Rescuing Liberty: Perseverance Book 1 (32 page)

“
If only you could see my thoughts,” I
replied. “Or any thoughts, for that matter. Probably difficult to
see anything past Gina’s fake—” I paused and shook my head. “Where
is she anyway?”

“
Gina?” he asked, his eyebrows
furrowed. “Libby, nothing about that was real. I was just using her
to find out who they were and what they wanted. She’s the daughter
of the Progression major and she’s just as much of a sociopath as
he is. I wouldn’t touch her with a ten foot pole.”

“
Really?” I asked. “Because you were
doing a whole bunch of touching before you pulled that disappearing
act together.”

Connor rubbed his temple. “Again, I was
pumping her for information.”

“
Pumping her?” I asked. “Nice choice
of words. I bet you were.”

“
Is there anything I can say that you
won’t twist around to your own purpose?” he asked.

I thought about it for a moment then
replied, “Probably not. Therefore, this whole conversation is a
complete waste of time. We should call it quits before it comes to
blows.” I took a step toward the camp, but he grabbed my
arm.

I winced. My body was a minefield of
bruises and Connor’s hand was too large to avoid them.

“
Sorry.” He quickly released my arm.
“Would you just listen? Please?”

I glared at him and leaned my head
back against the tree.

He shuffled his feet then said,
“You’ve been judging me since you first laid eyes on me. Well, you
know what? I’m sick of balancing on your scale. Would it kill you
to give me a chance for once?”

He was crazy. I’d given him lots of
chances and he’d blown every one of them. Still, I didn’t want to
seem unreasonable, so I uncrossed my arms and replied,
“Listening.”

He took a step closer. “I screwed up.
Big time. But I never betrayed you guys.”

I snorted. “Really?
’Cause
—
”

His finger pressed against my lips,
cutting me off. “You said you were listening. Look, I knew we were
in trouble, but I thought I could handle the situation.”

I pushed his hand away. “Situation?
You mean Gina? Because it looked like you were handling her just
fine. I’m pretty sure you didn’t even mind. That’s okay. I get it.
I was … what? Pre-season, preparing you for the real
game?”

“
No
—
”

“
The appetizer before the main
course?”

“
Lib
—
”

“
But it’s my fault.” I continued.
“Because I did give you a chance. I dared to think that you could
be different than every other man in my life. I wanted to believe
that I could have feelings for you and you would return them.” My
eyes stung, but I refused to knuckle them in front of Connor. He
didn’t deserve to know how he affected me. “I should have listened
to my gut, but none of that matters anyway. How could you do that
to Ash—”

“
Shh.” He put his hand on the tree
above my head and leaned into it, invading my personal space. “Can
I talk now?”

His face was inches from
mine. Glorious heat radiated from his body, and I longed to be
closer. Warmer.
Talk?

He seemed to accept my silence as
permission to speak. “Alright, Your Honor, you are judging this
case based on faulty evidence.”

His voice sounded tired and husky.
Sensual. Since I couldn’t trust myself to reply, I raised my
eyebrow in question.

“
You allowed events that you witnessed
to discredit the facts that you know.” He tapped my head and
smiled. “Since physical evidence is non-existent, we must rely on
facts. Fact one,” he held up a finger, “no matter what you saw, or
what you think you saw, I love Ashley. It took me a while to
realize that, but I get it now.”

My head swam from the
steel-earth-musky scent of Connor. What had I seen? Had there been
something that made me question his love for Ashley? I envisioned
the night he told me she was his daughter, remembering the love in
his eyes as he watched her sleep.

“
I acted with her
best interests in mind,” he insisted. “As her guardian and a
soldier, I did what I believed to be right. I went with Gina to get
her away from you guys. Which leads us to fact
two
,
” Connor held up a
second finger, “Gina Thompson is a soul-stealing, life-leeching,
black hole from whom there is no escape.”

My laughter surprised even myself. It
seemed to bubble up from my toes, delighted by such a precise
description of her.

But then Connor smiled at
me and leaned even closer. “Fact
three
,
” a British accent
accompanied the third finger. His eyes stared into mine, seemingly
searching. He tucked a stray curl behind my ear, trailing his thumb
down my cheek and under my chin. His touch sent shivers down my
spine and paralyzed me. My brain kept screaming at me to run, but
my body wouldn’t move.
Breathe,
I reminded myself, but I couldn’t. I was the prey
caught in Connor’s trap. He’d completely immobilized me and now I
was helpless against his advance.
“I love you Liberty
Collins.”

He was so close; only inches away. My heart
stopped. His mouth—his perfectly shaped lips—approached. Closer.
Closer. My eyelids lowered in surrender as his lips pressed gently
against mine. Whiskers tickled my skin. His strong, firm body
pressed against mine and my hands jumped at the opportunity to
explore the lines of his chest. Then they moved to his arms. Then
his back. His curious tongue explored my mouth while I memorized
every muscle in his upper body. The pain of my swollen, split lip
no longer held me back. I needed more. Greed overwhelmed me,
promising me bliss if I could just get closer. More.

