Trapped: Original (Abridged) Edition
Author: Rose Francis
Date: 2013-09-26 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Zombies; Romance; Erotica; Paranormal; Science Fiction; Interracial Romance
Description: Serena is between a rock and a hard place. A military experiment gone wrong has sent her world crashing down--along with everybody else's--as a mysterious disease turns living, breathing, red-blooded people into mindless weapons of destruction. Supplies have run so low that her husband leaves to find food for them and never returns. Serena finds herself alone and preparing for inevitable death from starvation when her husband's best friend, Steven, shows up to her rescue. After seeing his best friend turn, Steven knows what he must do: protect and save his old buddy's wife, the only person he
Publisher: Poison Arrow Publishing

ABOUT TRAPPED: ORIGINAL (ABRIDGED) EDITION

WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for 18+. Also includes dominant/submissive themes with alpha male.

Serena is between a rock and a hard place.

A military experiment gone wrong has sent her world crashing down—along with everybody else’s—as a mysterious disease turns living, breathing, red-blooded people into mindless weapons of destruction.

Supplies have run so low that her husband leaves to find food and never returns.

Serena finds herself alone, preparing for inevitable death from starvation when her husband’s best friend, Steven, shows up to her rescue.

After seeing his best friend turn, Steven knows what he must do: protect and save his old buddy’s wife, the only person he has left now that his whole family and everyone else he cared about is gone.

Only Serena is not just his undead best friend’s girl—Steven has had a secret crush on Serena for almost as long as he’s known her, doing everything in his power to hide it from his buddy while he was alive.

And now, at the horrible price of losing his best friend, he has a chance to be with her.

But would Serena ever give him a chance, given their circumstances? Or, considering the broken down state of the world and its rules, should he just take it?

Trapped is the first in the sci-fi Bite-Sized Romance series.

NOTE: THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, ABRIDGED EDITION (ABOUT 18,000 WORDS).

THE EXPANDED EDITION IS TWICE THE LENGTH (36,000 WORDS) AND INCLUDES A PROLOGUE, ADDITIONAL SCENES, AND A WHOLE NEW SECTION (PART TWO). NOW AVAILABLE!

TRAPPED

ORIGINAL (ABRIDGED) EDITION

By

Rose Francis

THE BITE-SIZED ROMANCE SERIES

BOOK 0.5

Poison Arrow Publishing

Copyright © 2013 by Rose Francis

All rights reserved.

First ARe Edition: September 2013

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or circulated in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover photo by Alexander Tihonov aka Amok.

Cover design by PAPDesign.

Biohazard symbol © User:Equations / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT: TRAPPED: ORIGINAL (ABRIDGED) EDITION

CHAPTER ONE: ESCAPE

CHAPTER TWO: ILLUMINATION

CHAPTER THREE: DANGER

CHAPTER FOUR: ADMISSION

CHAPTER FIVE: STALLING

CHAPTER SIX: TRAPPED

CHAPTER SEVEN: RESISTANCE

CHAPTER EIGHT: CONFESSIONS

CHAPTER NINE: INSATIABLE

CHAPTER TEN: SURRENDER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EXCERPT FROM PLAYING WITH FIRE

CHAPTER ONE: ESCAPE

Serena cowered more as the thunderous knocking came again, even harder than the previous bout of pounding.

Surely the door would come off its hinges with that kind of force.

“Serena, open up!” the masculine voice behind it said. “If you’re in there and you don’t open up in the next twenty seconds, I’m literally going to blow the door away, so stand away from it!”

Serena recognized the voice that had been shouting at her for the past half a minute, and all the logic she had left told her it was safe to open her door to the man behind it, since there was no way he was there to harm her. He’d been sent to help her, no doubt.

He might have even found her husband.

She felt a surge of hope as she forced herself to unwind from her balled up position against the wall, exhaling a weak: “Coming!” as she headed for the door.

She peeked through the peephole to confirm identity, and saw a familiar dirty blonde head with a worked-up reddish face staring back at the door as if trying to see through it.

Serena carefully opened the door to him.

Steven let out an unabashed breath of relief as his sky-colored eyes took her in, and his arms relaxed momentarily.

“Come with me,” he said, his words immediately more gentle as he indicated the way with what looked like an AK-47.

Serena couldn’t help thinking how much he looked like a blonde, blue-eyed Rambo in the moment, his muscular, capable arms flexing as they moved, his blue eyes confident and commanding.

Serena knew little of guns, but the rifle he held reminded her of what she’d seen in news images from mass shootings when that particular weapon was mentioned.

Steven was also visibly strapped with other weapons, a Glock among them, and she guessed more hid under his clothes.

She recognized the Glock because it was the one weapon she was a bit familiar with—Steven had given both her and her husband gun lessons a few years ago.

Serena also knew in that moment that there was absolutely no room for refusal or doubt given Steven’s military history, so she obeyed immediately, fighting back the desire to hug him, although she wasn’t sure why—the two of them had sort of become friends through her husband, striking up an easy friendship as if they, too, had known each other from school days. They even had an ongoing rivalry and battle-of-wits with the Words With Friends game whenever he was in town, both pretending to be the master strategist although she beat him just about every time.

Plus, Serena hadn’t seen another human in over a week since her husband left to find food for them, and before that, it had been just her and her husband for the month and a half since the world was hit by what appeared to be a Zombie-like outbreak.

All telecommunications went down soon after the haunting government messages and warnings came screeching through televisions and phones about the breakout, and weeks later, she and her husband had both been about to starve to death, having eaten and drunk everything from the cupboards and fridge of their fifth-floor apartment unit.

Serena had had plans to go grocery-shopping the next day, having put it off for over a week before the government warnings came in, and now it was suddenly too late for any of them to safely leave their home.

She and Gregory managed their supplies for a few weeks, Serena jokingly reminding him she’d successfully done the Master Cleanse twice in the past and could handle a drastic reduction in intake, but eventually they were pretty much down to spices.

“We can’t continue like this,” Gregory said as she got ready to combine the last of the corn meal with the questionable water now flowing from their faucet for their next, and probably last meal.

They had both lost about twenty pounds in the five weeks since the outbreak—since a large portion of the population had suddenly turned into dull, lumbering bodies intent on human destruction. Since the grids shut down, electricity suddenly a vague memory.

“You’re smaller than when I met you, and you were, what, a two or four then? How much longer do you think we can go without food or water? Look at me,” Gregory said.

She took in his thin body, smaller than she’d ever seen him, and his thick, wavy dark hair—dull instead of its usual gloss for once.

“I have to do this,” he said. “We’ll both die here, and I can’t do that—I can’t just let you die without trying to save you.”

“I’ll go with you,” Serena said, unable to accept what his departure could mean.

He shook his head. “You can’t—that makes no sense. You’ll only be putting yourself in danger, and why should both of us be in danger? It’ll be harder for me to look out for you out there. Look, it’s one thing to slowly die of hunger here, but another to have your entrails ripped out and your face eaten off by them. At least in here, you still have a chance; I feel better you’re at least unreachable here, and can maybe survive a bit longer. Someone could find you here and help you.”

“You expect me to just let you go out there and die? Stay here with me then!”

“And have us both just die here without even trying? I already told you—I can’t just stay here and do nothing to help us survive. I vowed to protect you, to do everything in my power to make sure you’re happy and safe. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

“You do realize what you’re doing by leaving?”

He grabbed her hands and his eyes held tears.

“I know exactly what I’m doing—I’m trying to save your life. If I don’t return in three days, just know I did everything I could. I love you sweetheart, and I’m sorry.”

He embraced her, and they both cried, kissing each other, knowing it could be the last time.

“I don’t feel right about leaving,” Serena suddenly said to Steven, even as she followed him down the hall toward the staircase. “Is Gregory out there? Are you taking me to him?”

Steven didn’t look at her. He just kept moving as if through a battlefield, as if prepared for a ghoul to jump out of the wall any moment, despite the low chance they could have found their way up the elevator on the other side of her floor. The diseased figures seemed quite brainless, and would likely not figure out the buttons.

“He’s out there,” Steven finally said.

“Where?” she almost shouted, her heartbeat tripling.

Steven shrugged, and the look on his face made Serena’s heart start slowing back down.

“I’m hoping we run into him along the way,” Steven said, still not looking at her.

“Wait, then how did you know I was here? You haven’t spoken to him? Why should I go with you? He might come back here looking for me!”

Steven seemed to close his eyes for the briefest of moments, and Serena ignored the feeling of dread building in her stomach.

“Serena, don’t be silly. Look, I have supplies, and you’re clearly weak with hunger—I mean look at you! You’re practically half the woman I met. Just come downstairs with me and let me feed you at least; I can help you. My whole mission coming here was to find you and take you to safety. We’ll camp right outside the building in my car if you want, and you can wait here for him as long as you feel. I can keep you safe while we wait and you just let me know when you’re ready to go.”

Serena relaxed as she continued following him as he kept his gun ready. They began making their way down the five flights of stairs.

CHAPTER TWO: ILLUMINATION

Steven had had his share of battles and wars, had stared down death in the midst of gunfire, and had taken leaps of faith from many military helicopters. He had battled enemies—human and otherwise—as a part of his life since leaving high school for the army and beyond, but the internal battle waged when Serena opened her door to him rocked him like no other.

Steven experienced the full range of human emotions as he knew them separately all at once: relief and joy to find her alive, dismay and horror at her changed appearance, tenderness and care for her well-being, immense hatred and anger toward the forces behind the cause of it, and a deep compassion and regret for the terrible news he had to give her at some point. And underneath it all was something he didn’t want to acknowledge yet again, something he had worked hard to suppress for almost three years. And there was something else, something he couldn’t quite put words to—like a happy dread he couldn’t risk examining at the moment.

He shook off all his emotions and refocused, and as much as he wanted to, dared not touch Serena in case hugging her brought all his emotions back, despite how happy he was to see her alive. He had to get her to safety—they had to leave San Diego and get to the safe base that had been communicated to him, fast.

* * *

As they hit the open, outside air, Steven continued clearing the way in his practiced manner, then, before Serena could register the meaning of the quick positioning of his left arm, a shot rang out. Serena almost didn’t notice the bluish grey-skinned body fall as a circle of dirty red appeared in its forehead, so struck was she by the ‘car’ Steven was leading them to.

She marveled that the shock of the sight of the military vehicle almost equalled that of seeing someone who was once human get shot in the head.

“We have to kill them all if we’re going to survive as a race,” Steven said as he put the Glock away, still holding the rifle with his right hand.

It took Serena a second to realize he meant the human race rather than his white race.

She tried not to look at the fallen body near what looked like a tank.

“This is your car?” she said in a failed effort to fully distract herself from what had just happened, unable to keep her eyes from darting to the motionless body near it.

“Are you really surprised?” Steven said, still not looking at her, too busy with his continued assessment of the open area.

She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised at all. Of course a guy like him would have access to the military’s equipment. He was military equipment. Still, she couldn’t help her shock.

“It’s an APC,” he said.

“Meaning?”

“Armoured personnel carrier.”

Finally, Steven seemed to relax a bit as his arms dropped, and he headed for the body he’d dropped, dragging it away from the vehicle.

Then he lit a match and set the body on fire.

Serena stared, mouth hanging open.

“The APC’s loaded with supplies,” Steven said, coming back toward her as if nothing had happened. “It’ll be a bit tight and stuffy back there, but I think it’ll have all you need. For now anyway.”

Serena watched the body burning in the distance, growing flames licking the air.

“Burning them ensures the virus doesn’t get to pass on,” he said, joining her in watching the captivating flames.

Then he nudged her back to life, helping her into the vehicle. Following her, he closed them in securely.

Serena didn’t know where to start as she took in the mounds of food supplies.

“Well, go ahead,” Steven said, then put his hands on his stomach. “I’ve already had my fill.”

Serena began with a few granola bars since they were closest, tearing off the wrappers, and unashamed at the pace and ferocity she attacked the food with.

* * *

Steven watched Serena stuff herself in satisfaction. It warmed him to be able to do something for her, to be able to protect her, to feed her. To have the chance to take her to safety.

What he was supposed to be doing was tracking turned humans, mowing them down, taking out as many as he could. But he couldn’t go on without knowing where Serena stood—if she was okay. Once he knew there was a chance she was still alive and normal, he knew he had to save her.

He was so happy when he realized she was still untouched, then felt a crushing guilt about his best friend. Not only did he not have the heart to tell Serena that Gregory had turned, he didn’t have the heart to take Gregory out when he had the chance as he came upon him a few miles from their current location.

