The Unwanted

think. Come on…I want to do a walk-through and finish up so I can go get a nap.”

She wasn’t telling him everything.

Hell, screw everything. She wasn’t telling him anything. Once they’d come into the library, things had started to change. He’d seen it as clearly as he could see the color of her eyes, the few freckles that dotted her nose, the way her breasts pressed against the simple white shirt she wore as she took a deep breath.

She’d gone from cool and prepared to icy and terrified in a matter of seconds. The fear coming off her had no longer been external. He’d felt the change in that easy enough. He knew Destin, knew the feel of her in his sleep, knew the feel of her in his bones. He knew what made her happy, what turned her on, what made her sigh and what made her laugh. He knew her fears.

And the fear coming off of her hadn’t been hers.

Then they’d pushed through the doors of the library.

To Caleb, it had felt peaceful. Cool, calm and quiet. The turmoil he’d sensed outside had faded away and he’d hoped maybe she’d find some peace in here.

But as his tension had faded, hers had mounted.

Then it spiked, going from tension into outright terror.

“She went this way,” Destin murmured, drawing him out of his thoughts. He trailed along behind her, watching as she made her way to one of the long counters. The woman behind it glanced at Destin, then at him, with curious eyes. Destin shifted direction and ambled away and he stayed on her tail, giving the woman behind the counter an absent smile.

“That was the woman she spoke with, the one behind the desk,” Destin said quietly. “I felt it. Every time the door opens, part of her worries now. I felt that jolt from her. She started taking self-defense classes. Carries mace. And it’s not enough because she reacts. Doesn’t act.”

“Better than to live in denial and pretend like it can’t happen.” He stroked a hand down her back, resting it low on her spine as she neared one of the study areas. “Is there anything here?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Nothing I can use, anyway.”

“Then let’s go. You need to rest.”

Destin gave one last, long look around the library, her gaze lingering on the girl sitting behind the counter. The younger woman sat with her head bowed, focused on a book in front of her, oblivious to her.

“Do you want to talk to her?” he asked quietly.

Moments of silence ticked away and then finally, Destin sighed and shook her head. “No.”

Caleb wasn’t surprised when she fell asleep in the car.

Luck was with him and he found a space close to the door. She was still sound asleep when he opened her door and crouched beside her. Lifting a hand, he cradled her cheek, stroking a thumb down the pale line of her scar. “Destin.”

She made a rough grumble low in her throat and rubbed her cheek against his hand, but other than that, showed no sign of waking up. “Fuck.” He shoved his fingers through his hair and stared at the pavement for a long moment. He could be an ass and wake her up. He knew how badly she needed the rest. Could feel the push of her exhaustion inside her even now.

Or he could do the nice thing and carry her inside her. Nice thing…which would involve holding that sleek, soft body against his once more. Blowing out a harsh breath, he reached over and undid the seat belt. Before he slid her out of the passenger seat, he made sure he’d locked the car, got each of their bags and slung the straps over his shoulder, made sure he had the keycard ready. When he couldn’t procrastinate any longer, he set his jaw. Just do it.

She settled in his arms like she’d never left, her head tucking against his shoulder. She turned her face into his chest and made another one of those grumbling sounds, then she took a deep breath and sighed. It was as though all the tension faded away and even through the shields he was fighting hard to maintain, he could feel her pleasure.

Felt something echo through her…a bone-deep recognition. Welcome. Like she’d been missing him, waiting for him, the same way he’d been missing her, the same way he’d been waiting.

A soft murmur escaped her as she settled against him and although it was just a breath of a sound, he heard it clear as day. “Caleb…”

That soft, husky murmur left his knees weak and he wanted to just go to the ground and cradle her. Right there. Cradle her against him, make her all the promises he’d needed to give her years ago…but those promises would have broken the both of them then.

Could they do it now? Could they make it work this time?

He just didn’t know.

There were so many things unsaid between them, so many things undone and unknown. His heart tripped against his ribs, reminding him of yet another secret that lay between them, things he’d have to explain to her, things he’d have to make her understand before they’d ever have a chance.

But if he’d thought it was sheer hell to leave her then, it was nothing compared to the pain that was waiting if he had to walk away from her a second time.

Once they were inside their room, he carried her into the bedroom she’d chosen and laid her on the bed. Taking a minute to go dump the bags on the couch, he went back into the bedroom and stopped dead in the door.

She’d already curled up into a tight, small ball in the middle of the bed, arms wrapped around her knees, like she was trying to hide. His heart twisted and he dragged a hand down his face, tried to think past the misery inside him.

A soft moan escaped her, low and raw, like it had come from her very soul. And although the very last thing he needed to do was touch her—for both of their sakes—he couldn’t stay away. He stripped off the jacket he’d pulled on to cover his weapon and tossed it on the foot of the bed. Sitting on the side of the mattress, he rested a hand on her hip and used the other to free the side holster he wore. The moment he touched her, some of the tension gripping her eased. Once he’d laid the weapon down, he stretched out on the bed but as he rolled to curve his body around her, Destin moved. She came at him like a desperate, drowning woman, one arm wrapping around his waist, clinging to him like he was the only thing in the world that could save her.

But he’d been the one to walk away from her.

His heart broke a little more.

He didn’t need to ask, didn’t need to think about it to know she still suffered like this on a regular basis.

The agents who hadn’t known Destin had seen a shallow woman. One who loved pretty clothes, pretty jewelry and loved to tease and laugh, one who used her gift in an almost nonchalant fashion…careless with it. A woman who had a gift that should have been a terrible burden…and it was. She didn’t let them see the burden she carried, though. She pretended like the weight was nothing. Like her troubles were nothing.

They all believed it.

They’d never seen the woman she truly was.

But Caleb had seen beneath that bright and laughing exterior she wore as a shield, hiding the brittle, broken warrior she truly was.

Everything she saw now stayed with her….stayed with her, and tormented her. Ghosts of the present, ghosts of the past, they tangled inside her as she tried to sleep and threatened to drive her mad.

But Destin had never been able to see the truth that Caleb had seen so long ago.

Some of the nightmares weren’t from other people.

There had been a time when Destin had been the victim.

And right now, that was the devil she fought in her dreams.

He pressed his lips to hers. “I’d kill him for you if I could, baby.”

She sobbed quietly.

But other than that, she made no sound.