Fury stood. “I never thought you would do that with intent but you wouldn’t be the first male who worried they might have harmed one in the heat of passion. Trisha was worried and knew to contact me. You’re a difficult male who refuses to seek help from anyone. What is going on? Will you please tell me? Should we go outside and fight until you’re willing to open up to me again?”
Darkness sat. “I won’t fight with you.”
“Good. Ellie hates it when I mess up my hands. She likes to hold them and scabs aren’t her favorite texture.” He sat and turned his chair to face him. “Why is Trisha worried about you? Her intentions were good. She cares. We all do.”
Darkness grimaced. “It’s annoying.”
“I understand but we have to stick together. It’s all new. Are you attracted to Kat?”
“You’re playing shrink?”
“I’m being a friend and brother. It helps to discuss things with others who have experienced them. I fought emotions for Ellie. Is that what is happening to you? It may feel as if you’re losing your mind because love makes you question your sanity. It’s normal. You aren’t injured, Kat isn’t, so that means you must have contacted Trisha to evaluate you. You’re not suffering a meltdown.”
“That wasn’t it.”
Fury’s silence, as if he were waiting for an expanded explanation, calmed him a little. He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I lost control.”
“How? Did you lose your temper and throw things?”
He gripped the arms of the chair. “Sexual control.”
“Humans aren’t as fragile as we imagine. They aren’t made of glass. Ellie can handle me. She enjoys rough sex at times.”
“I came inside her before I completely pulled out.” He spoke softly, a bit humiliated to admit it. “It felt too good and she was biting me. I lost it.”
Fury paled. “She’s not on birth control?”
“No.”
“Shit. Do you want me to smell her? I could tell you if she’s ovulating.” He leaned forward and gave him a sympathetic look. “You’ll need to talk to her if she is.”
“She’s a smart female. I had a fit of temper afterward. I didn’t have to tell her. She figured it out.”
Anger twisted Fury’s features. “You should have informed me right away.”
“She’s not going to betray that information.”
“She works for the FBI. For Robert Mason.” Fury stood so fast it knocked the chair over. “You hardheaded ass**le. You’re putting Salvation and every other child in danger. I’ll have her brought in. She needs to be put on lockdown until we can be certain.”
Darkness lunged out of the chair and tackled Fury. They both hit the top of the desk. He snarled in his face and barely resisted punching him. “No one goes after Kat. She isn’t going to put your son or others at risk.”
Shock whitened Fury’s features but he grabbed hold of Darkness’ shirt and shoved some of his weight off. “Get control of yourself.”
Darkness let him go and rolled away to stalk across the room, putting space between them. “She stays with me.”
Fury slid off the desk and glanced at the mess of papers that had ended up on the floor. He glowered at Darkness. “I wasn’t going to hurt her.”
“She does work for the FBI. That makes her very aware of the kind of dangers our children could face. She is willing to sign confidentiality papers to assure us of her silence. We spoke of it already. Have them drawn up but don’t send anyone after her. You do and they’ll end up in Medical.”
Fury fixed his shirt and kept his distance. His anger faded and he masked his features. “You trust her that much?”
“I do.” It sank in slowly to Darkness that he wasn’t just defending Kat to keep her safe. He believed she would keep her word. He really did trust her. “Fuck.” He moved forward and bent to pick up the scattered paperwork. He hadn’t meant to go after the male. “Sorry. I’m on edge.”
“It’s caused by fear.”
Darkness’ head snapped up. “You’re wrong.”
“That female might be carrying your son. You can’t just ignore it.”
“I’m not going to grow alarmed unless there’s a reason to be. It was one slip.”
Fury had the nerve to snort. It turned into an outright fit of laughter.
“What is funny?” Darkness straightened, dumping the rest of the files on the desktop.
“You are.”
“I resent that.”
Fury closed the distance between them and gripped his arms. “You can’t expect me to believe you just set that information aside and you’re not obsessing about what you’re going to do if she’s pregnant. You don’t want anyone to get close to you but you might have no choice. That will be your son. You’re terrified.”
Darkness tore away from his hold and considered slamming him on the desk again. “No. I frighten others. I don’t experience fear.”
The male got in his face. “You’re not so different after all. Denial is the first step to falling in love with a female. I know the signs. I saw it in my mirror after Ellie came into my life again.” He backed off fast, getting out of punching range. “You trust her when you don’t even trust me and I’m blood.”