Steven saw the degenerated form of his ex-best friend, the animalistic hunger in his filmy, coated eyes but failed to act. Steven’s duty for the past fourteen years of his life had been to the U.S. military, his country, the safety of the world, and now his duty to humanity involved taking out creatures like Gregory so they couldn’t keep spreading the disease that turned human beings into Morphs—single-minded creatures of destruction. His training since high school was to have the fortitude to pull that trigger when needed; hesitation—or worse, refusal—was never an option. But in that moment of locking eyes with his old buddy, he couldn’t do it. All he could see when he looked at his friend’s ghoulish form was the guy he had known since third grade. All he saw in those eyes was yet another change to see him through—like a passing emotion, a seasonal phase. And so he let him go as he left to find Serena, knowing he could be responsible for the turning and ultimate death of others.

Guilt gnawed at him.

He didn’t have the heart to do the right thing in that moment, and he still didn’t have the heart to tell Serena that her husband was gone forever.

And he definitely couldn’t tell her that part of him was glad to finally have her all to himself.

Steven couldn’t deny it any longer, didn’t bother to try. He hadn’t had the mental space to think about it while worried about her safety—his top priority making sure she was alive. He had already lost everyone close to him, and couldn’t imagine she was gone too—she was his last tie to him caring about anything.

All those times he had thought he was becoming more machine than man as he returned from places where nightmares came to life, he thawed out in the company of his friends and family, discovered most of his hardness was just armor, a temporary shell. He eventually melted back into teasing, laughter, and silliness. He became nearly fully human again.

But in the past year, his family had stopped bringing out the humanity in him as it became clear they were just waiting for him to die so they could claim all his belongings, properties, and the pretty pennies in bank accounts paid for his life. It was only in the company of his childhood friends, Gregory and Jason, that he found normalcy. And when she appeared or hung out with them, he felt even more alive—Serena stirred him in ways they couldn’t.

He also sensed she had an attraction to him, and although her job didn’t require it like his did, her poker face was impressive.

He would’ve believed her act—as apparently his best friend did—if he didn’t have a nibbling gut feeling that she was having at least half as hard a time in his presence as he had in hers; she was a remarkable little actress.

And her body was quite remarkable too.

Even in her current state, while other girls would look like ten-year old boys at her current weight, her body still had beautiful, womanly curves—her slender neck looking as inviting as ever, melding into shoulders impossibly well-made and feminine, and her divine bottom, although smaller, still had a juicy curve to it. Where other girls would now look like skin hanging on to bones, the muscles of Serena’s previously toned body hung on for dear life, but they were there, her brown skin still clear and bright.

He couldn’t believe how healthy and strong she looked; then again, Serena always struck him as a sort of quiet warrior—a hardy woman unafraid to fend for herself and more than capable of doing so. A woman he would love to take beneath him and show her how little her inner strength meant when up against superior physical strength.

Steven shook his head as if it would help shake away the startling, horribly inappropriate thoughts invading him. He was disappointed in himself, in his inability to control his desire for her like he had before.

He felt it rising in him at a different level than ever as if, with the barrier of her marriage to his best friend gone, his control had gone with it.

He had to find a way to restrain himself again; he couldn’t risk scaring her. Then again, what could she do? Run off into Zombie-land alone? She was safer with him, regardless.

“What’s wrong?” she asked suddenly, watching him with worried, curious eyes.

He realized he probably looked more than a little weird sitting there shaking his head.

He decided not to answer her; he couldn’t think of an excuse quick enough.

“Keep eating,” he said. “We need to fatten you up again.”

He was glad when he realized his words easily fit his actions, and he saw offense climb up her face, her facial muscles clearly still working just fine as well.

She looked one half-step away from slapping him.

“Excuse you?”

“You were never fat,” he said quickly, “at least, fat in the right places, I guess.” His cheeks burned. “I mean...” Get it together, Steven! “You know what I mean,” he said dismissively, in his usual calculated, casual, unaffected tone as he threw off his blunder. “You look like a stick. I’ve never known you to look like a stick and what you had going on before all this is a better look for you. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Oh, so I actually look like I’m starving after starving? Thanks for the newsflash. You’re certainly a bringer of great joy.”

“You’re not just my best friend’s wife,” he said, his voice softening tremendously without him even trying to, “I actually care about you, Serena. I’m here to keep you alive and get you healthy again. You don’t look bad—you look beautiful as ever. It’s just that...well, it’s clear your body has started feasting on itself. I’ve never been a fan of the starving model look, and I know you never went for it either.”

He saw that his attempt to soothe things over worked as he watched her body relax.

What he wanted more than anything in that moment was to take her in his arms to comfort her, and he sorely wished he had done so when he first saw her upstairs.

“I kinda dig it, though,” she said, smiling. “My stomach hasn’t been this flat since I was twenty!”

He knew she was being modest. Her body had always been fabulous as far as he could tell. Small waist giving in to...

“Steven, what has gotten into you?” she asked suddenly, her eyes slightly widened, the lighter mood quickly evaporating.

I’d like to get into you, he almost said, then cursed out loud when he realized how close he had been to saying it.

“A lot’s been going on in case you haven’t noticed,” he said coldly, intent on throwing her off whatever scent she’d picked up. “A man can’t have a moment to reflect? Do you have any idea what I’ve seen?”

He saw embarrassment come over her face, despite knowing the look she must’ve caught on him was not at all a look of far-off reflection since he had been actively scrutinizing her body.

He figured she easily doubted her sight and what her brain told her in her current condition.

Then he wondered if, when her strength and energy returned, bringing her full personality back with it, she would banter with him and tease him like before, as if she had no fear of him from the safety of her previous position as his best friend’s wife.

He couldn’t wait to see her try to pretend she didn’t see him as a virile man quite capable of seducing her.

CHAPTER THREE: DANGER

Steven left the APC to check on the burning body outside, then checked the area again for others like it, hoping to catch soggy eyes looking back at him from behind some tree or abandoned car.

He was somewhat surprised not to see any.

Then again, he figured, perhaps they were smart enough to process the destruction of one like them, and got smarter about hiding.

Satisfied the area had remained clear, he returned to the vehicle.

He saw that Serena was still picking through the food, but she seemed sated enough to actually take in her options. Finally, she found a bag of Cheetos and opened it. He noticed her movements had slowed down tremendously.

She picked at the junk food almost distractedly, her eyes looking off to the side.

“How did this whole thing happen?” she asked, but as if to herself.

Still, he felt a need to answer.

“Chimera virus,” he said. “Some combination of rabies and a few others. It was developed as a weapon of war but...something went wrong.”

Her eyes snapped to him, widened, her face contorted in horror.

“You guys didn’t seriously think you could make something like that and be able to control it, did you? And who the hell were you going to use it on? What was it supposed to do?”

Steven felt a bit offended that she had lumped him in with the group who had been behind the project.

“Serena, I’m not exactly at liberty to tell you everything, but I will tell you this: a village of diseased people is easier to stomach blowing to smithereens, easier for the world to comprehend, even though people generally don’t think or care about civilian casualties anyway, no matter where we are. But too much attention was starting to be paid to them recently. Listen, the public will accept a heck of a lot if it means their world, their family is safe. It’s always easy to annihilate something you don’t think is like you, and possibly a danger to you.”

He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. He’d been deliberately vague, and she was again looking off to the side, but instead of looking lost in a daydream, her eyes looked intelligent, alert.

“And there’s no cure, obviously,” he continued. “It’s a virus, and as such, it must take its own course. The only current treatment for its host is annihilation.”

Serena silently finished off the last of the Cheetos and licked her fingers, the act appearing to be mindless, but taking his brain back to a place he had been wrestling it from.

As she crushed the empty bag in her fist, it appeared her binge was finally over.

She looked at him with sad eyes.

Guilt gnawed at him again, and the reality of their situation returned to him easily, redirecting his wayward thoughts.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” she said, somewhat lugubriously.

Steven looked down and nodded, trying to push back his own sorrow at the thought and the horrible memory of Gregory’s transformed face.

Steven felt an inquisition on the way and prepared himself for the onslaught of questions, blocking out emotional attachments to events and people as he had done many times before.

He felt nothing the whole time they spoke.

“What about your mom and grandma?” she began, just as he expected.

“My grandma probably had a heart attack at the first sight of those things; she died a normal human. My mom...turned. I had to put her down.”

Serena looked away, failing to mask a quick look of horror. He was proud it didn’t affect him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. Then a few moments later, she looked back up at him. “What about Derek?”

Again, Steven felt no emotional tug and answered her flatly:

“My brother...he’s out there somewhere. Not sure if he’s turned or not—can’t find a trace of him. If he manages to make it, he’ll find the compound; he’ll know where to go.”

“And where exactly are we going?”

Steven realized in that moment Serena was letting go of their location and the thought of her husband’s possible return.

It seemed the food had taken immediate effect, logic and practicality returning to her.

She had finally figured out why he hadn’t bothered looking for Gregory, why he had planned for them to leave as soon as possible, as if no one was left to wait for.

“Nevada,” he said, and he again saw an intelligent look in her eye—as if understanding.

She did not question him further.

Steven headed for the driver’s seat, then started up the vehicle.

* * *

Serena had no concept of how much time had gone past, but she soon felt the vehicle slow down, then come to a stop.

“We’re gonna stop for a bit,” Steven said needlessly.

Serena immediately got worried although she couldn’t pinpoint why.

“I have to rest,” he continued. “I have to make sure I don’t kill us by driving recklessly exhausted; I haven’t slept in days.”

Serena relaxed. Of course.

She thought about what she’d heard about people driving sleepy being as dangerous as—or even worse—than driving drunk.

She realized it was an opportunity for her as well.

“It’ll be so nice to sleep with both eyes closed for once,” she said jokingly, then she examined the interior of the vehicle. “This thing’s pretty solid right?”

She heard him laugh.

“Yeah. I’d say it’s pretty damned solid.”

“Okay, good. Are you going to sleep up there in the driver’s seat?”

He took a moment before answering. “I probably should.”

Serena wasn’t sure what to make of his response. “Anyway, there’s still space back here—more space than up there, anyway. You’ll get to stretch out a bit and get a better night—or day’s rest, and we’ve got a long drive ahead. What’s top speed on these things anyway?”

Again he paused before answering.

“Forty,” he said, and something nibbled at her gut but she had no clue what it was.

“Still shouldn’t take us more than a day or so to get there, right? It’s, what, about a seven or eight-hour drive under normal circumstances?”

She was guessing—she knew it took her about five hours to get to Vegas from San Diego. Where she figured they were headed was north of Vegas, but she wasn’t sure how far.

“Right,” he said. “We’ll have to make more than one stop though. For various reasons. And it’s more dangerous to stop at night.”

“Why?”

It seemed he let out a breath. “They become more and more dangerous if you don’t get them in the first few days of turning—they get smarter as they make it through each night. They’re super-slow in the daytime—sitting ducks, really. Lumbering. Stupid. The sunlight—UV rays in particular—really does them in. If they make it through their first night, they become smart enough to know they should hide during the day, as much as they can—as much as they can stand it. So even if you’re not seeing any, it doesn’t mean they’re not peeking through some crevice, stalking you, watching you. They get reinvigorated as night approaches, then they’re quick as hell throughout it—they pounce like panthers. And every night they live through, they get smarter and smarter, and could theoretically return to their previous intelligence level. So obviously, you can’t go out there at night—or even the daytime unless I’m with you, escorting you. You could probably take one out if you had to in the day, but you can’t even get scratched by one; the virus isn’t like the cold virus—it’s not airborne, thankfully. But once the surface is scratched and it gets under your skin, you’re finished. So I have to have my eyes on you at all times outside of this vehicle, Serena, at all times.”

Serena shrugged the last part off. How often would she need to leave the APC?

“Anyway, I’ll take you up on that offer—I’m coming back there to sleep,” he said.

Suddenly, Serena felt on edge again, and she decided it was time to examine why she was bothered. She realized she needed to acknowledge Steven’s effect on her since they’d be spending some time together alone.

She hadn’t been blind; she was aware he’d been attracted to her for a while, had caught him looking at her with an expression she recognized immediately when she saw it pop up almost out of nowhere one day while she and her husband were out with him at a dive bar: a look of unmasked desire that woke something in her to her utter surprise.

Their spark had not been immediate—upon Gregory first introducing them, their exchanges had been polite, socially correct. Steven told her much later as the three of them sat in his apartment chatting, ignoring the television mumbling in the background, that he hoped she hadn’t been offended by his not remembering much of meeting her, but she waved off his odd apology; she understood completely. Back then, she had been to him just Gregory’s current squeeze of which he’d met many. Of course he’d had no reason to think she would last more than a few days or weeks, no real reason to really register her.

She also hadn’t been offended because she hadn’t really remembered him either. She had a vague recollection of him on her first date with Gregory when he happened to be in town, and Steven had invited them both out to have drinks with him.

But a year after that first meeting, there it was—that spark of something else.

She had thought she was seeing things at first, but she saw the look pop up again as Steven brought drinks back to their table.

