by Rose Francis
“I want you to swell with my child, Serena. I want to see you grow with my baby inside of you. I want you to give this to me.”
“But why me? Why now? This is so crazy...”
“I don’t know why, but I know that’s what my body’s been going for. Especially considering the last few times...I couldn’t stop myself. You’re probably pregnant now.”
He almost didn’t see the slight transformation in her face as he surprised himself again—his heart soaring in a way he didn’t think it capable of.
What was this? Why did his pounding organ feel like it would lift right out of his chest in joy at the thought of her right now, carrying his seed?
He closed his eyes and took in a breath to try to ground himself.
Then he caressed her cheek, brushing it with his thumb.
He wanted to say so much to her, but he had no words for what was going through him.
He kissed her forehead instead.
Thoughts kept assaulting him but he continued to push them away, wanting to focus on soothing her. The only thought that succeeded in getting through was the one whispering that he never wanted to see her cry again.
CHAPTER TEN: SURRENDER
Serena realized as Steven kissed her tears away that she was broken.
For all the times she had patted herself on the back for keeping her heart safe in dangerous situations, he had finally managed to rip it out of her.
Although she had no defense against his seductions, she’d been able to emotionally resist the effect of being physically disarmed over and over, to push aside the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability that came with being at his mercy once the act was over. She’d been able to fight him off all the time he’d been abusing his power to seduce her.
But the tenderness he now showed finally did her in.
He whispered soothing words, all the while touching her, handling her as if he loved her. Every soft kiss he planted, every gentle caress he made felt like what she felt for him, and the mere possibility of him feeling the same way made a dam burst inside of her, and there was no going back.
She didn’t want him to know it, but she wasn’t sure she could hide it from him now.
Would he see it in her eyes? See the difference between the day he told her to come with him to safety, and today, after making her come with him in ecstasy, over and over?
She knew her desire for him was the culprit.
The fear she had begun to feel at that first look of longing from him was because of how much she realized she wanted him back. Completely.
Had she not been attracted to him in return, her anger and disgust would have kept her safe when he came for her and tried to seduce her. And if he had succeeded despite her initially not wanting him back, her desire for revenge would have kept her going as she waited for the opportunity to make him pay for tricking her body into giving up the goods to him despite her heart not being in it.
But since she was thirsty for everything he was giving her—every which way, as rough or easy, and as many times as he wanted to give it—she was helpless, and surrendering to him completely had only been a matter of time.
Even now as he made love to her again, part of her satisfaction came from relief—the relief of finally having him without having to worry about loyalty or duty. The relief of satiating a too-long suppressed need.
“Give it to me,” she heard him say suddenly, as he continued plunging himself into her. “Give me your heart.”
Serena felt her heart lifting to his request.
She wanted to say ‘no,’ but her throat choked back the lie.
She closed her eyes tightly as if that would help her resist him.
“Why?” she managed to whisper.
“I want you to stay with me,” he said softly, his voice sounding squeezed. Then it lowered to a barely audible whisper: “I love you.”
The words made her open her eyes, and when she saw him lean toward her for a kiss, she let him, her heart firmly in the palm of his hand.
* * *
It was time.
Steven knew he would never be ready to let Serena go, but he had taken too many risks. The longer she was out there with him, the higher the chances he’d slip up and lose her forever, one way or another.
He could risk it no longer.
He finally felt to some degree satiated, but he knew she’d haunt him—the sight, smell, and taste of her—from then on. She’d gotten under his skin long ago, and she had gone on to burrow into his heart.
He loved her, and had to do everything in his power to save her—which meant he had to finally turn the APC back around and head in the right direction.
In less than four hours she’d be out of his grasp, and the pain of the realization rocked him to the core.
He’d have to go back out into the world and continue fighting for his country, all while fighting off thoughts of her—distracting thoughts that would no doubt jeopardize his safety. One split second of daydreaming, of indulging in a beautiful memory could end his life, and he now looked forward to other possibilities life could hold with a fervor he hadn’t felt since graduating high school.
A life with Serena—that’s what he wanted more than anything, and all the kids that came with it.
All this time he’d figured he would find a way to get over her once they went their separate ways as he’d had to do with pretty much every relationship throughout his life, but when she finally let him kiss her, an explosion went off inside of him—and her—as the feel of her supple lips and warm, inviting mouth and probing tongue overwhelmed him.
The thing he had been gunning for she gave to him, willingly, happily, deliciously.
And all he wanted was more.
He didn’t think it was possible to desire her more than he had, but every time he thought his desire for her had reached its peak, it tripled, and he tried to find a new way to claim her. He felt a need for her almost like oxygen, and he wondered if he was past relief.
Would he ever get enough of Serena Moss?
She had never taken his best friend’s last name, but maybe someday she’d take his.
