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Authors: C. J. Miller
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aren’t crawling on me,” Kate said.
In the jungle, it would be near impossible to keep her creature-free. Would she rise to the challenge or have a total meltdown? She had shown courage so far, but he didn’t know her well enough to guess. Exhaustion, uncertainty and fear could break a person.
“Why are you staring at me?” Kate asked, opening one eye.
She had sensed him watching. “I can’t figure you out.”
She smiled. “Then we’re on equal footing because you’re a mystery to me.”
He wasn’t a mystery. Everything he did was for his survival and to protect himself and the people he cared about. Nothing about him was contradictory. “I saw you at Aiden’s memorial service.”
“You did? You didn’t speak to me. I didn’t think you knew who I was,” she said.
“I didn’t realize who you were at the time. I didn’t speak to anyone at the service. I was too angry. My brother was dead.” He had told Aiden to leave Sphere when he’d quit. He had given Aiden a list of reasons to walk away. Connor had begged him to see Sphere for what they were: an agency that did whatever was necessary to accomplish their goals. They worked without a moral code, hidden from the public and without consequences for their actions.
Sphere operated in a legal gray area and, over the years, they had let their motivations and actions slip firmly into a dark, unscrupulous area. They unquestioningly took the assignments that most government agencies wouldn’t—or couldn’t—go near. Too many scandals in the government had led to their very existence.
“I’m sorry you were lied to about your brother. If you were so angry, why did you come to the service? There wasn’t a body,” Kate said.
Connor almost hadn’t attended the service. He’d been aware that their father had been in attendance, but Connor hadn’t spoken to him. If he’d spoken to anyone, he would have lost it. “I thought it would give me closure.” He had thought it would allow him to move on and let go of his hurt and anger. God knew he didn’t need to harbor more rage at life’s inequities than he already did.
“Did you feel better until I showed up on your doorstep?” Kate asked carefully.
He hadn’t felt better. He had only his guilt over his relationship with Aiden and anger for Sphere that had sharpened to a fine point. “No. The grief was almost intolerable.” He blamed Sphere for his brother’s death. They’d put their plan before the lives of their agents. Unforgivable. “Aiden is everything to me.” It had never been clearer until he’d thought he’d lost him. To have another chance to make things right between them was priceless.
“I’m s-s-sorry.”
She sounded genuinely shaken. Why? She had done what no one else in Sphere had. She had cared enough to look for Aiden. Was he giving her too much credit? Connor wanted to believe Kate was looking out for Aiden, that perhaps his brother meant enough to her to put her life on the line. The idea that Sphere was pulling the strings tugged at him and cast distrust over her intentions. What if Sphere was using her to manipulate him? Had they known all along Aiden was alive? Whose side was she on? Anger lit in his blood, hot and fierce. “Kate.” Kate rolled onto her stomach to look at him.
“If you’re lying to me, if you’re using me, if my brother is dead and this is a game, then you will regret the day you met me. You’ll wish you had never heard of Sphere. Do you understand?”
Kate’s mouth fell open and shame immediately swarmed over him. Connor wasn’t accustomed to threatening people. Especially not attractive females who had bright, innocent eyes and tempting, full mouths begging to be kissed. He’d felt he needed to say something to drive home the seriousness of his feelings about a betrayal. He couldn’t openly accept that Aiden was alive based on her words and a picture and let the hope that his brother was alive spring too high. If Kate was wrong, if
In the jungle, it would be near impossible to keep her creature-free. Would she rise to the challenge or have a total meltdown? She had shown courage so far, but he didn’t know her well enough to guess. Exhaustion, uncertainty and fear could break a person.
“Why are you staring at me?” Kate asked, opening one eye.
She had sensed him watching. “I can’t figure you out.”
She smiled. “Then we’re on equal footing because you’re a mystery to me.”
He wasn’t a mystery. Everything he did was for his survival and to protect himself and the people he cared about. Nothing about him was contradictory. “I saw you at Aiden’s memorial service.”
“You did? You didn’t speak to me. I didn’t think you knew who I was,” she said.
“I didn’t realize who you were at the time. I didn’t speak to anyone at the service. I was too angry. My brother was dead.” He had told Aiden to leave Sphere when he’d quit. He had given Aiden a list of reasons to walk away. Connor had begged him to see Sphere for what they were: an agency that did whatever was necessary to accomplish their goals. They worked without a moral code, hidden from the public and without consequences for their actions.
Sphere operated in a legal gray area and, over the years, they had let their motivations and actions slip firmly into a dark, unscrupulous area. They unquestioningly took the assignments that most government agencies wouldn’t—or couldn’t—go near. Too many scandals in the government had led to their very existence.
“I’m sorry you were lied to about your brother. If you were so angry, why did you come to the service? There wasn’t a body,” Kate said.
Connor almost hadn’t attended the service. He’d been aware that their father had been in attendance, but Connor hadn’t spoken to him. If he’d spoken to anyone, he would have lost it. “I thought it would give me closure.” He had thought it would allow him to move on and let go of his hurt and anger. God knew he didn’t need to harbor more rage at life’s inequities than he already did.
“Did you feel better until I showed up on your doorstep?” Kate asked carefully.
He hadn’t felt better. He had only his guilt over his relationship with Aiden and anger for Sphere that had sharpened to a fine point. “No. The grief was almost intolerable.” He blamed Sphere for his brother’s death. They’d put their plan before the lives of their agents. Unforgivable. “Aiden is everything to me.” It had never been clearer until he’d thought he’d lost him. To have another chance to make things right between them was priceless.
“I’m s-s-sorry.”
She sounded genuinely shaken. Why? She had done what no one else in Sphere had. She had cared enough to look for Aiden. Was he giving her too much credit? Connor wanted to believe Kate was looking out for Aiden, that perhaps his brother meant enough to her to put her life on the line. The idea that Sphere was pulling the strings tugged at him and cast distrust over her intentions. What if Sphere was using her to manipulate him? Had they known all along Aiden was alive? Whose side was she on? Anger lit in his blood, hot and fierce. “Kate.” Kate rolled onto her stomach to look at him.
“If you’re lying to me, if you’re using me, if my brother is dead and this is a game, then you will regret the day you met me. You’ll wish you had never heard of Sphere. Do you understand?”
Kate’s mouth fell open and shame immediately swarmed over him. Connor wasn’t accustomed to threatening people. Especially not attractive females who had bright, innocent eyes and tempting, full mouths begging to be kissed. He’d felt he needed to say something to drive home the seriousness of his feelings about a betrayal. He couldn’t openly accept that Aiden was alive based on her words and a picture and let the hope that his brother was alive spring too high. If Kate was wrong, if
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