Was he crazy exposing such a look to her with Gregory just a few feet away? she had wondered. Then she figured he probably had tried to mask it and had just done a poor job. Or perhaps he’d simply been unable to help himself.

Like you’re so amazing, she said to herself, but then realized she was dressed up a bit differently than the way he normally saw her—her face made up, her hair styled with care, and form-fitting clothing—her top, off the shoulder, her bottoms clinging to her. And heels! A rare occurrence.

She brushed the glances off, thinking it was simple male appreciation, the same look she caught on her own husband’s face sometimes when a pretty female walked by. Of course Gregory was not offended if he’d even caught the glances—he was probably proud, relishing the way his woman commanded male attention.

But then she started catching similar looks from Steven more often, even when she wasn’t dressed up, and each time she marveled that he didn’t seem to be trying to hide his appreciation from her.

What was wrong with him? Didn’t he know everything he was risking?

Yet somehow, her husband seemed not to pick up on those looks, and even encouraged their friendship. Once, he’d even sent them to have lunch together.

“He’s lonely, and I feel bad, but I have to work,” he’d said. “And Jason can’t go to lunch with him either, and he’s been asking around but no one else is available. Why don’t you go? He likes you, thinks you’re an okay girl to hang with. You’re part of his family now, like we are. He’s back from hell and there’s no one to look forward to coming back to but us. Please?”

Serena had done it despite feeling almost guilty about it.

If she hadn’t picked up on Steven’s attraction to her, it would have meant nothing, but she had. And his attraction ended up having the effect of making her see him a bit differently. All of this her husband seemed not to know as he delighted in their growing friendship.

Serena could have handled the incident better had Steven taken his intensity down a notch instead of staring at her like his eyes couldn’t get enough of her as she sat opposite him in some Mexican food place. Didn’t he have the decency to at least try to avert his eyes and pretend like having her right in front of him didn’t matter? Couldn’t he have treated her like she was his other friend, Jason? She doubted he stared into Jason’s face like this.

Then she began to wonder—was he trying to unnerve her? Test her? Was this some sort of setup on behalf of her husband? A honey trap? But Steven couldn’t possibly be that good of an actor, could he?

She was glad when the lunch finally ended and, since she didn’t see him often, it was easy to put the whole thing out of her mind. The next thing she knew he’d be off again, and she wouldn’t have to think about him for three or four months.

But then each hello and goodbye became more meaningful after.

When they greeted each other upon his next return from overseas, his hug seemed to go on a tad too long. When they casually started throwing “love ya” around as he was about to leave for another work assignment, and no one knew if he’d return alive, Steven’s “love you” seemed a little too ardent as he said goodbye, especially in the face of her own more casual one—the kind she gave to all types of friends she had around whether she’d known them a while or not, the kind she offered to her in-laws.

Serena chalked it up to him appropriately treating the moment with the gravity it deserved since there was a very real possibility they would never see each other again, and he was the one in danger of losing his life after all. Obviously, he wanted those words to be the last she heard from him; he wanted to give her his sincerity and let her know he treasured her.

Understandable.

But in a moment of catching his expression on another return trip, she had run out of excuses; there was no other way to interpret the look she’d seen, and she had almost confronted him about it.

You must not have him killed, she wanted to say—a silly thought because why would he? Steven had been Gregory’s best friend since third grade—would he really consider taking him out because he wanted her for himself? Still, she knew Steven had the means and all the required skills as a killer-for-hire of sorts, the kind sanctioned by government.

She wrote their attraction off as merely a forbidden fruit variety, no longer doubting he desired her since she had so often caught it darkening his bright blue eyes when they settled on her.

And now here she was, no longer technically forbidden fruit, and she wondered what it meant—if his attraction would persist.

She curled herself up on her side of the vehicle as Steven settled in for his nap opposite her.

When he turned his back to her, she relaxed again.

She chastised herself for being silly and stretched her body out, turning her back to him, then curved into the seat.

Eventually she drifted to sleep.

CHAPTER FOUR: ADMISSION

Serena felt like her sixth sense had gone off.

Her eyes popped open, and she was afraid to look in Steven’s direction, suspecting she’d find him staring at her.

“Are you awake?” she whispered, not turning around.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice husky but languid.

“Did you get a good sleep at all?”

“Sort of. Not really.”

She felt his energy shift.

“I’m not sure back here is more comfortable,” he said, and it sounded like he was beginning to sit up.

She looked in his direction then, despite her fright.

She saw that he had a slight smile on his face, and it angered her a bit—was he laughing at her?

“What are you grinning at?” she asked, sitting up.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said, his mouth still slightly upturned.

“How could you possibly know what I’m thinking?”

He got up and she jumped.

She heard him chuckle as he went past her without touching her, heading toward the interior hatch opening to the front seats.

“I’ve known you for what, four years now?” he said, turning back around to look at her.

She folded her arms. “Hardly. You’re gone more than half the year. You spend, what, four months of the year here? With months in between each month you get to be home? And when you’re here, we spend maybe a week of that time with you...”

“Right. So basically, you don’t know what I’m capable of, and even though I know you’ll never admit it, you’re scared of me. As far as you knew, when I was gone, I was in some god-forsaken country doing who knew what. As my dear friend Jason once so eloquently told you, I kill people for a living. You know I won’t kill you, despite the many ways I’m capable of doing so, because the very thing that keeps you safe is the thing that made you jump just now, the thing that now has you at a different sort of disadvantage. But you shouldn’t be afraid of me, Serena, you have to trust me; your survival depends on you trusting me.” Then his voice lowered into a sort of a growl as he leaned toward her. “We both know I’m no longer just some lion, trapped behind a moral cage. The rules no longer apply with what’s going on around us. You’re still a mouse, but no longer out of my reach, so I don’t blame your fear one bit. But you need to trust me.”

With that he disappeared through the hatch to the driver’s seat.

* * *

Steven didn’t bother to chastise himself for his lack of verbal control; Serena needed to hear every word he’d said.

Her personality was coming back full force, her analytic nature making its reappearance.

But he’d had enough of her questions and pretending she wasn’t vulnerable to him. Didn’t she know he could tell her anything anyway, true or not?

Forty miles per hour...he should have said twenty-five was the top speed for the APC.

And he’d stop for various reasons all right, and she was stuck with trusting him as to why.

Diesel, he’d say. Or to get some stuff from Target. Whatever.

He’d find plenty of reasons to delay their arrival because he had lied to her, and not because he meant to, but because he’d still been lying to himself up until just a few moments ago.

She was in danger. And it had nothing to do with the Morphs.

Serena had been able to deny him so much before, but now, she could deny him no longer, and he meant to take advantage of their circumstance—he had to satisfy his lust for her once and for all.

Steven had never been interested in black girls before Serena, never really saw them—even though he’d run into some while growing up. They didn’t exactly abound where he lived, but few existed here and there, and he never looked at them long enough—if at all—to figure out if he was attracted or not.

Had there been only one black girl at his school, she wouldn’t have been missed by anyone, but he still wouldn’t have seen her as a romantic prospect, no matter what she looked like. He just never looked that closely; society’s message was clear who a desired mate should be.

But then Gregory brought Serena home, and at first, Steven barely registered her, considering her one of the many who came and went in his friend’s life. He had no reason to care about what she was like, no reason to think she’d hang around longer than a few months or weeks. Perhaps even a few days. But she was always there when he returned from his trips abroad, and in between, he had to endure his friend talking about her.

At first, it all sounded like “blah blah blah” to him, but then he started looking for all the things Gregory said she was, started analyzing and assessing her every move and reaction, every quirk of her personality to see why on earth she was still around.

The first thing he noticed when he actually started looking was that she was beautiful in a way he wondered how it was possible to miss before. No one else seemed to miss it—whenever he tagged along with her and Gregory somewhere, some random person would tell her how beautiful she was, and she’d take the compliment gracefully and with a heartbreaking smile, but the knowing smile of someone who heard the compliment every single day from people of all ages, races, and creeds.

The shape of her eyes, the symmetry of her face, the sensual full lips he eventually realized in horror he had started wondering what it was like to kiss—he had a hard time not staring at her face once he finally saw her, her beauty calling to him like some siren.

To make things worse, her body was unbelievable sexy when she decided to abandon her usual tomboyish clothes for more flattering outfits, her curves arousing more than his curiosity.

He found himself wondering what she looked like nude, longed to see what the feminine peaks and valleys of her body looked like dipped in brown. Wanted to run his tongue across every part of her and see how she responded.

Beyond her bewitching beauty, he realized she also had a sweet side, her capacity for empathy and compassion for people belying the other part of her he felt honored to bear witness to—the girl was tough. Tougher in ways than even Gregory. Still, when Steven looked at her after seeing how the whole of her worked and reacted in various situations, what he saw was a fragile shell over a soul aching to feel safe enough to open up. When she was with his friend, he saw a strangled flower, a pinched bud longing to bloom.

Steven realized he was in trouble only when there came a time Gregory raised his voice at her, spoke to her in such a rough, derisive way that Steven had to stop himself from punching his best friend square in the face for daring to speak to her like that.

All he wanted to do was comfort her in those moments of verbal cruelty, but had to sit quietly as she more often than not defended herself against his friend’s attacks, not letting him get away with an attempted verbal beat-down.

All Steven could do was smile to himself at those times, proud of her backbone as if he had anything to do with it.

It wasn’t long before all he could think was that Gregory didn’t deserve her; he didn’t treat her like the precious gem she was.

And now, here she was—a sitting duck.

Steven reveled in the pleasure surging through him at the thought.

There was no one around to protect her from him now, not even her adorable, tough self.

He started up the APC.

CHAPTER FIVE: STALLING

Serena was losing her patience.

They had stopped for diesel, they had stopped for Steven to raid abandoned stores, they had stopped for him to take out some ‘Morphs’ as he called them, and now they were stopping again.

Steven had driven through most of the night, but somehow, Serena had a feeling they were still in California.

“I feel kind of gross,” he explained from up front. “I’m going to bathe in this upcoming body of water—the next one won’t be for a while since we’ll be going through...well, you know—the desert. The Morphs don’t like water so the water itself is probably clear, but I’m going to clear the area anyway. Feel free to jump in, too.”

“I’ll wait till you’re done,” she said quickly, trying to keep irritation out of her voice.

Why was she getting mad at him? He had come to get her—was trying to save her—and had probably inconvenienced himself in...who knew how many ways? All because of her. She should be grateful instead of resenting him for not getting them to their supposed sanctuary faster.

She sat there with folded arms, and, left with only her thoughts, admitted to herself what the real problem was: she felt like a sitting duck.

She had needed two bathroom breaks after drinking half a case of water and had to endure the humiliation of his close eye, plus he had come to the back to pick out something else to eat besides the bars he kept up front. With each pause in their travels, with every movement she made, she felt stalked.

She didn’t have to look at him to know Steven’s blue eyes were on her, watching her every move—from tucking her hair behind her ear to just looking everywhere but at him.

He’d explained he had to keep an eye on her, and given their situation, it was obviously true. That should’ve been all there was to it, should’ve appeased her discomfort, but the truth was, she felt naked under his gaze, and more feminine than ever.

She could feel the rawness of his masculine appraisal, his appreciation of the curves of her face and body.

He looked at her like he hadn’t seen a woman in months.

Then she thought about it—perhaps he hadn’t. She had no idea what his life was like after the outbreak. Heck, she barely knew what his life was like before it.

Plus, she had always been wary of people who left regular life to do real battle, then came back into civilian life after having seen and done horrible things she probably couldn’t even imagine.

How could they ever be normal again? Couldn’t they snap at any time?

Still, she managed to pretend she didn’t secretly fear him, and the way he’d been able to at least act like a regular human whenever he came back helped.

Besides, the mystery of his occupation, the physical prowess he obviously possessed, the secretive, yet revealing eyes—she found it all alluring.

Even now she had to resist peeking at him as he bathed, and battled the bare images of his muscular form her mind tried to create.

By the time she heard him come back, she had decided she would also bathe since they would be coming up on the base somewhat soon, and she felt a bit self-conscious about her state.

Steven had her wait until he put clothes back on and was able to escort her to the water, despite them being parked almost in it, just at the edge.

As she stepped forward she let her hair down, and felt his eyes on her as she stripped, then entered the still body of water, all with her back to him.

She tried not to think about him looking at her butt, and couldn’t even think about how she’d make a graceful, demure exit without him seeing anything else.

“Turn away, sicko,” she said lightly. “Don’t look at me like this.”

“I have to watch you,” he said, and it almost sounded like something had caught in his throat. “I have to make sure you’re safe.”

She turned her head to shoot him a dirty look even though she knew what he’d said was true.

His eyes, often looking like blue steel, had a fire raging behind them.

Fear surged through her, and she turned away, regretting looking back at him.

