Finding Trust (Centre Games) (38 page)

Rihanna took a moment and looked away. She called up the events that had taken place and ran them through her head. She remembered the saline and then Jazz went to put something else in the line. Then Jazz sitting on her butt on the wet road. What had Brayden said?
Think, Rihanna. Think
.

Rihanna opened her mouth to ask but before the words came out, the memories came rushing back. It couldn’t be true, could it?

Brayden had said he and the team had altered DNA. That wasn’t possible, was it? That didn’t happen. That was the stuff of sci-fi movies.

“You remember?” Jazz pushed gently.

“Yes, I do. He said he and the team had altered DNA. That can’t be right, can it?” Rihanna looked to Jazz, clearly hoping she could confirm what she thought couldn’t possibly be correct.

“That’s what he said. In fact, he went further to indicate that somehow their DNA had been altered with animal genetics,” Jazz expanded for her.

Rihanna was speechless.

He’d lied to her.

The best thing that had ever happened to her was nothing but a big fat lie.

“How could he do this, Jazz? He lied to me. All that crap about trust, and he couldn’t tell me the biggest thing about himself. I’m so stupid. This is why I don’t do relationships because I clearly suck at them.”

Jazz squeezed her hand, trying to console her. “I don’t know, Rih. But I do know that it’s some huge trust he broke amongst the team as well. Tom has promised me a full briefing and I mean to get it but I think the only person who can really answer your questions is Brayden.”

Rihanna laid there in silence a few seconds longer. She was trying to desperately come to terms with the information she’d just been given. Shock was hitting her hard.

“But is he even a person, Jazz?”

Jazz spun her head around like she’d been slapped. “I can’t believe you just said that. Of course he’s a person; they all obviously are. Look at it this way—would he still be a person if he had a prosthetic leg or a pig’s valve in his heart? Of course he would. Some bunch of scientists fucked with his DNA and apparently enhanced it but clearly he’s still a person. He’s also the one person in the last thirty years who has managed to get close enough to you to make you open up a little. Give him some credit.”

Jazz sucked in a breath, clearly about to launch into another tirade.

Rihanna beat her to the next barrage. “What am I going to do, Jazz?”

Jazz seemed to relax a bit. “The first thing you need to do is talk to him. I’m going to go see if I can get an update on Quade and see what the x-rays turned up.” She rose from the chair and headed towards the door. Jazz turned before exiting.

“You’ve got some thinking to do.”

Rihanna dropped her eyes to the white wash of the blankets. Never a truer word had been said.

Chapter Thirty-One

Brayden stepped out of the hospital meeting room that had been commandeered for the debrief. He wanted to see Rihanna more than anything but the boss was playing everything by the rules. And a debrief was always part of the rules after every mission. That meant they’d all been present. Boss was assigning clean-up duties and taking care of the fallout from the operation. He’d lucked out and not pulled anything extra other than his normal reports, which he’d just finished completing.

Finding Rihanna was now his number-one priority. He knew she was basically alright. The medical staff were providing ongoing briefings about her status and also Quade’s. Quade was still in theatre and would likely be there another couple of hours. The injuries to Quade were weighing heavily on everyone’s mind. That in itself was one of the reasons he was sure the boss was continuing on as normal. The team weren’t good at sitting around doing nothing—too much energy.

He rounded the corner and almost collided with Jazz. His arm shot out to steady her before she took a tumble.

“Hey, hold up there.” He stepped back after she regained her footing. “How’s Rihanna?” he asked, clearly concerned.

“She’s going to be okay. I’m just heading to see if I can get the results of the x-rays. She’s keen to get out of here.”

He nodded, taking in Jazz’s words.

“You’ve got some explaining to do, I think.” He nodded again, solemnly agreeing with what she said. “In more ways than one.” She trailed off.

“What do you mean, Jazz?”

“I’m talking about you and Rihanna’s potential parenthood.”

“Ah, that.” He took a deep breath and squared his already square shoulders, clearly bracing for what was to come. “I can’t believe she told you.”

Jazz pegged him with her intense green eyes. “She didn’t through choice. It came out during the x-rays. We had to take extra precautions draping her up to protect the foetus in case she happens to be pregnant.”

“Aren’t x-rays dangerous during pregnancy?” The concern was written all over his face.

“Only if we don’t take precautions. Hence the precautions.”

This seemed to ease his mind and his big frame noticeably relaxed a little.

“You seem pretty confident she’s pregnant,” she asked, clearly questioning him.

