Free Unmasking the Wolf by Christy Gissendaner Page B

thirteen. None of our relatives wanted to take us in, so I quit school and got a job at my uncles’ lumber yard until I could save enough money to move us to Boston. Laura was smart. I’m talking genius-smart. She got a scholarship to MIT. That’s where she met Dominic. They were lab partners.”
    Gina couldn’t imagine losing her parents so young, or being strong enough to survive without them. “I think Dominic mentioned Laura before, but he’d never told me she died.”
    “He didn’t take her death well. Hell, none of us did.” A small smile played about his lips. “Laura was one of those girls who could light up a room just by being in it. She looked like our mother, long blond hair and blue eyes. I think Dominic was half in love with her. When she died, I hired him so he could continue the research she was so passionate about.”
    “Is this the drug you’re developing?”
    He gave her a wary look. “Yes.”
    It was easy to put two-and-two together. “And you think she was murdered because of it?”
    His mouth hardened into a tight line. “I’m beginning to think so. Someone knew and wanted to stop her research.”
    “Just like they’re trying to stop yours,” Gina added. She touched his shoulder. “You need to go to the police.”
    “And tell them what? They’ll never believe Laura’s death and the recent attacks are related. Besides no one knows about L-12 and I plan to keep it that way.”
    “Obviously someone knows.” She gripped his shoulder, dragging his gaze to hers. “Is it worth risking your safety?”
    He answered without hesitation. “Yes.” He released her hand and placed his arm around her waist, drawing her forward for a light hug. “But it’s not worth risking yours. I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
    “Will I?” She lifted her eyes to his, daring him to deny the attraction between them.
    “You don’t think so?”
    Her pulse sped up, making it hard to catch her breath. She could easily slip out of his grip if she wanted to, but she relished his arm around her. “You . . . you intrigue me.”
    His tone lowered to a sexy whisper. “How so?”
    She buried her face in the pillow, reluctant to share more than she’d already had. Could he guess she was a virgin? Did it even matter?
    “Gina, look at me.”
    She shook her head, her face still buried in the pillow.
    His lips touched the exposed skin of her neck. She sucked in a breath, the pillowcase sticking to her lips, as she struggled to bring oxygen into her starved lungs.
    He pressed tiny kisses there before moving away. “You don’t have to be scared of me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
    She lifted her head, shocked to the core by the need reflected in his eyes. He’d been honest with her about his family. It was only fair she was honest with him. “I’ve never done this before.”
    He swooped in for a kiss, nibbling at the edges of her lips. “Done what? Been with a human?”
    “No.” She pulled away, needing him to see she was being serious. “With anyone. I’m a virgin.”
    It was painfully obvious when he put the brakes on his seduction. Disbelief was mirrored in his gaze. Her words tumbled over one another as she struggled to get them out. “It’s not important. I just thought you should know.”
    He touched her cheek softly. “It does matter. You’ve saved yourself for someone. Otherwise you wouldn’t have waited so long.”
    “No!” She needed him to understand this was what she wanted. “I’ve just never found a man I wanted to be with before.” She echoed his gesture and put her palm against his cheek. “I want to be with you, Luke.”
    “You said it yourself. You don’t know me.”
    “I can get to know you.”
    “ Before sex, Gina,” he said with a light laugh.
    “It feels right . Can’t that be enough?” she asked.
    He closed his eyes, visibly struggling for control. When he reopened them, the green of his gaze glittered dangerously. “I . . . I can’t. I’m