13

AIDA

"You've got this, baby."

I know Byron is trying to help, but all he's doing is reminding me of the time I thought I had it but ended up losing everything for myself and my daughter.

It's a mistake that has led me to this subfloor of Genesis Labs, probably waiting to die.

"I don't know, Byron. That's our only leverage."

Byron peeks toward Zora to make sure she isn't looking and then leans through the bars to give me a quick but hard kiss. I push into it, letting the reassurance settle me.

"Just do your work. By the end of the day, you'll be safe."

We're at least a half mile underground with only one elevator up and no way to access it. Basically, sitting ducks for anything Umansky might have in mind for us, and while it looked for a second when the guard pushed me that Byron was going to tear his way out of the metal gate, I know that's not going to happen.

He may be sure we'll make it out of this alive, but my scientist's mind can only see all of the evidence to the contrary. Still, I go over to my table and examine the equipment they left for me.

It's everything I'll need to synthesize the hormone that Byron produces from the benign growth at the base of his skull, the hormone that turns him into a wolf.

Shifters. It's a concept that, until a day ago, only existed in movies for me, but it feels less abnormal now that I've acknowledged it.

"How's it going, kiddo?" I push a hand over Zora's head, but she shifts out of the way, causing my hand to drop.

I resist the urge to turn to see if Byron saw her, already too aware of how obvious it is that my daughter can't stand me, regardless of what he said to make me feel better.

"Fine, I guess, but it doesn't seem like we have much of a choice in how it's going, but that's nothing new." She doesn't look up as she mumbles the snide reply, and the same heat that filled me when she was flippant with me in the car makes my ears burn.

I stare at the top of her head, my hand clenching with the desire to pop her.

Instead, I turn to my work, as Byron suggested. I switch the equipment on and run calibrations before booting up the single computer, which I find is already loaded with all of my data and calculations.

I put my head down, only looking up when Zora finishes her homework and starts to roam around the space.

She steers clear of the cell where Byron has been lying on his back, staring at the ceiling the entire time. He doesn't try to talk to me or her, and though I don't think he would hurt her, I keep one eye on her as I work.

I'm fascinated as I examine the map of the hormone that's been produced. My eyes jump to Byron to find him sitting up watching me with a calm stare.

He nods his head, and I go back to work.

The hours fly by, and when I finally hear the whir of the elevator, a glance at my watch tells me that it's past noon. I move away from the computer, where I've been analyzing the list of known compounds that can be used to replicate Byron's hormone, and face the hall.

Maxim and the guards from earlier come marching from the open elevator door, their expressions set in stony silence.

As soon as they're close enough, I round on them. "My daughter has been down here all day without access to food or water. This is unacceptable, and I will not work under these conditions."

Maxim rolls his eyes and waves one of the men forward. He steps around holding something, and I realize it's a couple of bottles of water and two vending machine sandwiches, turkey by the looks of it.

I narrow my eyes on the soggy-looking subs.

"We're vegan." Zora stands beside me, her standard stank face directed at the meal.

"Deal with it," Max shoots back and shifts his attention to me. "Umansky wants this done today."

"Your father will have my completed work when I am finished with it and when I'm working in suitable conditions." I step closer, away from my daughter, and lower my voice. "If you want this synthesis from me, I want us out of this basement. I want to be back in my proper lab with proper equipment. I want my key card back, a safe place for my daughter, and a lunch menu that isn't against our dietary restrictions."

"You don't give any fucking orders here. You do what you're told. Now eat the fucking sandwiches." He picks one up from the desk and smashes it back down.

Zora jumps, grabbing my arm to shift behind me.

I can feel Byron watching from his cell. The tension rolls like a wave from his direction, and I imagine if I look at him, I'll find him baring his teeth at the guards. He doesn't say anything, though. Not a sound comes from his direction.

But just knowing he's there gives me strength. I straighten my back, squaring up with Max.

"Do you know what I think? I think we don't have too many shots at this, and I know no one else can synthesize this hormone. If you think you're going to get rid of me ," I raise my brows for emphasis, "or threaten me or use my fucking child to get me to do what you want, then, please, try it. I married a legitimate psychopath, and do you know where he is because of me—in a jail cell. Go tell Daddy that, and good luck finding someone who can do what I can do in the next year or this lifetime."

Maxim's face has gotten harder and harder. I didn't realize it at the time, but he's holding a gun at his side, and the squeak of leather makes me realize he's got it in a death grip. His eyes glaze over as he stares me down, and for a second, I'm sure he's going to just shoot me.

I shift more in front of my daughter and clench my hands to still the tremble that wants to riot through my body.

