I’m drifting off to sleep when the door opens. I know it’s Zach even without the light. He closes it behind him, locks it, then walks to the bed, stripping off his clothes as he comes toward me.

He draws the covers off me slowly. “I know you’re awake.”

I stupidly cover myself as I sit up. He goes to the window and opens it, letting in the silvery light of the moon. He turns to me. He’s naked and hard and I see the savage glint he gets in his eye when he’s aroused. In one swift move, he’s on the bed, lying down on top of me, his weight pushing the breath from my lungs. He kisses me with an urgency that catches me off guard. That makes me want.

“Were you a good girl?” he asks, flipping us over so he’s on his back and I’m on top of him. “Are you wet for me?”

I don’t have a chance to answer though because he’s lifting me up, gripping my hips and drawing me to him, to his face.

“Zach—”

His response is a growl as he crushes my pussy to his face. His mouth is soft, his stubble scratchy, and when he moans low in his chest, I grip the headboard and arch my back, biting my lip as he takes my clit into his mouth and sucks.

“Nice and wet,” he says. I can barely make out his words, I’m smothering him, his tongue is on me, licking my pussy, dipping inside me, lips closing around my clit and sucking. I slap a hand across my mouth when I realize the moaning is coming from me. Zach’s grip on my hips is so tight, I think he’ll leave bruises, but I don’t care. Somehow, it feels better this way. The hurt, the pleasure, all mixing up into pure sensation.

“I’m going to come.”

When I say the words, he slides a finger into my pussy and closes his mouth over my clit and I let out a scream as I come, as he works his tongue over me, his fingers inside me. When my breathing finally slows, I try to pull off him, needing him to stop touching, stop licking my sensitized clit. But he’s holding me tight and just when I think I can’t take another second, he flips me onto my back and he’s on top of me. I feel precum on my belly and spread my legs wide. He’s kissing me and his face is wet and all I can taste is myself on him.

He pulls away, stands up.

“What are you doing?”

He’s rooting through the duffel bag and a moment later returns, unwraps a condom, rolls it over his dick. He doesn’t speak, but the look in his eyes is predatory as he pushes my legs wide, pressing them down with his hands on my thighs. His eyes lock on mine when he thrusts into me.

I gasp. He draws back and does it again. And again. When he pulls out, I’m confused. This time though, he stands and grips my ankle, drawing me to the foot of the bed. He flips me over so my legs are hanging off, and he stands between them, hands on my ass, splaying me open, lifting my hips to the angle he wants.

“Your pussy’s mine, Eve.” His finger dips into my pussy before circling my asshole. He thrusts his cock into my dripping pussy. “It’s always wet for me.” He pumps in and out twice. “Your ass is mine too,” he says, making me tighten everything as he presses two fingers into me, lifting my hips higher, using his fingers like a hook.

My knees are on the bed and I turn to look back at him. He’s watching his cock disappear in and out of me, and as hot as that is, it’s when his eyes meet mine that I’m done for. And he knows it, because he gives me that lopsided grin just as the first wave of orgasm claims me, making me fist the sheets, making me bury my face in the bed to muffle my cries.

“You like it hard like this? Like my fingers in your ass while I fuck your dirty little cunt?”

Fuck. I’m going to come again. I feel myself dripping down my thighs, hear the wet sounds of his cock thrusting in and out of me.

He’s still hard, still moving inside me when the waves pass and I can see again. He’s still grinning. He pulls his fingers out of my ass and leans down close, flattening me to the bed.

“You’re a dirty little virgin, aren’t you?”

He squeezes his hand between my belly and the bed and his fingers close around my clit. I squeeze my eyes shut and nod my head.

“My filthy little virgin.”

His thrusts come deeper and I feel him thicken inside me and when he stills, I open my eyes to watch him come and his blue eyes are dark and watching me, like they did before. I can’t get enough of it. Of him. Like this. For all his rough edges, there’s a softness, a vulnerability I see only in moments like this. Only when he’s lost in pleasure. And all I can think is I want more of it. More of him. Hard and soft, and any way I can have him.

I want him.

I’m surprised when Zach gets up to shower and I slip on his discarded T-shirt and turn over onto my side, face to the open window, taking in the cool mountain breeze, not quite believing I’m back. I want to be up early tomorrow. With the sun. I remember how beautiful sunrises are here. How otherworldly they make everything look. Soft and beautiful. Almost as good as the sunsets. More beautiful than the human eye, the human heart, can stand.

The shower switches off and I turn to the closed bathroom door. Zach emerges a few moments later wearing a towel slung low at his hips.

“You should sleep,” he says, his eyes keen on me.

“I was waiting for you.” He puts on a pair of boxer briefs, then his jeans and a clean T-shirt and I sit up. “What’s going on? Why are you getting dressed?”

“Go to sleep, Eve.”

“You’re leaving?”

He rifles through the bag, searching for something.

“What happened?” I ask, getting up out of the bed.

He finds whatever he’s looking for but tucks it into his pocket before turning to me. He takes a moment to think, gives a brief shake of his head. “It’s fucked up, Eve.” He comes toward me, takes my hands, kisses my mouth.

“How fucked up?”

He hesitates.

“Just tell me.”

“Malik is Hassan’s half-brother.”

I drop down onto the edge of the bed. “What?”

“He says he’s not loyal to Malik, and I believe him. He had no reason to tell me at all.”

“What does he want then? Why tell you?”

“I think he wants his family safe.”

“Does that mean his son—”

“Ace, unlike Hassan, is loyal to Malik.”

“Oh my God.”

“Beos, the man I was supposed to meet with, the one who made your passport, is dead. Has been for months. Which makes me wonder if he set me up so he could set you up.”

