Ava

Instead of taking me to his tent as I had expected, Rhett ushered me to the truck.

“Where are we going?” I belted my seat belt.

Rhett cranked the engine and met my inquisitive gaze. “Our home.”

“We have a home?”

My voice spiked higher, and I straightened my spine. Shocked. Bewildered. The sincerity of his tone let me know his words were not in jest.

I swallowed and asked again when he didn’t answer. He was too busy concentrating on not hitting the truck behind us when he backed up.

I couldn’t recall us having a home together, no matter how deeply I dug through my mind. How was that even possible? We couldn’t leave the ISAN compound. I let the question fly with the wind as I eagerly waited.

He gave me an up-to-no-good smirk and seized my hand. “All I’m going to say is, you’re going to love it.”

Then he let go of my hand, leaving something crinkling inside my fist. Something bumpy covered with a silver wrapper.

“What’s this?”

“Open it.”

I found the slit and tore through it. “Chocolate?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Oh, Rhett. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had one?”

He snorted and nodded. “I do, babe. We were both locked up in ISAN, remember? But I never forgot you telling me how much you wanted one.”

I stared at the chocolate in my hand, drooling. It had been so long, I had forgotten what it tasted like.

“But how? I mean, you can’t grow chocolate, and food trucks don’t usually carry sweets.”

Rhett scratched the back of his head. “I actually bought one when I went to the city.”

“You didn’t—?”

“Steal? No, of course not. The sensor would go off. It’s a long story, but I have a significant amount of 4Qs. I’ll explain later.”

I nodded and respected his wish.

“Are you going to eat it?”

My heart warmed from his thoughtful gesture and I savored the first tiny bite.

I moaned and pushed back into my seat. Then I allowed myself another bite. “Rhett. I need more.” I moaned again.

He chuckled. “If you continue to make those sounds, I’ll buy you tons.”

My face sizzled hot, realizing how I sounded.

Rhett drove us on a lonely, dark road, nothing but pitch black on either side. An eerie chill snaked down my back. I looked up to the sky to distract myself. Only the crescent moon and the stars kept us company.

Headlights from Rhett’s truck lit our path. So peaceful. I imagined Rhett and me as a couple, taking a road trip and going back home. For now, I could pretend.

“Are you going to explain why you never told me Zen knew my father?” I knew the answer but figured I’d throw that question at him anyway.

Rhett slid his hand from mine and gripped the steering wheel. “You know why. You want me to say it? That I didn’t trust you?”

He massaged his nape with his other hand. His nervous tic. No doubt he felt guilty for not trusting me. I wouldn’t have trusted me either.

I shrugged. “I understand why you did what you did. I just wanted you to know that.”

He flashed a glance at me and focused back on the road. “Thank you.”

“You always had my best interest at heart. I know that, Rhett.”

He took my hand again and kissed the back of it. “Ask me anything. I’ll be honest.”

I glanced out the darkness. “What happened to Cleo’s mom?”

Rhett pinched his eyebrows with his thumb and forefinger. “Cleo’s mom died when she tried to run away with Cleo. They shot her and accused Zen of experimenting on his daughter and brought Cleo in to be tested. Zen had no choice but to let them. He had been told she was the property of ISAN. Can you believe they actually used the word property? Anyway, Cleo didn’t have the special DNA. She wasn’t taken to the ISAN compound. She was free to go.”

I crinkled my nose as acid filled my mouth. “My dad experimented on his children. Maybe Zen did it, too? I mean, yes, ISAN told me I had special DNA, but they couldn’t detect more from me.”

“Zen didn’t. He promised he didn’t. He swore to Cleo he hadn’t. I believe him.” Rhett’s voice rose defensively.

“Okay.” I moved onto my next question, but this one infuriated me. “Why didn’t you tell me about Mitch?”

“The Mitch situation is complicated.”

“You mean he’s complicated.”

Rhett smiled in agreement. “To make a long story short, we were invited into ISAN, never had our DNA tested like you. I’m sorry I lied, but I had to wait until you were ready to hear the rest. My father, Amos, supposedly signed us up before he disappeared.”

“What?” My voice rose in shock.

