Page 2 of Honor Code

Oh, God. I'm going to die.

That was all she could think about. She'd never see her family again and would die in Raphael's living room, either by his hand or a police bullet. Either way, death loomed, just seconds away.

A hand, large and suffocating, clamped over her mouth. In the dim pre-dawn light, her attacker was just a shape, an indistinct mass overpowering her. She kicked out, connecting with a soft body part, and heard a satisfying grunt of pain.

No way. This was not happening.

She would not be a victim—again.

The subsequent years of self-defense training kicked in, and she fought with every fiber of her being, scratching, kicking and bucking to get away. But he was strong and countered her desperate thrusts. Finally, her knee connected with his groin, and he swore under his breath, yet his grip remained unyielding.

What did it take to unseat this monster?

Suddenly, he shifted his weight, settling on her pelvis. Massive hands forced her arms above her head. Her T-shirt rode up, exposing her midriff—she could feel the air on her skin. Oh, God. Was he going to rape her?

Trapped, she opened her mouth to scream.

"Don't," came a gruff command, chilling in its calmness. "I just want to talk."

Pinned down, the hard ground of the helipad pressing into her back, she glared angrily up at the man who'd shattered her early morning peace, along with her nerves.

Who the hell was he?

And what did he want with her?

CHAPTER 2

"Who are you?" Phoenix growled, securing the intruder with his full weight. She was light; it wasn't hard to subdue her, but she'd caught him by surprise. He hadn't expected such a frenzied attack.

Damn if his groin didn't throb where the hellcat had kicked him, and she'd left claw marks down his forearm. The woman had fought like her life depended on it.

He could tell she was trained, but not by any military—he knew that much. Not a serious threat, then. Maybe an eco-warrior? One of those passionate planet defenders who didn't realize the danger they put themselves in.

"What's your name?" he repeated. He'd been warned there had been threats. They’d been told to be vigilant.

She squirmed beneath him, but he held her steady, pressing her wrists into the hard ground. Both her hands in one of his. The other he splayed across her hip, preventing her from unseating him with her repeated thrusts.

He regretted the use of force, but she wasn't going anywhere until she'd answered some questions.

"Ellie," she gasped, and he noticed—more than noticed—the way her T-shirt twisted under her breasts, exposing her smooth, flat stomach. It was soft under his hand—he didn’t know skin could be that soft.

He forced his gaze to her face—pretty and heart-shaped, with an angry flush staining her cheeks. Her hair had come loose from the binding, splaying out around her.

She lifted her chin, and it was then he noticed the small, inch-long scar on her neck, silver in the diffused light. "Who do you work for?"

"Xonex, the energy company."

He frowned. Xonex, the same company that had hired him for his expertise in handling situations exactly like this.

He frowned. It didn't add up. Why was she dressed in black, prowling around the deck in the early hours?

She was staring up at him, petrified. Her eyes, light-brown flecked with gold, were wide and frantic. Even terrified, there was something fierce, yet vulnerable about her. He eased off a little on her wrists, but not enough that she could wriggle free.

He had to be sure.

"You work here? On the Explorer?"

"That's what I've been telling you." Angry eyes glared at him, and she tossed some messy chocolate-brown strands out of her face.

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