She heard him chuckle.

“Do you think I’m going to rape you, Serena? You should know better than that.”

She still couldn’t look at him, for it was not being taken by force she feared.

“I wouldn’t do that to you,” he continued softly.

She felt as if he followed up the words with a silent sentence, one that echoed an unformed one in her own head.

She looked again at him to see if he was indeed still talking to her while choosing to keep the additional words to himself, and it appeared that he was.

Serena pushed her thoughts away and tried to ignore him, doing her best to clean herself in the face of self-consciousness, grateful for the stop Steven had made earlier that got them soap and other toiletries, and even towels.

When she was done she stood up tall but stayed in place, her back still to him.

“Walk backwards,” she heard him say, sounding closer.

She found herself obeying without question.

She walked backwards slowly, arms across her chest, hoping she didn’t fall and display everything she’d been trying so hard to hide.

She kept walking until her back connected with his body. Then she felt a towel wrap around her.

Her head bowed in gratefulness as she accepted it, holding it around herself.

“Thank you,” she mumbled as she followed him back to the carrier vehicle.

As he opened the door for her he said:

“There’s some new, clean clothes back there for you, too. I tried to guess your size but...” He shrugged.

She almost threw her arms around him in gratitude.

She hadn’t even thought of it—didn’t think to take clothes with her when she left her apartment, didn’t think about what she’d put on once clean and leaving the water.

He left her to her privacy once she was inside, heading back for the driver’s seat.

Once she had put on the clothes—the T-shirt a little too big, the underwear just right, the pants perfect for her pre-outbreak figure—she realized the vehicle hadn’t moved.

“Are you asleep up there?” she asked somewhat softly, in case he was.

He didn’t answer.

“Hey, Steven,” she said a little louder, “are you all right?”

“I’m helping us out,” he said, and she wondered what he meant.

Then she heard him leave the vehicle again.

“Where are you going?” she asked, but he didn’t answer.

She waited until he reentered the vehicle.

Instead of going back to the driver’s seat, he entered the back area and sat opposite her, not looking at her.

“What was that about?” she asked, trying to read his face as he stared off to the side.

He heaved a sigh and looked down before looking up at her, arresting her with his eyes.

“I’ll be real honest,” he said. “I’m having a hard time here.”

She almost asked what he meant but his meaning suddenly registered, rendering her silent.

“And listen, I know you’re trying not to want me, but you do. And I know it—which makes everything worse. And sometimes I think we should just get it out of the way.”

Serena saw no signs of joking.

She pushed down the ball of fear beginning to rise in her at his boldness and made a derisive sound.

“My husband died recently, and you think I’m sitting here, thinking about boning you?”

“You can deny it all you want, Serena, but for a while now I’ve felt your attraction to me. And now that we’re here alone...”

He looked like he couldn’t continue and his eyes seemed to ripple with his struggle as they took in her body, then went back to her face, then looked off to the side again.

Suddenly, the APC felt unbearably small.

Serena didn’t dare move, fearing she would trigger him to do something she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

She decided to play along with his train of thought—to engage his brain in conversation had to be safer than sitting there, watching his emotions take over him.

“So you think ‘getting it out of the way’ would make things easier?”

“Much easier than thinking about it the majority of the time? Fantasizing every second? Getting caught up in daydreams while those things could spring out of nowhere and sink their teeth into one of us? Yes, yes I do.”

“And the act of ‘getting it out of the way’ won’t be a distraction itself?”

He shrugged. “We could do it right here—we’re safe for now.”

“I think not!” she said forcefully, mustering up as much outrage as she could, unable to play along any further. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

He closed in on her quickly, and she felt the futility of any verbal protest press upon her as she froze in the face of his sudden nearness.

“An animal that puts up a fight is far more interesting than a cowering one,” he said, his face inches from hers. “You’re only whetting my appetite for battle, so if you really don’t want me to do it, don’t fight me; I love a fight. You’d lose, and boy would I win.”

Serena prided herself in not showing fear to anyone, but in that moment it was all she felt, and there was no hiding it. She was unable to speak, and, needing to take in more oxygen, her chest lifted and fell rapidly.

He seemed to drink in the signs of her fear, smiling as his eyes took in her body again, as if hungry for the emotion like some fear-sucking vampire.

Then he took a finger and trailed it down her arm, making her shiver uncontrollably, delighted, and unbearably aroused.

His smile widened, and he looked her in the eyes then—still too close—his face, that of a victor.

“You know I will protect you, Serena. And as your protector in this circumstance, you know that you are at my mercy.”

Serena tried not to feel weak at the thought.

“I doubt you’d rather surrender to them than to me.”

She had to look away. He could take her right then if he wanted to—she knew it, and he clearly knew it, even if she’d averted her eyes to hide the truth of her hidden desire.

“This isn’t some game of Words With Friends,” he continued. “I have a distinct advantage here, and can win every time. So don’t push me.”

Serena kept still, trying to do the equivalent of playing dead in the presence of a bear.

Surely he’d get tired of playing with her in this state?

But he didn’t; in fact, he seemed to revel in his position of power.

“Remember that one time I won the game, though? After all that time losing to you—although less and less humiliatingly—when I finally made that winning play, it was almost like...like I finally got to fuck you. I couldn’t believe the release, the satisfaction of finally beating you after over two years of us playing. But something tells me that satisfaction would be no where near the satisfaction of actually fucking you, no matter how orgasmic that particular win felt.”

Serena felt like she would pass out.

“I’ve had you dangled in front of me for almost three years, and there’s nothing between us now,” he said as he looked down at her body again and Serena’s heart nearly exploded from the pressure.

Then he suddenly pulled away and sat back down opposite her, his hands pressed against his head. “Get out of here,” he said. “Now!”

Serena scrambled to leave the APC but his hand was quickly at her top, effectively stopping her by pulling her back.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“You said...!”

“Don’t ever listen to me in a state like that. Don’t you ever go out there without me going ahead of you. I told you—you’re in danger when you leave this carrier without me, and my mission is...”

“To protect me, I know.”

“You have to trust me to keep you safe...no matter what happens,” he said, emphasizing the words. Then he let out a short breath. “I’m only sparing you right now because I know once it starts, once I get a taste of you...”

He shook his head briefly, then, almost as quickly, exited to the front seat.

They drove in silence for a while, and although she had no way of knowing, Serena felt like they had finally made their way out of California; in fact, she figured they were probably just two hours away from their goal.

Then she felt the vehicle slow down again until it came to a stop.

“Time for another nap,” Steven said as he reentered the back area.

Serena couldn’t think of a single response, but figured she’d better at least pretend to take a nap too.

CHAPTER SIX: TRAPPED

Serena awoke with a feeling that something was off.

Her eyes popped open and adrenalin pumped through her as she tried to figure out what had changed.

Then she realized she wasn’t alone on her side of the vehicle.

A warm body was against hers, and as she was about to scream, she recognized the familiar feel of an erect organ against her.

“Steven?” she whispered, as common sense filtered through.

She figured it had to be him spooning her since the last thing she remembered was him coming to the back to stretch out for his sleep opposite her once again.

“Yeah,” Steven said in a way that made her blood rush even faster, his breath warm against her neck.

He sounded very much awake, yet his voice had a low, heavy quality to it.

Serena didn’t know what she expected when she called his name, but the confirmation of his proximity—and the meaning of the erection against her—terrified her.

“Steven, what are you doing here?” she asked quietly and calmly, trying not to give away the panic racing through her and failing miserably as her voice trembled.

“I can’t stay away from you,” he said as calmly as she’d wanted to sound.

Serena knew that if her voice hadn’t betrayed her, surely the jackhammer beat of her heart had. With his nearness, there was no way he couldn’t know her heart was about to beat out of her chest; he had to know he had aroused something in her, even if he couldn’t know for sure if it was fear, anger or desire.

“You’re scaring me,” she said, just managing to squeeze the words out into something audible.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice fuller, sounding almost sincere, “I don’t mean to this time. It’s just...I have to have you near me at all times for your own safety, but being so close to you—it’s doing a real number on me. It’s like my brain shuts down, and some kind of biological imperative kicks in...”

His hand found her thigh and slowly moved up it, making her body come alive even more. Her eyes widened, as if they could help her take in the extra oxygen she so desperately needed despite the huge chunk she had just sucked in at his touch.

Then his voice crawled into her ear again, and her blood rushed faster:

“Do you remember how you felt when you came into this vehicle and saw all that food in front of you after nearly starving to death?” he asked, his voice back to an almost-growl. “Now imagine you had come in here, and before you was a sizzling piece of steak. How much control would you have had then?” His hand was still working its way over and around her thigh, and she felt his pelvic area close in on her in a brief thrust, his cock reminding her of its presence. “I saw you with those granola bars—you wolfed down food like you hadn’t eaten in weeks—which, maybe you hadn’t. Well, Serena, I’m famished. I haven’t ‘eaten’ in weeks and right before me is a juicy steak...”

“Please...” she couldn’t help saying, feeling like some sort of clock had run out.

“I’m trying, Serena,” he said, his hand squeezing her leg, “I’m fighting it as much as I can, but combined with the way I feel about you...”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, suddenly wondering if he meant something beyond the obvious.

“I...I have to have you,” he said, flipping her onto her back as he positioned himself over her.

“Wait!” Serena went into full-blown panic mode. “This isn’t right! Gregory...”

“Is dead!” Steven bellowed. Then he brought his voice back down. “He’s gone, Serena—there’s no coming back from that. He would have wanted me to take care of you.”

“But not like this!”

“Serena...”

As he kissed her neck, his hand went to the waistband of her pants as if to take it off. Her head leaned back without her permission, offering him more, and despite herself, she eagerly anticipated him sliding her bottoms off.

“I knew it,” he said, making her snap out of her momentary wave of surrender.

“Knew what?” she said breathlessly.

“That you want me. You want me to do this, but you feel guilty—like you have to say no. Protest all you want if it makes you feel better; I’ll take care of that guilt for you.”

“Oh god, Steven...”

He was so right, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell him.

His fingers found their way under her pants and her underwear, and she didn’t have to look at his face to see the satisfaction of knowing just how much she wanted him. His fingers played in her slickness before he ran his hand over her other thigh. She shuddered in pleasure at the almost casual touch.

“I’m sorry, you can’t...you can’t ask me to stop,” he said, his voice low, his breathing labored.

“Fuck,” she whispered in an expression of pure terror, wondering if she should even try to fight him off in some pretense of protest.

“Your wish is my command,” he said.

“Please, Steven...”

“I aim to.”

“But you told me...!”

“I know, Serena, and I’m sorry. But I can’t...” He was shaking his head. “I’m sorry,” he said, quickly pulling off her pants in a move that astounded her with its efficiency. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again in her ear, sending a tingling through her. But “sorry” wasn’t what his hands said as they held her wrists near her ears. “I’m sorry,” he said as he continued pulling off her clothes, but “sorry” wasn’t what his hands said as they took off his own clothes. “I am so, so sorry,” he said softly, right into her ear before nibbling on it and sending her into a frenzy, her body raising toward him in a desperate, silent request.

She resisted grabbing on to him.

His hands didn’t seem sorry as they parted her legs, and his body seemed everything but sorry as she felt him hovering over her, sending all her senses into high alert.

“I can’t take it anymore,” he whispered. “I tried...I really did. But you don’t know how long I’ve wanted this,” he said as he placed himself at her entrance.

Then he changed positions, and she suddenly felt his lips on her stomach. Her head fell back in pleasure again, the touch of his lips sending jolts through her.

She soon realized in horror that he had started kissing his way down.

She knew what was coming, and she knew she was powerless to resist.

“Go ahead,” he whispered. “Tell me you don’t want this. Tell me to stop.”

She had no words, no defense against her desire or his.

His mouth at her nether lips made her jump again, then she found herself surrendering to the skillful flicking of his tongue on her sensitive, feminine parts. She couldn’t stop the moans from escaping her, the need to grab on to his head as he licked her into full submission. She bit back against begging him to take her.

When she felt him rub her entrance with the head of his member, her back arched again as she ached for him to enter her. She was well-oiled and ready for him, but she didn’t dare tell him to go on, nor could she tell him to stop. Either way, she knew if he kept playing with her the way he was, she would explode.

She heard him call her name almost apologetically before he pushed himself inside of her.

They both cried out in unison, the pleasure of his organ filling her, and she couldn’t stop herself from calling his name back as he started moving in her, massaging all the right spots, making her helpless.

Her body betrayed her, her arousal dominating every other emotion.

Loyalty to an idea no longer meant a thing—all that registered was the feel of him pleasuring her, the beautiful tension.

She wanted to say: “yes” with every thrust, the movement of him inside of her felt so right. He felt made for her—his size and rigidity more than fitting, and his motions made her dizzy.

