Page 55 of The Captive Missing

“Have you been forced into sexual relations with anyone?”

Val remained silent, eyes falling to the floor. The truthful answer was not yet. But if she admitted that, and Cambric was listening in, which surely they were, then Ben would be absolutely screwed. Maybe the injunction would protect Val, but it wouldn’t apply to anyone who happened to help her.

Jason came back around once more. Getting down on the floor he buried his face in her lap. Val could feel him shaking. He was crying, though it was muffled.

Slowly, she placed one tentative hand on the top of his head, then ran her fingers through his short growth of dark hair. He stilled at her touch. Then his hands were reaching up, clutching at her waist. Straightening suddenly, he gathered her to his chest and pulled her down onto his lap. Rocking back and forth, lips tucked close to her ear, he whispered.

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”

“No,” she whispered back, eyes squeezed shut against the flood of emotion. “It isn’t.”

“I failed you. I made you into Kelly Riggs when I should’ve been Jason Martin. If we’d stayed on that ranch...”

“Tell me about him.” Val’s voice cracked, and her chest heaved. Jace. She wanted to say his precious name but she couldn’t allow herself even that.

“He’s bright and wonderful and safe.” Jason rushed in his words, barely audible. “He loves you so much. We both love you so much. Oh my God. I’m so sorry.”

Agony opened inside her chest. Bending her face into Jason’s neck, Val finally let herself cry. He clung to her, laying kisses along her neck and cheek as her shoulders shook with her silent pain. And she must stay silent, for it was dangerous to allow herself to cry at all. Jace’s face pushed its way to the forefront of her mind and ruthlessly she forced him back.

Sucking in one ragged breath, she shook her head and purposefully banished her son from her thoughts. If she went down that road, there would be no coming back.

Val held her mouth up to Jason’s ear, so close she could feel his skin under her lips as she spoke. “I didn’t have sex with Ben today. But you can’t let them know it. They’ll make him disappear for not forcing me.”

“Disappear?” Jason whispered back.

She wanted to tell him. Had been about to even. If she’d been given more time, then she would’ve been able to explain. If the meeting room door hadn’t flown open, admitting Shane and his collection of Cambric security, then Jason would’ve been able to hear her tell about the captives that were taken in the night.

But the instant Shane unleashed his horde, the melee that followed left any words stuffed hollowly inside her throat.

“Your court mandated time is up,” Shane announced.

“The nurse hasn’t completed her evaluation, yet.” One attorney argued. “She hasn’t performed the full physical.”

“You’ll have to petition the court for an extension.”

Shane gestured towards Val and her heart skipped at the look of icy discernment she saw there. She’d been caught red-handed, confessing to her husband. Punishment was in order.

Eyes tracking, Shane instructed the guards to escort her away. Jason sprang to his feet. Stepping decidedly in front of Val he met them toe to toe, forcing Agent Finn to dive in once more. Senior was yelling, the police officer ducked in to assist, and so Shane skirted the other side of the table. Unhindered, he made his way steadily towards Val.

“Stand,” he ordered and she obeyed.

Despite the madness that carried on around them, Shane took his time, cold calculation dominating his agenda. He placed his hands on either side of Val’s face and looked deeply into her eyes. She blinked demurely up at him, forcing herself to relax and comply. Raising her arms, she encircled his waist, responding to the cue without effort. After a few seconds, she even softened her mouth into a knowing smile.

Turning abruptly, he strode from the room, his fingers clenched around Val’s wrist. She kept pace willingly at his heels. Though she didn’t have the luxury of looking back as she crossed the threshold, she could hear the heavy door swing shut behind her, taking the sounds of fighting with it.

They walked down the hall and through a series of doors until they were alone in one tiny office. Shutting the door at his back, Shane whirled to face her, his eyes appraising.

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing.”

He took a step towards her, but Val knew better than to step back. Meeting his gaze with her own, she let him come on. He centered himself in front of her before placing both hands on her shoulders and shoving her to her knees. His fingers traced along the side of her face, then over her mouth. The request was clear.

Insides revolting, Val kept her composure and sent her mind to fly elsewhere. Reaching up to his pants, she undid the button and worked slowly at his zipper. Curling her fingers into the waistline at his hips, she began to work his pants down.

Just before she had exposed him, Shane placed a hand on the side of her face and shoved her away, causing her to sprawl backwards on the hard floor.

Stunned, Val lay curled defensively on her side, blinking up in bewilderment at him. He adjusted his pants then, working to fasten them back in place with a smug smile fixed to his face.

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