He leaned back against the bars and his chin lifted as he continued to regard her with that grim expression. “You were familiar but I didn’t know why. I focused on a memory and it got stronger until I knew you.”
“Do you remember being at Mercile?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember being freed?”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember Homeland now?”
Some of the tension left his face as he searched his memory. “No.”
“What is the last thing you do remember?”
“Being in your office and wanting you to sit on my lap.”
She slowly got to her feet. “Try to focus on when I left.”
The anger returned. “I don’t have to. You told me what happened.”
“Try. I am here to help you. Let me.”
“Get my new therapist.”
“There isn’t one.” She remembered what had been said about Dr. Kregkor and shuddered. No way did she want someone New Species talked about that way anywhere near Moon. “Don’t you want out of this cell? Out of those chains?”
“You know I do.”
“Talk to me then. Answer my questions and let’s figure this out. Please.”
He closed his eyes and his expression cleared. She wondered if he planned to ignore her or if he was attempting to do as she asked. A few prompts might help.
“One day I was there and the next day you probably were told I was gone. I left late at night after bed check.”
His eyes snapped open and a snarl erupted. “I went to your office but the guard said you weren’t in it. I thought you were running late but she said you no longer worked there. I believed you were fired but then the human said you’d quit.”
“That’s good.” It showed he could fix on a point in time and force the memories to surface.
“There was nothing good about it.” His arms uncrossed and his hands fisted at his sides. “You didn’t even say goodbye.”
“I meant that it’s encouraging that you are able to remember if you focus on a point in time.”
“You owed me more than to leave without speaking to me first.” He pushed away from the wall, taking a step closer. “How could you do that?”
“I had no choice.”
“They lied to me? You were removed by force?”
“No.” It was tempting to lie to defuse his anger but she wouldn’t stoop that low. “The attraction between us was growing stronger and I knew I couldn’t resist you anymore. That’s why I had to leave.”
He took another step closer and paused. “You were ashamed that you wanted me? An animal half-breed?”
“No!” A smart person would continue this discussion from the other side of the bars but Joy ignored that reasoning. Moon could be frightening, intimidating. He might snarl and flash those dangerous teeth of his but she’d bet her life—was, in fact—that he wouldn’t harm her. “Of course not. I explained this dozens of times. I was your doctor and it wasn’t right if we had a physical relationship.”
“You said it would be taking advantage of me.” He took another long stride and paused inches from her, making her tilt her head back to keep eye contact. “Do I look weak?”
“No. It was your emotional state I was referring to. Do you remember that?”
He moved fast and she flinched without meaning to when one of his large hands suddenly gripped her jaw, holding her head still. She instinctively clutched his arm, avoiding the shackle at his wrist. She didn’t struggle or try to jerk free. His hold wasn’t painful but it was firm.
“They would have found out even if I was willing to toss my ethics aside. I would have been fired and promptly removed. They probably would have had to file criminal charges against me just to safeguard the location.”
“Moon,” he rasped, bending a little so their faces were closer. “You don’t know me as that name, do you? I can hear it when you speak. You easily say 466 but hesitate before you say Moon. You never saw me after I left site four. Did I recently pick this name?”
“I don’t know exactly when you took it.”
“How long has it been since you left me?”
“I’d rather not answer that. I think you’ve had enough shocks for one day.” Plus, he had a good grip on her face. She wasn’t totally stupid, despite some of her questionable choices when it came to him.
“Weeks?”
She remained silent.
His eyes narrowed. “Months?”
“Moon, I really—”
“A year?” He spoke over her, almost nose to nose with her, staring intently into her eyes. He snarled. “More than a year. I can read you.” He released her, backing away so fast he almost tripped on one of the chains but righted before he fell. A snarl tore from him and he spun, facing her. “Get out!”
Joy hated how tears filled her eyes again. She wasn’t prone to them unless it involved Moon. “Okay.” She backed up. “I’ll leave.”
He suddenly lunged forward and fear jolted through her as strong hands gripped her waist. Her feet left the floor and her back slammed into the bars. It didn’t hurt but it was sharp enough to knock the breath from her lungs. Moon pinned her with his body so they were face level. His chest and thighs were plastered against hers to keep her exactly where he wanted.
“Why?”
“I had to…before we ended up having sex. They wouldn’t have allowed us to be together. I did it for you more than myself. I swear. I was afraid you’d attack someone out of retaliation and end up getting hurt. That was the last thing I wanted.”
He leaned in until his hot breath fanned her lips. “No. Why are you here now? I want the truth. Don’t look away from me.”
“You were in trouble and I thought you needed me.”
“I needed you before.”
It was torture being so close to him. Every breath he took made her aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and his body heat transferred to hers through the thin material she wore. Her hands trembled when she lifted them and gripped the top of his shoulders. Firm, thick muscles bunched under her fingertips.
“Not a day went by,” she admitted, “that I didn’t regret leaving. I thought about you all the time. I wished things could have been different. I came as soon as Homeland called. I wanted to see you again.”
He softly growled, his chest vibrating against hers. “You said this isn’t site four. My people guard this place and make the rules? Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
He glanced away, his gaze sweeping the basement. “Where are they?”
“Upstairs. Seeing them upset you more.”
“We are alone here?”
“Yes.”
“My people here know me?”
“Yes. Everyone at Homeland really cares about you. Your best friend especially.”
Confusion clouded his features.
“Do you want to know his name?” She wondered if hearing Harley’s name would help him remember.
“My people called you to help me?”
“Yes.”
“Good enough.”
She didn’t know what that meant and opened her mouth to ask him but gasped instead when he pressed against her tighter, almost crushing her against the bars, and his hands slid higher until his thumbs rested under her breasts. His fingers tightened their hold on her ribs.
“Then they would know what I’d do to you.”
He spun without warning, yanking her away from the bars, and moved fast. Joy was too stunned to react until he twisted her around in his hold and flung her. She felt terror as she fell but didn’t slam into the unforgiving floor. Instead a soft mattress caught her weight as she landed on her stomach. The bed dipped to her right as she sucked in air. Chains rattled.
She looked over her shoulder, her heart racing, and was shocked as she watched Moon straddle her thighs. One hand flattened on the middle of her back to keep her in place while his other one reached for the waistband of her skirt. The zipper was loud as he yanked it down.
“What are you doing?”
Air touched her spine and then fingers slid against her underwear. He yanked hard, lifting his weight up at the same time, and her skirt was jerked down her hips to her upper thighs where the material bunched. She tried to turn but couldn’t when his knees trapped her in place.