It isn’t real.
The thought blindsided me, like a hot shower suddenly turning
to ice. I jerked away from him, ashamed and mortified at my
behavior. Connor watched me, h
is steady and intense
gaze turning my knees to Jell-O. The corner of his mouth curved
into a smile, then he slid behind me, placing his back against the
tree.

“
Come here,” he said, pulling me to
him. Warm arms wrapped around me. I rested my head on his shoulder
and breathed in his delicious scent. Knowing I was playing with
fire, I closed my eyes and simply existed in his
embrace.

Connor’s chest rumbled with laughter. He
pulled my chin up, forcing me to look at him. “You scared me. I
thought I’d lost you.”

Lost me? You never had
me.
I let out a deep breath and looked away. Being in
his arms felt so good. But I knew that every second I spent with
him would only add to the inevitable pain of leaving him.
Can’t work. Won’t last.

“
What?” He unwrapped his arms and
looked down at me. “Don’t you love me?”

“
I can’t. I know you, and I won’t be
just another notch in your headboard. I’m not that girl, Connor,
not even for you.” I blew out a breath. A strong breeze rushed by,
robbing me of the body heat I’d borrowed from him. “I have to be
true to who I am, and the person
I
am
doesn’t mesh well with
Washington’s most eligible bachelor
.”

He scowled. “That’s not fair. I was given
that brand a long time ago.” He shook his head. “I’m not that
person anymore.”

I studied his features, longing to be
back in his warm embrace. “Okay, fine. I don’t know you. How can I
love you, when I don’t even know
who
you are?”

“
I’m not asking what you know in
here.” He tapped my forehead. “I’m asking what you feel in here.”
His finger meandered down my hair and traced circles over my
heart.

My breathing quickened. I started to panic,
having no idea how to respond. I feared that voicing my feelings
for him would enslave me somehow. And the last thing I needed was
to be bound to Connor. It didn’t matter that I wanted all the
things that any woman wants: happiness, security, love. I knew
these were just temporary comforts that came with a price tag I was
unwilling to pay.

“
You don’t have to answer now.” His
shoulders drooped and the circles around his eyes seemed to darken.
“It’s been a rough few days, and this is a lot for me to unload on
you. Just promise me that you’ll think about it. About me. About
us.”

Us?

He kissed my forehead and walked back
toward the cave, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My mind raced,
replaying our conversation. ‘That’s just a brand,’ he’d
said.
Brand. Why would he use that
word?

“
Brands fade, but they never
really
go away,” I mumbled, taking a
step toward the camp.

‘
And who are you to limit
Me?’

I stumbled as power filled my body. Then the
weight drove me to my knees. Tears rolled down my face while my
heart flooded with love, peace, and understanding. It was too much.
My body felt like it would explode at any moment.

‘
I am the Alpha and Omega.
Do you not believe I can change the heart of one man?’

I looked around, wondering if he could hear
or feel what was happening to me, but Connor continued to walk
away, unaffected. The light from the fire framed his body, creating
an aura that was almost angelic. With his head held high and
shoulders back, his presence was commanding. I could almost see a
crown atop his head.

‘
That is your
future.’

“
Connor?” I asked. “You have got to be
kidding me. I don’t even
like
Connor.” But even as I spoke the words that denied my
feelings, they intensified. My heart swelled as I stared at
him.
Oh no.

‘
That is your future.
Together you will heal My children and restore peace to My
land.’

“
Me and Connor?” I stared up at the
sky. “I realize that Your choices have been somewhat narrowed, but
me? Surely You can find someone more qualified for the job. I
worked in marketing, remember?” My eyes roved over the camp until
they found Connor again. He sat and started talking to one of the
soldiers. “But what about Canada?” I asked. “Does it even matter
that this is
not
what
I
want?”

His laughter swept over me; refreshing
and invigorating like aloe on a sunburn. I closed my eyes and let
it fill me to the brim. Gone were my aches and pains. The bruises
from my body disappeared before my very eyes. I breathed deeply and
my ribs expanded without pain. My mind and body pulsed with
renewing energy as My Father loved on me.

‘
My child, you have no idea
what you want.’

LIBERTY’S JOURNAL

~July 4:

On this Independence Day, I have much to
celebrate. We’re still alive, still free, and even more
importantly, my hope has been renewed. In this time of sorrow, I
have been shown happiness. Amidst a world of hate, I have been
taught to love. I have learned that nothing is impossible, and no
one is beyond redemption.

Jeff has found a new life with the army.
He’s been given something to believe in, and people who believe in
him.

Ashley is healing. Her strength and
resilience amazes me. Every day I am blessed by her presence, and
she is my sunshine in times of rain.

Connor is changing. As I watch him evolve
into the man and leader he’s fated to be, I can’t help but wonder
about “us.” He has given me time to consider the possibility, and I
am trying. I’m just not ready yet.

My own life has changed so much. There is no
Canada to flee to. No escape from the mistakes we have made—the
destruction we have wrought. Our country withers as the Progression
thrives. Every day it claims lives, takes “volunteers,” and
destroys the principles America was founded on. They must be
stopped.

As we head south on another mission, I pray
for enough strength to be the instrument God requires to help save
His people and bring freedom back to His land.

We are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but
not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

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