But nothing I said was a lie. This isn't some bluff.

If they kill me, the chance that they'll find someone else to complete this work is slim. Not if they want it done this year.

For all his bluster, Max must know this because, after a tense moment, he purses his lips and clicks his tongue. "Get your shit then. I don't have all day."

I nudge Zora. "Grab your backpack, sweetheart, and my purse."

They let me keep my items today, which should have been a red flag.

Zora rushes to do what I say, and I'm thankful she doesn't feel the need to be a mouthy teenager at this moment. She comes back with her bag slung over her shoulder and passes me my handbag, which I clutch and eye Max silently.

After a moment, he waves his hand impatiently toward the hall. "Well, let's go, Your Highness ."

He takes a step, but I stay rooted.

"We're taking him, too." I nod to Bryon's cell and the forced composure Max has been maintaining snaps.

He snarls forward, grabbing me by the jaw and shoving me back. His fingers dig into my skin, abrading the already bruised skin.

Zora cries out, moving like she's going defend me, but I put a hand up.

"It's okay, baby."

"Yeah, you stay right there, little girl." Max glares at my daughter before training his eyes on me. "You might have my father convinced you're some genius, but I don't give a shit if his investors are happy. You keep fucking with me, and you or this kid won't have to worry about your dietary restrictions."

I know from his public records that hurting women is his thing. I imagine this move has worked well in the past to intimidate, but I've faced down worse than him.

Hell, I've slept next to worse than him.

He's speaking right into my face, and I shock myself when I raise a brow, holding his gaze.

"Then I suggest you prep him to be moved because we're not leaving him."

Suddenly, Max flings my face away, making me stumble back, and spins on his heel. "Fuck this shit. Come on."

The other guards scramble after him, and as they file onto the elevator, Max glares me down as the door closes.

The second they meet, I turn on Zora, grabbing her arms and pulling her against me. "Are you okay? Oh my god, baby. I know that was scary. I'm so sorry, but we're going to be fine."

She lets me hug her before pulling away. Her eyes are worried as she scans my face. She reaches a hand to touch the tender spot at my jaw, and I hold back my flinch. "Your face."

"I'm fine."

She frowns, her eyes narrowing in realization. "He's the one who hurt you the first time when you said it was an accident at work."

I shake my head and force a smile. "Don't worry about him. Everything's going to be fine."

Her mouth turns down for a moment, but then she looks past me and into the empty hall. "They left."

"Zo, I know how things have been, but this is different. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. We're going to be fine. I know it's hard, but please trust me."

"Can't we just leave? Can't you find another job?"

"Baby, it's not that easy. I have a contract, and," I resist the urge to look at Byron, even though he's also part of the reason I won't just pack up and leave.

Zora swallows, her gaze unsure, but then she nods before side-eyeing the subs. "Am I going to have to eat that?"

I chuckle. "No. I'm going to get you some real food."

I grab the sandwiches and toss them into the trash nearby.

Zora nods, her mouth lifting into a tentative smile. "Is he going to be okay? He hasn't moved in about five minutes. It's actually kind of impressive—and scary."

I turn to the cell, and my eyes widen when I see Byron standing at the bars, his eyes unseeing on the spot where Maxim stood. He grips the metal, and I can swear there's a bend in them where he's managed to pull them apart.

"Byron?" I step forward and stop, but his eyes dart to me, and there's a calm in the crystal blue that can only be the kind of rage that can bend metal.

"Come here, mate." It's a quiet command, but my feet make haste, closing the space until I'm standing in front of him.

His eyes travel over my face, stopping on points before locking onto my gaze again. "That was not what we discussed."

Admonishment is evident in his tone, but there's something else there that I think might be pride.

"They need me. I don't know why I'm acting like I don't know that. I'm not letting them call all the shots, not while she's here."

"He touched you again." There's nothing calm about the energy rolling off of him now. He hisses the remark, and I believe wholeheartedly that if Max were here right now, he'd break out of the cell and eviscerate him.

I reach a hand between the bars to cover his, and that's when I feel the vibration. His skin shakes in an almost unstable way. "I'm fine, Byron."

"It's only because she's here," he nods in Zora's direction, "that I didn't shift and tear their heads off with my fucking teeth . I want you to know your mate has that kind of self-control."

I know he's making a point, but he has no idea how reassuring that is. "Thank you."

"Mm hm. Later, we'll talk about you putting yourself in danger when I'm not in a position to protect you because that's a hard no, Aida."

I offer a coy smile as I hitch a shoulder. "I wouldn't say no to that head offering down the line if it's still on the table."

It works.