* * *
Serena squinted at the bright lights suddenly assaulting her, and couldn’t tell who had grabbed her out of the back of the APC. Armed bodies surrounded her and the vehicle, and she couldn’t make out any faces, the light almost blinding her.
She was rushed along and tried to find Steven’s body among the silhouettes of others.
Surely he was right behind her or somewhere close by?
As the terrain shifted and she realized she was now inside a building of sorts, the lights changed and her eyes slowly adjusted to them.
But the flurry of bodies still made it hard to see—some with surgical masks, others in military gear.
She still saw no sign of Steven and her heartbeat quickened further.
As she was whisked off for what she assumed was a routine check, she remembered Steven’s desire to impregnate her, and wondered if the doctors would be able to tell if he had succeeded.
Her hand instinctively went to her stomach.
“Do you know this survivor, Steve?” she heard a female voice say. “Is she anything to you?”
Serena’s heart raced and she whipped her head around to visually locate him and saw him standing casually by the open doorway, his eyes intently on her.
His mouth held a slight smile.
She felt a rush of emotion pass through her at the sight of him, and wanted nothing more than to embrace him, but she knew she had to stay in place while the doctors did their work.
“That’s my woman,” he said, heading toward her, and Serena saw several eyebrows in the room raise. “And she’s everything to me. So you guys better take care of her while I’m gone—I’m coming back for her.” He paused a foot away from her. “You hear that, Serena?” Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“Give us a second, Em,” he said to the main person who had been checking her
out.
‘Em’ stood a few feet back, and was barely out of the way before Steven was kissing her hungrily, as if he had no shame, no care in the world, wasn’t aware of all the pairs of eyes now staring at them.
Serena accepted his mouth on hers greedily.
When he pulled away, he said: “I will do everything in my power to come back to you.”
A wave of deja vu hit Serena, and fear rocked her.
“Do you really have to go?” she asked, holding on to his hands.
“You know I have to—I’m one of few who can safely take them down while combing for survivors, and I already told you why.”
Serena hung her head, still not wanting to accept it. Stop being selfish, she told herself. Think of all those people out there who...
“There’s something else I guess you should know before I head back out there,” he said, and the look in his eye had changed.
Serena’s heart felt like it had stopped.
“I’m no longer a carrier,” he began, “not since the first and only ten minutes of being infected.” Then his voice lowered to a whisper as he brought his mouth to her ear: “I am Patient Zero,” he said, then backed away to let Em continue her work.
Serena knew her mouth was hanging open.
How dare he leave her like that? What did he mean? She had so many questions!
As she started working her mouth to ask them, a brawny, dark-headed guy in military gear said:
“Steve, let’s go,” and before she knew it, Steven had been whisked away to who knew where.
But before he disappeared from her sight, she caught a look on his face—a look of such love and anguish before his face melted into a brilliant, reassuring smile, that she knew in her gut it wasn’t an ending for them at all—it was merely the beginning.
END OF PART ONE
*If you would like to find out more about Steven and Serena’s story, check out the EXPANDED EDITION here! :) It includes a prologue, additional scenes, and a whole new section (part two, plus an epilogue).*
*Be the first to know about new releases or giveaways etc. by signing up for Rose’s newsletter here. A newsletter will be sent once a month or less, and in each one, the author will reveal a secret about herself.*
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rose Francis likes reading—and writing—psychological fiction, particularly stories addressing difficult topics.
She has been writing from a very early age and is thrilled to have a platform that allows her to bring her tales to the public.
Trapped is the first in her Bite-Sized Romance series, a series of un-related sci-fi novellas.
CONTACT
Check out Rose’s website, e-mail her, and/or interact with her on Facebook or Goodreads.
OTHER WORK
Francis has also authored two books in her Dangerous Secrets series, a novella in her Sweet Redemption series, a sci-fi novelette under Bite-Sized Romance, as well as two novellas in her Holiday Hunks series. More about them below (or simply visit her ARe page for more).
About A TANGLED WEB:
Kimberly Jordan never meant to hurt anyone.
But once a DNA test reveals her longtime boyfriend, Damien, is her half-brother, plus she finds out she’s pregnant, she will go to any length to hide her horrible secret. Unfortunately for Kent Davenport, he’s the perfect fall guy for her plan having recently revealed his love for her. But unfortunately for Kimberly, dirty little secrets always come out.
A Tangled Web is the first book in the Dangerous Secrets series, a series of un-related stories involving New Adult BWWM romances with one other thing in common: one or more of the main characters has a secret so big, it threatens to derail or even destroy their most important relationships, their personal character, or their entire lives. Download here!
About CHRYSALIS:
Chrysalis explores love and forgiveness as the paths of four college students from different worlds—two wealthy, white brothers and a pair of middle-class minority best friends—collide.
It is the second book in the Dangerous Secrets series.
