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“I love you,” Tanner whispered at her ear. “I loved you before I touched you, before I knew you. Know that, Scheme. Before I ever suspected your true worth, I still knew you were worthy. ”
She shook her head wearily against his chest. He couldn’t have known. He couldn’t know now.
Scheme swallowed tightly, aware that he hadn’t shifted, hadn’t moved. His cock, still half-hard, was buried inside her.
“Father sedated me,” she whispered, forcing the words past her lips. “They drugged my drink. When I woke up, I was in a private clinic and he had taken my baby. ”
The dark place inside her opened, the pain tearing through her, splitting through her soul. “They took my baby. ”
His arms tightened around her as he held her head to his shou
lder, his head bent over her, sheltering her.
“I was six weeks pregnant. ” The tears fell then. “It was Chaz’s baby. But Father didn’t care, and neither did Chaz. At the time, he couldn’t afford having Chaz singled out in public. A known assassin marrying his daughter?” She nearly strangled on the bitter laughter. “And there wasn’t a chance his child was going to be a single mother. ” Her fists clenched at his shoulders. “I didn’t know what they were doing. ”
“Stop. God, Scheme. Please. ” His voice was rough, ragged. “Do you think I don’t know that, sweetheart?”
She shook her head, the movements jerky. “I was going to leave when I found out about the baby. I begged Chaz to take us away. I didn’t know what he was. Who he was…”
“Scheme…”
“It was my fault. ” She pulled back, staring up at him, years of regret and loss burning her soul to ashes. “Don’t you understand, it was my fault. If I had run when I saw how angry Cyrus was over the baby. If I hadn’t told Chaz…”
“Then he would have killed you both,” he sighed against her hair. “You’re alive. And when this is all over, you’ll have a chance at living. Hang on to that, Scheme. You’ll make him pay. ”
Her head lifted as she stared into his eyes then. She would be free, but would she still have Tanner? That hard core of ice still glittered in his eyes; anger still sparked in the muted green flecks within the brilliant amber. She hadn’t trusted him and she should have. Would she now lose him? And if she did, would freedom really matter?
CHAPTER 23
CYRUS TALLANT’S ESTATE
PENNSYLVANIA
Cyrus stared out the windows of his office, his gaze roving over the well-manicured lawn, perfectly symmetrical trees and lush flower gardens. A soft dew had settled on the land overnight. Soon, it would be frost. Fall was moving in; the leaves were already turning, spreading their blazing color across the forests surrounding the estate and flashing their warning of the winter to come.
“Have you found her yet?” He clasped his hands behind his back, standing military erect as he watched the Coyote Breed who entered the office.
Dog. That was what he called him. Cyrus didn’t allow his Breeds to have identifying names; he had warned the Council of that decades before. Giving them even a small measure of humanity had resulted in the mess they were in now.
Breeds were breeding with pure-blooded humans, diluting God’s creations. Not that he was a particularly religious man, but he believed in pure blood. Blood would tell, he always said. Look at the world. The result of mixing pure blood and that tainted by poverty, criminal minds and diseased psyches.
“You haven’t answered me,” he reminded the Coyote softly, feeling a surge of disgust well inside him.
“We haven’t found her yet,” Dog answered. “She has to come to ground soon though. We’ll get her then. ”
“What of the soldiers in Sandy Hook—have they learned anything there?”
“Nothing. ” Dog shook his head. “The heli-jet flew into the area several hours ago though. There’s no report of why they were there. ”
“I want her dead, Dog,” he reminded his pet calmly. “She can’t be allowed to talk. God only knows what the bitch would tell if she had the chance. Are you certain there are no files missing? No information accessed by her?”
“Nothing, sir,” Dog answered. “The files haven’t been accessed and nothing left with her. Mr. Bollen believes her escape was unplanned. ”
John Bollen, Cyrus’s heir and second in command, was out in the field when he should be on the estate overseeing the various functions they funded with Council money. This had to get cleared up soon. John was needed here. There were too many plans to destroy the Breeds being left unattended.
Cyrus turned slowly, watching as Dog’s bearing became stiffer, more military than ever as Cyrus stared back at him.
“Breeds?” he sneered.
