Page 77 of Sinner's Sacrifice

Well, that wasn’t going to fucking happen.

She waved her hand. “Fine. Let’s move on. They found something in my blood, my genes that relates to what they’re studying?”

“Yes. This research is important and has the potential to save many lives. My aunt called earlier to tell me to take very good care of you because you might be the answer the researchers have been looking for.”

That sounded...odd.

“I produce a specific kind of antibodies or something?”

“They’re not sure. They need more of your blood to find out.”

“Why on earth would anyone want to kidnap me for that? All they had to do was ask.”

“Samantha, this breakthrough, you, could be worth billions of dollars. A competing pharmaceutical company might decide it would be worth it to convince you to work with them, instead of the company I support.”

“Convince?” she asked, deadpan. “Convince?” This time the word came out as an accusation. “You mean, kidnapping, intimidation, and coercion?” Her voice rose higher with every word.

Yvgeny had the decency to wince. “Yes, I suppose that is the kind of convincing I mean.”

She stared at him. Should she be afraid of him? Afraid of what he might do? “So, what are you willing to do to obtain my cooperation?”

She watched him freeze in place, his expression, his posture, even his breathing, all of it...just stopped.

Then some of the color leeched from his face and he got to his feet and advanced toward her so fast, it surprised her into jerking back.

He stood, only inches from her, and slowly raised a hand, as if he were about to touch her face.

She leaned back, not far, but he dropped his hand to his side.

“You think I would hurt you?” he asked, his voice so low it was almost a whisper. “You think I would force you to do anything you don’t want to?”

“It’s never made any sense to me,” she said just as quietly.

That made him blink. “What never made sense?”

“You...and me. The way you’ve treated me since the moment we’ve met. Like...like I’m someone important, valuable, even essential to you. You’ve even killed to protect me.” She frowned and smacked his chest with an open palm. “Which is stupid. Why would you do that?”

He stepped back far enough for her to get to her feet.

“You followed me in a limo, while I talked to sex workers, to help me find the monster who hurt my friends and killed others.” She smacked him again.

“You chased after an armored truck, leapt into it while it was moving, and pulled the guy who grabbed me, off of me, tossing him into the street.” She put both hands on his chest and pushed.

He stepped back, and she followed him, pushing until he was up against the wall. “You don’t make any sense.” She snarled the last sentence. “I want to know why.”

He took in a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes, and letting his head thunk against the wall behind him. “I am finally atoning for all of my sins,” he whispered, and she didn’t think it was to her.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and met her gaze. His stare was so freaking hot her clothes should have caught fire.

“I want you.” He said it like it should have explained everything.

It didn’t.

“No, you don’t.”

He smiled and it contained all the sins in the world. “Don’t I?”

“No. I’m a challenge. I disagree, argue, and when that doesn’t work, do what I need to anyway. For some men, that’s a turn on, I guess.” She shrugged. “But it’s fleeting. All I have to do, to get rid of you, is to give in. Acquiesce. Let you have me. Once you’ve gotten what you want, gotten me out of your system, you’ll walk away to look for the next challenge.”

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