Brawn Read online

  Brawn didn’t move as Randy unwrapped the chains and unlocked the cell door. Becca was tense, ready for an attack, but it didn’t happen. Randy opened the door a few feet and shoved Becca inside. She turned to face him, watched the bastard slam the door and secure the chains again. He backed away.

  “Clear. He’s secure.” Randy grinned at her. “Enjoy your time with him.”

  Becca resisted flipping him off. “There’s a special place in hell for you.”

  He winked. “When I die, I’m going to take that fucking place over. Remember who is out here and who is in there, bitch. That’s all that matters.”

  A big hand touched her shoulder, making her jump. She swiveled her head and peered up at Brawn. One arm wrapped around her waist, pulled her against his tall frame and tugged her away from the bars.

  “In a few hours your girlfriend is going to do what we want.” Randy licked his lips and his voice lowered to avoid being picked up by the camera’s audio equipment. “Remember how you learned not to trust humans? Don’t forget she’s one.” His gaze fell to Becca. “Please make my day and refuse. I want to watch you suffer.” He brushed a finger over the bandaged injury on his cheek to make it clear he hadn’t forgotten who had put it there, then spun away. “Move out. Let’s go eat breakfast.”

  The men disappeared through the double doors. Becca didn’t watch them go, instead stared up at Brawn’s handsome face. Anger still darkened his features, worry curved his mouth and he lowered his chin.

  “You can trust me. He’s just trying to cause shit between us.” Those words were hard to get out, worried he’d believe that asshole. Becca turned in his arms, reached up and gripped his shoulders. He lowered when she pulled on him enough to get the message across that she wanted him closer to her mouth. She turned, her lips nearly brushed the shell of his ear and she whispered, “Do you think the cameras can hear us?”

  He nuzzled her nose with his cheek. “Not if we speak this soft.”

  “The woman doctor running this place is insane and wants sperm samples. They are freezing them to sell to some vile bastards in Europe. They took that Species who paced inside his cell, hung him upright by his limbs and hooked him to some fucked-up machines to…” Her voice broke and she shuddered against the large, warm body pressed close. “It was awful what they were doing but I couldn’t stop them.”

  His body stiffened against hers and a low growl rumbled from his throat. It made her jerk her head back enough to stare into his eyes. He avoided her gaze and pulled her tightly into his embrace again.

  “What else did you hear?”

  “That doctor is wanted by the police, she’s stuck here and desperate for money. They offered her a lot of it to, um, hell, I don’t even know how to say this.”

  “Just speak. Tell me.” His hands lightly brushed her back. “I need to know.”

  “They want your sperm. They don’t have any Species like you and she was offered three times as much money if she could freeze and sell yours without any drugs in your system.” Her cheeks burned, telling him what those monsters planned. “They want me to help with that.”

  He turned his head and so did she until inches separated their faces. He didn’t appear shocked but anger still burned in his gaze. “Give sperm without the need of breeding drugs?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to help you get turned-on and give a sample.”

  His eyes closed and he tilted his head back. A sigh passed his lips and she stood there grimly watching him. It was a bad situation but she needed to make it clear so he had all the facts she knew.

  “Some scientists want to figure out a way to make Species sperm live longer—I guess it dies fast from what I was told—and use human surrogate women to have Species babies. Rich sickos want to buy them. I’m sure a half New Species baby on the black market would raise a hell of a lot of bids.” She felt bad for even saying it. “You’re exotic and some people are just totally screwed up. She also plans to sell all of you when she doesn’t need you anymore. They have a guard at Homeland working for them, they paid him to say when you were leaving and followed you to my house. They need to kidnap a primate Species to have all DNA types—a complete ‘set’. She plans to sell you to the people who want to buy Species.”

  “Exotic animal collectors.” His voice deepened.

  “Yeah or other freaks.”

  “Why were you screaming after they took you away?” He sniffed her and opened his eyes. “Where are you hurt?” One hand released her back to gently cup her injured face, avoided touching her cheek, but studied it. “You were stuck.” His hand dropped to her waist.

  “One of the bastards bruised my thigh. They think they can use me to control you because it made you mad enough to roar the first time I screamed. I also kind of attacked one, trying to free the Species guy so I got nailed in the face.”

  He wrapped both arms around her and lifted—surprised her with that move—and carried her to the cot. He adjusted his hold, sat down and put her across his lap. One arm remained behind her back but his other one gripped the hem of her nightshirt, tugging it up to expose her thighs.

  She didn’t protest, saw he was intent on examining the red marks and he pulled the material down quickly. His gaze met hers and silence stretched between them.

  He finally sighed and lowered his focus to her mouth. “We need to talk.”

  Shit. “I know.” She whispered, hoping it was soft enough not to be overheard. “They think we’re sleeping together already and I didn’t tell them otherwise. I just let them keep assuming. It seemed the smart thing to do at the time but now they expect me to um, help you donate sperm.” She rushed on before she lost her nerve, “You should have seen what they did to that other Species guy. I would rather do whatever it takes than let them hurt you that way.”

  “What did they do?”

  She dropped her gaze to his bare chest, unable to look him in the eyes as she muttered a description of the machines and how they worked. His arm tightened around her waist but he remained silent until she stopped talking.

  “Look at me.” He took a deep breath and peered into her eyes when she did.

  “What?”

  “You know what needs to happen if a rescue team hasn’t found us by the time they want those samples. I don’t want them to do that to me.” Anger tensed his jaw. “It’s too much to ask of you, isn’t it?”

  A blush warmed her cheeks and it was her turn to study his mouth. It was a plush one, full and tempting. “Any other time I’d probably be happy to, um…yeah. This isn’t exactly romantic, is it?”

  “Becca.”

  She stared into his blue eyes. “I know. It was a sad attempt at a joke.”

  “I won’t force you to agree to this. Say no and I’ll go with them willingly to avoid putting you in danger if I fight.”

  She hesitated, her mind working and made a decision. “I was attracted to you the moment we met and I still am so touching you to help turn you on wouldn’t be a hardship. I just wish we weren’t here under these circumstances. I’m not an exhibitionist so that’s going to make it worse.”

  “What is that?”

  She grinned, glad for the humor. “It’s someone who enjoys having sex or committing sexual acts in front of other people. They get off on it. It arouses them more that other people can see what is being done to them.” She glanced at the camera and all her bravo disappeared. “There are probably cameras in that room too. I forgot to look, too horrified by what was happening. Shit. I hope they aren’t keeping recordings of any of the feeds. My dad is going to have a massive heart attack if I end up being featured on some porn site with you.”

  He gripped her jaw, turned her face until their gaze met and kept hold of her. “I will make this up to you somehow and we will survive this.”

  The sincerity in his voice assured her that whatever they had to face, they would do it together.

  “You can trust me. I hate these bastards.”

  Rage filled Bra