“She is. She was ovulating the day at the beach.” At his words, Jazz raised her eyebrows in question. “I could smell it.”

Rather than respond to the bizarreness of his words, Jazz let it go and moved to more comfortable ground.

“I’ll ask the doctor to run some blood tests to confirm before she’s discharged from here.”

“No need. Rory confirmed what I suspected earlier today.”

This time his words left Jazz down right shocked. Rory? What the devil did Rory have to do with this?

“What are you talking about?” she said, slowly emphasising each word.

“A woman’s body smells different when she’s pregnant, must be something to do with the hormones. I was confident earlier today I could smell the change. Rory’s nose is better than mine; he said he had no doubt.”

Jazz looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“It’s one of the effects of the altered DNA; our senses are enhanced to the equivalent of animals.”

It took Jazz a couple of seconds to process all this and recover enough to speak.

“I’ll still get the bloods tests done. I think you’d better go talk to Rihanna. It’s her you’d better be having this discussion with rather than me. After I check with the doctors, I’m going to find Tom. He’s promised me a briefing and I think I’m more than ready for it.”

She spun on her heel and left before he could say another word. Her annoyed footsteps echoed down the corridor. Christ, she was formidable. He almost felt sorry for the boss.

Their altered physical state was a lot to lie on a person. Jazz seemed to be coping with it just fine. A bit pissed off but she was dealing. He only hoped Rihanna was as understanding. He couldn’t let her go now that he’d found her. He’d decided that days ago. Now that she was pregnant, he’d fight with everything in him to make sure her and the baby were with him always. This was the future he wanted more than anything. Now he just had to convince Rihanna.

***

She was propped up in bed, a big pillow under her right hip and side providing some extra comfort. She didn’t see him at first as she stared off into space.

He was nearly to the bed before she recognised he was there.

“Bray,” she breathed, turning slightly to greet him.

He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her forehead, not quite sure how welcome he would be. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and kiss her till neither of them could think of anything else but he sensed that was not what she needed right now.

“Hey, baby, how are you feeling?” he asked gently, his voice clearly full of concern.

“I’ve been better. At least the pain meds are kicking in.”

He perched his hip on the side of the bed and stroked the hair from her forehead.

“Is it safe for you to be having pain meds?”

“What do you mean, Brayden?” She was obviously more than a little annoyed at his question. “I’m in pain. Lots of pain—getting trampled by a horse will do that.”

He nodded his concern but he still had more on his mind. “Well, aren’t pregnant women supposed to refrain from taking medications?”

“I’m not sure I’m even pregnant. Why does everyone seem to think it’s a foregone conclusion?”

Her voice was becoming more and more annoyed by the second. This was not going to go well if she got even more pissed at him before he had a chance to explain.

“Besides, shouldn’t we be talking about the ‘trust’ issues we clearly have?” She winced and lowered her arms, immediately regretting the angry air quotes she’d given to emphasise her point.

His face flashed with shame, horror, and something else. “You remember that conversation.”

“Bit hard to forget, Brayden. Not every day you find out your boyfriend is not quite human, well at least not as you know the definition to be,” she flared back at him.

He visibly flinched at her words. She was technically correct but it still stung like a bitch. He wasn’t human as everyone knew humans to be. He was enhanced by the science of humans to a whole new level.

“It’s true I’m not human, quite as human as you generally know people to be. The team at the Centre and I are all products of the science of humans. We had no choice in it. We were born this way, if you can call it that.”

He’d tried but the regret and hurt in his voice was undeniable.

“Why don’t you tell me the truth for a change? I think I at least deserve that. And besides, they don’t seem like they’re in a hurry to let me out so it’s not like I haven’t got the time.” He may be hurt but she was, too. He’d betrayed her trust by not telling her earlier.

He owed her the “truth” as she’d so obviously pointed out to him. He could only hope his worst fears did not come true.

He shifted on the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position.

“The twelve of us at the Centre all have altered DNA. Our DNA was altered in test tubes prior to us being implanted and then born. They spliced our human DNA with the DNA of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac.”

Rihanna burst out laughing and wheezed out, “Chinese zodiac,” before the pain became too much.

He paused. The irony was not lost on him. “I know, hard to believe and a little too close to home after what we’ve been through the last couple of weeks. Why the Chinese zodiac, anyone knows. Apparently, they thought it was the best balance of animal genes or something. Doesn’t really matter, we just all ended up with it.”

She settled and looked at him expectantly, so he continued. “So each of us has DNA from all the animal signs but we have more of one in particular. Mine, if you haven’t guessed, is equine.”