“Yes. He disappeared. The strange thing was, he transferred a significant amount of 4Qs directly into our chips a week before he disappeared, as if he knew something would happen to him. Mitch and I decided to sign up with ISAN, thinking we would find some answers. My gut feeling tells me ISAN knows what happened to Amos. Mitch feels the same. That’s why he will stay on course. We can trust him. His way of doing things might not be agreeable, but he gets the work done.” He paused momentarily. “Most of the time. Maybe not the way I would have done it. Regardless, he’s not all that bad.”

Learning about Mitch and what he had been through, and what he had done for the team, softened my attitude toward him a fraction. Although, he still had to earn my trust.

As we drove along a winding road, Rhett shared—or I should say, reminded me—of his life before ISAN. It still hurt that his mom had never come back for him, but he also wondered what had happened to her.

My instinct told me there was more to the story. Perhaps some memories were too painful and better left unsaid.

Solar lights placed on the road haphazardly caught my attention. Burned down and crumbled homes lined the once beautiful neighborhood. Rhett pulled over and parked by what had once been a mansion. After I got out, he grabbed a flashlight and guided me up a trail by the hand.

“Where are we? I thought you were taking me to our home?” I planted my hand on a dusty armchair to keep from tripping over a wrecked cabinet.

Rhett shifted his large duffle bag over his shoulder and ascended two stories. “You’ll see.”

I climbed over broken sofas, their cushions torn to shreds, and photos of a family—a father, a mother, and two daughters. Those smiling four in the photo could have been my family. This could have been our home, our happy times.

I envied whoever had lived here, and I didn’t even know them. I hoped they had escaped and lived in the city.

I ducked to avoid a wooden beam and scrambled over pillars and splintered doors. I finally stopped under the arching ceiling, where vines snaked like beanstalks.

“Are you here to pick up something?” I surveyed the perimeter with my map in place—natural assassin instincts—and tapped the Taser at my waistband to ensure it was still there.

Darkness engulfed us, except for the stunning night sky through the damaged roof, as if Rhett and I were the only two in the world. Far off in the distance, the twinkling lights glowed through the big, busted-out window. I inhaled the cool air, released the stress I held in my chest, and soaked in the peace and quiet.

Rhett dropped his bag and dragged a beat-up metal trash can closer. After retrieving a lighter from his front pocket, he lit the inside of the can on fire. Red and orange flamed just enough to keep us warm. Then he extended his arms wide.

“Welcome to our home. I love this spot, the view, and the peace. Sometimes over the last few months, I wandered off by myself when I needed to be alone or to think. It’s not perfect, but I’d like to think this might have been our home. I imagined us married with kids.”

Rhett visited here often. It was no wonder this room looked in better shape than the others.

I slipped my arm around Rhett’s waist and laid my head on his shoulder. “This is perfect. It’s been a while since I called any place home. I’ve learned home doesn’t have to be a physical place where you eat and sleep, but where your heart is. Home is where you are. Home is where we are.”

At my words, he snaked an arm around my shoulder. Rhett and I held each other, gazing into the marvelous view until he opened his bag and extracted two blankets. He pushed a fairly clean-looking mattress from against the wall to the ground, tucked one blanket over it, and laid the other on top.

“People lived in this neighborhood. Even with destruction and lack of power and running water, families refused to leave. This was their home after all. People finally abandoned the town months back to seek jobs in the city. Bandits raided this house and stole the mattresses, so I dragged this fairly new one up here from another, smaller house.”

“We’re spending the night here?” I swallowed a nervous lump.

Rhett straightened the blanket and lay on top. “We can leave if you want. I have to let you go again tomorrow, so I thought I’d take you on a date.”

I slid beside him. “I’m sorry. I wish there was another way.”

“You have no idea how much I want to talk you out of it.” Rhett gently laid me down. “Look up.”

The multiple holes in the ceiling revealed the night sky, a perfect view of the moon and stars.

“It’s beautiful.” I released a deep breath as if I could let go of all my worries.

Rhett placed his arms behind his neck. “In the olden days, people used the stars as maps to travel, and they were just fine. People rely so much on technology these days. They can’t live without it.”

I snickered. “You don’t need stars or technology when you’ve got me.”

Rhett chuckled and scooted closer until we were merely inches apart. “I have a map, too.”

