Fatal Breach

I am desperate for freedom, for peace, and for justice. As I leave captivity and step into the bright sun-filled day, a wave of relief washes over me. I am not free yet, though. Walking between barbed wire topped walls toward the exit gate, I breathe in fresh air, preparing for the next challenge. An enemy posing as a lover waits for me. I will evade him, though. Robert Maxim meets me at the prison gate, his smile predatory and victorious. I blank my mind. If I think about my plan, Robert will see it on my face. He expects me to do something—it's part of the fun for him. Is this fun for me, too? His hand cups my upper arm as he bends to brush a kiss against my cheek. Robert's scent engulfs me: low notes of sandalwood and fine leather balanced by a sharp tang of cold metal. "You look lovely," Robert says. I'm wearing lightweight black cargo pants, unbuttoned to make room for my growing pregnancy, and tucked...