“You mean he sent that man to kill me?”

“I don’t know if he was there to kill you or kidnap you, Eve. Take you to Malik, maybe.”

“Why?”

He sits down beside me.

“I’ve been remembering who Malik is slowly ever since I woke up from the coma. Bits of pieces of that night coming back. It’s when I have the nightmares. I remember a little more every time.”

He looks at me, almost ashamed. I don’t blame him for that night. I touch his hand. “Go on.”

“Every time I have one of those episodes, I remember a little more of what happened. See another scene. It could be my brain fucking with me, but it doesn’t matter because for months, I haven’t been able to get one thing out of my mind. I understood why that day we went to the site. Malik is—or was—Maliki Remi. Commander Maliki Remi. My commanding officer in the military.”

“What?”

“He’s supposed to be dead though. I killed him. Or I thought I did.”

“Are you sure, Zach?”

“About which part?” He snorts. “Obviously, not about having killed him. But the rest, yes.”

“What does he want? You dead?”

Zach shakes his head. “I’d be dead if that’s what he wanted. He knew where I was while I lay unconscious in a coma. Knew when I woke. Orchestrated the day Hassan told me you’d survived. That you’d literally walked away, walked into a brand new life. Led me to believe you were in on it. Malik is the one who made sure Hassan found me, brought me here. Kept me alive.”

“I don’t understand.”

He looks up at me. “He was a traitor. But before that, he was a friend. A mentor. You don’t know about my past, Eve. My family. And it doesn’t matter anymore, but back then, when I first joined the military, it did. He was the only one who could get me out of my head. Make me feel like I was worth something. But then I learned the truth. Saw with my own two eyes what he was capable of. And I shot him point blank. He shouldn’t have survived.”

“Are you sure he did? Is Dr. Hassan lying?”

“Why would he? And besides, I saw him there that night.”

“What about Julia’s baby?” I ask, unsure I want to hear the answer. I’m not angry, it’s something else I feel and I can’t quite put my finger on the strange emotion.

Zach studies me for a long time and I know he’s contemplating something, but I don’t know why he hesitated when he answers. “Julia and I had a brief affair. It was inevitable, really. But the baby isn’t mine.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Hassan knows who the father is,” he says, his eyes steady on mine.

I get the feeling there’s more to tell, but before I can ask, he’s up on his feet and talking again.

“I made a deal with Hassan.”

“What deal?”

“That I won’t hurt Ace.”

“In exchange for?”

“Him keeping you safe.”

“What do you mean?”

He reaches into his pocket and takes out what looks to be a syringe.

“What is that?”

“I’m going to Malik, and I need you to stay here while I do it.”

I’m up on my feet and walk around the bed, away from him. “No. No way.”

“Now that I know everything, I’m prepared to confront him. Understand what he’s thinking. What he wants. You can’t be involved in that.”

I’m shaking my head as he approaches. “I’m going with you. He could have my brothers!”

“I don’t know what his plan for you is, but if I know Maliki Remi, he has one. And I’ll be damned if I let him get his hands on you.”

“So, what’s the plan then?” He’s stalking closer and I’m running out of space. “Is that to knock me out?” I ask, pointing to the syringe. “Keep me here while you go get yourself killed?”

“Eve.”

“No, Zach. You can’t. You can’t go alone, and I need to know if my brothers are dead or alive. I need to know.”

“One is alive. I can tell you that.” There’s venom in his words. “I don’t know about the others, but I do know you’ll be staying here.”

“What do you mean?” I’m backed against a corner, but wrap a hand around the lamp on the nearby table and pick it up.

“Put that down, Eve.” He uncaps the syringe.

“You put that down.” I gesture to the needle. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He gives me an “are you for real” grin when I raise the lamp up. It’s so heavy that I have to grip it with both hands, like a baseball bat.

“I mean it!” I say.

“All right,” he sets the syringe down and puts his hands up as if in surrender. “Put the lamp down.”

I look at the needle, then at him. “Is it Armen? He’s alive?” I ask, tears filling my eyes as I lower my makeshift weapon. My arms hurt from the weight, and my brain is whirling with the knowledge that my brother is alive. That he has been for two years. That he hasn’t contacted me in those years.

“Yes,” Zach says, stepping closer, a cautious look in his eyes. He closes one hand over the lamp and takes my arm with the other, his blue eyes searching mine as he sets the lamp down and pulls me in for a hug.

“Did he know where I was? Maybe he thought I’d died.”

“He knew,” Zach says. “I have no doubt he knew.” He’s holding me so tight.

“Maybe he sent that plane ticket?” I ask, drawing back. Looking up at him. “Maybe he wanted to protect me from Malik.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” He smiles down at me. “You’re sweet, Eve. And naïve. And you want to deal with people who are capable of monstrous things. Things you can’t imagine.”

I shake my head. “Armen isn’t like that.”

“I’m really sorry to do this.”

While one arm locks me to him, the other reaches for the syringe.

“No!”

“It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

“Let me go!” I’m pushing against him, but it’s like trying to move a freaking bulldozer. “Zach, please.” In my periphery, I see him squeeze a small amount of liquid out. I stop fighting, wrap my hands around his face. Make him look at me. “Please, Zach. Please don’t do this to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

I feel the prick in my hip in the next instant. Watch his face, his eyes, as he empties the barrel. The effect is almost immediate. My knees go weak, arms slide slowly down his chest.

“I trusted you,” I manage, my eyes closing as I feel myself fall. He catches me in his strong arms, lifts me up. He’s blurring though, my vision fading. I try to reach up, scratch at him. Fight him. But my arm drops to my side and my eyes close.

“I’ll be back for you, Eve. I promise.”