This is what it’s supposed to feel like, she thought, not recalling a time it felt this good with anyone else.

As his hands found their way all over her body, her arousal heightened, and as one hand made its way under her neck, fingers crawling into her hair, and the strength of his thrusts grew, she wondered how she was able to hang on even one second longer before erupting in orgasmic pulsations.

His pressure and speed kept growing, and feeling the orgasm grow in him made her own reach up to greet his. He suddenly grabbed her hair and his final thrusts sent her into the grip of exploding pleasure, just before she felt him withdraw from her body, at a point where she knew his orgasm was a few seconds behind hers.

As she slowly came down from the heights he’d sent her, she lightly wondered why he chose not to spill his seed inside of her, but after relishing the aftermath and seeing shooting stars, she was soon in the arms of sleep.

CHAPTER SEVEN: RESISTANCE

Serena woke to a warm body spooning her, saw the pale arm draped around her midsection, and immediately went into panic mode.

Her mind raced as she remembered what had taken place, realizing that what she and Steven had experienced had not been a dream: she’d made love to her husband’s best friend.

Guilt ran through her, alongside resentment toward Steven for making her betray her dead husband.

Her waking seemed to stir him a bit, and she froze as his arm came to life, squeezing her tighter.

“Hey,” he said, his voice muffled but with an unmistakable satisfied quality to it.

“I hate you,” she said, unable to look at him.

“Why? ‘Cause you know I’m smiling right now? ‘Cause you can’t deny me what I want anymore? I’m crushed,” he said in a tone that made her hate him even more.

“How could you make me do that?”

“I’m pretty sure I asked your permission, and I’m pretty sure you gave it to me.”

The way he said his last words made her want to jerk her elbow back into his stomach.

She never wanted to let him know how much she wanted him, and now there was no way of taking it back.

Distract, she thought. Engage him in something besides your vulnerability.

She forced her next words out with difficulty, despite being genuinely curious:

“You...pulled out. Why?”

“You know how I feel about kids,” he said. “Never wanted ‘em, and nothing’s changed. I don’t know what your status is, but I doubt you’ve been faithfully taking the pill every day in the past month or so, even if you were on it before. I’m not interested in planting any seeds.”

Serena remembered the topic coming up before—in fact, she’d brought it up one day when Steven had come to visit her and Gregory. Steven had been dating a girl at the time, and although Serena was aware he didn’t see his life in the long-term, convinced his chances of dying young were higher than his chances of surviving, she wondered if he had started entertaining the possibility of someday becoming a father. She knew that sometimes romantic partners changed people’s minds about such things; she’d seen it happen.

“No,” he’d said when she asked him if he could see himself with kids someday, and his tone left no room for doubt that he meant it.

From her husband, Serena knew that Steven had never seen such a life for himself—even before joining the military, and actually seemed a bit disgusted by children. He didn’t care to be around them for any reason, not even when Gregory’s sister or a close, mutual friend of theirs had one.

“Good,” Serena said, as coldly as she could. “I’m glad we’re on the same page about this; in fact, you should make another stop somewhere to find condoms and make sure no mistakes happen.”

Serena didn’t know why, but she’d felt almost offended by his words, despite knowing he was simply speaking his truth.

She curled herself up a bit more as if it would put actual distance between them.

* * *

Steven found himself bristling at Serena’s words, although he realized it was probably more a reaction to the way she’d said them than what she’d actually said.

How could Serena possibly take it personally? She knew he never wanted kids. Even in high school he had to restrain himself from looking at his friends like they had lost their minds when they spoke about “having a family someday.” What the hell did that even mean?

He didn’t get the logic of family beyond passing on genes—his own had been thorns in his side, and he often wondered why his mother had even bothered to have him.

As far as he was concerned, his brother, Derek, could do his part for their family—Steven had no desire to run or clean up after some helpless little human. Kids were a weakness, a liability. A soft spot too easily poked by enemies—that is, when the parents actually cared for them.

No one needed or wanted kids beyond selfish reasons anyway, and he was considerate of the world enough not to afflict it with his progeny, or his progeny with him.

But who did Serena think she was, dictating to him?

“You think you’re still in control, do you?” he asked her quietly, and enjoyed the feeling of her going still. He knew the adrenalin of fear had started rapidly passing through her and the thought of it whet his desire more. He imagined her eyes rounding in worry, knowing what was coming.

God, he was going to enjoy breaking her down.

“What?” she asked in a shaky voice, like she had no idea what he was talking about.

“You think I don’t still own you?”

“Steven, please—I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t mean anything by what I said—I was agreeing with you!”

“You were telling me you’re in charge, Serena, but you’re not. And I’ll show you how much you’re not,” he said, positioning her beneath him again. But like before, he gave her time to refuse him, and he kept her mouth free to protest him by nibbling her neck.

His cock hardened more at the moan that escaped her.

He gave the other side of her neck the same treatment, then brought his lips to her mouth.

She turned her head away, quickly and jarringly, clearly refusing his kiss.

He brought his hand to her jaw and forced her face forward, but didn’t try again.

“I’m not kissing you,” she squeezed out of her clenched mouth.

“Why not? You just let me fuck you.” Pleasure surged through him at the memory, the fact that he could now say it.

“That’s different. No kissing, Steven.”

So she had found another way to refuse him? She had started another game?

He was down to play, but he decided to pry the difference out of her later.

For now, he worked her up into a heaving, helpless pile of flesh not-quite-silently pleading for his domination with desperate moans.

As he plunged into her again, he suddenly realized that he wanted more than just her quiet acceptance; he wanted her to beg him for it, and eventually, he’d figure out a way to get her to finally let go completely, and let him kiss her.

* * *

As Steven lay spent, this time on top of her, his heartbeat slowly decreasing in speed, Serena found herself lost in thought.

He’d been rougher with her this time around, as if mad at her for something.

Had she actually angered him by refusing to kiss him? Why would he care about that? He clearly only wanted her for her body—what difference did it make if she kept her mouth and heart out of their sexual encounters?

Serena was struck by the realization that her heart was a real concern—that she was actually in emotional danger.

Although physically powerless to stop him from having his way with her body, she figured she still had control over how much of her spirit he could conquer, but she realized in horror that even that control was waning.

She had known women who were able to keep up sexual relationships without becoming emotionally attached for a while, and had even done so herself at some point long ago. But the way Steven was able to jar her, make her feel almost helpless to his mercy yet desire that helplessness—she knew it meant that he could annihilate her defenses.

An image from an old video game suddenly came to mind—the gruesome memory of the finishing move exacted on her when she played with a neighbor once. Her neighbor’s character, after beating hers to a pulp, reached into her character’s chest and ripped her heart out, holding the still-beating organ up triumphantly.

She had met just one guy before her husband who’d had the power to exact such a move on her metaphorically, but he never realized it—or decided not to take advantage of it—and when they eventually broke up, the detachment she had retained helped her get over their relationship.

But Steven seemed to know his power, and as ruthless as he was in seducing her, he let her keep some of hers for some reason she couldn’t fathom.

She knew if he wanted to, he could force his tongue down her throat and keep it there until she joined in, but he chose not to. He had the power to tie her to him with a child, but he chose not to. And she had the distinct impression he knew he had the power to wear her down and make her emotionally dependent on him, that he could exact a finishing move on her—and that he fully planned to do so.

How else could he get her to kiss him?

The problem was, was it all just a game to him?

She wanted to beg him not to do it—to not treat her like some game board piece or arcade amusement since she didn’t really know him, and therefore, could not convince herself that he wouldn’t do such a thing to her.

He had said: “I wouldn’t do that to you” to her once, but it was for something she’d like to think most men wouldn’t do. But play with a girl’s heart? She had seen that one play out far too often; many men didn’t seem to have a problem with that. It seemed to boost their ego to have some poor girl longing for them, unable to leave them, even if for their own good.

Serena let out a heavy breath.

She had no idea what game Steven was playing.

She understood he was quenching some long-sitting thirst so she suspected he would take her until he felt like he’d had his fill of her, but then what? They’d gone far beyond a superficial friendship, but in the new world, what would they be? And why the hell did she even care?

Serena wasn’t sure if her vulnerability was exacerbated by their circumstances or not, considering half the world had collapsed, and loved ones had been rapidly snuffed out, but she figured those factors had to have something to do with how she was feeling; after all, Steven had saved her. In this new, confusing world rapidly degenerating to survival basics, Steven was taking her to a place where she could continue to survive and flourish.

He was her hero in a way—although she’d never tell him that—so of course her emotions and thoughts were clouded.

CHAPTER EIGHT: CONFESSIONS

Steven left Serena for the driver’s seat after their third intimate session and began driving again.

“We’re not that far away, are we?” Serena asked after they’d been driving for a while.

“No, but we’ll stay near a body of water until I’ve had enough of you so we can wash off our sins and get started again. But you probably already guessed that.” He paused for a few moments. “You have no idea how long I’ve had to hold this back, Serena, how hard it was—or maybe you do. In any case, I don’t know how long it’ll take to get it out of my system, but we’ll get you to safety soon enough.”

Serena didn’t know how she felt about him warning her of his impending seductions.

It seemed he wanted to say more—the air felt heavy with unspoken words, but he remained quiet.

Eventually, the vehicle started slowing down for another stop.

Serena guessed they had reached the body of water.

She heard him close the door as he left the vehicle for what she assumed was a bath, then jumped as she heard a shot.

She immediately panicked, worried about his safety and ached for a window to look out of.

She knew Steven was far more than a capable marksman and had most likely killed another Morph, but what if someone had actually shot at him? She didn’t know how to drive the APC!

Serena also knew that that wasn’t the only reason she was worried.

“Steven, are you okay?” she shouted, fighting the urge to leave the vehicle and check for herself. She knew he’d be furious if she did, and would probably use it as an excuse to fuck her roughly and angrily.

“Serena, stay inside!” he shouted, and the relief washing over her almost immobilized her as all her muscles relaxed almost to the point of turning her into a blob.

She sharply remembered how much danger he was in whenever he left the APC—from both the Morphs and careless, trigger-happy surviving humans.

An ache came over her heart as she thought about something happening to him, and she put her hand over her chest as if that would stop the pain.

Transference, she thought. From your husband to him. Besides, you’ve known him for four years or so anyway—of course you care about him a bit. Plus, who else have you got now?

Serena had no idea of the status of her scattered family members, but she suddenly realized she had already accepted them as dead; most of the population seemed to be, although she had no idea of actual numbers.

She decided she’d ask Steven about it when he returned.

She dropped her hand from her chest and took in a deep breath.

She wasn’t a zombie—she still had her brains to help her out of whatever mess they’d gotten into with each other. Or at least talking about concrete, logical things would keep her feeling like some semblance of her old self.

When Steven joined her in the back of the vehicle, damp and clean, he asked her if she was ready for her turn.

She nodded and got ready to follow him outside.

“I can bathe you if you want,” he offered in a voice uncharacteristically tender, and she quickly declined, shaking her head vigorously as she discarded her clothes and slipped into the water.

She tried not to look back at the burning body of the Morph in the distance.

When she was finished, Steven toweled her like before, but didn’t leave her to put on her clothes in private this time, joining her as she stepped back into the vehicle.

She wasn’t sure what to do with herself so she sat there with the towel wrapped around her.

She definitely wasn’t changing in front of him—even though he’d already touched, quite intimately, every part of her she was trying to hide.

“Do you guys have any estimates of survivors?” she asked him, towel and body pulled tight, legs firmly together.

She was glad he was sitting opposite her, even though his eyes had sort of glazed over at her question.

“Has the world been infected?” she asked when he still didn’t answer.

She started preparing to ask another question when he finally opened his mouth, then went on to answer almost every question that had come to her mind over the past few weeks:

“About two months ago, Patient Zero—a voluntary lab rat for the intended viral weapon—got a doctor. His infection lasted only about ten minutes, but that was all the time it took for the now-infected doctor to go on and infect others. It took a while before people knew what was happening or what to do about it, and in that time, a few more doctors got infected, as well as other military personnel. Amongst them, a few super-soldiers. The super-soldiers were responsible for bringing the virus out into the public. By the time you guys got word of the outbreak, the military had spent a week trying to track them down, but they didn’t find all of them. What they found was the aftermath of their presence. Turns out after decades of zombie movies and video games, most people don’t actually have what it takes to destroy what looks like another person face to face. That’s part of the problem—the bodies start to become contagious within an hour, but the person’s physical appearance doesn’t start changing for a while—they don’t look non-human until twenty-four hours have passed. Before then, the infected person looks the same as anyone who has come down with a really bad flu. So it spread fast. Luckily, so far, it’s contained in North America. But chances are that Central and South aren’t far behind.

