Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

January 21 st

11:04 A.M.

They were alive.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

Whatever game Zander was playing, he'd gotten them safely down onto the ground in one piece.

Well relatively speaking.

There was a headache raging between Lucy's temples, and her chest sent stabbing pains through her with every breath. One of her arms felt broken for sure, and then there were bumps and bruises littering everything else in between.

But she was alive.

Everything else could be fixed.

Eventually.

If they could find their way out of the jungle.

"Did you get a mayday out before we crashed?" Lucy asked.

The blue eyes that looked back at her were odd. Not the color, it was perfectly realistic, but because she'd seen the man's photo almost every day as there was a picture of a teenage Zander and Scarlett on her friend's desk in the lab, and she knew he had brown eyes.

It was a stupid thing to worry about at the moment, but she wanted to see the real Zander. There was nothing to do about his darker hair color, and she kind of liked the tanned skin, but she wanted to see his real eyes.

Maybe it would make her feel a little less like this man was the enemy.

Was he?

Honestly, she had no idea.

There was every chance that there was a perfectly logical reason for why Zander had faked his death, and it had nothing to do with the Reactivator, Raul Castillo, and Athena Team.

Or she was clutching at straws because if Zander was working for the enemy, then that was not good news for her.

The two of them were alone out there. There was no backup. She had no idea where exactly they'd crashed, and injured as she was, she had no idea how she was going to get herself out of the jungle and back to civilization.

She needed Zander right now.

An annoyance on top of being scary since she had no idea if she could trust him. Growing up with a condition that impacted her day-to-day life, her parents had been overly cautious when it came to her doing pretty much anything. They coddled her, her siblings, too, even her little brother and sister, and getting them to see her as a strong, competent woman, one who didn't need a keeper had been hard. She'd fought for her independence and didn't want to give it up for anyone.

Realizing Zander hadn't answered her question, she repeated it. "Did you put out a mayday before we crashed?"

"We were on the phone with your friends when it happened, I think everybody knows and will be looking for us."

Not an answer.

And it didn't pass her by that he had called them her friends, with no mention that one of her friends was his twin sister. Was it guilt over faking his death that made him want to put distance between himself and Scarlett, or was it something more?

Like he knew he had played some part in what had happened to Scarlett at the hands of the weapons trafficker?

No matter what, it was hard for Lucy to believe that Zander would have stood back and done nothing to stop his sister from being tortured regardless of what else he had done. She knew a bit about how Scarlett and Zander had grown up. Parents who refused to give up military careers for their kids. Raised by grandparents who were beyond strict. No real time for fun or all the silly things kids did.

The twins were all each other had, and she knew it had torn Scarlett apart when, upon their grandparents' deaths, she and her brother had been separated and put in foster care. Even during those five years before they aged out of the system, the two had tried their best to keep in contact, and it had been another loss for Scarlett when, upon graduating high school, her brother went and enlisted, following in their family's footsteps. If Scarlett found out her brother had known what was happening to her and not done anything to help her, it was going to kill her.

"My phone might have survived the crash," Lucy said, wondering if there was any chance she could get some reception out there even if the phone wasn't totaled. One miracle a day was probably all she could hope for, and they'd already used theirs up in surviving the crash. Still, she used her good hand to unsnap her seatbelt and scanned the floor of the wrecked plane in search of her cell.

"You shouldn't be moving around until we've assessed your injuries," Zander said, putting one of his large hands on her shoulder and using his superior size and strength to keep her in her seat.

"I don't think the paramedics come out this deep in the jungle," she quipped.

"Haha, sassy girl. I'm serious, Lucy. Stay still. You were unconscious for a while, you probably have a concussion."

Since his concern didn't seem sweet, it was more like he was annoyed with her about something, although she had no idea what, she tried to push him away. "Like you didn't pass out, too. I need to find my phone. Unless you have yours and it survived?"

"Don't have one," he replied.

Okay, that had to be an outright lie. Who in this day and age didn't have a cell phone? She would have guessed at least everyone from middle school age and up did. "Well then, we for sure need mine."

Sighing like he was at the end of his rope, Zander gave her the kind of look usually reserved for toddlers pushing their luck. "Let me deal with your arm first, and then we can look for it."

The deal wasn't completely unreasonable, and those few extra minutes weren't going to change anything. They had been on the phone with her team when they crashed, so Prey would be looking for them. And since they also knew where she'd been heading, they at least had a place to start.

"Fine," she agreed, gingerly lifting her broken arm for him to see.