His beautiful, full mouth twitches just before his hand shoots out and yanks me forward by the back of my neck.

He kisses me deeply, searching my mouth with his tongue, lapping and twisting until the sound of Zora clearing her throat pulls us out of the bubble of pleasure we've briefly surrendered to.

I turn, my face burning, to find her watching us with narrowed eyes.

My own close in mortification. "Zora, it's not what it looks like."

"This is exactly what it looks like, and whatever judgment you think you're in a position to direct toward your mother, you're not. She loves you. She may have made mistakes, but I think you know it was never because she didn't love you. Cut her some slack, kid."

I don't know how I feel about Byron standing up for me to Zora, but it also feels nice not to be on the defensive for a change. I'm even more shocked when Zora looks to the side, chastised, and doesn't comment.

"I'm good with cubs."

I look at Bryon, and he winks.

"Do you think they're going to come back?" Zora's focused on us again, and she sounds more like the little girl she is than she has in a long time.

I start forward, ready to reassure her, when the distinct thud of the elevator stopping on our floor sounds out.

I reach her just in time to see the doors open, and Umansky files out, followed by Max and the same two guards from earlier. The former's mouth is pinched as he approaches, and I again step in front of my daughter.

"I've been told that you wish to be moved?"

I don't back down under Umansky's penetrative gaze. "If I'm going to complete my work, I am going to work under conditions I think are appropriate, and this," I wave a hand to the sub-level, "ain't it. As I told your son, I want a proper lab with access to all the files I might need, and if I'm bringing my daughter here, I don't need your goons threatening me or her. I don't need to be assaulted when trying to do my job, either. I'll gladly break my contract and leave if you don't like it. Find someone else—if you can."

He glares at me, much like his son did, but doesn't speak.

When Max sucks his teeth and steps forward like he's going to intercede, and not peacefully, Umansky grabs his arm and hauls him back.

"Calm down!" He bites out, shoving his son back. When he faces me again, that polite smile is in place. "Apologies, Doctor . It wasn't my intention to make you feel threatened. We've had some security issues lately, and everyone is on edge. If things have felt hostile, I assure you it wasn't directed at you. Of course, you can have your old lab back if you can assure us the synthesis will be complete by tomorrow—"

"Two days."

His jaw ticks, but I persist.

"I need two days and my subject with me to complete my work."

His narrowed gaze shifts between me and Byron, who I have yet to look at. I hope the latter isn't looking at me with that possessive gleam that's been present since we slept together.

I keep my expression unreadable as Umansky assesses us until he finally dips his head.

"That is acceptable, but you have two days."

"Two days."

He nods again and turns to his son. "Get him sedated and—"

"No sedation."

Umansky's eyes are wide as he focuses back on me. I shake my head.

"How the hell am I supposed to compare results with his natural composition if you're flooding him with crap all the time?"

I can tell he wants to argue, but I can also tell he's desperate. His son may not care if I'm their only hope for success, but Umansky does.

He cares badly. Enough to give in to my demands when, up until now, he's been more than happy to dismiss me outright.

"Fine." He shifts to Max again. "Get him secured so we can move them upstairs."

If Max's face could get any redder.

He glowers at his father before turning the deadly look on me.

I raise my brows in challenge, which makes his mouth curve into a smirk.

Shifting suddenly, he raises the assault rifle in his hand and trains it on Byron. The other two guards follow suit.

"In the fucking chair, you piece of shi—" Max's command stops abruptly, and I step around so I can see.

Byron is already in the chair, his arms in place for the locks to secure, his head resting against the back brace. His eyes shift to Maxim, who looks confused with his face level over the sight of his gun, all too ready to shoot if he's given the chance. "Whenever you all are ready."

I almost laugh when Max growls like a petulant child and stabs his hand against the remote button to lock the braces around Byron's body.

He turns away, barking an order for the other men to take Byron, before storming past me and his father, shoulder-checking the latter on the way.

The guards open the cell and wheel Byron out. As they pass, he catches my gaze and winks when no one's looking.

"Good job, baby ." The mouthed praise makes me smile, and when Zora steps beside me and takes my hand, I stare down at our joined palms in shock.

Gripping tight and fighting the swell in my throat, I lead us behind the group to the elevator and step on just to the side of Umansky. I put my back to the wall so I can see everyone and keep Zora closest to the door.

It's silent on the long ride up.

Umansky stares ahead, but a peek to the side shows his jaw working hard.

The guards keep their nervous gazes on Byron, flinching whenever he makes the slightest move, which I think he does to mess with them.

Maxim holds down the rest of the tension in the small space, openly glaring at me from the other side of the car.