He could see Rihanna processing this information and comparing it with the various experiences they’d shared. Brayden waited; he knew she’d quickly put the pieces together. His girl was super smart.

“So that’s why you’re so good with horses. They see you as the alpha stallion.”

She looked at him with her beautiful eyes, seeking confirmation of her thinking.

“Exactly. That’s why I could calm the mare and she followed me like I’d known her for years. It’s also why I could interact with the young stock at the sale.” He paused before he went on. “It was also the main reason I was given the assignment. My dominant equine DNA made me the obvious choice.”

Brayden could see she hadn’t decided how she felt about the last piece of information. No doubt she would feel manipulated; he could understand that. It was true in a lot of ways. However, their relationship was something neither of them could have predicted. It was one of those things that happened to thousands of people every day. They fell in love and it was beautiful. It was theirs and that’s what he was fighting for.

Rather than let her gather her thoughts too long, he pressed on. “So as you now know, my dominant animal is the horse. Rory’s is dog and Quade is tiger. Knowing what you now know, you might be able to pick up the subtle differences.”

She thought for a moment. “Yes, I can see it. It’s in the mannerisms. Quade’s definitely feline. He always seems to be stalking something. It’s so obvious now that I know.” There was almost a hint of excitement in her voice. The satisfaction of finally understanding something she’d been trying to process for a while. “Rory’s loyal, affectionate fun, and even a little goofy. Kind of a cross between a Labrador and a golden retriever.”

At this, Brayden burst out laughing. “Now that you mention it, I can see it. Although knowing him as I do, I think there’s a fair bit of Rottweiler in there as well.”

He could almost see her mind fly back to the scene at the stables were the bullet was fired. “He killed that guy, didn’t he?” she asked quietly.

Brayden’s face had changed. Now solemn, it held none of the humour of a moment ago. “He did and for that I will be eternally grateful. If he hadn’t I wouldn’t be talking to you now, looking at the woman I love. The one who carries my child.”

Rihanna gasped, clearly shocked by his words.

God, he was stupid. He should have eased her into it slowly. Shit, he’d got all melancholy and emotional and so not how he normally was. She did this to him. He’d never felt things so clearly or so deeply. Only now, because he’d rushed it, he could feel things unravelling further. She was pulling away.

“What do you mean ‘the one who carries my child’?”

“Exactly that, Rihanna. You’re pregnant. I didn’t mean to break it to you this way.” One look at her face and he knew he’d screwed up, said too much, too soon; it was all too weird. “Christ, I’m stupid sometimes.” He shook his head, clearly angry with himself.

“Brayden, how do you know I’m pregnant? I’m not even late yet. You’re assuming.” She dropped her gaze. Embarrassment, anger, frustration all flashed across her face.

“I’m not assuming, Minky. I can smell the hormonal changes in your body. You’re as pregnant as can be.”

The look of horror on her face was clear. He’d seen it once before and he’d had to work double quick to hide his abilities and ease her concerns on that occasion. This time he’d give her the truth.

“We all have heighted sense of smells. Rory about ten thousand times a normal human and me around seven thousand times. I can distinguish your unique scents from millions of others.”

“That’s how you found me New Year’s Eve. You saw them take me but you could track me by scent. You slipped up that day in the car park and nearly gave yourself away.”

He nodded, indicating she was correct.

“What else can you do? What other talents do you have?”

“We generally refer to them as enhancements but talents or abilities works just as well.” He shot her a seductive smile and winked at her.

She wasn’t having any of his charm right now. “That’s exactly how I got into this damned mess. Answer the question, Brayden.”

“Well, I don’t see this as a ‘damned mess.’ I see this as the most incredible thing that has happened in my life and I hope in yours, but we’ll leave that portion of the discussion for later. As to what I can do, well, all five of my human senses are enhanced to at least animal proportions, some more so. So taste, sight, hearing, smell, touch are all off the human charts. However, I also have animal speed, strength, and endurance, and a sixth sense for danger. I have a huge appetite, which I’ve disguised the best I can but I’ve seriously been starving, and I can exist on next to no sleep. That enhancement I’m hoping you’ll be grateful for in about nine months’ time when our baby arrives.”

He could see her trying to process everything. It was a lot to take in. It had to be next to impossible with what she’d been through over the last couple of weeks.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know it’s an insane amount of information to take in but you wanted to know, you need to know, and what’s more, you deserve to know. That’s it. The secret. The one that no one outside the Centre knows, except for you, Jazz, and a few other top agency officials. My life is now an open book to you.”