WARNING: Dark themes, heavy subject matter, some profanity, and other things that will make you clutch your pearls. Download here!
About PLAYING WITH FIRE:
Janet Cooper has a small problem: dumping her unfaithful fiancé has turned him into a stalker continually begging for her forgiveness.
She soon realizes her troubles are just beginning, especially since her new coworker, Eric, is an irresistible hunk, and she has promised herself a three-month hiatus from sex since her breakup.
Eric Anderson has a small problem: he has been hired to infiltrate Cooper Investment Inc. via its heir apparent, Janet, but once he sets his eyes on the beauty, it’s no longer just the business he wants to infiltrate.
As Janet’s ex-fiancé gets more and more aggressive in his pursuit of her, she turns to Eric for strength and friendship, sending her ex into jealous rages, and her hormones into overdrive!
Playing with Fire is the first in the Sweet Redemption series. The Sweet Redemption stories are lighter, sexier, more romantic tales of love and personal discoveries. Download here!
*NB: an excerpt from Playing With Fire has been included at the end!*
About LEAP OF FAITH:
Lisa is making her way through college, hanging on to a relationship she no longer wants to be in for the sake of its familiarity.
Daniel is a fellow student—a stranger, and nothing more than a blip on her radar until one day, an odd, sudden ability changes everything, making her consider leaving her possessive boyfriend for him.
A novelette, “Leap of Faith” is a light tale of budding romance with a dash of telepathy, and the second in the sci-fi Bite-Sized Romance series. Download here!
About A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE:
Brenda hasn’t spoken to her half-sister, Rachel, since Rachel stole her boyfriend, and Brenda hasn’t dated since.
Now Rachel and the man Brenda once thought she’d marry herself are expecting a child, and Rachel keeps inviting her over to have dinner with them.
Brenda has already turned down their Thanksgiving invitation, but she doesn’t want to spend Christmas alone, yet she’s not sure she’s gotten over her ex enough to face the two of them as a couple. But then she collides with Alex—a handsome stranger in a coffee shop—and everything changes.
Alex could be the answer to Brenda's dilemma—or will he bring more holiday heartache?
A Christmas Miracle is the first in the Holiday Hunks series. Download here!
About A VALENTINE’S DAY SURPRISE:
When Alicia’s cousin asks her to fill in for her last minute on a babysitting job, she is shamefully available to sub in, so she agrees.
What she doesn’t expect, as she shows up at the client’s door, is a handsome, sad-looking father, and a quiet, but endearing four-year-old.
And she certainly doesn’t expect to want to see them again once the gig is done.
Alicia puts the jarring night out of her mind as best as she can, but her services are unexpectedly called for once more, and she starts suspecting the client wants her for far more than watching his kid!
Mark only wants what’s best for his daughter, and once he realizes she has unexpectedly taken to the new babysitter, he vows to do everything in his power to explore romantic possibilities with the enchanting woman to try to keep his child happy.
Alicia agrees to babysit again, giving him hope, but as the night unfolds, secrets come to light, devastating their budding relationship.
They both find themselves torn between their hearts and familial duty, between past loyalties and new dreams and possibilities.
Suspicion, doubt, and distrust threaten to destroy them, but can the two of them fight through to what’s best for them all?
A Valentine’s Day Surprise is the second in the Holiday Hunks series. Download here!
COMING SOON
THE BILLIONAIRE’S DESIRE SERIES
A THANKSGIVI
NG DILEMMA (HOLIDAY HUNKS)
A NEW YEAR’S PROMISE (HOLIDAY HUNKS)
BOOK TWO IN THE SWEET REDEMPTION SERIES
Visit Rose’s ARe page for more details!
*Keep turning for an excerpt from Playing With Fire!*
EXCERPT FROM PLAYING WITH FIRE
(from Chapter One)
Janet couldn’t believe the image before her as light flooded her apartment, her finger still on the switch.
After a few seconds of shocked silence, she made her mouth move.
“David, what the hell are you doing here? And how did you get in?”
She could barely contain the panic in her voice as she looked into her ex-fiancé’s tanned face.
David looked surprisingly startled by her response, but generally unmoved by the anger she had tried so hard to portray.
“I have a spare remember? Jan, just give me a chance to explain...”
Janet held up her hand, closing her eyes briefly during her emotional recoil for reasons far beyond being called the despised shortened version of her name.
“Look, I don’t want to hear it. Just hand me my key, and get the hell out of here. I mean, which part of ‘I don’t want to see you again’ don’t you understand?”
David let out a breath as he ran his hands through his brown hair, appearing frustrated at last. Then he just looked at her. She stared back firmly, determined to win the stare-down.
He broke eye contact first.
“Fine. I’ll leave,” he said. “But this is not over, Janet, not by a long shot.”
He tossed her the spare key and she caught it, grasping the piece of metal tightly as if he might snatch it back from her.
