He didn’t want to hurt her.

But she was coming closer to him. Bringing her sweet scent and staring at him with—with no fear in her eyes. Her back was to the mirror now, and a faint smile curved her lips.

This woman didn’t look scared. Didn’t look angry. She looked damned pleased with herself.

“But I guess . . .” she said, voice carrying, “if there’s no choice . . .”

Her arms wrapped around him. Slightly cool, her touch nonetheless blazed right through him. “If there’s no choice,” she said again, voice softer for just him, “then I guess we have to do whatever’s necessary to survive.”

She pressed her lips to his.

CHAPTER THREE

Eve knew the role that she had to play, and she was willing to do her part, up to a point. So she rose onto her tiptoes and pressed her mouth against Cain’s.

Even as her hand unfurled against his, she pressed the keys to his chains into his palm.

Yeah, she hadn’t been some pathetic, hopeless weeping machine for nothing. She’d used that time to get close to Wyatt. While he’d been trying to pry her loose, she’d been relieving him of his keys.

That summer of pickpocketing didn’t feel quite so shameful right then.

Her lips moved softly on Cain’s. Just pretending. Just keeping up appearances until he could unlock those cuffs.

Then he’d better get them the hell out of there.

Only . . . only Cain wasn’t using the keys to break loose. His arms were wrapping around her, pulling her tighter against him. His mouth hardened on hers, became rougher. More demanding.

She brought her hand up between them. He was hot to the touch. “Cain—”

“They’re watching.” His voice was an almost soundless whisper. “Not yet . . .”

Oh. She stopped pushing against him. Forced her body to relax.

He was just so damned . . . big.

“Let me in . . .”

A shiver slipped over her, and because they had to make this look good, look . . . real . . . she opened her mouth.

Who was she kidding?

I want to kiss him.

His tongue pushed into her mouth. She kept standing on her toes to better meet the kiss because, oh yes, her pyro could sure kiss. His tongue thrust against hers, licked the curve of her lip, and a moan rose in her throat.

Even as she felt a very distinct part of his anatomy rising against her.

Her left hand was still between them. Still against his naked chest. She’d never touched anyone who felt as hot as he did. It was like he was burning with a fever.

Eve tore her lips from his. Cain’s eyes blazed down at her, not with the fire she’d seen before, but with lust. Need.

Before she could speak, he spun her around and pushed her against the wall behind him, caging her body. No, not caging her, blocking her with his body.

“Open the lock.” He pressed the keys back against her hand.

Oh, okay. The lock on his right wrist still looked like it was secured, even though she knew he could pop free of it at any moment.

His lips slid over her throat. “Do it.”

He was covering her while she freed him. Check. Not about sex. Not about . . .

He licked her neck, his tongue sliding over the spot that always made her knees go weak. Then he . . . bit her.

Her breath heaved out even as she slid the key into the lock.

Wyatt stared through the glass, grim satisfaction filling him. He’d finally done it. Finally found a way to break Subject Thirteen.

Who would have thought the reporter would come in so handy?

Thirteen could withstand any torture. Any pain. But . . . he wouldn’t be able to hold out against her. She’d be the key Wyatt needed.

Once Thirteen broke, there’d be no stopping the next stage of the project’s development.

He turned away from the test subjects. After all these years, all the time and blood he’d poured into Genesis, he was finally close to a breakthrough.

Subject Thirteen would be that breakthrough.

A being that couldn’t truly die. One that could withstand gunshots, poison, dismemberment . . . because he’d tried them all. Each time Thirteen died, he just burned, and rose up again. Stronger than before.

Just like a mythical phoenix.

Only . . . clearly that story hadn’t been merely a myth.

The guard’s eyes widened. Barnes licked his lips. The guy was obviously enjoying the show.

That had to mean that things were getting hot in there. Just what Thirteen needed.

Wyatt glanced down at his watch. They’d barely had ten minutes of the promised hour. He’d let Thirteen enjoy himself for a little while longer . . .