Page 88 of Fae Devoted
“Thank you,” she said quietly, lifting her wrists free of the cuffs, careful to avoid further contact.
“The bracelets are standard protocol, I’m afraid. Can’t be too careful,” the Director said, pulling out the seat next to hers. “Would you like to see our doctor?”
“No, thank you.” Johnnie wouldn’t trust any treatment the facility’s people might offer. “It won’t take long for them to heal on their own.”
“Yes, of course.” The deep wrinkles around his eyes crimped with a self-deprecating smile. “You’ll have to forgive me. We don’t get many Fae Touched visitors here.”
Not a lie, but his wording gave the man wiggle room.
“Oh? What exactly do you do in here?”
“Mostly research.” He removed his glasses, retrieved a small cloth from the inside of his jacket, and cleaned the smudged lenses.
“Research?” Johnnie looked at her burned wrists, then the armed soldier guarding the door.
“Ah, well.” He returned the frames to his nose, folded the cloth into a neat square, and placed it in his suit pocket. “It’s highly sensitive work.”
Johnnie took a slow, shuddery breath. Had these monsters taken the twins for research? If Jeremiah was interested in this place, it could mean Charlotte was there as well as the brothers. Johnnie was desperate for answers but only said, “I see.”
“So, Miss…?” When she remained silent, he sighed. “You might as well tell me your name. We have your phone, and our IT men and women are quite competent.”
Her knee bounced beneath the table, thoughts scrabbling to remember any incriminating texts she might have left for the facility to discover. No, she’d been smarter than that. She hadn’t mentioned Jeremiah or the Fae in any written messages to Jacob. And they couldn’t trace her outgoing voicemails. At least, she didn’t think they could. But her numerous calls to Samuel would reveal her connection to the Walker Pack, and therefore…Abby.
This deceptively harmless man held the MacCarthy halfblood siblings captive for years. Would they attempt to get to Abby through Johnnie once they identified Samuel as her Alpha?
Not happening.
“What is your name, and what were you doing in these woods?”
She clamped her lips shut.
“This doesn’t need to be an unpleasant experience for either of us if you would cooperate.” The Director dropped his chin andshook his head, expelling a long sigh. “Why do you people insist on making things so difficult?”
“Parker?” He twisted to the door, the action exposing the back of his neck and the bottom serifs of an upside-down Y peeking through his overlong but thinning gray hair.
“Yes, sir?” The soldier blanched, but Johnnie hardly noticed, her mind unable to accept what she was seeing.
The Director belonged to the Athair.
The facilitywaspart of the US government, and its leader was the Fae’s puppet.
“Replace this young lady’s cuffs.”
A coating of ice froze the breath in her throat and her heart in her chest, the cold seeping into her veins until she felt her trembling fingers go numb. Her pulse beat sluggishly, but she couldn’t catch her breath.
Misinterpreting her distress, the Director’s sad brown eyes fell on her again, and he patted her cold hand in a parody of comfort. His fingers landed on her iron-scorched skin with every light slap.
“And Parker,” he said, tone mournful as he beckoned the guard with his other hand. “Notify Doctor Richards to meet us in medical.”
“She’s waking up.”The voice was high and girlish.
What is a pup doing in my room?
“Jacob?” No, that wasn’t right. Johnnie wasn’t speaking to her male at the moment, so he definitely wouldn’t be in her bed. She hadn’t forgiven him yet…or had she?
“Who’s Jacob, Miss Hannah?”
“I don’t know.” An adult female?
