Page 12 of Fighting for Ella

At least she didn't try anything stupid. Just gave him another one of those shaky nods, then lifted trembling hands and tugged on her T-shirt, pulling it down so it covered her. But when she went to pull up her jeans she couldn’t get her shaking hands to cooperate and do the zipper up.

“Can I?” Miguel asked, waiting until she had an internal battle and then nodded before he closed the short distance between them. Trying to touch her as little as possible, he eased the jeans into place and then zipped them up.

This close to her, he could feel the tension coming off her in waves. He wanted to be able to do something to fix this for her, or, at the very least, make it as painless as it could possibly be.

“Ella,” he said softly, hooking a forefinger under her chin and nudging gently. “Just be honest, okay? I know this sucks, and I don’t know what led you to make the choices that you made, but if you're honest, then they may go lighter on you.”

Instead of giving him one of her shaky nods, it was like all the fight drained out of her in one long, weary sigh. A sigh that felt like it came from the depths of her soul, and he wondered just what had made her turn on the people she worked with, people to all accounts she had a good relationship with.

“Could I … could I just have … one second to myself?” Ella asked in a trembling voice.

He should say no. She was a prisoner and he was tasked with bringing her in. He should search her to make sure she wasn’t armed, cuff her hands, and take her back to his team.

But she was also a victim.

The dead men at their feet were the only reason he agreed. After this, she wasn’t going to get to be alone for a long time. Not until it was ascertained that she hadn't handed over more sensitive information to their enemies. And then that time alone would be spent in a locked cell.

It couldn’t hurt her to have one last moment of freedom before her world came crashing down around her.

“I’ll be just over there,” he said, turning and walking a short distance away.

A few seconds later he knew he’d been gullible and had made a mistake when he heard the sounds of her making a run for it.

CHAPTER FOUR

February 6th

12:39 P.M.

Running was stupid,but what choice did she have?

Ella hated that it made her look more guilty, but let’s face it, shewasguilty of stealing the Reactivator and coming to Mexico. Worse than that, though, she felt like she’d betrayed Miguel.

The man was hot.

Hands down the sexiest she’d ever laid eyes on.

In fact, she’d been secretly crushing on him from the moment she first saw him. But he was a one-and-done kind of man, a playboy, and she wanted the whole white picket fence dream, so she’d never thought it would go anywhere.

Then his brother started dating Cassie, who was like a sister to her, and she’d really known for sure it would never go anywhere. The last thing she was going to do was allow herself to become one of Miguel’s conquests, get her poor little heart broken, and then make things awkward for the rest of their lives because Cassie and Luis’ love was the kind that lasted forever.

It wasn’t just that Miguel was hot that had regret simmering in her veins as she ran through the jungle, leaving him behind. It was the fact that he’d just saved her from being raped. More than that, he’d been kind and compassionate. Even going so far as to allow her a moment to gather herself after what had almost happened.

That wasn’t something he had to do.

He’d done it only because he was a good guy.

What was she?

A wanted fugitive accused of betraying her country.

Please forgive me, Miguel.

She wished she’d been able to tell him everything that was going on. The truth. The whole truth. Even nothing but the truth.

But she couldn’t.

Not yet.

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