"It's broken," he said, trailing a fingertip around the small lump in her forearm.

"No kidding, ghost man." Zander's flinch at the nickname was almost imperceptible, but she noticed it and felt bad. She'd meant it as a joke, but it was clear that despite whatever was going on, he did feel bad about hurting his sister by letting her think he was dead. "Sorry."

His eyes met hers, now carefully wiped free of all emotion. "It's fine. It's true. It's what I am now."

She had no idea what that meant, and from the way he pressed his lips together, it was clear Zander had no intention of explaining.

"This is going to hurt, but I need to try to get it back in place. No idea when we'll get you to a hospital."

It wasn't her first broken arm, she'd had three, two as a kid when she'd had a seizure, and one as an adult when she'd gone skydiving and messed up her landing. Still, she'd never had the bone pushed back into place while she was conscious. Since there was nothing she could do about it, she merely nodded.

"I'll do the best I can to get it straight, but I don't have an x-ray machine to check, might still need surgery later."

"At least I'm alive," Lucy reminded him. She had him to thank for it. She still had no idea whether he was trustworthy, but he'd gotten her to the ground alive, so that counted for something.

With his face an expressionless mask, Zander grasped her arm with confidence like he'd done this a million times before. First, his fingertips pressed to her wrist, checking her pulse no doubt to monitor blood flow, then almost before she even realized it, both his thumbs pressed on the lump on her arm, and one searing second of agony later the bump was gone.

Panting through the pain, Lucy somehow managed to cling to consciousness, although the world did go a little gray around the edges.

Zander's fingers squeezed hers lightly before he grabbed a bandage and began to wrap her arm from wrist to elbow. "You did good, sassy girl. Didn't even scream."

"You didn't give me time." She managed the small joke as she slumped back into her seat. From this angle, she spotted what she'd been looking for before. "Hey, it's my cell phone. Can you grab it for me? If it survived and we can somehow get reception, we can call Prey, and you can give them the coordinates of where we were just before we crashed."

They weren't all that far away from San Diego. If Prey sent out a helo right away, she could be home in her bed tonight, or at least in the hospital if her arm needed surgery.

Once he was finished securing her bandage, Zander did indeed stoop to scoop up her phone.

But instead of handing it to her, or checking himself to see if there was reception, he dropped it back onto the floor of the plane and stomped it under his foot.

January 21 st

10:56 A.M.

"What are you doing?" Lucy shrieked. "Why would you do that?"

Because I can't let you call anyone.

Because if anyone knows you're alive your life will be as good as over.

Because no one can know we survived until I get you where I need to take you.

None of those were the answer Zander gave aloud. If Lucy learned the truth, it would ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

There was no way he was going to let that happen.

Although by the deadly look the blonde was shooting him, it was going to be hell keeping Lucy around and holding onto his secrets.

"Is Scarlett right? Are you a traitor?"

Wincing at the accusation, especially given what his twin had just been accused of and what she'd suffered because of it, Zander carefully wiped away every trace of emotion from his face. And his heart.

Because despite what his sister might think, he wasn't completely heartless.

"We didn't crash because of mechanical failure," he told Lucy, which was at least the truth, or as much of it as he could reveal without ruining everything.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked. Despite her stiff back and challenging gaze, he could see the pain shadowed beneath. How often did this woman hide her pain so people wouldn't think she was weak?

And why did he care?

Just because he'd always felt an attraction toward his sister's friend didn't mean he had ever intended to do anything about it. Even less so now. His choices might have been because he had been backed into a corner, but he still could have said no.

"Someone tampered with my plane, Lucy," he said, holding her gaze so she could read the truth in his eyes. "That means they know we crashed, and they know approximately where we crashed. If your phone survived, it's practically a honing beacon for anyone in the area to track us. Nobody good lives in this part of the world, and I don't think we want visitors right now when neither of us is at one hundred percent."

Indecision warred in her light blue eyes. "I guess not."

"Trust me." She shouldn't, but … part of him hoped that she might. It would be nice to feel like a good guy again instead of the bad one he'd become. "We don't want to be tracked right now, and cell phones are the worst for broadcasting your location, its why I no longer have one."

"You really don't have a cell phone? I thought you were lying about that."

One of the only honest things he'd said to her. "I really don't."

"Because you don't want anyone to know you're still alive."

The accusation hit its mark just as she'd intended it to if the disapproving tone was anything to go by. That wasn't exactly true. Hurting his sister sucked. For most of their lives they had been all each other had, and while they had drifted apart and both built new families, he'd lost his while hers was glaring angrily at him.

