"After all that they did to you, you still believe in their humanity?"
"Her humanity. She may have been caught up in some Bonnie-and-Clyde scenario. She might have even been jealous that I was receiving her cohort's attention. I'll never know her motives or exactly why they targeted me."
"You believe these two were possibly lovers?"
"Maybe. I just remember him repeating the name Emma or maybe Erma, but it always sounded so sarcastic."
A possible clue to her abductors' nationality. "It was most likely irmã, Portuguese for sister."
"That would explain the accent and why she let him have his way with me. A sick sibling relationship for sure. Regardless, she did allow me the opportunity to escape, and for that I'm grateful."
Her attitude, though honorable, took him aback. "I unfortunately cannot share your sense of compassion. I have no use for any person, male or female, who systematically tortures another."
She rested a palm on his forearm. "I can only imagine why you might feel that way in your line of work. But I have to continue to believe that most people are inherently good, or at least have some goodness in them. Otherwise, I might have totally withdrawn and stopped living for fear of running into bad guys around every corner. That is no way to exist."
He admired her strength. He appreciated her courage. He did have difficulty understanding her benevolence. "You're a brave woman, Sunny McAdams. Braver than many men I have known. Are you brave enough to show me your scar now?"
She came to her feet and gave him another smile. "Since you know the story behind it, I guess you should know it all. And since we're going swimming, you're going to see it all. So now I'll go change into my suit in the bunker, if you'll tell me how to open the disappearing door."
He stood and returned her smile. "Press the red button. It is unlocked."
"Okay." She turned then paused and faced him again. "I happen to love life, Rayad, and that makes me a survivor. I'm positive you're a survivor, too, and that's why we're drawn to each other."
When she walked away, he pondered her words. He had survived some of the worst scenarios, including one that had happened several years ago. Yet on that day, a part of his soul had died. He was not certain he would ever recover what was left of it, or to halt the search for the people who murdered his wife and child.
* * *
Sunny was surprised by how quickly she had revealed the details. Telling Rayad most of the abduction story surprisingly hadn't been that difficult, once she'd started talking. Wearing a swimsuit in front of him wasn't going to be quite as easy. He would then see remnants of the one detail she hadn't bothered to mention, though she wasn't quite sure why.
As soon as she'd put on the tasteful two-piece, her hand automatically went to the raised welt located right below her collarbone-and then came terrifying memories of the knife slicing her skin, followed by the warning issued by her terrorist in barely recognizable English.
Do as I say or next time, I cut higher.
She shook off the recollections as she wrapped herself in the towel she'd packed, holding it closed above the scar. Eventually, she would have to reveal it, but not until she was safely sequestered in water.
On that thought, Sunny made her way back to Rayad, careful to keep the towel clutched at her throat. But when she arrived, he was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, he emerged from the reservoir like a gorgeous, golden-skinned god, a sensual smile curling the corners of his sexy mouth. He swam toward her until he found his footing and stood only a few inches from the stone bank. "I had begun to believe you had reconsidered."
She visually followed a droplet that trickled down his sternum to where the water line circled his lower belly. She couldn't help but notice the beginnings of a thin stream of masculine hair traveling south from below his navel. She couldn't help but wonder if he was wearing swim trunks. "I haven't been gone that long."
"It seemed like an eternity."
Pretty words from a very pretty-in a macho sort of way-bad boy. "How's the water?"
"Temperate enough. Are you coming in, or do you wish to stand there and admire my aquatic skills?"
She'd been admiring a lot more than his skill a moment ago, and imagining all sorts of things. "If you're that good, maybe I should bow out and watch."
"If you do not swim all that well, I will assist you."
Sunny's competitive streak kicked, prompting a little temporary white lie in the form of playing the consummate helpless female. "How deep is it?"
"At the moment, I am standing on a narrow ledge that drops off into the depths behind me. I have never located the bottom, though I have tried."
She laid a dramatic hand above her breasts. "Wow. You're well over six feet, so that means it must be really deep."
"Do not be afraid."
She wasn't anything of the sort, and she planned to show him. With that in mind, she walked to the edge to study where Rayad was standing and to gauge the depth of the water behind him. Then in one fell swoop, she tore off the towel and executed a dive into the pool.
After Sunny surfaced several feet away from Rayad, she slicked her hair back with one hand and almost laughed when she saw the puzzled look on his face. Time to end the charade. "I happened to be on my high school swim team for four years, and I served as lifeguard during the summer. I've never been afraid of water."
Without saying a word, he shot toward her, using his long, powerful legs to consume the distance between them in a matter of seconds. "I suspected you were not being truthful," he said as he slid his arms around her.
She continued to tread water, well aware that not much separated them, both in space and in clothing, yet she wasn't the least bit afraid. In fact, her reaction had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with feminine need. At least he'd put on swim trunks so she wasn't tempted to act on those desires-yet. "I thought I'd done a pretty good acting job."
"Perhaps I know you well enough to see through your act."
That might not be up for debate since he'd demonstrated that on several occasions. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't resist raining on your macho-man parade. In case you haven't noticed, I'm rather self-sufficient."
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her chest, the scar plainly visible due to the clarity of the pool. "I have noticed your independence, and this." Keeping one arm around her, he slid his fingertips along the raised area. "He used a blade on you."
Rayad said it as a statement of fact, not a question, but he still looked as if he needed her confirmation. She saw no real reason not to explain at this point. "Yes, he did. Or that's what I assume since I couldn't see it. But I definitely felt it. If I hadn't cooperated, he promised to be more accurate the next time."
"The scar is not as unsightly as you might think."
"It's bad enough, but I'm getting used to it. Besides, it gives me a good excuse to buy a new necklace."
His smile indicated he might actually appreciate her sarcasm. "Perhaps I will purchase that for you, although you should wear your wound proudly as a sign you had the strength to survive."
Exactly what she'd planned to do-eventually. Unfortunately, she didn't feel all that strong at the moment. Not with Rayad so close, her hands resting on his broad shoulders while her heart beat a staccato rhythm in her chest. "Are we going to just float around here like a couple of rafts, or are we going to swim?"
He pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. "How is your endurance?"
"I don't know. How's yours?"
"Excellent. I am also able to swim long distances, as well."
The sexy devil. "What do you have in mind? From a swimming standpoint."
He looked thoroughly disappointed. "I have somewhere else to show you, but we can only see it by water."
"Sounds interesting. You lead, I'll follow."
This time he landed his lips square on her mouth, but he didn't linger very long. "When we reach the opening to the cavern, take hold of my leg."
"Is that really necessary?"
"Do you wish to be lost?"
He had her on that one. "No."
"Should you inadvertently let go, you will be in total darkness. Keep going as you will shortly return to light, and our destination. I will go slowly."
She brushed a kiss across his unshaven chin. "Don't be careful on my account."