Free Code of Control by Jevenna Willow Page A

arms. “I—I can’t.” When he did not interrupt, she
added, “It’s too soon,” once again staring at his face.
    “It’s never too
soon to face your worst nightmare then go on from there.”
    Her head whipped
toward his. “H—how…?” she sputtered.
    He raised his
hand, stopping the argument. He then lowered his hand, open palm up. “Trust me.
I know what is stopping you, why it has all these years, and exactly what to do
about it so we can move on from there. I need you on my side. Until you conquer
this, I can’t, in all good faith, allow you in the field. You’ll be stuck with
desk duty, hating me for hiring you—just plain out hating me, most likely using
my head for target practice.”
    She cautiously
placed her hand into his, her heartbeat jumping a few bars. How could he
possibly know what her worst nightmare was when she wasn’t exactly certain
herself? He then bent down, his mouth near her ear, drawing gooseflesh to her
arms. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised.
    What choice did
she have? Step back from all of this, run for the hills, or face her fears and
get on with her life?
    “Promise?” she
probed.
    Nolan looked
deep into her eyes, making her believe anything was possible if allowed the
control. “I will stake my life on this promise,” he said.
    “You’ll have to
stake your life on it, if I let you go through with this. This is torture. You
do know this, right?”
    “I know.” His
soft smile proved it.
    “If anything
happens to me…”
    “Nothing will
happen to you that you don’t want happening. You will be in control. I’ll be with
you every step of the way to make certain of the outcome.”
    “What if the
outcome is more nightmares?” She would not be able to stomach more if it
happened.
    “I guess we’ll
cross that bridge when we come to it.”
    Charlotte’s
breath lodged, her knees growing weak. In all good faith, she was not about to
tell him she had a phobia of bridges, too. Everything about her was due to one
very tragic night in her life, a night she could not shake.

 
     
    Chapter Nine
     
     
    Two hours later,
Charlotte was cussing him out like there was no tomorrow.
    “I hate you!”
she screamed.
    Nolan lay on his
stomach, holding the rope. “I know. You’ve informed the entire world just how
much you hate me.”
    “You ass! When I
get out of this…”
    “I’m hoping this
will be soon, sweetheart. My arms are getting tired.”
    “Don’t you dare
fucking let go of this rope!”
    “Wouldn’t dream
of it,” he said, hiding his smile again. She couldn’t see it, but guilty
conscience certainly could.
    “What the hell
are you doing?” Devon asked, scaring the crap out of Nolan, his hands slacking
on the grip to the rope. He’d never heard his brother’s approach, Charlotte
cussing him out again for dropping her a foot or two. Okay, maybe three feet.
It was hard to tell from this distance.
    “Did you just
fucking lower me?” she screamed up at him.
    Devon peered
over the side, looking down the hole. “She’ll never get out of there,” he said
nonchalantly.
    “The point is
for her to try to work through this,” Nolan smarted, bringing the rope up one
more foot. He’d been doing this every ten minutes, hoping she’d climb without
his help. So far, all he dealt with was a lot of anger directed at him, his
family jewels threatened, and his life on the line if he did not get her out of
there within five seconds.
    That was
forty-five minutes ago. When one as terrified as she was, track of time no
longer exists. The phobia takes over, producing anger and dissertation. He was
trying to get her to conquer this, doing it boot-camp style.
    “Pushing this a
little too far?” Devon asked, shoving half a banana into his mouth, food Nolan
paid for and Devon constantly ate.
    “Not far
enough,” Nolan grumbled, inching the rope upward again.
    “Devon? Is that
you?” Charlotte yelled.
    Devon looked
down the hole. “In the flesh.