Chapter 4

She was dressed in casual clothes, but she still carried the same intimidating authority.

She looked at the man, who was grimacing in pain, and spoke in an icy voice.

"Get lost. If I ever catch you harassing him again, I'll break both your hands."

The moment the man recognized her, he went pale with fear.

He stumbled over himself apologizing before scrambling away as fast as he could.

"Well, look who it is. Major General Spencer herself."

Joe forced down the storm of emotions raging inside him and gave her a mocking smile.

"To what do we owe the honor? What brings someone as important as you to a dump like this?"

Fiona frowned slightly.

"I was away on an emergency assignment these past few days. I just got back and heard you've been partying here for three days straight."

She looked at him sternly.

"Enough is enough, Joe. It's time to go home."

An emergency assignment?

Joe felt a sharp stab in his chest.

Was that what she called nearly getting herself killed for the man she really loved?

He didn't confront her about it.

Instead, he turned his face away.

"I don't want to go home."

With that, he pushed past her and tried to leave.

But Fiona grabbed his wrist and started dragging him away.

Years of military training had made her incredibly strong. No matter how hard Joe tried, he couldn't break free.

"Fiona Spencer! What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!"

He struggled furiously, both shocked and angry.

Fiona ignored him.

She dragged him toward a dimly lit corner at the back of the nightclub and pinned him against the cold wall.

Then she tilted her head up and pressed her lips against his.

The kiss was forceful, demanding, with an urgency she barely managed to conceal.

"Mmph... Let go!"

Joe turned his head, trying to avoid her, but Fiona ignored his resistance and deepened the kiss.

"Joe..." she murmured hoarsely, her breathing quickening. "Do you have any idea how many days it's been since we last had sex?"

Her lips moved along his jaw and down his neck, leaving warm, damp kisses against his skin.

"If you won't come home... then we'll do it right here."

"No! I don't want to! Fiona Spencer, if you dare force yourself on me today, I'll hate you for the rest of my life!"

Joe was furious and humiliated.

But worse than either was the unbearable pain in his heart.

Was she really that desperate to get Xavier his medication?

So desperate that she'd even be willing to do it in a place like this?

While Joe was distracted by his thoughts, Fiona pushed him down onto a couch and sat down on his lap.

His entire body went rigid.

Fiona's voice was thick with barely restrained desire.

"Joe, can we have a baby?"

A baby.

Those words pierced straight through Joe's heart.

He jerked his head up and stared at her beautiful face, so close to his own.

"Fiona Spencer, what if I told you..."

His voice trembled, but he forced himself to continue.

"My mom found out my dad was cheating on her while she was giving birth to her second child. She suffered a massive hemorrhage and died."

He stared into her eyes.

"What if I told you that's why I don't want children?"

Fiona froze.

In the darkness, Joe thought he saw something complicated flicker through her eyes.

But it lasted only a moment.

"Joe, I'll give you anything you want. Anything except this."

Her voice softened.

"I want us to have a baby.

"A baby who looks like you.

"And when the time comes, I'll have the best medical team in the country looking after me. Nothing will happen to me. I won't end up like your mother."

Her words sounded so loving.

So sincere.

They were exactly the sort of words that should have made his heart melt.

But to Joe, every single one felt like another knife cutting into him.

She couldn't see how much he was hurting.

She couldn't see the fear and grief he still carried from losing his mother.

All she cared about was keeping Xavier alive.

Suddenly, a shocked gasp came from nearby.

Both of them froze.

Joe turned his head.

Not far away stood Xavier Blake, staring at them with a face as white as a sheet.