Page 37 of The Mech Who Loved Me
"Malloryn wouldn't approve. After Byrnes and Ingrid, he specifically demanded no more fraternizationoccur."
"I thought thumbing your nose at the duke was the highlight of your day? And who are you to speak of rules? You, who clearly likes to break them?" She could see the furrow on his brow still, the disapproving way he held himself, as though she'd suggested he rub mud all over his skin. "And if you won't help me, then I shall find someonewhowill."
"Like hell youwill," he growled. "Christ, woman. Think oftherisk."
"That's why I'm askingyou. I know you wouldn't hurt me. I... I trust you with my body." And wasn't that a thought, for someone who'd been another man's captive. True, Hague had had no interest in her body sexually, but he'd still controlled every aspect of her. She'd been helpless for a long time, and unable to control even the slightest physicalinteraction.
But when she thought of giving herself to Kincaid, there was no fear there. Only... interest. A delicious urge to spread her wings and take what she wanted, for once inherlife.
Kincaid eyed her with an evil look. "What was thatthought?"
"I trust you with my body," she said gently, half in wonder. "I didn't understand why it had to be you, but I think that is the answer. I am both attracted to you, and feel safe with you. You don't know how rare it is to find a man who makes me feellikethat."
He looked uncomfortable again. "Has a man ever hurtyou,Ava?"
"Not... in the way you mean." She hated talking about it. It seemed wrong, in a way.I survived, and the others didn't, and sometimes that woke her more often than any nightmare she might suffer. What did she have to complain about? A little hysteria every now and then? An inability to leave the house when she was suffering the worst phases of her trauma? It could be worse. She could be buried in St. James's cemetery, like Evangeline, or in Harknell like Suzette. Or she might even be one of the girls that had vanished completely. Only Hague knew where those bodies went, and he was dead and nevertelling.
But Kincaid neededtoknow.
Just in case she panicked if he made asuddenmove.
"Four years ago," she said quietly, rubbing the sheet between thumb and forefinger to help ground herself, "I was captured by a madman. He was a scientist who created clockwork and mechanical organs, and he needed humans to test hisoperationson."
"The Steel-Jawcase?"
It had been all through the papers at the time. No wonder he knew it. "I was one of the girls he experimented upon. He wanted to create a clockwork heart that could sustain a patient dying of heart failure. But the problem was he couldn't keep the girls he experimented upon alive throughout the process of removing...removing...."
Removing theirhearts.
"Dr. Hague infected me with the craving virus, so I might survive," Ava whispered, unbuttoning her nightgown a little so he could see the top of her scar, and trying to ignore his paling face. "I was his first successful heart transplant patient. But not by choice. Byrnes, Perry, and Garrett... They rescued me from that vile laboratory, and though I have managed to resurrect some semblance of a life, it haunts me every day." She glanced up from beneath her lashes. His eyes were wide with horror. "I was one of only two girls who survived. I saw them die, Kincaid. And... and there was no way to escape. I had no hope left. Nothing but pain, and...." She gasped, her fingers contracting intoafist.
"Hush, kitten. It's all right." Kincaid slid onto the bed, curling a hand around the back of her head as he dragged her against hischest.
Ava released a shuddering breath. She wasn't going to allow Hague to intrude upon this moment. "I know what it's like to be unable to make choices in regards to your own body," she said, absorbing the heat of his body, "but I want to learn what it's like to give myself to a man.Imake this decision. It's my body to give to someone else, and Ichooseyou."
There was a long moment while Kincaid thought about this. He kissed the top of her head. "Hell, Ava, I hadnoidea."
She pressed her finger to his lips. "I don't want to talk about it. I want to talk about the future. About us. About... yourproposition."
"Very well. An affair." He kissed her finger. "But if we agree to do this, then we do it on my terms. I want you to be very certain about this, so I don't intend to rush you. We take this one step at a time, and I decide when you're ready for the next step, considering how eager you are, and how much youdon'tknow."
"Agreed."
Kincaid's eyes darkened. "Agreed."
Silence fell in the room, a hush of sensual awareness. The lantern lightflickered.
"Aren't you going to kiss me?" Avabreathed.
Kincaid became verystill. "What?"
"Sealed with a kiss," Ava said, her heart ticking quietly in her chest as a thrill of nervousness lit through her. "Isn't that the wayit'sdone?"
Ten
THIS WASTHE worst decision Kincaid had ever made—he couldn't help thinking trouble would come of this, no matter how much hewantedit.
But hell if he could deny her, as Ava stared up at him with those eager eyesofhers.