“All planes were stopped from leaving here by day three, so I don’t think it’s reached Europe, Africa, Asia etc. unless some asshole with a private jet has taken someone infected with him. Anyway, I’ll get the updates when we get to the base—my intelligence on the matter is over two weeks old. In the meantime, some of us got a chance to go out and bring back our loved ones while taking out as many of the Morphs as possible. Not all of us, however—only those of us who are immune.”

Serena felt her brow wrinkling. Did he mean...?

“Anyway, once we get to the base, it’ll probably be all over between you and me,” he said. “But you’ll be safe there. And I’ll be relatively safe, even out there, but who knows what could happen.”

Serena couldn’t resist interrupting this time. “Wait, how are you safe while out there? It’s like you’d be going to war again!”

He nodded his head. “True, I’m not safe from wayward bullets, I admit. But the Morphs can’t get me.” He paused. “Like I said, I am immune. There aren’t many of us who are. And the government didn’t want to risk sending super soldiers who aren’t immune out there in case they get turned. Turned super-soldiers—even regular soldiers—are among the deadliest if they survive a few nights, and they found that out the hard way.”

“How many of you—immune—are there?”

“They’re not completely sure, but at last count it was five—and that’s just out of a section of the military population; I have no doubt there are a lot more like us out there. Anyway, three of us are responsible for bringing back supplies and survivors while killing as many of the Morphs as we can, while two have been held for studies. Then at some point...” He paused again. “They’re gonna call us all back, and just start bombing. Survivors among the Morphs included.”

“Tell me more about Patient Zero,” Serena said, not ready to let go of the possibility of getting more concrete facts about their circumstances. “How did he or she get the original infection?”

Steven was shaking his head. “I’ve already said too much. To answer your original question, at last count, the turned was rapidly closing in on half the population. Probably at three quarters by now.”

Serena did the math in her head. Just a quarter of a country of over three hundred million were still regular humans? Impossible. She couldn’t fathom such a horror.

Then she heard Steven sigh, almost as if in slow motion.

“He really loved you, you know,” he said. “I mean, he really did. Despite the way he talked to you sometimes, the way you might have felt he was treating you harshly. He put you before everything, even himself--thought about you first. Everything he did, he tried to make sure you were happy, and felt safe.”

His eyes seemed to cloud but he quickly looked away, and before she knew what was happening, he had disappeared into the driver’s seat, out of her view.

Serena knew she had gotten away from what he’d probably intended to make another conquering session of sexual submission, but she also knew it wasn’t for long.

CHAPTER NINE: INSATIABLE

Steven sat in the driver’s seat, mulling over all he’d told Serena.

He’d wanted to tell her he had more than an inkling of what Gregory had felt for her, that he more than understood the mindless sense of devotion he’d seen displayed by his best friend and others, but never quite got until recently.

He had never felt so drawn to another human being the way Serena hypnotized him.

After their first lovemaking sessions, he’d started the APC, but began heading in the opposite direction, away from the sanctuary, and he realized he had lost his mind—had completely lost sight of his initial mission.

The truth was, he didn’t even want to feel like he was that much closer to having to let go of her, and he wanted to make sure he could spend more time with Serena before he had to give her up, possibly forever.

Steven knew he scared her—he knew she was helpless to him whenever he decided he wanted to use her body. And although Serena hadn’t done anything to torment him beyond sitting in front of him, dripping wet in a towel, he felt tortured by her still, far beyond his physical and sexual attraction to her.

He now had the power to take her anytime he wanted, but it wasn’t enough; something else was missing—some other part of her he wanted, and he wasn’t sure what it was or how to get it. She was still holding something back from him beyond her warm mouth, and it was all he could focus on. He needed it. Wanted it. Had to have it.

But first, he had to figure out what it was.

Somehow, she hadn’t surrendered completely to him—he hadn’t been able to rip all her power from her.

Perhaps when he did he’d get his own mind back.

* * *

Steven went to her again, entering the back of the APC with barely contained anticipation.

When his eyes locked with hers, he saw the familiar alarm in them.

He wondered if she’d get used to him at some point, and no longer look like some trapped animal.

He’d certainly take the time to find out.

* * *

Steven got angrier and angrier at himself as the days went by.

No matter how many times he took Serena, he wanted more—couldn’t stop wanting more.

He’d thought after days and days of making her his, of using her for his carnal and mental satisfaction, the power she had over him would fade, but every time he looked at her some time after fucking her, she looked untouchable again, despite her eyes having widened into dark pools of fear or surrender not long before.

She was driving him crazy with whatever she was withholding—a new toy he couldn’t get used to since he still hadn’t figured out how it worked.

He had even started thinking about her past with his best friend, trying to suppress rage over the thought of her being with him.

He wished there was a way he could erase every man from her past, and for now, the only way he could think to do it, was to take her over and over again.

“What are you doing to me?” he said as he spilled his seed yet again. He hadn’t bothered to take her advice about getting condoms. “Why can’t I get enough of you?”

“Good,” she spat, almost snarling in satisfaction.

“Good?” he replied as a warning before climbing on top of her again to begin the seduction process once more.

Her vicious, triumphant look disappeared quickly.

As her body started opening to him and she was once again begging him to take her, Steven realized his power was lost somewhere between leaving her body as he was about to explode, and ejaculating on the ground beside them. That he couldn’t release himself in her seemed to be the only power she had left, and she seemed to know it and relish it; she’d practically been smirking the last time he wasted his seed.

He had to own her, take her faster, harder, more...

“You didn’t pull out this time,” he heard her say in a worried voice, sometime after his hearing returned and stars behind his eyes faded to black.

“I don’t care,” he said, meaning it, then snacked on the new brand of fear emanating from her.

* * *

“Oh god—will you give me a break?” Serena said as he climbed on top of her again, just a few hours later.

“Not until I own you. Completely. Not until I know you’re mine.”

“But what do you want from me?” she cried, the quality of her voice making him pause and examine her face.

To his horror, he noticed her beautiful face streaked with iridescent tears.

His heart fell, and his sexual desire was trumped by the desire to stop those streams of despair, and mostly, stop that look of helplessness in her eyes.

It was what he thought he had been gunning for, but the thought that she was hurting in some way, that she was despairing for any reason, was doing something to him, twisting his heart in a way he hadn’t felt in ages.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Stop torturing me, please...haven’t you had enough? What more do you want? What more can I give you?”

“I want you to have my child,” he heard leave his mouth, yet almost didn’t recognize his own voice.

Her face looked as shocked as he felt.

“What?” she asked in a whisper, and he thought it was himself questioning himself for a moment.

“That’s what I want,” he said, affirming it to himself.

“It makes no sense,” she said in a wondrous tone, shaking her head.

It made perfect sense, he thought. The way his body responded to her—it was completely biological, a need he hadn’t known he’d possessed, a secret desire that had only now made its way to the surface. Isn’t it what every man wanted? Was programmed to do? To replicate, procreate, duplicate?

So many of their kind had died anyway, and so fast. If they survived, they’d probably be partially responsible for repopulating their country...

“Have you completely lost your mind? Did we eat some shady mushrooms lately?”

“I want you to swell with my child, Serena. I want to see you grow with my baby inside of you. I want you to give this to me.”

“But why me? Why now? This is so crazy...”

“I don’t know why, but I know that’s what my body’s been going for. Especially considering the last few times...I couldn’t stop myself. You’re probably pregnant now.”

He almost didn’t see the slight transformation in her face as he surprised himself again—his heart soaring in a way he didn’t think it capable of.

What was this? Why did his pounding organ feel like it would lift right out of his chest in joy at the thought of her right now, carrying his seed?

He closed his eyes and took in a breath to try to ground himself.

Then he caressed her cheek, brushing it with his thumb.

He wanted to say so much to her, but he had no words for what was going through him.

He kissed her forehead instead.

Thoughts kept assaulting him but he continued to push them away, wanting to focus on soothing her. The only thought that succeeded in getting through was the one whispering that he never wanted to see her cry again.

CHAPTER TEN: SURRENDER

Serena realized as Steven kissed her tears away that she was broken.

For all the times she had patted herself on the back for keeping her heart safe in dangerous situations, he had finally managed to rip it out of her.

Although she had no defense against his seductions, she’d been able to emotionally resist the effect of being physically disarmed over and over, to push aside the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability that came with being at his mercy once the act was over. She’d been able to fight him off all the time he’d been abusing his power to seduce her.

But the tenderness he now showed finally did her in.

He whispered soothing words, all the while touching her, handling her as if he loved her. Every soft kiss he planted, every gentle caress he made felt like what she felt for him, and the mere possibility of him feeling the same way made a dam burst inside of her, and there was no going back.

She didn’t want him to know it, but she wasn’t sure she could hide it from him now.

Would he see it in her eyes? See the difference between the day he told her to come with him to safety, and today, after making her come with him in ecstasy, over and over?

She knew her desire for him was the culprit.

The fear she had begun to feel at that first look of longing from him was because of how much she realized she wanted him back. Completely.

Had she not been attracted to him in return, her anger and disgust would have kept her safe when he came for her and tried to seduce her. And if he had succeeded despite her initially not wanting him back, her desire for revenge would have kept her going as she waited for the opportunity to make him pay for tricking her body into giving up the goods to him despite her heart not being in it.

But since she was thirsty for everything he was giving her—every which way, as rough or easy, and as many times as he wanted to give it—she was helpless, and surrendering to him completely had only been a matter of time.

Even now as he made love to her again, part of her satisfaction came from relief—the relief of finally having him without having to worry about loyalty or duty. The relief of satiating a too-long suppressed need.

“Give it to me,” she heard him say suddenly, as he continued plunging himself into her. “Give me your heart.”

Serena felt her heart lifting to his request.

She wanted to say ‘no,’ but her throat choked back the lie.

She closed her eyes tightly as if that would help her resist him.

“Why?” she managed to whisper.

“I want you to stay with me,” he said softly, his voice sounding squeezed. Then it lowered to a barely audible whisper: “I love you.”

The words made her open her eyes, and when she saw him lean toward her for a kiss, she let him, her heart firmly in the palm of his hand.

* * *

It was time.

Steven knew he would never be ready to let Serena go, but he had taken too many risks. The longer she was out there with him, the higher the chances he’d slip up and lose her forever, one way or another.

He could risk it no longer.

He finally felt to some degree satiated, but he knew she’d haunt him—the sight, smell, and taste of her—from then on. She’d gotten under his skin long ago, and she had gone on to burrow into his heart.

He loved her, and had to do everything in his power to save her—which meant he had to finally turn the APC back around and head in the right direction.

In less than four hours she’d be out of his grasp, and the pain of the realization rocked him to the core.

He’d have to go back out into the world and continue fighting for his country, all while fighting off thoughts of her—distracting thoughts that would no doubt jeopardize his safety. One split second of daydreaming, of indulging in a beautiful memory could end his life, and he now looked forward to other possibilities life could hold with a fervor he hadn’t felt since graduating high school.

A life with Serena—that’s what he wanted more than anything, and all the kids that came with it.

All this time he’d figured he would find a way to get over her once they went their separate ways as he’d had to do with pretty much every relationship throughout his life, but when she finally let him kiss her, an explosion went off inside of him—and her—as the feel of her supple lips and warm, inviting mouth and probing tongue overwhelmed him.

The thing he had been gunning for she gave to him, willingly, happily, deliciously.

And all he wanted was more.

He didn’t think it was possible to desire her more than he had, but every time he thought his desire for her had reached its peak, it tripled, and he tried to find a new way to claim her. He felt a need for her almost like oxygen, and he wondered if he was past relief.

Would he ever get enough of Serena Moss?

She had never taken his best friend’s last name, but maybe someday she’d take his.

* * *

Serena squinted at the bright lights suddenly assaulting her, and couldn’t tell who had grabbed her out of the back of the APC. Armed bodies surrounded her and the vehicle, and she couldn’t make out any faces, the light almost blinding her.

She was rushed along and tried to find Steven’s body among the silhouettes of others.

Surely he was right behind her or somewhere close by?

As the terrain shifted and she realized she was now inside a building of sorts, the lights changed and her eyes slowly adjusted to them.

But the flurry of bodies still made it hard to see—some with surgical masks, others in military gear.

She still saw no sign of Steven and her heartbeat quickened further.

As she was whisked off for what she assumed was a routine check, she remembered Steven’s desire to impregnate her, and wondered if the doctors would be able to tell if he had succeeded.

Her hand instinctively went to her stomach.

“Do you know this survivor, Steve?” she heard a female voice say. “Is she anything to you?”

Serena’s heart raced and she whipped her head around to visually locate him and saw him standing casually by the open doorway, his eyes intently on her.

His mouth held a slight smile.

She felt a rush of emotion pass through her at the sight of him, and wanted nothing more than to embrace him, but she knew she had to stay in place while the doctors did their work.

