A Paradox of Fates
Page 8
“Is that so?” she asked, arching a brow. He looked quite uncomfortable, and she realized that suited her just fine. He’d shown up unannounced and thrown her world into chaos. Finally, he was a bit off-balance. Good.
“The truth is, you’ve got every right to be serious and wary, but you also want the best for your family, which I’m assuming is what you consider everyone who lives here. I admire your loyalty to them.”
Well, crap. The man was actually offering her a genuine apology. The petulant side of her wanted to remain detached and aloof toward him due to the fact he’d secretly met with her father and essentially seized military control of her home. But the compassionate part was deeply moved by the loss of his wife and his commitment to help Lainey accomplish her goal. Deciding to choose compassion, she gave him a slight nod.
“Apology accepted,” she murmured. Turning her gaze toward the area where Sara and Luke were dancing along with a few others, she felt his presence at her side. He seemed comfortable with silence, which was welcome, as she often thrived in it as well.
“So, does this mean we’re friends?” he asked. Lainey could sense the amusement in his tone.
Latching onto his gray eyes, she gave him a lighthearted glare. “Not yet. It’s still Elaine to you, Captain Rhodes.”
“Ouch,” he said, chuckling as he stole a sip from his mug. “I’ll keep working on it.”
Lainey couldn’t stop her resulting laugh. “You do that.”
She resumed staring at everyone who’d gathered, now a mashed-up amalgamation of soldiers and scientists, rebels and survivors. “It’s so nice to see everyone living, even if it’s only for tonight.”
Hunter nodded, thoughtful and serene.
They stood there, side by side, enjoying their drinks and mutual solitude. It was rare for her to be so relaxed in the presence of someone she didn’t know, but she chalked it up to the hint of wine that now thrummed through her veins.
Eventually, Marie skipped up to them, her imperfect smile threatening to blind them with its joy. “Your men are such good boys, Hunter,” she said, setting the large pot on the ground and rising to pat his cheek affectionately. “They remind me of my sweet George.”
“George was Marie’s son,” Lainey said. “Sadly, he passed away while he was fighting with the Old Rebellion.”
“I’m so sorry, Maire,” Hunter said, his features drawing together. “What isle did he serve on? It’s possible I knew him.”
“His father was British, so he joined the Old Rebellion on the European Isle. Gave me a hug so deep before he hopped on the ship to cross the ocean, I knew in my bones it would be our last. My dear boy died protecting freedom and goodness. I’ll always be so proud.”
“As you should be,” Hunter said. “I only served on the American Isles, so we most likely didn’t meet. You raised a brave man to fight for the cause.”
“I sure did,” she said with an affirmative nod. “I see his face in each one of your boys. I’ve promised them all, Sara and I will sew all their tattered clothing back together by the end of next week. You can’t have your men running around in rags, Hunter. You should know this.” She wagged her finger at him while fisting her other hand on her hip above her flowing ankle-length skirt. Lainey always imagined Marie was the late twenty-first-century embodiment of a hippie if there ever was one. With her long white braid and the flowing skirts and moo moos she wore, along with her occasional headbands, she would’ve fit right in at Woodstock. Lainey’s mother was a fan of classic rock and had educated her about the music festival at length.
“Now, tell me, young man,” she continued, scowling up at Hunter, “you’ve had several minutes to ask this beautiful young woman to dance. She even put on makeup tonight, which is something less probable than the moon sprouting wings and flying away. Are you going to squander this opportunity? I pegged you to be smarter than that.”
Lainey’s face enflamed with a thousand sparks of heat, and she wanted to melt into the ground. Marie was always meddling, and although it was well-intentioned, it was also highly annoying at times.
“Marie,” Lainey said, vowing to keep her voice calm and free of the extreme embarrassment she was suddenly experiencing. “I’m not in the mood to dance. Captain Rhodes has been in the field all day, and I’m sure he’s exhausted.”