“Really?” I perked my lips, holding in a laugh. “And where’s your map? Or should I be asking what is your map?”

Turning sideways, Rhett took my hand and placed it over his chest as he fixed his eyes to mine. “My heart is my map, and it leads me only to you.”

Breathless. Speechless. His words filled me. A warm tingle traveled through my veins. His featherlight fingers journeyed up my arm to the curve of my neck, and then his thumb glided over my mouth.

“I love your mouth.” He circled my lips again.

“How much?” My pulse raced when his face moved closer. “Show me.”

Rhett kissed me tenderly and rested his forehead on mine. “This much.”

My thumping heart galloped faster. “That’s it? I don’t think you love it that much.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “Maybe you’re right. I can do better.”

Rhett proved it when he crushed our lips together as his hands explored my curves.

I craved him. Yearned for him. I wanted more than we had shared so far. I let myself go and gave into Rhett. I wanted to be his. I wanted to give him all of me, for he had always been there for me. Had always been mine.

Then Rhett pulled away and plunked on his back, breathing heavily. “I have to stop, or I won’t be able to control myself.” He planted his elbows on the mattress to push up.

My news was going to kill the mood and definitely change our future. I would leave tomorrow anyhow. Perhaps it was for the best. He could have a clean break and move on with someone else. Someone who could give him the happiness he deserved.

“I have to tell you something first. Girls in ISAN ...” I gnawed at the inside of my mouth. “We ... I can’t get pregnant. The serum they inject every day inhibits fertility hormones. I can’t ever give you children, Rhett. I can’t ever give you the family you deserve.”

There. I had said it. I felt better than I had, but it hurt so much. Curling into myself, I shifted away.

Tears dampened my eyes. I reprimanded myself for being weak. I didn’t want Rhett to feel sorry for me, or stay with me because—

“I already know. You probably don’t remember, but we had this conversation before. Regardless, I don’t care.” He slipped his fingers through my hair and brought me back to him. “Ava, I love you, not because I wanted you to give me children. I love you for who you are.”

“But you said you wanted lots of children with me.” I blinked in confusion, but thankful the outcome was different than I’d thought.

“Yes, and I do, but I meant adoption. I’m sorry. I should’ve clarified.”

“No, don’t be sorry.” I eased the tightness in my chest as I exhaled and lightened the mood. “Did you say you love me?”

“Yes. You may not love me back, but I love you. I love you with every breath, with every fiber of my being. My favorite place in the world is next to you.”

I swallowed. Even though my head said otherwise, my heart knew it. Tomorrow was uncertain. But he was certain, as was this moment.

“I love you, Rhett,” I said with conviction.

He blinked and stared and blinked again as if I had spoken in another language.

“Say it again.” His lips curled. Wicked. Sexy.

I climbed back on top of him, pinned his arms, and drilled my eyes into his. “I love you, Rhett.” Then I kissed him.

“I’m going to show you how much I love you.”

His words were a love song to my ears as he kissed me back. Fierce and hard, with so much passion, I thought, we’d burn down the crumbling home.

He slowed and planted gentle kisses on my exposed skin as he began peeling off my clothes. He aligned his body with mine until our tattoos fit together like two lost puzzle pieces.

“Do you remember this now?” His eyes gleamed gold in the firelight.

“Yes. I do. We were in a fun zone. Our team won some time off. You and I wandered off alone. It was snowing. We had our first kiss. Then I said, let’s get a tattoo to remember this moment. And you said to add WIT for whatever it takes.”

“Yes.” He nodded reverently. “Your mantra, babe.”

“And you cried like a baby.”

Rhett gave me a sideways glance, and then realized I was teasing when a strange, happy sound escaped my mouth. I could no longer keep a straight face.

“Ava.” He wrapped his arms around me and pushed us down. We bounced on the bed, laughing until Rhett kissed me again, and that time we didn’t stop.

I imagined Rhett coming home late from work. He was a pilot, and I had just tucked our kids, many adopted kids, into bed. He surprised me with roses and chocolate. Yes. This. I held onto imaginary life with Rhett and our children.

In a world where only Rhett and I existed, the two of us rediscovered each other as if it were the first time, under the stars and moonlit sky.