“That’s my woman,” he said, heading toward her, and Serena saw several eyebrows in the room raise. “And she’s everything to me. So you guys better take care of her while I’m gone—I’m coming back for her.” He paused a foot away from her. “You hear that, Serena?” Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

“Give us a second, Em,” he said to the main person who had been checking her out.

‘Em’ stood a few feet back, and was barely out of the way before Steven was kissing her hungrily, as if he had no shame, no care in the world, wasn’t aware of all the pairs of eyes now staring at them.

Serena accepted his mouth on hers greedily.

When he pulled away, he said: “I will do everything in my power to come back to you.”

A wave of deja vu hit Serena, and fear rocked her.

“Do you really have to go?” she asked, holding on to his hands.

“You know I have to—I’m one of few who can safely take them down while combing for survivors, and I already told you why.”

Serena hung her head, still not wanting to accept it. Stop being selfish, she told herself. Think of all those people out there who...

“There’s something else I guess you should know before I head back out there,” he said, and the look in his eye had changed.

Serena’s heart felt like it had stopped.

“I’m no longer a carrier,” he began, “not since the first and only ten minutes of being infected.” Then his voice lowered to a whisper as he brought his mouth to her ear: “I am Patient Zero,” he said, then backed away to let Em continue her work.

Serena knew her mouth was hanging open.

How dare he leave her like that? What did he mean? She had so many questions!

As she started working her mouth to ask them, a brawny, dark-headed guy in military gear said:

“Steve, let’s go,” and before she knew it, Steven had been whisked away to who knew where.

But before he disappeared from her sight, she caught a look on his face—a look of such love and anguish before his face melted into a brilliant, reassuring smile, that she knew in her gut it wasn’t an ending for them at all—it was merely the beginning.

END OF PART ONE

*If you would like to find out more about Steven and Serena’s story, check out the EXPANDED EDITION here! :) It includes a prologue, additional scenes, and a whole new section (part two, plus an epilogue).*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rose Francis likes reading—and writing—psychological fiction, particularly stories addressing difficult topics.

She has been writing from a very early age and is thrilled to have a platform that allows her to bring her tales to the public.

Trapped is the first in her Bite-Sized Romance series, a series of un-related sci-fi novellas.

CONTACT

Check out Rose’s website, e-mail her, and/or interact with her on Facebook or Goodreads.

OTHER WORK

Francis has also authored two books in her Dangerous Secrets series, a novella in her Sweet Redemption series, a sci-fi novelette under Bite-Sized Romance, as well as two novellas in her Holiday Hunks series. More about them below (or simply visit her ARe page for more).

About A TANGLED WEB:

Kimberly Jordan never meant to hurt anyone.

But once a DNA test reveals her longtime boyfriend, Damien, is her half-brother, plus she finds out she’s pregnant, she will go to any length to hide her horrible secret. Unfortunately for Kent Davenport, he’s the perfect fall guy for her plan having recently revealed his love for her. But unfortunately for Kimberly, dirty little secrets always come out.

A Tangled Web is the first book in the Dangerous Secrets series, a series of un-related stories involving New Adult BWWM romances with one other thing in common: one or more of the main characters has a secret so big, it threatens to derail or even destroy their most important relationships, their personal character, or their entire lives. Download here!

About CHRYSALIS:

Chrysalis explores love and forgiveness as the paths of four college students from different worlds—two wealthy, white brothers and a pair of middle-class minority best friends—collide.

It is the second book in the Dangerous Secrets series.

WARNING: Dark themes, heavy subject matter, some profanity, and other things that will make you clutch your pearls. Download here!

About PLAYING WITH FIRE:

Janet Cooper has a small problem: dumping her unfaithful fiancé has turned him into a stalker continually begging for her forgiveness.

She soon realizes her troubles are just beginning, especially since her new coworker, Eric, is an irresistible hunk, and she has promised herself a three-month hiatus from sex since her breakup.

Eric Anderson has a small problem: he has been hired to infiltrate Cooper Investment Inc. via its heir apparent, Janet, but once he sets his eyes on the beauty, it’s no longer just the business he wants to infiltrate.

As Janet’s ex-fiancé gets more and more aggressive in his pursuit of her, she turns to Eric for strength and friendship, sending her ex into jealous rages, and her hormones into overdrive!

Playing with Fire is the first in the Sweet Redemption series. The Sweet Redemption stories are lighter, sexier, more romantic tales of love and personal discoveries. Download here!

*NB: an excerpt from Playing With Fire has been included at the end!*

About LEAP OF FAITH:

Lisa is making her way through college, hanging on to a relationship she no longer wants to be in for the sake of its familiarity.

Daniel is a fellow student—a stranger, and nothing more than a blip on her radar until one day, an odd, sudden ability changes everything, making her consider leaving her possessive boyfriend for him.

A novelette, “Leap of Faith” is a light tale of budding romance with a dash of telepathy, and the second in the sci-fi Bite-Sized Romance series. Download here!

About A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE:

Brenda hasn’t spoken to her half-sister, Rachel, since Rachel stole her boyfriend, and Brenda hasn’t dated since.

Now Rachel and the man Brenda once thought she’d marry herself are expecting a child, and Rachel keeps inviting her over to have dinner with them.

Brenda has already turned down their Thanksgiving invitation, but she doesn’t want to spend Christmas alone, yet she’s not sure she’s gotten over her ex enough to face the two of them as a couple. But then she collides with Alex—a handsome stranger in a coffee shop—and everything changes.

Alex could be the answer to Brenda's dilemma—or will he bring more holiday heartache?

A Christmas Miracle is the first in the Holiday Hunks series. Download here!

About A VALENTINE’S DAY SURPRISE:

When Alicia’s cousin asks her to fill in for her last minute on a babysitting job, she is shamefully available to sub in, so she agrees.

What she doesn’t expect, as she shows up at the client’s door, is a handsome, sad-looking father, and a quiet, but endearing four-year-old.

And she certainly doesn’t expect to want to see them again once the gig is done.

Alicia puts the jarring night out of her mind as best as she can, but her services are unexpectedly called for once more, and she starts suspecting the client wants her for far more than watching his kid!

Mark only wants what’s best for his daughter, and once he realizes she has unexpectedly taken to the new babysitter, he vows to do everything in his power to explore romantic possibilities with the enchanting woman to try to keep his child happy.

Alicia agrees to babysit again, giving him hope, but as the night unfolds, secrets come to light, devastating their budding relationship.

They both find themselves torn between their hearts and familial duty, between past loyalties and new dreams and possibilities.

Suspicion, doubt, and distrust threaten to destroy them, but can the two of them fight through to what’s best for them all?

A Valentine’s Day Surprise is the second in the Holiday Hunks series. Download here!

COMING SOON

THE BILLIONAIRE’S DESIRE SERIES

A THANKSGIVING DILEMMA (HOLIDAY HUNKS)

A NEW YEAR’S PROMISE (HOLIDAY HUNKS)

BOOK TWO IN THE SWEET REDEMPTION SERIES

Visit Rose’s ARe page for more details!

*Keep turning for an excerpt from Playing With Fire!*

EXCERPT FROM PLAYING WITH FIRE

(from Chapter One)

Janet couldn’t believe the image before her as light flooded her apartment, her finger still on the switch.

After a few seconds of shocked silence, she made her mouth move.

“David, what the hell are you doing here? And how did you get in?”

She could barely contain the panic in her voice as she looked into her ex-fiancé’s tanned face.

David looked surprisingly startled by her response, but generally unmoved by the anger she had tried so hard to portray.

“I have a spare remember? Jan, just give me a chance to explain...”

Janet held up her hand, closing her eyes briefly during her emotional recoil for reasons far beyond being called the despised shortened version of her name.

“Look, I don’t want to hear it. Just hand me my key, and get the hell out of here. I mean, which part of ‘I don’t want to see you again’ don’t you understand?”

David let out a breath as he ran his hands through his brown hair, appearing frustrated at last. Then he just looked at her. She stared back firmly, determined to win the stare-down.

He broke eye contact first.

“Fine. I’ll leave,” he said. “But this is not over, Janet, not by a long shot.”

He tossed her the spare key and she caught it, grasping the piece of metal tightly as if he might snatch it back from her.

David slammed the door behind him.

Janet didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until it all came out in a large whoosh.

As firm as she had felt in the moment of confrontation, it was mostly fear that had filled her as she opened her door, flipped on the light and saw her ex-fiancé sitting on her couch, staring in her direction. The fear remained as his green eyes came alive looking at her, and sat in her chest until he finally left.

Why would he sit in the dark, and how long had he been waiting for her?

David had never given her a reason to fear him before, but it unnerved her that it seemed he saw nothing wrong with abusing his previous privilege.

She hoped he hadn’t made any additional copies of her key; clearly she couldn’t trust him to have the integrity to turn those in if he had.

Janet’s fear turned to anger again.

Who did he think he was? Why did he think he deserved a chance to explain anything? He and Michelle—or whatever her name was—were free to openly do everything they had done behind her back. Why didn’t he just leave her alone now?

Janet tried to shake off her thoughts and the bitterness beginning to creep into her. She had a company function to attend, and she had to go to it clear-headed, without baggage. She couldn’t let the new Accounting Manager—whoever he or she was—see her like this. She had to look strong, in control. Like she knew what she was doing. Like she had earned her position, instead of having it handed to her by her daddy.

When her cell phone rang minutes later, she panicked.

She hadn’t realized she had drifted into a long daydream, and her glance at the caller ID confirmed it was her best friend calling. No doubt Liz was waiting outside, ready for their carpool to the seven o’clock company reception.

Janet scrambled to get ready.

“Coming,” she said into the cell, quickly connecting, then disconnecting the call.

She quickly threw on a pink dress and changed her earrings and shoes—sexy, but not too sexy—it was still work after all. She grabbed a fashionable jacket to take along in case it got chilly.

Then she let her hair down from its pinned up-do, pleased it fell in acceptable waves instead of bent in weird places like she had expected.

She carefully locked up then went down to meet Liz.

“Lookin’ like pink panther there,” Liz said as she got in the car.

Liz had also vamped up her look for the evening, looking even more beautiful out of her workwear in her classic black attire.

Janet could no longer imagine Liz without her low-cut natural style—it fit her stunning face perfectly.

“You look great, too.”

Liz smiled. “Girl, I hope it’s a sister,” she said after a few moments.

It took Janet a second to figure out what she meant. “Oh! The new manager. Well, to be honest, I don’t really care if it’s a woman or not.”

“Says the girl who will probably have the company willed to her.”

“Don’t, Liz—I’m really not in the mood.”

Janet felt Liz look at her for a moment.

“Okay, tell me what happened.”

Janet let out a heavy breath. “He showed up in my apartment tonight.”

“Wait, in your apartment? What the hell?”

“That’s what I said!”

“I imagine you kindly—or not-so-kindly—told him to sashay out of there.”

“Of course! God, I...I don’t even know what else to say to him.”

“He has some balls after all he did to try to get you back.”

“I don’t blame him honestly, but yeah. I loved him, but after that whole thing, I’m just done. I guess he doesn’t realize that about me, yet—most guys never believe it, and most women unfortunately prove them right.”

“Girl, don’t I know it,” Liz said softly.

Janet decided not to bring up Liz’s own love life despite the easy opening. No doubt Liz would appreciate not being reprimanded yet again about staying with her own loser of a boyfriend.

Janet didn’t understand why someone like Liz couldn’t tear herself from a guy so far beneath her.

Janet had only one boyfriend she stayed with after he cheated on her. She had learned her lesson—it just wasn’t worth it. The moment her guy showed his ass, one way or another, no matter how long they’d been together or how much she had loved them, it was as if some cord got cut somewhere, disconnecting her from them forever.

Once they wander, it is time to go, she had promised herself long ago, and finally had the fortitude to stick to.

David would learn.

“God, these things are so fucking boring. I only go for the food anyway,” Liz said suddenly and Janet giggled, then remembered she needed to touch up her makeup.

She pulled down the passenger side mirror as Liz finally pulled off.

* * *

“Girl, I have to use the bathroom,” Liz said as they entered the familiar building of their nine to five days, when a restroom came into view.

Before Janet could say she’d go with her, Liz said: “Don’t worry about me—I’ll meet you up there.”

Janet suddenly knew what Liz was really up to—no doubt she was going to call and check in with her boyfriend, and was too embarrassed to do it in front of her, knowing she’d be judged.

Janet understood the appeal of signs of possessiveness in a man, but for Liz to have to check in with him like some teenager with a paranoid, overprotective parent was beyond her comprehension.

He made Liz call or text him when she got to work and when she was leaving work. Liz even had to contact him if she had to leave the office building for lunch or any other reason. And whenever the two of them went to lunch together, it was now routine for Janet to have to say “hi” into Liz’s phone to prove to him that Liz was actually with her. Janet fully expected Liz’s boyfriend to soon start requiring photographic proof of Liz’s whereabouts throughout the day.