Darkness spun. “Send the paperwork to my home. I’m done here.”
Darkness sat. “I won’t fight with you.”
“Good. Ellie hates it when I mess up my hands. She likes to hold them and scabs aren’t her favorite texture.” He sat and turned his chair to face him. “Why is Trisha worried about you? Her intentions were good. She cares. We all do.”
Darkness grimaced. “It’s annoying.”
“I understand but we have to stick together. It’s all new. Are you attracted to Kat?”
“You’re playing shrink?”
“I’m being a friend and brother. It helps to discuss things with others who have experienced them. I fought emotions for Ellie. Is that what is happening to you? It may feel as if you’re losing your mind because love makes you question your sanity. It’s normal. You aren’t injured, Kat isn’t, so that means you must have contacted Trisha to evaluate you. You’re not suffering a meltdown.”
“That wasn’t it.”
Fury’s silence, as if he were waiting for an expanded explanation, calmed him a little. He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I lost control.”
“How? Did you lose your temper and throw things?”
He gripped the arms of the chair. “Sexual control.”
“Humans aren’t as fragile as we imagine. They aren’t made of glass. Ellie can handle me. She enjoys rough sex at times.”
“I came inside her before I completely pulled out.” He spoke softly, a bit humiliated to admit it. “It felt too good and she was biting me. I lost it.”
Fury paled. “She’s not on birth control?”
“No.”
“Shit. Do you want me to smell her? I could tell you if she’s ovulating.” He leaned forward and gave him a sympathetic look. “You’ll need to talk to her if she is.”
“She’s a smart female. I had a fit of temper afterward. I didn’t have to tell her. She figured it out.”
Anger twisted Fury’s features. “You should have informed me right away.”
“She’s not going to betray that information.”
“She works for the FBI. For Robert Mason.” Fury stood so fast it knocked the chair over. “You hardheaded ass**le. You’re putting Salvation and every other child in danger. I’ll have her brought in. She needs to be put on lockdown until we can be certain.”
Darkness lunged out of the chair and tackled Fury. They both hit the top of the desk. He snarled in his face and barely resisted punching him. “No one goes after Kat. She isn’t going to put your son or others at risk.”
Shock whitened Fury’s features but he grabbed hold of Darkness’ shirt and shoved some of his weight off. “Get control of yourself.”
Darkness let him go and rolled away to stalk across the room, putting space between them. “She stays with me.”
Fury slid off the desk and glanced at the mess of papers that had ended up on the floor. He glowered at Darkness. “I wasn’t going to hurt her.”
“She does work for the FBI. That makes her very aware of the kind of dangers our children could face. She is willing to sign confidentiality papers to assure us of her silence. We spoke of it already. Have them drawn up but don’t send anyone after her. You do and they’ll end up in Medical.”
Fury fixed his shirt and kept his distance. His anger faded and he masked his features. “You trust her that much?”
“I do.” It sank in slowly to Darkness that he wasn’t just defending Kat to keep her safe. He believed she would keep her word. He really did trust her. “Fuck.” He moved forward and bent to pick up the scattered paperwork. He hadn’t meant to go after the male. “Sorry. I’m on edge.”
“It’s caused by fear.”
Darkness’ head snapped up. “You’re wrong.”
“That female might be carrying your son. You can’t just ignore it.”
“I’m not going to grow alarmed unless there’s a reason to be. It was one slip.”
Fury had the nerve to snort. It turned into an outright fit of laughter.
“What is funny?” Darkness straightened, dumping the rest of the files on the desktop.
“You are.”
“I resent that.”
Fury closed the distance between them and gripped his arms. “You can’t expect me to believe you just set that information aside and you’re not obsessing about what you’re going to do if she’s pregnant. You don’t want anyone to get close to you but you might have no choice. That will be your son. You’re terrified.”
Darkness tore away from his hold and considered slamming him on the desk again. “No. I frighten others. I don’t experience fear.”
The male got in his face. “You’re not so different after all. Denial is the first step to falling in love with a female. I know the signs. I saw it in my mirror after Ellie came into my life again.” He backed off fast, getting out of punching range. “You trust her when you don’t even trust me and I’m blood.”
Darkness spun. “Send the paperwork to my home. I’m done here.”
