Page 19 of He Is Jensen: Part One

Jensen tenses and holds up a hand. “Stay where you are,” he orders softly, already on his feet and facing the door in confrontation of the two soldiers dressed in desert fatigues who’ve just entered the quarters.

“What do you want?” he demands, his shoulders tense, squared for battle, while I’m on my feet just as ready, expecting the worst.

And that’s what I get. “We’re to escort the woman to the lab,” one of them states.

“All right,” Jensen agrees calmly, his gaze unwaveringly locked on the other man. “We’ll go to the lab.”

“Not you,” the other soldier corrects and jerks his head to me. “Just you.”

My heart explodes in my chest. Without Jensen, I’ll face Tad on my own, and that man terrifies me.

“Where she goes, I go,” Jensen declares. “That’s non-negotiable.”

Both soldiers move in unison, their hands settling on their weapons in their hip holsters. “We have orders,” one of them states. “She comes alone.”

The idea that Jensen ends up bloody again, and maybe dead this time, is too much for me to handle. “I’ll go,” I state, and when Jensen’s gaze jerks to mine, I add, “I’ll be fine. I really do need a lab to do my work.”

“Forget it,” he states. He’s hardheaded, I’m learning quickly.

I round the table and step to his side, glancing up at him. “I have to do this. I’ll be okay.”

The two soldiers raise their weapons and point them at Jensen, while one of them states, “She’ll be okay, but you might not be.”

“I’m going,” I say softly, and take a step forward.

Jensen captures my arm, and I rotate to face him, my palms landing on his chest, his own heart thundering beneath my touch. “I will be okay,” I vow. “I need you to be, too. Then you can take me on that date you still owe me.”

His eyes soften, a mix of anger and fear, but there is tenderness in the depths of his stare, meant for me and me alone. “I would like that very much.”

The idea that I may never see him again is too much. I can’t take it, and I dare to push to my toes and kiss him. He cups my head, his mouth slanting over mine, a deep lick of his tongue before he whispers, “Don’t cross Tad or Julian.”

“Let’s go!” One of the soldiers commands.

Jensen’s hands fall away from me, the warmth of his touch transforming into a chill I feel inside and out. I back away from him, from the torment in his eyes that must mimic what is in mine as well, and I rotate and allow the guards to guide me out of the room and into the hallway.

Chapter fourteen

Jensen

I’m sitting at thetable, looking through the documents that were delivered for Layla, and I toss one of the folders down. It’s all I can do to not pace, not shout out Julian’s name, and demand to see him. But I know Julian all too well. If I make Layla seem too important to me, he’ll use her as a weapon against me. But an hour into suffering in her absence, worried over what might be happening with and to Layla right now, holy fuck. The man is not a fool. He knows I was with Layla when they kidnapped her. They know I all but died to try and save her from this place. At the very least, he knows I want her to aid the Renegades. So why am I fucking hiding from the truth.

I push to my feet. “Julian!” I shout into the room, knowing damn well he’s watching me. He’s been watching me. He knows I’m attracted to her. He knows I want her, but I’m also his ticket to get her to help him, or pretend to help him. “Julian! Get your fucking ass in here!” I continue the demands, pacing as I deliver them, and it’s a full ten minutes before the door swings open. Julian is in the doorway, not a wolf to be found. He looks so damn much like Caleb, it’s eerie as hell.

“I wondered when you’d call,” he says dryly, stepping inside and allowing the door to shut behind him.

For a few beats, we stare at each other, seconds ticking by with the crackle of challenge. “You’re close to my brother. There’s no reason you can’t be close to me. I don’t want him dead. I don’t want any of you dead. I want you by my side. We’ll be unstoppable.”

I’m cautious, biting back the acidic words on the tip of my tongue. “I want Layla protected.”

His eyes narrow on me. “Have you lifebonded with her?”

“No,” I say. “But she matters to me.”

“Her protection can be arranged. Join me. Help me bring the others over.”

“How?”

“You tell me.”

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