"That's impossible." He stood.
"Per Idaho Fish and Game, the Pekania pennanti do live in the area. Though they are elusive," she stated.
She hadn't blindly accepted the job. She'd taken almost two weeks to do her research and contact others who assured her the species was thriving in North Idaho before agreeing to the job.
"There was no fucking job." He ran his hands through his hair and growled, facing away from her.
"Of course, there was a job. I just explained how I got hired." She gritted her teeth and raised up on her knees, pushing through the pain. "If you take me to my Jeep, I can show you on my laptop. I have the correspondence between Mr. Bowman and me."
He whirled around. "I don't need to see shit to know you're wrong."
"How can you say that?"
He pulled on his beard. "Because I'm Kyle Bowman."
She fell back on the bed. The aches and pains in her body ignored. He'd brought her to Avery Falls to kidnap her?
Chapter Sixteen
"You're Kyle Bowman?" Grace palmed her forehead. "I don't understand."
Keenan grabbed the back of his neck. He hadn't suspected anything untruthful from her during the days she begged for her release. Until now.
He damn well knew what name the Alpha Bio Project gave him eighteen years ago. As soon as training was over and they released him out to society in Avery Falls with a driver's license, social security card, and a deed for his house, they'd made his legal name Kyle Bowman. In Avery Falls Motorcycle Club he was known as Keenan. And, within the project, the controller and handlers called him Fifteen.
Someone was using his name and knew enough about him to have Grace come to Avery Falls. The only ones capable of deceiving her had to come from the project.
Did she work for them?
Was this a way to test him?
Grace showed up at the cabin. At first, he thought it was an innocent meeting. But if the controller sent her after him, that meant they were actively looking for him. They knew he was alive. They'd want to kill him.
There's no fucking way they'd allow him to go rogue. He knew too much. He was too dangerous. He was a loose cannon.
He stepped toward the bed, his anger growing.
"You can't be Mr. Bowman." Grace shook her head. "That's not possible."
He leaned onto the bed, fisting the blanket. "Who the fuck are you?"
"I told you—"
He grabbed her upper arms. "Who sent you?"
Grace's head wobbled on her shoulders, and he stopped, realizing he shook her. His body trembled in frustration. Everyone close to him was currently dealing with the changes hitting them left and right, front and back. If he and the others were in danger, he needed to know.
"K-Kyle Bowman." Tears slid down her bruised, swollen cheek. "I swear on my life."
He stared into her eyes. She gave him nothing but lies, and yet he wanted to believe her. He wanted her to be innocent in the deadly game the Alpha Bio Project played with them all.
But he trusted no one.
Stone cold sober, unaffected from the drugs of the past. Unaffected by the training provided by the AB Project. Unaffected from killing and burying someone he was told to trust, he found himself living for himself.
He wanted what he wanted, and he was going to take it.
"Damn you." He pulled her toward him, capturing her mouth.
Ignoring the stiffness of her lips, he cupped the back of her head, keeping her close. He showed her what she was doing to him.
The frustration. The anger. The lust. The passion.
Using his thumb, he pressed down on her chin, forcing her mouth open. He gave her his tongue, took her tongue. He kissed her deeply, consumed by the taste of her.
He took her down on the bed, cradling her head in his arm. Then, unable to keep his hands off her, he let go of her chin and grabbed her hip, needing the curve through her shorts, pulling her tighter against him.
She left her mouth open.
He took full advantage. Exploring. Feeding. Using.
His cock hardened, pounding in the confines of his jeans. He pressed that part of him against her stomach, needing the relief and coming away more frustrated.
She had on too many clothes. He longed for the days of going naked twenty-four/seven. He should've taken her when they were at the cabin.
Grace groaned and pushed against his chest. He lifted his head to find tears welling in her eyes. Panic stared back at him. She slid away from him, scrambling to her feet, holding her ribs.
Her shoulders heaved with the gasps escaping her. He slid his hand into the front of his jeans and rearranged his cock before he followed her.
He wasn't done.
She held up her hand, warding him off. He tilted his head, wanting to argue with her. She hadn't bit his tongue to stop him. She'd let him kiss her.
"I can't breathe," she whispered, bending at the waist. "Hurts."
He guided her to the bed and sat her on the edge. Squatting in front of her, he moved her hand away from her side and cupped her ribs. He lightly trailed his fingers over each bone. They all seemed in place. None of them protruded or overlapped.
Taking the hem of her shirt, he lifted. Her head came up, and she stared at him. He flicked his gaze down, letting her know he only wanted to look.
There was an abrasion on her side about four inches long. Probably Four kicking her with his boots. Standing, he went into the bathroom and found one of the larger towels. He ripped it lengthwise, making sure the strips were slim enough to cover her from under her breasts down to her waist.
He returned to her. "This should make your ribs feel better."
Not asking her permission, he lifted her shirt to her armpits, baring her bra. He took in the silky beige material cupping the fullness of her breasts and wished it were his hands holding her.
Reaching around her, he bound the towel around her ribcage, tying a knot in the middle of her upper abdomen. He raised his gaze. "Take a breath."
She gritted her teeth and inhaled, exhaling quickly afterward. He lifted her chin, trying to read if she had more pain or less with the bandage. It was hard to tell because there were still tears shining in her gaze.
"Better?" he asked.
She nodded, pulling down her shirt. "Much."
"Keep that on when you're awake for the next couple of days. It'll make moving around more comfortable." He gazed at her covered breasts, wishing he would've taken her shirt off completely. She had a beautiful body.
Cushioned in the right spots and soft. So fucking soft.
"Thank you." She looked at the bed, pursing her lips to the side. "I'm dizzy. I need to lay down."
He moved to help her. She raised her hand again to stop him from touching her at the same time someone pounded on his front door. He straightened, all attention going to who was outside his fucking house. Caught up in kissing Grace, he hadn't heard anyone ride up.
He stepped over to the window and peered out. J.J. had parked her car in the driveway.
"Are you going to leave?"
"No." He turned around and walked around the bed toward the hallway. "Stay in the room. Don't come out."
Leaving Grace in the bedroom, he went to answer the door. J.J. stood in front of the house, frowning up at him.