I take a deep breath when the doors finally open, and we step out onto the main floor.

Max takes off to the right without a word, leaving Umansky to lead the procession down the hall. I expect them to take me to my old lab, so I'm surprised when they lead me to the lab where I ran the exertion tests on Byron before.

When we enter, everything's already set up, and my eyes immediately fix on the table where Byron pulled up my skirt and gave me the best orgasm of my life.

"Does everything look in order?" Umansky is not nearly as patient as his question suggests.

I tear my gaze away from the table, the memory of how it thumped against the wall echoing in my ears, and force myself to give the rest of the lab a good look before nodding.

"Looks like everything I need is here."

"Good. Put him over there." He waves the guards to situate Byron near the treadmill and then lets them leave. Turning on me, he fixes me with a much less generous stare than the one he had earlier. "Two days. I expect a product I can use by then." His eyes flick to Zora briefly. "I know a good vegan place in the town over. I'll send some menus."

"That'll be fine, thank you. Oh, and Dr. Umansky," I smile when he turns from where he was about to leave. "I will be leaving here at five o'clock today and every day for the next two days. My daughter has a routine, and I work best when rested."

I can see the glitch behind his eyes as he gives me a curt nod. "Of course, Doctor."

The moment the door closes behind him, I grip the nearest table to steady myself, exhaling a shaky breath.

"Shit, mom. That was amazing."

I spin to my daughter, who's looking at me with wide, admiring eyes. "Zo!"

She shrugs. "Sorry, but that was just so great. I was so scared, but you handled that like a boss." She runs over and throws her hands around my waist, and it's all I can do not to cry.

Above her head, Byron watches patiently, giving us our moment. It isn't until Zora has pulled away on her own that I face him again.

"So, what do I do? Stick to the plan and synthesize it for them?"

He nods. "Stick to the plan. You got us two days, but we won't need them."

He seems so sure, but I can't see a way out of this that involves all of us making it out.

"Just do the work, baby," he cuts into my dire thoughts with the surety of his deep voice. "Feed this kid and do the work. Don't worry about anything else."

It's hard for me as a scientist not to be concerned with outcomes, but I like the trust that seems to be rebuilding between Zora and me. I let Byron's reassurance calm me as I set about completing the task Genesis hired me for.

And I do it really slowly .

So slowly that by the end of the day, when Umansky comes back, he audibly huffs when I tell him my progress.

"You should be further along than this."

I shrug. "Honestly, I would be if there wasn't so much upheaval in my workplace. Don't worry, I'll meet my deadline. I always do."

He isn't happy about it but accepts my answer.

I'm reluctant to leave Byron, but he gestures me over to where he's been strapped to his chair all day. I tell Zora to wait outside the lab where I can see her.

I may have worked slowly, but I was still fascinated by the sheer complexity of the hormone that makes Byron shift.

There's nothing comparable found in humans, and I agree with Byron that attempting to replicate its effects in humans would be successful. The knowledge makes me less nervous about helping Umansky's scheme along, and I've gained some clarity by the time I approach Byron once we're alone.

"Your people are amazing." I smooth my hand up his arm, following the muscle groove until I reach his broad shoulder.

"We generally don't like being objectified like this, but I'll make an exception in your case." His expression is teasing, but I pull my hand away.

"Sorry."

"Don't ever apologize for touching me. Put your hand back." His scowl says he's dead serious. I laugh and slap my hand back on his arm, only for him to shake his head, his lips tweaking on one side.

"Not there."

I peek behind me, checking to see that Zora isn't looking, but I can still see her, and step closer, lowering my hand so it's wedged between us and I can cup the heavy bulge of his crotch.

He groans, his corded neck arching as I squeeze.

The bright blue of his eyes flashes as he focuses on me again. "Kiss me, mate."

I lean on my tippy toes, which makes a tall girl feel hella dainty, and press my mouth to his, parting my lips right away to allow him access.

We've only kissed a couple of times, but Byron kisses like the grown man he is, slowly but deeply, giving as much as he takes.

Coaxing is the word that comes to mind.

My hands have made their way around his neck, and I'm practically climbing his restrained body, rubbing my breasts against the mountains of his pecs.

He's not wearing a shirt, and there's no denying he's beautifully built. Magnificently built.

I'm panting when I lower my heels. "I'll be back tomorrow."

He nods. "Every few miles."

"Two. I'll do every two." I force myself to take the backward steps out of the lab, only turning when I reach the door.

He calls out to me, and I spin back, my heart thumping when our gazes meet.

His lips, still damp from our kiss, tilt into a wicked smile. "See you in your dreams."