As Janet reached the elevator and the doors were about to close, she heard a male voice call out: “Wait!”

She held the elevator.

For a moment, she wished she had let it close when the man entered, for she was struck by something she hadn’t felt since she was eighteen when she fell madly and completely in love for the first and only time with a guy who broke her heart irreparably a few years later.

The vision before her was a man like she thought only existed in movies, and only then with the right lighting and camera angles: tall, broad shoulders, smoldering blue eyes, and thick, glossy dark hair.

When he smiled at her, she thought for a moment that she had literally turned into a puddle. Then she felt silly when she realized her eye level hadn’t actually changed and she was still human, so she managed to smile back.

Her embarrassment didn’t help—she knew her cheeks had flushed at being stuck in such a small space with such a specimen, and that it would show even through her brown skin.

She couldn’t think and felt like her brain had shorted and shut down. She could only feel, emotions whirling in side of her for the minute or so it took to get to the seventh floor. At least it felt like a minute as her body screamed at her—desire, longing, and shame coursing through her.

She tried not looking at him, focusing on the elevator buttons, then the floor—everywhere but at the Adonis next to her in a suit. But even his smell mocked her valiant efforts. His cologne, after-shave—whatever it was almost made her dizzy.

She thought she saw him smiling at her discomfort out of the corner of her eye, so she looked directly at him and immediately regretted her mistake.

His devastating grin annihilated her plan to firmly and confidently say hello.

How am I suddenly fourteen? she wondered. Some cute guy, clearly very fit under his suit with a firm jaw and a beautiful smile, standing about six feet four and looking the epitome of an alpha male—and she loses it?

Get it together! she told herself as the elevator door opened.

The man indicated for her to exit first and she managed to do that, but she stood there, trying to get her bearings and remember why she was on that floor in the first place.

“708,” he said in a voice that climbed up her spine. “I take it you’re here for the Cooper reception?”

She nodded dumbly, then fell into step with him.

Liz is going to die laughing when she hears about this, she thought as they made their way down the corridor.

* * *

Where does he work? Janet found herself wondering as she waited for Liz to make her entrance while trying not to stare at her elevator companion.

He certainly couldn’t have worked with us for long and me not see or hear about him. He couldn’t be...? No, they had already introduced the new manager—some old guy named George Wilson...

She tuned in to the Human Resources manager’s next words.

“...we brought him in to work on a few projects. One of which, we haven’t told you about yet Janet, but Eric here, well consider him your partner for the next four months.”

Janet had to consciously—and quickly—close her dropped-open mouth.

This can’t be happening...how am I supposed to work with this guy? How can anyone keep to a celibacy plan around him? Why am I even thinking that? Oh god, I’m in trouble...

Janet didn’t know what to say, yet knew she was expected to give some kind of response.

“Oh!” she began, “can’t wait to hear more about it. I’m Janet. Pleased to meet you, Eric.”

“Call me ‘Dick.’”

“Excuse me?”

“I said feel free to call me ‘Rick.’”

Janet looked around, wondering if she was the only one who had apparently misheard, and it appeared she was.

“Oh, I’m Janet.”

A heartbreaking grin spread across his face.

“You said that already.”

“Oh? I wasn’t sure. Well, may we catch more elevators together.”

She smiled.

“And more,” he said, and she looked around again.

Clearly he was flirting with her, messing with her. Did no one else see this?

But the others seemed to be minding their own business, like he hadn’t been suggestive.

Was everyone in on it? she found herself wondering. How could she be the only one hearing beneath his words? And how on earth did anyone expect her to keep her mind on business working with him? Did her father know about this?

All Janet felt was relief when Liz finally showed up. Eric’s male perfection was clearly making her lose her mind. Now she knew how men felt when in the presence of what they felt was the equivalent.

“What took you so long?” Janet almost shouted to Liz as she went over to her. Then she noticed the look in Liz’s eyes.

“Girl...” was all Liz said, dragging out the word, seeming unable to go on.

Her voice and eyes made her look dangerously close to tears.

Janet shuffled them over to a more deserted part of the room, Eric quickly forgotten.

“Oh god, Liz, what now?”

“He thinks I’m cheating on him—I don’t know where he got that from!”

Janet knew it was best in that moment not to share her true thoughts.

As far as she was concerned, Jason kept accusing Liz because he was insecure, and probably guilty of the transgression himself.

“He knows I got ready for this meeting. He knows I was picking you up. What else can I do? Show him the e-vite? But he wouldn’t even believe me then—he just thinks I’m using this as an excuse. Girl, we argued. He threatened to start seeing other women if that’s how I wanted to play him.”

Again, Janet had to suppress her words.

The man was living in Liz’s home dammit, why couldn’t she just kick him out? He didn’t even have a job anymore!

But who was she to talk about what to put up with?

Her ex-fiancé hadn’t been living with her, but she ignored signs of his infidelity for a few months. And before him, she dated a guy who was always borrowing money, never paying back. And before that loser, a guy who refused to say he loved her, even after they’d been together for over a year. And before that, a struggling artist who kept trying to get her to finance his dream, the one who eventually shattered her heart, making it easy for her to drop all those who came after once she’d had enough of their shenanigans.

Both she and Liz had poor track records.

It was why she had declared a break anyway, why she was on a celibacy kick. Why she had pledged a solid three months to live without sharing her body with some undeserving man and she had sixty-nine more days of it.

But poor Liz had been with her loser since college—two of the four years during it, and the five additional years since their graduation.

“I don’t think I can stay very long,” Liz said.

“Oh god—you mean you’re going to go home and pound it out with him, don’t you? You’re leaving your company dinner—the people who gave you your job—to prove to your jobless man that you are not cheating. Is he gonna sniff you too to make sure?”

Liz’s face pinched in fury and Janet regretted not exercising stronger restraint.

And then Liz did the worst thing she could imagine: she burst into tears.

Janet was suddenly aware of the room again, and hoped no one noticed them.

She couldn’t look around to make sure because it would make her even more nervous and self-conscious.

“Liz, get it together!” she whispered sharply. “You know how these people go—you’ll be the gossip all day tomorrow. Go—do what you have to do. I’ll take a taxi, it’s fine. I’ll tell everyone your...cat died or something. Go!”

Liz hugged her and quickly left the room.

Janet immediately went over to the group of managers to explain.

“I’m so sorry—Liz was too distraught to tell you herself. She just got some bad news about her cousin...cat died.”

“Her cousin cat died?” the Human Resources manager managed to ask with a straight face.

“No, I mean her cousin was watching her cat, there was an accident and anyway—she had to go handle things. I’m still not clear on the details—she was crying through the story. I’ll check in on her later though, don’t worry.”

Janet made a note to let Liz in on the story so she wouldn’t look stupid in case anyone asked.

Then suddenly she felt naked, alone. She was afraid to look around, knowing she’d see him, laughing at her discomfort and uncharacteristic nervousness again.

She hated that he seemed to know the extent of his power with that sly smile of his. Couldn’t he have been humble in some way? How was she supposed to work with such a pompous prick?

Then she decided she was being silly again. She was a big girl—she could handle whatever came her way.

She looked around.

She didn’t see him immediately, her eyes instead locking with the secretary’s, whose name she couldn’t remember at the moment.

Still, she walked over to the group the secretary had just shared a laugh with.

“What did you guys think of the meatballs?” Janet asked.

Silence followed for a few awkward seconds.

Then the group did what she suddenly realized they always did.

“Not too fond of those,” a guy she remembered as Leroy said in a light tone.

“Oh, I’m a vegetarian so I didn’t try those,” the secretary said with a bright smile.

“Yeah, Brenda couldn’t eat most of what was here,” a girl with auburn hair said, and Janet was relieved she had mentioned the secretary’s name.

She felt quite clearly they were all just obliging her, being nice as a result of her strong connections. They said the right things and smiled appropriately, but she felt no genuine warmth from them.

But why would she? She never really had a reason to speak to them so they weren’t all that familiar with each other.

Liz had always been all she needed. And her mother.

All Janet was there for was to prove to her father she was a worthy heir anyway.

“Hey, Janet, your dad ditched us again tonight?” a voice behind her said, spinning her attention away from the grateful group who locked right back into their circle.

“Oh hey, Carl. My dad’s a busy man. We’ll see him at the Christmas party as usual—that’s all I can promise. He’s probably in China right now, working on a deal.”

“I know that’s right,” Carl said before catching the eye of, then waving at someone else.

He grabbed her arm.

“Girl, I’ll catch you later. I’ve got things to see and people to do,” he said with a longing look at one of the new guys trying to look inconspicuous and failing, sipping his drink alone.

“I didn’t hear that, Carl.”

Janet was never sure what to think of Carl. He seemed to always want to be her friend and treated her like they already were, but she didn’t trust him—didn’t trust most folks who tried to cozy up to her since it was probably an attempt to climb their way up. She had no interest in being used.

Janet walked over to the drink table to pour herself some lemonade.

“So we know we can at least find reception rooms together. This should work out.”

The voice made Janet’s cup freeze on the way to her mouth.

She turned.

“Eric, right? Yes, I’m sure we’ll be able to work well together.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

“I trust HR. Generally. I mean, you don’t quite look like a numbers guy but...”

“And what does one look like?”

“I don’t know—black-rimmed glasses, a pot belly...something like that.”

His laugh thrilled her, so warm and genuine.

She was glad she could bring some other kind of humor to their interactions beyond acting like a fool.

“Well, for the record, you don’t look like a typical numbers person either.”

Janet returned his soft smile.

“So is this what you imagined in college or high school? Working in some stuffy building, attending lame receptions?” she asked him, relaxing.

“Sort of. What about you? Fitting right into your father’s shoes?”

Janet didn’t know why, but she immediately got angry. She knew he probably meant nothing by it but couldn’t curb her feeling of offense.

Then she realized she liked the feeling—anger made her feel more in control.

“I’m very much my own woman thank you very much. Anyway, I appreciate the chit-chat. I’m sure we’ll learn a lot more about each other in the coming months—our childhood dreams and whatnot.”

“I’m sure we will,” she heard him say as she walked off.

As she headed toward the elevator, Janet wondered if her father, despite all that he’d built, still felt some level of discomfort in such situations, and if that was why he tended to stay away from most of the minor social functions. Perhaps they were alike in that way at least.

No one is busy all the time, she thought as she performed her own disappearing act.

* * *

Janet hated taxis. As convenient as they could be, she hated putting her ass on places where hundreds of thousands—perhaps millions—of butts had sat before. She hated the way they were structured like cop cars with their boxy frames and their harsh front/back divisions, and she hated their stupid colors.

Still, she didn’t know what she’d do without them at times.

As she stood on the sidewalk, about to put her best flagging arm forward, a voice said:

“Need a lift?” A husky voice that had become somewhat familiar.

Janet briefly turned to look in its direction.

“I’ve got this, thank you,” she said, trying more desperately to get a taxi’s attention.

“Come on—we’re partners now right? How would it look if I just let you rely on a stranger to get you home safely?”

“You’re a stranger.”

“True, but less so than that Eritrean guy about to pull up, no?”

Janet had no comeback.

“Fine,” she said. “I appreciate it...partner.”

They walked over to his car.

As they came upon it, lights flashing from the remote unlock, Janet couldn’t help assessing his choice of vehicle, combing through the implications—making more of her new partner with his choice: a solid, practical silver sedan. Newer model.

Nothing flashy or expensive, or even mid-priced. Just...solid—a brand well-known for its reliability, yet the better looking of the models.

He opened her door for her and she slid in, mumbling a “thanks.”

As they pulled up to her condo, she found herself asking:

“Wanna come in for a drink?” as a sort of joke—certainly not as something she thought he would actually take her up on.

“Yeah I would, thanks,” he replied, and Janet panicked.

“What am I saying?” she said. “I can’t have you drinking, then driving. I was just trying to...”

“I know,” he said. His eyes twinkled as if he had been pulling her leg all along. “I appreciate it.”

Janet felt bad for taking back her offer, but she didn’t know this guy! All she knew was that someone had found him, and thought they’d be a good fit as coworkers.

“Well, someday perhaps, after a long day of brainstorming some aspect of our project, and my best friend has left me without a ride again.”

She smiled at him.

Finally, he seemed to have lost his perpetual grin.

“I look forward to working with you, Janet,” he said as she got out.

“Likewise,” she replied, enjoying the feel of power for once.

END OF EXCERPT

Playing With Fire is currently available. Check it out on ARe here.

Table of Contents

- Section 1
- Section 2
- Section 3
- Section 4
- Section 5
- Section 6
- Section 7
- Section 8
- Section 9
- Section 10
- Section 11
- Section 12
- Section 13
- Section 14
- Section 15