Ruthless Game Read Online Free PDF Page B

needed. She’d watched him for weeks before she’d made her decision. If circumstances were different, she knew she would have chosen him anyway, but right then, she was terrified.
    And then he touched her. Exquisitely gentle. There was nothing rough about him when he brushed the hair back from her face. “This is bullshit, Rose. I’ll find a way to get you out of here. We don’t have to do this.”
    Her world changed instantly with those words. It was so unexpected after the brutes Whitney had sent to her. She still had bruises from the last one making his try. The worst thing—and what Kane didn’t know—was that she’d chosen him. She’d watched him from the exercise yard, and she’d seen the differences in him. At that point he didn’t even know she—or the breeding program—existed. She’d drawn him in by making him her choice. The shame would last her entire life. She’d brought him into the horror of her world, and now he had no more choice than she did.
    Rose covered her face and rocked back and forth. She knew he despised himself for getting her pregnant, for being unable to stop Whitney before he touched her, but he had no idea Whitney would never have considered pairing them if she hadn’t chosen him. Kane felt guilty, but she was the guilty party.
    The baby kicked hard, and she automatically rubbed her palms over her swollen belly in a soothing motion. She could barely face him, barely look him in the eye, after what she’d done. She knew about the pheromones, knew once Whitney paired them, Kane would have no choice but to crave her body day in and day out. She’d seen the effect on the other men. They had been willing to kill to get to her. Willing to force her just to have her. She’d done that to Kane, a man with principles and honor.
    She crushed down the memories and forced herself to stand. It had taken so much effort to be able to appear cool and in control, but she didn’t have to waste energy keeping up appearances.
    “You and me, baby,” she whispered. “I’ll keep you safe.”
    She felt very alone and vulnerable, her time too close, and she hadn’t established a safe birthing place. She’d made friends with a couple of women, one she’d been certain could help her give birth, but now the cartel had ruined that. She had to run fast and far, and now Kane had complicated everything—but she owed him. He thought it was the other way around, but she hadn’t been able to bear the idea of one of Whitney’s psycho soldiers touching her. They all made her skin crawl.
    She’d watched Kane, the way he moved, the sound of his voice, the way he treated others. And she’d made that fateful decision. The baby kicked again, this time a little harder, breaking into her thoughts, and she found a small smile on her face as she rubbed her tummy again.
    “You don’t like it when I’m upset, do you?” she asked softly. “I’m upset on your daddy’s behalf. I did a very bad thing, and I have no way to make up for it.” She moved in silence to the window and peered out.
    Her lights had been off for hours, and she knew she’d established that pattern weeks ago. No one would think it odd. She kept to herself and stayed inside after dark, never turning on lights. The neighbors probably thought she tried to save money by not using electricity, but she had excellent night vision, thanks to Whitney’s enhancements. She stared at the street for some time. Kane and the others would be setting into action their plan to rescue the hostages. She had to quit feeling guilty and sorry for herself; that did no good, and there were two people who desperately needed help. She had seen the extreme violence the cartel was capable of. They would kill the hostages no matter what el presidente did. The GhostWalkers were their only hope.
    She was already in dark clothing, and with her ability to camouflage her appearance, she knew she could aid the GhostWalker team should they need it. Her telepathy wasn’t