Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Tension hung heavily in the air as Whitney gave a weary nod.
If he’d had any inkling whatsoever that Dragon was going to do that the second they arrived, he would have handled things differently.
Honestly, he’d forgotten all about the explosives.
He’d been too busy trying to decide if Whitney was telling him the truth about her past and how it connected to Dr. Gardner’s.
But they’d assumed when he originally went after the person in the woods immediately after the explosion and saving Cassandra and Rose from the bounty hunters, that they were the one to set the explosives.
Knowing that the place had been cleared out before they got there, Blade could make a guess at why Whitney had set them, assumed everyone else other than Dragon, who wasn't thinking clearly right now, could, but Whitney would have to explain for herself.
It was important to him that the others learn to trust her simply because they did and not because he said they should.
It shouldn’t be important. Once they had intel from her and her former boss was no longer a threat, Whitney would leave, finally free to forge her own path in life.
But it was important. More than it should be.
Because he wasn't entirely confident that Whitney could stand on her own two feet, she looked like a gentle breeze could knock her over, Blade released his hold on her chin, let his fingers once again brush over the darkening marks on her neck, bruises layered upon bruises, and took hold of her elbow, pulling her up with him.
When she swayed, he tightened his hold, doing his best to make it feel supportive instead of restrictive. But from the way Whitney’s bottom lip trembled, he was pretty sure she felt like she was trapped and being led to the slaughter.
Dr. Gardner viewed them as monsters, beasts, one step away from animals that he could train to be his pets.
Blade was pretty sure that Whitney didn't view them the same way, but she was terrified of them, and so far she had good reason to be. He’d almost killed her the exact same way that Dragon almost had tonight.
Guiding her up the steps and inside, he noticed how her trembling increased the second the front door closed behind him. He had no idea how to convince her that she would be okay. As far as she was concerned, he’d already lied to her when he told her things would be fine when they arrived.
Damn Dragon acting before he thought.
“You want something to eat?” Rose asked when they all entered the living room.
Shooting her a grateful smile, he gently squeezed Whitney’s arm until she looked up from where she’d been staring at the floor, her blue eyes confused, and it was clear she hadn't expected the question to be aimed at her.
“Not hungry,” she murmured her response, but he frowned at her.
“You haven’t eaten since breakfast. She’ll have something, whatever you make is fine,” he told Rose.
“No, I can't … I can't eat,” Whitney protested, her free hand pressing to her stomach.
Offering her an encouraging smile, Rose indicated to one of the couches. “Maybe after we talk you’ll realize no one here is a threat to you. Dragon is just … he has anger issues. Trust me, I know. Some days I'm still not sure if he’s going to try to kill me.”
“Told you a million times I'm not a threat to you, Rose,” Dragon grumbled, making Rose laugh, breaking some of the tension.
It was barely noticeable, but Whitney relaxed ever so slightly.
“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I know why he wants to kill me.
Why you all do. I'm the one who created the drug.
I'm the one responsible for what happened to you. I deserve your anger and whatever you decide to do with me after I tell you what you want to know.”
She spoke the words so bravely, her spine straightening as she gained momentum, and he knew she meant every single word. Whitney absolutely believed that once she told them everything she knew about Dr. Gardner, they were going to torture and kill her.
Yet she’d come here anyway.
Because she felt like she owed them, that all the deaths from the drugs rested squarely on her shoulders.
“You don’t deserve to pay for someone else’s sins,” he said firmly as he maneuvered her onto one of the couches and then sat beside her. “Dragon is an idiot. He acts without thinking, but he won't hurt you again. Right?” Shooting a glare at his teammate, Blade dared him to disagree.
Stubborn man that he was, Dragon didn't answer. “You set the explosions, there’s no point in pretending otherwise. I can smell it all over you. Tell us why,” he demanded.
“It was the only way,” Whitney said, the shaking in her slim body increasing until he could hear her teeth chattering together.
“Only way to what?” Blade asked, keeping his voice soft when what he wanted to do was yell at Dragon to tone it down. He was scaring Whitney, and she’d been through enough these last few days. Enough in her entire young lifetime.
