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“Because you would have died in the process. You may not trust me, Willow, but you damn well need to respect me. I’m the only man in the godforsaken country who can keep you alive.”
“You have a very high opinion of yourself.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You might be surprised what my opinion is.”
She tilted her head. “It’s obvious you’re well trained and you are good at what you do. I’m sorry. I’m just overwrought.”
“Understandable. Just relax. Have another drink. We’ll be fine tonight.” I could tell she was being sarcastic.
“I hope so.”
The awkwardness between us was ugly. “Did Castillo say anything to you that could provide any explanation as to your capture?”
Willow looked away, chewing on her lower lip. She’d selected a tank top and shorts, certainly not dressed for an attack. However, at least it was better than what she’d worn before. I studied her in the few seconds she was thinking, trying to force myself into her shoes. I’d been one of the lucky ones in my career, never detained or taken a prisoner of war. However, it would have been preferable to the way my career had ended.
“He never talked about why. What unnerved me was the way he acted, as if being forced to share dinner with him was normal or that I’d want to. I had rules to follow. Clothing to wear. I was required to be beautiful at all times. I felt like he was dressing me up like a doll.”
“But he never laid a hand on you.”
She shook her head. “No. He even killed one of his own men for touching me inappropriately.”
Sighing, I was the one who looked away this time. It was classic case of prepping her for a sale. I’d heard about this too many times, the outcome never one anyone wanted.
“But I heard a group of men downstairs one night. Several of them.”
“You didn’t hear what they were saying?” I asked.
“I only caught a few words. I know Spanish, but I’m not fluent. They were talking about price. A million dollars. For what?”
“If I had to venture a guess, I’d say it was for you.”
Her shiver was visible, her face contorting.
“Anyway, you’re safe.” I didn’t want to tell her that there was a strong chance we’d never get out of the country. I’d always been a risk taker, but her value was enough that if I ventured a guess, I’d say money had already been exchanged.
I moved toward the kitchen, uncertain how the hell we’d be able to spend an extended period of time together. I threw open the refrigerator, shaking my head, thinking about everything I’d learned about her. She was highly intelligent, graduating at the top of her class in high school, college, and would have been at the top of the podium for her veterinary degree in a couple of weeks if she hadn’t been taken. She was also an incredible beauty, her eyes depicting the depth of her soul. My mouth watered at the thought of tasting her. I laughed at myself, slamming my hands against the counter. I couldn’t think this way, not for a single minute. She was my mark and nothing else. I closed the door, taking a deep breath, ignoring the ache in my cock.
Why the hell I couldn’t get the filthy thoughts out of my mind I would never know.
When I didn’t hear any sound, I cocked my head, listening. Then returned to the living room, reacting instantly from seeing her peering past the blinds. I took long strides, grabbing her arm and yanking her against the wall. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? What?”
“I just…”
“Answer me. Don’t you understand that if a single person gets sight of you from Castillo’s army, then you’re as good as dead? Don’t you?” My voice had risen, the tone obviously terrifying her.
Her eyes welled up, her mouth twisting. She grabbed my shirt, clamping her fingers around the material. “I’m not like you. I’m not trained for this. I just can’t. I can’t.”
“You need to listen better, sweetheart, because I’m finished with trying to teach you a lesson.” I shook her until I noticed tears slipping past her lashes. I was the one who wasn’t equipped for this. I could save a soldier any time, no matter their condition. I’d carried two-hundred-pound men over my shoulder to safety while bullets whizzed around me, but I couldn’t handle a woman who was terrified, refusing to follow orders. I crowded closer, praying to God that this time she’d get it through that pretty little head of hers. “I’m not going to let you derail this mission.”
“This isn’t a mission to me. This is my life!” When she reached out to slap me, I grabbed her hand, yanking her other arm over her head, capturing both her wrists with my fingers, pressing them against the wall.
“Yeah? Well, this is a matter of life and death, something you don’t seem to comprehend.”
There was a strange sense of quiet that shifted between us, but the crackle of electricity was unmistakable. I took several deep breaths as I peered down at her, concentrating on the way her mouth twisted. As her scent rushed into my nostrils, I burned with a need that I wasn’t certain I could control. There was no doubting her desire, the fragrance of her feminine wiles infused with the body wash, stimulating every one of my senses.
“I do,” she murmured. “I’m sorry. I’m just scared, Viper. Terrified.” Her voice was so damn small, completely unlike the woman who’d managed to fight her way through the jungle, facing obstacles that few men could handle as well as she had.
“Then don’t fight me.” I hovered over her, dropping my head another few inches. When she arched her back, her eyes darting back and forth across mine, the rapid beating of my heart matched the pulsing in my cock. “Don’t.”
