Ghostwalker 05 - Deadly Game

At least wait until we know whether Norton got me pregnant."
    "No!" Sean was adamant. "You gave me your word, sir."
    Dr. Whitney held up his hand and Sean fell silent. "I certainly increased your chances with all the fertility shots I gave you," Whitney told Mari as he studied her face. "I don't think so. I think you have your own agenda, and as Sean pointed out, I did give him my word."
    Mari stayed ramrod straight, keeping her expression blank, but she couldn't control the sudden pounding of her heart. She wanted to crumble and fall into a sobbing heap on the floor. She couldn't go through this again – not with Sean. What had possessed him to allow Whitney to include him in his insane program? They had often discussed how the men turned into brutes after taking Whitney's chemical cocktail.
    Dr. Whitney glanced up at the camera. "After you're done here, you'll report to the med labs for a few more tests. I didn't realize your psychic powers had developed enough to damage not just one, but several of the cameras and the auditory equipment."

    He waited, but she refused to take the bait, remaining silent.
    "Ah well. I wish you a very pleasant evening," Whitney said. His smile remained firmly in place as he pushed Brett's foot aside with the toe of an immaculate shoe. "I'll have someone collect the body." He turned on his heel and left them.
    The door slid shut behind him with a familiar clang. Mari shuddered at the thought of Brett's dead body lying within a foot of her door while his killer faced her, blood on his clothes and hands.
    She shook her head. "Why did you do this, Sean?"
    "You know why, Mari. You've always known how I felt about you." He stalked past her to the small bathroom, his shoulder brushing up against her, nearly knocking her back.
    She pressed back against the wall, tears burning behind her eyelids and choking her throat. "I don't, Sean. I swear to you, I really don't."
    He came out, drying his hands off. "How did you think it made me feel letting Brett in here and hearing you fight, hearing him beat you? There wasn't anything I could do about it.
    He didn't belong with you; he never did. You knew it, and I told Whitney he didn't.
    Whitney agreed with me."
    "So you took his place? That doesn't make any sense."
    "Better me than someone else. I've always wanted you. I didn't hide it from you. You were the one who wanted to keep if just friends."
    "And that should tell you something. You let Whitney pair us knowing I didn't want to be more than friends with you. That's not saving me, Sean." For the first time she felt absolute despair. He was looking at her without comprehension, uncaring what she thought or felt.
    "This is about you. You wanted me, and this was your way to get me. You didn't care at all how I felt, did you?"
    He shrugged. "Better me than Brett or anyone else. You should have just accepted me one of the hundred times I made the offer."
    "I don't feel anything for you other than friendship."
    "Whitney's right, you're stubborn. You refused to try. You gave me no other choice, Mari. This one's on you." He stepped close to her, looming over her. "I want you to get in the shower and scrub that man's scent off of you."
    "Go to hell."
    He shook his head. "We're not doing this, Mari. You have no choice. You belong to me, and I'm going to make certain if there's a baby, it's mine. Get into the shower and do as I say."
    She scowled at him. "Did you really think it would be that easy? That you'd walk in here and take away what little personal choices I have left and I'd just go along with it? Brett was a vicious brute and I despised him. You were always special to me. I couldn't have respected you more. But this…" She spread her hands and shook her head. "This is a despicable act, and anything you get from me you'll just have to take. And you can live with knowing you're a sick fucking rapist like Brett."
    "I gave up my life for you, Mari. You will do what I say. I sold my soul to Whitney for you."
    "You don't have a soul."
    "Get in there and shower before I drag you in and scrub you myself."
    "You're such an asshole, Sean."
    Sean grabbed her by her hair and dragged her toward the bathroom, erupting into fury when she didn't do as he ordered. He shoved her hard. "Get in there."
    She kicked the door closed in his face.
    Mari. Baby. What's happening? You're scaring me, honey. Stop trying to cut yourself off from me.
    She thought she had cut her mind off from Ken's, not just tried. She must