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The looks of horror on the ust Nathan’s face was drawn tight, his eyes dark, nearly black

"What was their objective?" Ethan asked

Shea sighed "I don’t know I’ to study psychic ano in the huh controlled experily more concerned with the way Grace and I were used She expressed guilt and re part of a ‘devil’s creation’ "

Tears burned the edges of her eyes Devil’s creation That hat her own mother considered her and Grace Some abomination, not from God She and Grace had been created in some sterile laboratory to be poked and prodded, their abilities used for God only knehat

Nathan stood, as if he couldn’t reht fists and his agitation was broadcasting so strongly that it filled her e and his horror

She turned away, no longer able to stand the terrible look in his eyes

His hands slid over her shoulders, and he turned her, al her there so she had no choice but to comply with his silent de right now," he said in a low voice "I don’t know because you’ve shut yourself off frouess as to why, but it’s bullshit You have to know I don’t give a damn You’re not some lab experi ive a shit how you came into existence but I thank God every day that you did Has it ever occurred to you that you were born with a her purpose? One that transcended whatever fuck of a reason those bastards played around in their goddamn lab for?"

She stared up at him in awe, so shocked by his vehein to kno to respond What could she say to that?

A tear slid down her cheek and he thumbed it away, his expression so fierce that it should have scared her And then he si her head to his chest as he held her tight enough to crush her ribs

She didn’t care She only cared that he held her, that she absorbed his strength, his war awareness that she led his hand in her hair and then pressed his ainst her, part in anger, but she could feel the e into her mind

"What else, Shea?" he asked quietly "We need to know everything But I need you to know that I’ anywhere You aren’t alone And I don’t give a flying fuck how you came into existence"

She pulled away and sers with his and squeezed She glanced sideways at Swanny and Nathan’s brothers, embarrassed that they’d witnessed her upset

She tugged one hand away fro aside her hair When she would have pulled away frouided her back to where they’d been sitting

This time he settled her between hiainst hers, his hand covering her knee

She sucked in a deep breath, deter without breaking down again

"Andrea and Brandon were appalled at the treat tortured or beaten or abused, but ere treated as test subjects, not babies It was all very cold We were fed and our basic needs seen to, but little else We endured endless testing and experimentation In one entry, Andrea recounted that Grace was purposely cut with a knife to gauge my reaction Conversely, I was also injured to test Grace’s ability to heal ed the results, analyzed the our abilities in a "

"What the hell did they expect you to be able to accolanced at Nathan’s brother He was bigger than both Donovan and Nathan Taller, broader shouldered Black hair and startling blue eyes Nathan was slightly taller than Donovan, but he had a similar build Lean and uessed that under normal circumstances Nathan would have been bulkier His body was still carved by the time he’d spent imprisoned and nearly starved

Nathan’s hair was lighter than Donovan’s and his eyes were dark brown Donovan’s were green, hter, but not eh to intiether? They were forhts momentarily interrupted by her analysis of the men she’d now place her trust in Her heart wrenched He was tall and lean Alard in appearance His cheeks were hollow and his skin was stretched tight over his bones And the scars on his face were still puckered and raw looking, even months after his rescue They would take time to heal They’d never disappear, but with time some of the redness would fade and they wouldn’t look quite so vivid or angry

She very nearly reached for his hand, but curled her fingers into a fist instead He wouldn’t appreciate her pity, and how did you pity a man who’d survived hell? You didn’t pity him You admired him

"Shea," Nathan prompted softly

She flinched, ehts again She seeer and heart sickness

She glanced back up at Ethan and bit at her bottom lip Her stomach clenched and she couldn’t explain the sudden nerves or the panic creeping up her spine

Baby, take deep breaths I’ether

The loving, soothing voice in her head sent waves of coh her veins She visibly relaxed and sent Nathan a look of gratitude His brothers glanced sharply at Nathan as if they were aware that so had transpired between hiain she refocused on Ethan "I’m sorry," she said in a quiet, even voice She was proud of the fact that her voice no longer sounded choked or full of tears She was deterh this

Ethan’s expression softened He looked like he wanted to reach out and take her hand or offer a gesture of comfort It seemed odd, because he appeared so aloof All business

"Take your time, Shea I know this has to be difficult for you"

She nodded "To answer your question, again, according to Andrea’s journal, there were several possibilities the organization that funded the research wanted to explore Reers of war or battle with the ability to heal through a psychic link"

"Holy hell, is that even possible?" Donovan asked