If abandoned, it would be a toss-up what killed her first. Starvation or the insanity caused by being left in the dark, locked up with no hope. It would be pure hell either way. She’d have water, thanks to the hose they’d dragged to the side of the cage to let her wash her hands and face. Of course they could take that away too if they decided to just abandon her when they left.

Hot tears seeped out and she muffled a sob. She was afraid and hated it. The fact that Brawn was acting so distant made it worse. He was being a shitty teammate.

“Becca?” A firm hand gripped her hip.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not. Look at me.”

“No.” She sniffed. “I’m just being emotional. I’m okay. Go eat.”

He softly growled and forced her to roll onto her back. She opened her eyes, had to blink a few times to see him through her tears and he leaned over her until his nose nearly brushed hers.

“What is wrong? Are you hurting? Still hungry? You should eat more.”

“I’m scared,” she admitted, whispering. “They should have found us by now and they haven’t. I don’t think they are going to.”

Shock didn’t register on his face and it sank in that he might have already considered that possibility. It just made the horrible possibility more real and fresh tears spilled out.

“I’m going to die here and you…” She reached up and cupped his face. “You could fight. You could get away if they weren’t using me to keep you in line, couldn’t you?”

Anger sparked in his eyes. “I won’t do anything to put you in danger.”

She rubbed his cheek. “We have to be realistic. I’m a military brat. Sometimes you have to sacrifice one life to save the rest. You have a real chance of escape if you take them by surprise. The next time they come for us, act like you’re not going to fight and take those fuckers down. Get out of here. You could save yourself and maybe those other New Species. It will take them some time to move your guys, they need to keep them alive for the money they are making, but I’m just a pawn with limited use.”

“Becca,” he snarled.

“It makes sense and my dad would totally get it. Tell him what I said if you get out of here. We’re fucked and we both know it. Do you really want to end up in Europe in some place that could be far worse than this hellhole? They want to use you and those other Species to make babies to sell on the black market. They are planning on kidnapping a primate Species and you have someone who works at Homeland who will set it up the way it happened when you left. You can’t allow that. I’m dead either way, Brawn. They aren’t going to ship me off with you. There’s nothing special about me once my use with you is done here. They’ll drug you, take you away and I’m dead. Period.”

He gripped her arms, his hold nearly bruising. “You are very special and I won’t allow you die just to gain my own freedom or that of those other males.”

“They are your kind, Brawn. Your men. You’ve got to save them. You’re the only one who can do this.”

“I don’t care.” He lowered his face until their noses pressed together and anger sparked in his eyes. “I won’t let you die.”

Fresh tears blinded her as she slid her fingers into his hair. “You’re a stand-up guy and terrific if anyone hasn’t ever told you that but you need to be smart.”

He jerked back and released her. “This conversation has ended.”

He stormed across the cage and gripped the bars, his back to her. Becca sat up, her own anger flared and she stood. Her gaze drifted to the camera, she remembered that she needed to keep her voice very low and marched after him.

“Brawn?” She tapped his shoulder.

He turned his head and glared down at her. “Go to sleep. You are tired and not rational.” He looked away.

“You know I’m right,” she whispered. “It’s fucked up but true nonetheless. Face me, damn it.”

He released the bars and slowly turned. Becca should have been afraid at seeing his rage but she knew she made sense. He had a real chance to escape by taking the goons by surprise the next time they tried to move them from the cell to get more samples from him. She stepped so close their bodies brushed.

“Here’s the plan. The next time they come, offer to hold me again. Pick me up and the second you’re free of the cage, throw my ass at them, attack and run. We’re at least three levels underground.” She swallowed. “It’s the double doors you haven’t seen them walk through. The ones to the left. A warehouse sits above us and that’s where the stairway leads. There are windows high up if the doors leading outside are locked. I didn’t see any bars over the glass. You can leap, right? I heard one of them say that. Break a window, get out and run until you find help.”

He leaned down. “That’s your plan?”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrowed dangerously and his voice came out soft but harsh. “What happens in your plan when I throw you?”

“They will shoot me, I’ll take at least one of them down when I hit him if you throw me hard enough for my weight to knock him on his ass and I swear that I’ll try to blind him or something before I die. I really want to scratch out someone’s eyes at the very least.”

Brawn snarled loudly. The sound startled her and his hands gripped her hips before she could even gasp. Her feet left the floor as he lifted, spun and her back hit the cage doors. He pinned her there with his body pressed tightly to hers, held her face-level to him and bared sharp teeth.

“No,” he rasped.

She gripped his shoulders, trying to ignore the cold, hard press of bars against her back and the way her feet dangled a foot from the floor. “Yes. It’s a good plan and one of us is going to survive this, damn it. I can’t leap up and break a window if that’s the only way out of the warehouse even if you were willing to take bullets to give me time to reach the door before they shot at me. I don’t have the strength you have either and I suck at running. I would probably pass out after jogging up three flights of stairs.” She hated to admit it but it was true. “I’m kind of out of shape if you haven’t noticed.”

“You’re perfect,” he hissed. “Shut up and stop talking.”

Why won’t he listen to me? Frustration rose. She didn’t want to die but he had a real chance of escape. Why couldn’t he see that the rescue team would have arrived if they’d been able to track his signal? They were looking at possible months of captivity, then he’d be shipped off somewhere else farther from the possibly of help finding him and she’d be dead anyway.

“You’re being stupid and stubborn. I’m not perfect but I also don’t want to die by starving to death or being shot like some rabid dog by these assholes. I’d rather go out fighting for a purpose. Now stop being so naїve and man up.” That line worked for her father when he tried to rile his men in training. She hoped it had the same effect with Brawn. “Do the smart thing and stop being so damn sweet,” she hissed.

He threw his head back and roared. Terror gripped Becca in a flash, her jaw dropped open and she realized she’d pushed him too far. His head lowered and his mouth sealed over hers. His tongue thrust between her parted lips and he kissed her.

The shock quickly faded as she realized he wasn’t going to kill her. It was worse. He was going to make her want him and his gift of manipulating her mouth was golden. She kissed him back, her arms wrapped around his neck and she barely noticed when he adjusted his hold from her hips to grip her thighs, which he spread apart. She wrapped them around his hips.

They were moving, the motion barely registered in her mind, too caught up in their dueling tongues. He promised all kinds of hot things with the passion he shared while fucking her with his tongue, making her body respond full force. Her breasts smashed against his solid chest, only the thin material of her nightshirt a barrier, as he walked. His hard shaft couldn’t be missed as it rubbed against her clit with her wrapped so tightly around him.