“Actually,” Hunter said, smiling down at Marie, “I haven’t danced in a long time. I’ve already pissed Dr. Randolph off several times”—he spared Lainey a sheepish glance—“and don’t want to fan the flames by stepping on her feet.”
“Oh, nonsense,” Marie replied, waving her hand through the air. “Lainey doesn’t mind refreshing your memory. She’s actually a wonderful dancer. Isn’t that right, Lainey?” The woman grinned up at her expectantly, and Lainey wondered if attempted murder was still a crime since the desire to strangle the woman was high on her list at the moment.
“Of course, I don’t mind,” she said through gritted teeth, “but as I said, Captain Rhodes is tired. I don’t want to tax him any further.”
“Wow, she must be some dancer,” he said to Marie from behind his hand, which he’d lifted to his cheek to feign the appearance of speaking secretly to her. “How much energy does she expend while dancing?”
“Oh, for god’s sake,” Lainey said, giving them both an exasperated glare. “Fine, come on then.” Setting her now-empty glass on the ground, she encircled Hunter’s wrist and pulled him toward where the others were dancing.
“Have fun!” Marie said, waving to them with laughter in her eyes. Looking over her shoulder, Lainey gave her a death glare, causing the woman to emit several more lingering cackles.
When they approached the stump near the rear of the hub where everyone was dancing, Hunter slid his palm to hers and grabbed her hand. Pulling her toward the showers, he said, “At least let me set my drink down. I know you’re anxious to dance with me, but give me a sec.”
Lainey snatched her hand from his grip, furious Marie had maneuvered her into this situation. Once he’d set his cup on one of the ledges near the outdoor showers, he sauntered toward her, lips curved in an ultra-sexy smile. She noticed he’d changed into jeans and a black t-shirt and now sported sneakers instead of army boots.
Determined to appear unfazed, she let him slide his arm around her waist and fit his hand in hers. Resting her free hand atop his shoulder, she felt him begin to sway.
“Wow, you’re pissed. Is Marie always this good at manipulating people? I might need to recruit her for witness interrogation.”
Lainey breathed an unexpected laugh. “She’d be an asset, for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as tough as Marie.”
Willing her body to relax, she moved in tandem with his strong frame. “You’re not a bad dancer,” she said.
“That doesn’t mean I’m good either.” The whites of his teeth flashed in the moonlight, and Lainey begrudgingly admitted he was extremely attractive. “You’re passable.”
She squelched the urge to roll her eyes at his teasing. “Thanks,” she muttered.
“How’s it going with the Sphere?” he asked.
Inhaling deeply, she shook her head. “Not great. I swear, Zach and I have calculated every possible equation to make it work. At this point, I’m beginning to lose hope.”
“You can’t,” he said, the tone of his voice so sure, so encouraging. “There’s something happening here, Elaine. I feel it.”
The words combined with the musky scent of his skin, sandalwood and cedar, sent a jolt of arousal through her veins. As the wine pulsed through her blood, and she swayed with his warm body, the words didn’t compute inside her brain.
“Feel what?” she asked.
“That you’re going to get the hunk of junk to work,” he said, giving her a reassuring grin. “Kara said I was born with a sixth sense. She believed in psychics and horoscopes and all that jazz. Not sure if it’s true, but I do listen to my gut, and it’s kept me alive this long. Now it’s telling me, you’re goin
g to whip that contraption’s ass in gear.”
Nothing to douse your arousal like the mention of a man’s long-dead beloved wife, Lainey thought. Instantly feeling like an idiot, she cleared her throat.
“That’s a nice story. I hope it’s true.”
“It is,” he said, squeezing her hand as they danced.
Lainey bore into him, unable to look away. The orbs of gray gave way to tiny flecks of silver and black. They seemed…endless. Would he look at her that deeply if they made love? Would she get lost in the depths of his eyes and become unable to cling to the practicality that kept peace in her measured life? Worried at the turn of her thoughts, she abruptly stopped moving.
“Elaine?” he asked.
