[AUTHOR'S NOTE: THANKS TO SUPER BETA READER JDRAGONFIRE29 FOR HELPING ME TACKLE THOSE PESKY GRAMMAR ISSUES.]

Chapter 10 – Day 8

Nikita closed her eyes in ecstasy as Michael ran a comb through her hair. After experiencing this for the second time in 3 days, she found that this was her second favorite pastime of all time. Unfortunately, she was still a bit too sore and injured to indulge in her favorite activity.

She opened her eyes to look at her lover in the mirror. Michael's attention was focused on the golden strands, making sure to smooth out all the tangles while taking care not to hurt her in the process. Despite how deadly he was capable of, he was always so gentle when he was with her. She studied him intently noting the fine lines around his eyes that weren't there when she first saw him in that white room. His face has filled in with so much character, all the youthfulness burned away to sheer masculine beauty.

When she first saw him, she thought it the biggest injustice in the world that he would be gifted with the face of an angel while being a devil in disguise. She had been blinded by resentment and anger of the situation she was in, having been forced into indentured servitude. It didn't occur to her until much later to ponder what he might have been like before Section.

She must have glimpsed what Michael could have been like when he lost his memories after being abducted by Perez. It still made her ache with pain and regret to remember what he was like: so innocent, gentle and sweet. No matter what could have been Michael has been irreversibly shaped by Section and what he had to do to survive.

Despite all the manipulations Section put him through, at his core Michael was an honorable, gentle, and above all a loving man. His training doesn't allow him to show affection openly or to verbally communicate his love, but he showed it none the less with everything he does. It's no wonder she has fallen so deeply and irrevocably in love against her better judgments and against her own survival instincts.

"What were you like before Section?" No sooner had she blurted out the question, she wanted to hit herself in the head for breaking this moment of contentment.

He looked up, startled at the question and mulled over it thoughtfully. "I was young."

"That doesn't tell me what you were like."

He paused for a long while as he continued brushing her hair before answering: "Before my parents died I was…unaware and…unconscious of what a charmed life I led."

"What do you mean?"

"I took the love of my family for granted and didn't realize it until too late."

"You said you were angry when you met Renee. Why were you so angry?"

He thought about her question for a long time before responding: "I was angry at how my sister and I were treated. Due to the government red tape, I couldn't provide for my sister adequately while going to the university."

She thought sadly at how a single event could rip apart a family and permanently change to lives of all those impacted. "What were you like when you first got to Section? Were you like me frightened and angry?"

His gaze met hers in the mirror and the corner of his lips curved up as he goaded: "Not to mention defiant, obstinate, unable to obey a single command, and a complete brat."

"Hey!"

"You were, bar none, the single worse recruit I've ever had the misfortune to train."

Now that hurt her feeling as she shot back insolently: "I'm sorry, if I didn't fall under your seduction spell."

He quirked his eye brow at her retort: "I wasn't trying to seduce you."

"What? Yes you were!"

Michael just shook his head in denial, a small smile pulling at his lips. He stated softly: "No."

"So I was just imagining it? The way you would look at me or smile at me?"

She watched as he busied himself putting down the comb and straightening the items on the counter. A realization dawned on her and she whispered softly: "You couldn't help it."

His startled gaze met her softening look and he replied simply: "No."

They looked at each other's reflection for a long moment before she stood up and walked toward him. She cupped his beloved face gently and looked at him with all the love she felt within her. Michael pulled her close and kissed her gently, before deepening the kiss and drawing her in his arms.

Her heart was racing by the time the kiss ended and she looked at him with longing: "Make love to me, Michael."

His answer was reflected in his eyes before he swept her in his arms and took her to the bed. He whispered softly: "Yes."