Page 81 of Taken By the Convicts
Her body shook as she separated from him. “I disobeyed orders.”
“What orders?”
Her face paled. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done. I failed all those men, and then The Company sent me here because I couldn’t be trusted. Ivan’s here because I was too slow, too ineffective, and now he doesn’t trust me either, not fully. For as much as I was terrified to be sent here, it’s given me a chance to start over, but my past won’t stay buried. How do you do it, Zev? How do you bury the past?”
“How should I know?”
“You don’t talk about your life before here. I thought—”
“You thought wrong,” he said, cutting her off as he tucked himself back in his pants and headed toward the door. This was his chance to push her away for good.
“I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry,” she said, the sincerity in her voice, the fucking longing, shaking him.
He didn’t want her to make her feel bad for who she was, what she was becoming. She’d been gaining her confidence since Ivan and Jayce took her from Hawke five weeks ago, and it looked good on her, really good.
“Don’t ever apologize. To anyone. You don’t owe anyone anything, Melina. You’re perfect the way you are.”
Now he knew why he was upset. He’d have to give her up eventually, and that wasn’t something he wanted to do. He wanted to see her blossom into the person she was meant to be, despite the harsh conditions of Veenith and despite her past. He’d never meant to get involved, but it was too late. When he’d first seen her, she’d stood up to Ivan and the others even though she’d been terrified. He knew then and there he wanted to know her better.
She lifted up on her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I don’t know who you are, Zev, or why you’re on Veenith, but I know you’re a good man. I trust you. Please don’t push me away.”
“Mel, I don’t know where you get this idea that I’m going anywhere—” He choked up. He couldn’t lie to her. A lie of omission was one thing, but he couldn’t outright lie to her.
He held her closer, drew in her intoxicating scent. His hands glided up her thigh, under the shirt she wore like a dress until he reached her pussy. So wet for him. Just him. Not Reece or Jayce, but him alone.
He never thought he could share a woman and feel as if he were the center of her universe as he did now. But that was part of the allure with Melina. She could see into a man’s heart and know what he needed, and then she freely gave it.
He’d seen the scars, the tattoo, her skittishness when Jayce treated her like an object, but Zev didn’t know the stories behind the scars, only that she’d been abused.
He’d like nothing more than to snap the neck of the man responsible. Despite all she’d been through, she held no bitterness, no need for revenge. His Melina was precious and sweet and deserved happiness. He wished he could give her that.
“It’s okay, Zev. You don’t have to tell me. Trust is hard enough, but letting another in is downright scary.” Melina’s arms circled him. She melted against his body and he automatically wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin.
Zev was tired of running all the time, trying to stay one step ahead of the man who would kill him if he weren’t careful. His days with this unit and Melina were coming to an end. For their safety, he’d leave the bunker and the unit before he made his big move. Hawke had too many men, too many resources Zev hadn’t anticipated.
He buried his head into her hair, breathing her in. He couldn’t tell her and it had nothing to do with trust. This wasn’t right. He shouldn’t be touching her. Worse, he shouldn’t be falling for her. But he was. God help him, he was.
* * *
MELINA
“Stay away from him,”Ivan said when Melina left the storage area.
“You were watching us?”
“That’s my job. To watch out for you and the rest of my unit.
“Zev is part of this unit.”
“Not for long,” Ivan said as he moved down the hall at a brisk pace.
She caught up to him as he entered his room. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to have Jayce pull his access to the bunker.”
“Why?”
“I don’t trust him.”