“I, um…” Glancing around, she withdrew from him, needing to separate her body from the heat of his. “I need more wine. Thanks for the dance.” Uncaring that she probably looked like a stupid teenager with an unrequited crush, she fled to her chamber inside the hub, needing a break from the revelry. It seemed everyone on the compound was able to let go and live a little. Everyone but her.
Clutching the sink in her small bathroom, she gazed at her reflection and remembered another time when she’d danced with a man under the glistening moon…
“How much longer do we have?” a low-toned voice chimed into the shell of her ear. “It must be midnight by now.”
Lainey glanced at the watch on her wrist before placing her hand back around Dalton’s waist. “One more minute until I turn twenty-six. I feel so old.”
Chuckling, he pulled her closer. “You’re such a baby. Now that I’m twenty-eight, I have a whole new perspective on life.”
Lainey rolled her eyes at his romanticism. She was definitely the practical, cynical one between them. “And what is that?”
“You and I will get married and have babies while I change the New Establishment from within. They’ll never suspect I’m a spy for the Old Rebellion. I’ll assume power, and they’ll become peaceful, and we’ll live happily ever after.”
She stiffened in his embrace. “You know I don’t want those things, Dalton,” she said, her tone gentle to ease the sting of her words. “I don’t want marriage or children. I have other priorities and want to make other choices. Besides, love is just a chemical reaction our brain misconstrues as something more.”
He pulled back, eyes narrowed as they glimmered in the shallow light. “You only say that because I haven’t convinced you yet. One day, I will. Every woman wants to get married and have babies.”
Lainey felt her brows draw together at the misogynistic statement. “Is that what you honestly think?”
“What else could a woman want in this world? They need to be taken care of by a strong man and no one is stronger than me. You and I will have gorgeous children and you’ll look so striking on my arm as my wife.”
“Those are your choices, not mine.”
“Those choices were made for you when you were born. All women are put here to bear children and build a home with their husband.”
Stepping from his embrace, she lifted her hands in a slight shrug. “Not this woman. I’ve been honest with you from the beginning, Dalton. You don’t really know me—my fears and dreams. I enjoy our time together so much, and making love to you is physically pleasurable, but I have one purpose on this Earth, and it’s all I care about.”
“To take care of your dying father,” he murmured.
“Yes,” she said, never indicating she was lying to him and had a much more important aspiration. He could never know her secret, but for once in her stark life, she’d wanted something for herself. Something that was hers. Dalton had showered her with affection and praise and taught her the intricacies of making love. Now, she realized how selfish she’d been. Not only had her actions put her life’s work—her life’s purpose—in jeopardy, but she’d entered a romantic relationship knowing she had neither the inclination nor desire to truly love him back. She’d only ever loved science and her parents, and her only goal was to solve time travel.
Extending her hand, she flinched when he batted it away. “Dalton—”
“What the hell have we been doing here if this means nothing to you, Lainey?”
“I didn’t say it meant nothing. You’ll always mean so much to me.”
“Bullshit!” he spat, causing alarm to tingle up her spine. She’d never seen him this angry, and it was frightening. “I thought this was real. What do you mean, I know nothing about you? What are you hiding from me?”
Terror choked her as her heart pounded in her chest. The last thing she needed was a soldier sniffing around. As far as Dalton knew, she was a young woman who lived on the outskirts of Terrum with her sick father and mother. It would be disastrous if he discovered her true identity. Her efforts to solve time travel must remain hidden from everyone on the planet, lest it fall into the wrong hands.
“Nothing,” she said, determined not to telegraph any of her inner turmoil. “It was rash and I didn’t mean it. I’ve told you everything about my boring life.”
Green eyes glared at her, filled with disbelief. “We’ll see. Don’t forget, I’m a spy, Lainey. If you’re hiding something from me, I’ll find out.” Glancing at the moon, he noted its position in the sky. Lowering his gaze to hers, he said, “It’s midnight by now. Happy Birthday. I find I’ve lost my appetite for celebrating, since we obviously were only meant to have a clandestine affair and move on. I’d give you my best wishes that your dreams come true, but perhaps a cynic like you doesn’t have any. Goodbye.”
