And you are fiercely protective of me. Not to mention the chemistry is wicked-hot. We’re so good in so many ways. I never thought I’d feel like this again. I never dreamed it was possible.”
“Of course not,” he reasonably said. “You’re loyal, Nik. You’ve remained loyal, faithful, all this time—to one man. Until you met me.”
“I got lucky, to get a second chance at something so amazing.” The tears tumbled down her cheeks. “The difficulty, Damen, is that… I can’t predict how this will end. Good or bad. I don’t know how volatile my emotions will be if everything I cherish is gone. That terrifies me.”
He pulled her to him. Held her tight.
He said, “You already know we have no choice.”
“Yes.”
“So unless you can figure out how to get this laptop from me, escape this campus with it and hide out someplace where I can’t find you, or locate someplace to dump the computer where I can’t get to it… We have to do this.”
“Yes.”
Though the mere thought was now shredding her from the inside out.
“Okay,” he said, and released her. “Then come with me, Nik. Trust me to do my absolute best. For you. And for us…”
She let him guide her into the Information Technology building. Up the stairs to the second level and a secured wing he had access to.
The techs he’d personally requested were there and Damen handed over Nikki’s computer.
Then he settled her in at a table in the corner and took the chair opposite her. He requested lunch be delivered to them, not sure she’d eat anything, but she had to be starving. The campus had a gourmet restaurant onsite, in addition to an informal dining room and also a café. Damen added coffee and brandy to their order. No telling how this day was going to go. How long this day was going to be. How Nikki would look at him when it was finally over.
All he had at the moment was the hope that his techs could work some serious magic and that there was nothing in the device’s programming that would harm Nikki’s files.
All he could do was pray that when they left the campus, she felt the same way about him as she had when they’d arrived.
The waiting would be the worst part, of course.
The anxiety from both of them already permeated the vast room. There were sofas and chairs against the far wall of windows, which were tinted on the outside and bulletproof. Nikki was well-protected here, without doubt.
Damen stifled a groan.
Physically, she was well-protected.
Emotionally, however… He knew she was already ravaged on the inside. He loathed to think how much more torment his mission might inflict upon her.
Still, he latched onto what she’d said on the sidewalk, what she’d told him. Her confession would stick with him, even though it was a bittersweet one, given their precarious predicament.
She was in love with him.
That was both a blessing and a curse.
It was precisely what he wanted, naturally. And yet… He had no idea what it truly meant for them, where it might lead. If it had the potential to lead anywhere.
This was all risky business. Tricky in so many ways.
