The only thing she didn’t resent was Rome. Though she hated that he was caught up in the fallout from the horrific situation his boss had created.

Shaking her fuming thoughts away, she focused on the data again, nearing the end of Bobby’s entries. Every stark word seemed rushed. He’d known the worst was going to happen. Harper tingled with rage because he’d been right.

The worst had happened.

Bobby had given his life to keep his secret and make sure it got into her hands. By avenging his sacrifice, Harper would give her brother his rightful tribute.

After reading the last of Bobby’s notes, Harper realized that her brother had no idea who was running the counter operation, only that he had discovered the faction and tried to find out as much as he could.

They hadn’t taken any time to talk about it, though she knew it had to be bothering Rome. It would certainly bug her if she found out her coach was engineering bio-enhanced swimmers. Especially if it was driven by some mistake she’d made.

She peeked back at him. Earlier Rome had admitted to her that she’d been his first partner in two years. That explained his puzzling nervousness in the shower. Harper realized that his confession, and the fact that he’d let himself be with her intimately, really spoke volumes about the love he’d professed to her.

A gorgeous specimen of man like him, she would’ve thought he had women lined up at his bedside. She never lacked for partners, but Rome was different. There was a connection there that went deeper than physical gratification.

She had always wanted a man for fun, not a relationship. Relationships were messy and distracting. Something she couldn’t afford while training. And she’d been training forever. So she’d never wanted more than a quick and pleasant rendezvous.

Until now. Maybe it was the extreme circumstances. Maybe it was the secluded setting. But maybe it was just the right man.

“Harper.” He purred her name. She raised herself on her elbow and looked at him. His eyes darkened as his gaze moved from her face to her chest. Glancing down, she realized there was no comforter covering her upper body.

A smile cracked her face again. She’d never been an exhibitionist, though she was used to wearing nothing but sleek racing bathing suits. And she was proud of her fit body.

A moan simmered from deep in her chest when she felt his strong hands cup her breasts and start to stroke them. Leaning into his touch even farther, she placed her hand on his lap and slipped on the paper files resting there. Losing her balance completely, she ended up sliding off the bed and landing on the hardwood floor with a solid thump.

Rome joined in with her laughter. She got on her knees and began to pick up the scattered papers. Looking at one of the sheets, she noticed a scrawled signature at the bottom.

Jeff Donovan. Her laughter faded as she glanced to Rome. He waved his hand for her to join him back on the bed.

She grabbed the rest of the documents and returned to the bed to sit beside him, showing him the paper. Reading it along with him, she could sense his gentle playfulness morph into serious work mode.

The paper was a gruesomely detailed report on what the faction had found up at the Barracks. The empty syringe. The bodies. The destruction.

The last paragraph was a requisition for additional force to track down the source of the damage.

Meaning her.

The last line of the requisition clarified the additional force.

Meaning Rome.

Jeff signed the order to hire Rome to track her down and bring her in. Dead or alive.

Harper just gawked at the paper, realizing just how crazy things had become. And just how much he’d given up for her. She was going to destroy his entire career. Because of her, he’d had to make a choice to go against his boss, regardless of the fact that Jeff was a horrible, rotten, disgusting person.

A strong hand settled on her thigh, halting her uneasy thoughts.

“This was my choice, Harper,” Rome said quietly. “When Jeff gave me your picture, I knew. I just knew that something was off about it. But this, you and me, is right.”

Harper looked at Rome’s face. He was looking out the window, but his gaze seemed unfocused.

“I can’t explain it, but I guess it doesn’t surprise me that Jeff is behind this,” he continued. “I just hate that for the first time in my life, I regret what I do for a living. Regret that my mistake provoked this. I knew that operations like Jeff’s existed. I knew that innocents like Bobby were killed for knowing things they shouldn’t. I guess it just never mattered to me.” His gaze shifted to hers and burned in its forlorn intensity. “Until you.”

She covered his hand with hers, not really knowing what she could say to make this better. Wait, yes she did. She just couldn’t believe she was about to say it.

“I love you,” Harper simply stated. The three words tasted strange and unfamiliar, but somehow right.

Rome turned his body to face her. Taking her hand, he brought it up to his lips and kissed her palm. “I know you do,” he said with a sure grin.

She smiled back at him and shook her head at his response. The same one she’d had.

Rolling the other way, she swung off the bed and padded to her bag of clothes. Unzipping the duffel, she reached in and pulled out a few things to wear and slipped them on with a sigh.

Things between her and Rome were getting a little too close, a lot too fast. And ultimately had nowhere to go. But it felt nice. New and scary, but nice.

She needed air.

Besides, she needed to do something. Now more than ever, she wanted to resolve this whole thing and get her revenge so she could explore a real relationship with Rome. She had no idea how long it would be possible or whether life was ever going to return to a semblance of normal during her tapering life span.

“I’m going outside for some air,” she said, bending over to tie her running shoes. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him still sitting on the bed staring at her with a questioning expression. She tossed him a wave and walked to the door of the cabin.

Harper stepped outside the cabin, breathing in the fresh, crisp air. Thriving ferns graced the area, waving in the light breeze.

She moseyed past the Bug toward the rushing creek and began to walk along the side of the burbling water. The natural hum had a calming effect on her mind and body, as water always did.

Gazing around the lush green trees flanking the rough path beside the creek, she thought of the information she and Rome had gathered from Bobby’s data and the files.

So. The formula flowing in her blood was the only true serum left. And she had the formula buried and locked deep inside her memory. Which meant she was the only pure fruit of Bobby’s efforts. She was able to do things the other guys couldn’t do. And so far, Jeff’s faction had been unsuccessful in trying to replicate it.

It was a strange feeling knowing that she was one of a kind. Strange and isolating. Even if- when -she did finish this, the psi powers would still be part of her. And eventually steal her life.

A life that was forever changed. And though she had Rome, what kind of life could they really have with her unknown and limited life expectancy?

She was scared to find that she needed him, more than just his help. Never before had she allowed anyone other than Bobby to get so close to her. Inside her soul. But Rome had somehow done that without her knowing.

The fact that they had learned she was terminal made her crave him even more. Her heart was breaking little by little just thinking that every second she spent with him could be her last.

She’d told Rome she loved him. How could she say that, knowing her world was falling apart? How could she think she even had the right to say it?