“But not genetic altering. That’s rather new and advanced. What are you, twenty-two, twenty-three?”
“Twenty-three. I trained with five other girls as a soldier from as far back as I can remember. I didn’t have parents. Whether Braden created me or picked me up off the street, I have no idea, it’s difficult to believe anything he said, but all of us were flown to various countries to learn how to survive in hostile terrain. We also went to school daily, no matter where we were, to continue our educations. I excelled in languages, but all the girls had to learn the same things.”
Wyatt had to set his teeth against the temptation of her voice. He studiously avoided looking at his friends, hoping time might dull the impact. He had one hell of a hard-on and didn’t want to know if they were struggling with the same effect.
He’d been right all along about a woman like Pepper. Sexy. Hot. Trouble with a capital “T.” He had always known he was a Cajun through and through. He lived hard, loved hard, worked hard and played hard. When he fucked up, he did it royally, such as joining Whitney’s GhostWalkers, although truthfully, he was beginning to think maybe he wasn’t going to regret his decision so much. Why? Her beautiful ass was parked in his kitchen chair and one of his beautiful little viper daughters was laughing with Nonny at his kitchen table. What more could a man ask for?
His passions were intense, his temper, his love, his protective instincts, his jealousy. The thing was, none of those traits had been engaged until Pepper. He’d never been jealous around Joy and other men and that should have told him something right there. His brother Gator spent a great deal of time with his teeth clenched when his woman was in a bar with him. Wyatt should have known that was just part of their nature. Living and loving hard meant skating the edge of control or just plain losing it sometimes.
I’m sorry, Wyatt. I’m trying.
That voice spread through him like warm honey. So worth it, sugar. You’re doin’ fine. Just keep tonin’ it down. You’ll get there. Everythin’ takes practice.
Malichai cleared his throat. “Did you always have a lethal bite?”
Pepper glanced at Wyatt. He tightened his hand around hers to give her courage. He was grateful he’d connected the two of them somehow when he’d attempted to psychically heal her. He could feel fear and confusion beating at her, although he couldn’t see it on her face. She didn’t want to do anything to upset the balance in the room and she was feeling her way.
He found the fact that she knew nothing about family or friendship yet had taken on three children and was desperately feeling her way right now, trying to do everything right when she had no road map, absolutely valiant. His heart contracted and he pressed her hand to his chest, right over it.
Pepper took a breath and shook her head. “I don’t think so. At least, to my knowledge, I never killed anyone by biting them, not as a child. We were training in India and I was bitten by a snake, a cobra. I was fifteen at the time. I got very, very sick. We were out in the country. They brought in a helicopter, and that’s the last time I ever saw the other girls I trained with. I was taken back to France, but held in a different area, away from my unit.”
That had been much better. She spoke a little slower, almost drawling, but it helped to alter her natural tone enough to take the sensual edge off a little. He smiled at her and nodded to let her know her technique worked.
“Were you treated for the bite?” he asked gently.
Now they had everyone’s undivided attention. Both Malichai and Ezekiel propped their heads on their hands, elbows on the table, staring at her in some shock. Wyatt didn’t warn them that they were in danger of Nonny’s fork, although she was listening with rapt attention as well.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember very much. But I was operated on three times after that. All three times I was very ill. For weeks the first time.”
“What are you thinkin’, Wyatt?” Nonny asked. “Your first thought.”
“It’s preposterous,” Wyatt answered slowly. “Totally impossible. Do you know your country of origin? Is it possible Whitney found you in India?”
Pepper frowned at him. “Yes. But Braden told me I couldn’t possibly be a native even though I was supposedly in an orphanage there. He speculated that my parents were living there and either died in an accident or from some sickness.”
“Do you have any scars from your childhood? Unexplained scars?” Wyatt persisted.