Rebel Heart

She shook her head and clenched her hands together, torn between fury and sorrow.

"Lana, you know enough about the PMF to know they're the only force-perhaps in the world-with the ability to survive the government tearing itself apart. We've all but taken over the military and have people in all levels of government. We're the only ones who can influence the outcome of this."

What he said made sense-it always did, even when he was lying to people. She knew when he lied; she'd spent twenty years with him. He wasn't lying.

Right now, she didn't want the politics. She wanted to know why he'd hurt her. Her throat was too tight for her to ask.

"Lana, I need you to tell me what you know."

"I need a minute," she managed.

There was a pause. "Very well. I'll call back in a few."

She waited until the viewer flashed off before slumping. She pressed the meat of her palms to her eyes. If someone told her a few months before she'd be here, now, hearing this, she'd have thought them insane!

Yet the worst part was that she knew he was right. The PMF was the only party standing while the government tore itself apart. If anyone had the resources to make things right, the PMF could.

"You want me to leave?" Brady asked.

"You betrayed me, too," she said without looking at him. She wanted to hate him but couldn't. The Guardian had been her closest friend. Even knowing who he really was, she wanted her friend back. "You've been there for me since this all started. Why couldn't you tell me?"

"I care more that you're alive than what you think of me," he said firmly. "It was safer for you if you didn't know who I was. It was safer for Tim."

"I've known you were my Guardian for a few days. I didn't know about all this." She waved at the screen.

"You knew about me before you slept with me?" he asked.

"Of course. You think I'd sleep with someone I didn't care about?"

Brady squatted in front of her.

"My heart broke when I thought you'd died!" she said with more emotion than she intended. "And all you've done is lie to me. Is any part of you capable of caring for me, or was everything about the Guardian a lie?"

"I am who I am," Brady said. "You fell for the Guardian. You fell for me. And yes, I do care for you, more than I want to."