He turned to leave, and she reached for him, wanting to comfort him—but before she touched his broad back, her hand fell to her side. The smartest option was to let him leave. It was a natural break in their relationship. An organic end. Her practical brain knew that.
Once he’d ambled out of sight, she began her own trek home, riding the bike her parents had given her for her sixteenth birthday a decade ago, procured by Lewis during one of his trips to Solera. Would she live another decade without achieving her goal? She didn’t know, but Lainey knew one thing for sure: Extricating Dalton from her life would rid it of distraction. Terminating their relationship was for the best. She’d also seen a dark side to her lover tonight and it frightened her. There was no place in her sphere for a man with Dalton’s views of world domination and misogyny.
She’d been bred to save the planet, not bred to have dreams or romantic love. Her scientific mind would never understand those concepts. She wouldn’t begrudge herself for the affair—after all, she’d been quite curious about sex and it had been…well, it had been fine. Not earth-shattering, but what she’d expected. Now she’d experienced a relationship and sex, she could resume her life’s work.
When she eventually reached the hub, she snuck inside, understanding her father would be furious if he knew of her clandestine rendezvous. He was insistent that every ounce of her time and energy be spent on the Sphere. And it would be, from now on. Lainey had completed her experiment, proving she was incapable of romantic love and furthering what she already knew to be true.
Lainey’s purpose was to prevent the past, and it was time she resumed acting like it.
Lainey stared at the porcelain of the sink as the memories washed over her. They seemed like a lifetime ago yet remained so vibrant. Dalton had taught her an important lesson: She couldn’t focus on anything but solving time travel. Passion and arousal were base instincts she recognized but brushed off as insignificant. Yes, her reaction to Hunter was visceral, but that was her animal brain responding to chemicals. It might feel nice in the moment, but it in no way meant she had the capacity to understand love, much less the desire for romantic love. What a folly and incredible waste of time.
No, she had something so much more important to accomplish, her attraction to the handsome captain be damned.
* * * *
Hunter scowled as Cyrus came to stand beside him, the mug of whatever concoction he was drinking dwarfed in his large hand.
“We got roped into it by Marie,” Hunter said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “Man, that woman’s something else. Where did you find her?”
The corner of Cyrus’ lips twitched. “She’s an old friend of Lewis’ from back in the day. Been a staple of this place ever since I showed up.”
“She would’ve made some soldier.”
“Indeed.” Cyrus took a drink and sighed. “Lainey’s a brilliant scientist, but she’s been sheltered here. She took a chance on a romantic entanglement once, and it almost cost her everything. You’re both adults, and it probably isn’t my place, but I need to make one thing clear.” Training his gaze on Hunter, he said, “If you hurt her, even a little bit, I’ll break your fucking neck.”
Hunter expelled a breath through puffed cheeks. “That’s pretty clear, bro.”
“Good,” Cyrus said, scowling as he resumed staring straight ahead.
“Becoming romantically entangled with anyone isn’t a priority of mine, just so we’re clear,” Hunter said. “My goals are to destroy the New Establishment bastards, restore freedom, and help Elaine go back in time to prevent the apocalypse. That leaves me with a pretty full plate.”
“Understood. But even the best of intentions can be broken.”
Hunter mulled that sentiment, remembering the feel of Lainey’s soft body as he’d held her. His hand had rested on her hip, smooth and warm beneath his palm. He’d be a liar if he claimed he hadn’t imagined running that palm over her navel and then trailing it down to cup the hidden place situated between her supple thighs…
Shaking his head to rid it of the image, Hunter thought of the abstinence he’d experienced since losing Kara. It was self-induced, since he had no desire to sleep with anyone else. There were other priorities to focus on, of much greater scale.
Liar. The word flitted through his head, imparting a truth his conscience wouldn’t admit to. He was extremely attracted to Lainey.