As much as it hurt to be reminded of his sins, it at least warmed him to know that Scarlett had a whole family of people around her who had her back. Once upon a time, he'd had that, too, until it had all been ripped away from him and he'd become the man he was today.

Suddenly, much too weary, Zander held out a hand to Lucy. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

Again another truth. Every time he spoke something true rather than the web of lies his life had become, he felt a tiny sliver of his soul and his self-respect return. There was no way he could ever be a man who was worthy of his sister's love, but maybe one day he could earn her forgiveness.

Maybe.

But more than likely not.

"Where are we going?" Lucy asked. Her hesitation in taking his offered hand spoke volumes. She had no idea if he could be trusted, and as much as he'd love to be able to reassure her that he wasn't a threat to her, he couldn't.

Because he was.

"Away from the plane so when whoever made sure we crashed comes looking for the wreckage, they won't find us in it."

"I guess it was the mole at Prey who must have sabotaged the plane." Lucy was still staring at his hand as though a tarantula was sitting in his palm, and it was more than obvious she wasn't positive that he wasn't the mole.

A crime he wasn't guilty of although he was guilty of committing many sins.

"Maybe we should split up," she suggested somewhat hesitantly. "That way if we do get found they don't get both of us."

Her comment felt like a test, one he was sure he was going to fail because there was absolutely no way he was letting this woman out of his sight. "We stick together," he told her.

"But if they?—"

"We stay together," he repeated, this time in the cold, hard voice he had perfected. The one that said argue at your own peril.

Lucy's already pale face faded another couple of notches, fear turning it a sickly shade of gray, and a fine tremor rippled through her. As much as he hated scaring her, reminding her of their size differences, and how defying him wouldn't go well for her, Zander straightened to his full height and stared down at her with expressionless eyes. A look he knew could make grown men cower let alone tiny women who were injured and scared.

"Let's go," he ordered, this time not giving her a choice and taking her hand. Since he wasn't a complete monster, his grip was gentle and he eased her to her feet slowly, knowing with the head injury she was going to be dizzy. Ready to catch her if she fell, he kept hold of her once she was upright.

Out of necessity, Lucy's fingers tightened around his, clinging to him with her eyes scrunched closed as she took in several deep breaths. As much as he wanted there to be something he could say or do to make this situation better for her, there was nothing he could do to change their circumstances. So, to that end, he said nothing. Just held her hand, his thumb brushing absently across the inside of her wrist.

It wasn't until Lucy's eyes opened, widening slightly, and dipped to their joined hands that he realized he was doing it.

What was he thinking?

He had no business comforting this woman.

None at all.

Knowing he should stop, withdraw his hand, and keep things as distant between them as possible didn't seem to help. For some reason, he couldn't seem to stop. There were so many things he wished he could explain, so many questions he wished he could ask, but in the end none of it would change a thing.

Abruptly, he released his hold on Lucy's hand before he did something stupid like pull her flush against him and kiss her until they both forgot everything else, including their own names. It was tempting, the kiss would be phenomenal, Zander already knew that. This woman was so smart, logical, and practical on the outside, but he was positive that if you could get her to lose control, she would be all fiery passion on the inside.

With her wild blonde mane of silky locks and those huge, long-lashed baby blues, the kind of eyes you could drown in, he didn't have to guess to know that Lucy would be amazing in bed. Once she let her inner goddess out there would be no stopping her. She'd be tight, and hot, and wet, and a breathy moan would tumble through those plump lips as her head tipped back in pleasure.

Picturing what Lucy would be like in bed was a dangerous game, and one he better stop playing before he wound up making an already bad situation that much worse.

Without a word, he climbed through the mangled side of the plane, jumping the three feet down to the jungle floor, then turned to help Lucy down. While she didn't pull away from him, resisting his help, her body was stiff as his hands grasped her hips and he lifted her down.

When he started walking, Lucy followed. Whether he could expect her to stay close or not, for now at least, she seemed too weak and tired to try anything, but he couldn't let his guard down. Lucy was smart and resourceful, and he wouldn't put it past her to try something.

The last thing he wanted to do was hurt the woman, but the facts were, he had to get her to his intended destination. There were no other choices or at least none he could consider. So even though he didn't want to, he would do whatever it took to get her there.

Don't make me hurt you, Lucy.

I've caused enough pain.

Been responsible for enough deaths.

I don't need anything else on my conscience.