“To make sure he couldn’t keep using my equations,” Whitney replied. Her gaze darted to Rose, and he could tell that she knew who the woman was. “I'm sorry, but your brother, he’s not as good at chemistry and biology as he thinks he is.”
Rose laughed, long and loud and free. To the point where Steel actually stepped up to her, placed a hand on her back, and guided her into his arms.
“You okay, little ladybug?” Steel asked.
“I'm perfect. She just made my day. My life really.” Rose ghosted a hand down Steel’s back when he huffed.
“You know what I mean. All my life, I had to hear from Ridge how smart he thought he was, and how stupid he thought I was because I deliberately played dumb when it came to his pet subjects. Knowing that a literal genius is telling me that my brother is basically an idiot, I love it.”
“He … he kept messing with my drug. It wasn't supposed to do this. It was supposed to save lives, but instead, it keeps taking them. Dr. Gardner, he keeps insisting on fiddling with things. Making it worse. I … I always wanted an out, but how is a little girl supposed to survive on her own? When I was fifteen, I started putting away money, sneaking it into a secret account. I created a whole new identity, and after Dr. Gardner came back after being lured into your trap, I knew it was time.”
“You were responsible for clearing out the lab,” Lion said, and Whitney nodded.
“I convinced him it was likely compromised, then destroyed every shred of paper, every computer drive, every vial inside the place.
After I went to warn Cassandra, I intended to disappear.
I waited until I knew he would have checked the labs, then I hid out there.
I waited a few days, then brought in a team to completely disinfect the entire building.
I wanted to erase everything, all of it.
But it wasn't enough. The whole building, my prison, it had to go,” Whitney whispered.
“Why set up the white noise generator?” Blade asked her.
Surprise rounded her eyes. “It was always there.
Always on. I forgot about it. I didn't know you were in there.” Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“I swear, I wouldn't have tried to warn you if I wanted you dead. I waited until the clean-up team was gone, and then I grabbed my stuff, and I was leaving. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just needed it to all be gone.” Imploring eyes met his, begging him to believe her.
Thing was, he did.
But did everyone else?
It wasn't until his gaze roamed the room, waiting until each of the other people in it had nodded at him, even Dragon giving a reluctant agreement mostly at Cassandra’s prodding, that he hooked a finger under Whitney’s chin and made sure she was looking at him.
“You didn't do anything wrong,” he assured her. “You did what you thought you had to do, and if you’d known we were in there, I'm positive you would have left without setting off the explosives.”
“I would have,” she quickly agreed. “I never meant to hurt anyone. All I ever wanted to do was help people. I wanted to save lives, and all I've done is take them time and time again.”
“That’s not on you,” Cassandra rushed to assure her.
“That’s on my evil brother,” Rose added.
Seemingly surprised by the support, Whitney looked around the room to see that everyone was offering her encouraging smiles.
It seemed to bolster her a little bit, but honestly, she was dead on her feet.
She needed food and rest, everything else could wait until tomorrow, and now he was satisfied, Dragon wasn't going to try to kill her in her sleep.
Blade got that his friend was reacting out of fear, he’d almost lost the woman he loved in that explosion, but that couldn’t be laid at Whitney’s feet. Not only had she not known they were in there, but she hadn't known about the bounty on Cassandra’s head.
“Food and bed for you,” he announced, nodding to Rose who quickly moved toward the couch.
“How about we go raid the fridge, see what looks good,” Rose suggested.
“I could go for an almost midnight snack,” Cassandra added.
“Are you coming, too?” Whitney asked nervously, her blue eyes begging him not to abandon her.
“Right behind you, darlin’,” he assured her, giving her a little nudge toward the women, and Whitney somewhat reluctantly followed after them as they both chattered away at her as they led her to the kitchen.
Before he followed, Blade had one thing he needed to do. Walking up to Dragon, he slammed his fist into the other man’s cheek without preamble. “You ever lay a hand on her again, and I will kill you,” he warned before striding out of the room to go catch up to his little genius.
January 13th
7:35 A.M.
Jerking off the bed, Whitney was shocked to realize she’d actually fallen asleep.