Defending Hannah

to the table and her ankles cuffed to the chair. If that wasn’t bad enough it was the look of contempt in her eyes and they were fixed on him. She blamed him for this. He didn’t blame her. He had told her it was safe to go with the MP. He hadn’t allowed her beguiling eyes to sway him from his decision. What had he been thinking?
"Oh Hannah," He whispered in horror at what had been done to her. He turned back to the sergeant. "Key." Once in hand he ran to Hannah and unlocked her. She recoiled from his touch. He unlocked her quickly and stepped back. She had a tendency of attacking him. But she stayed in her seat and rubbed her wrists. She didn’t look half as broken in Panama as she did now.
"Leave us please." He said to the sergeant.
He watched Hannah’s eyes track the sergeant then land back on him when they were alone.
"You lied to me." She accused with malice.
"No," Ben shook his head venomously. "Their orders were to keep you safe until I debriefed. They thought you were escaping and so restrained you."
"I was escaping because you lied to me. You never said I would be detained and chained down." Hannah’s voice caught and Ben flinched.
"Please, Hannah." Ben took her ice-cold hand in his. She tried to pull away but he didn't let go. He couldn't lose her now over miscommunication. "I never would have let you go with them if I had known you would be taken here. Please let me make it up to you."
"Why should I believe you?" Hannah tugged her hand from his and this time he let her go.
"I have never done anything to hurt you. This circumstance withstanding since I had no part in it. I only want to protect you. Will you give me another chance and let me take you to my house and keep you safe?" His hypnotic eyes bore into hers, pleading with her to give him a chance.
Hannah stared at Ben in stunned silence. After another botched escape attempt and being strapped down like an animal, Hannah had a lot of time to stew in her anger. This was what she got for trusting someone. This was what she got for trusting Ben. He was obviously not the man he used to be to allow a person to be treated like this. She was the victim here and they treated her like she was a criminal. She had built up a good rant for him for when he showed up but seeing him now and how angry he looked at her treatment and his anger over her imprisonment by his fellow soldiers stunned her. If he was faking his anger he should win an oscar. Because he looked sincere. Should she trust him again?
"On one condition.” she told him before she could change her mind.
"Name it," he said without hesitation.
"I want the knife back, the one you took from me." She was tired of being defenseless and if he was behind her earlier treatment she didn't want to be a victim again.
Ben nodded without pause and pulled out the knife he had taken from her earlier and handed it to her handle first. "I am sorry, Hannah."
Hannah saw the sincerity in his eyes. "So you’re taking me to your house?”
"Yeah," he said. The beginnings of the first smile since they were separated.
"You’re not asking me to move in with you are you?” Hannah attempted to joke. Ben wasn’t the forever kind of guy. He had womanizer written all over him and she was sure he didn’t lack for female attention. He hadn’t when they were growing up. That Texas drawl and farm boy routine worked for him every time. Especially when he wore a cowboy hat.
"More or less I am until you’re ready to go home."
Wait what? He was serious.
"I was joking, Ben." She couldn't live with him. Could she? He was the only person she had felt safe with and she had no intention of staying with the MPs. What choice did she have? Go home, but she had promised to help Ben.
"Okay, but no women while I'm there." Hannah turned beet red realizing she just forbade him female company in his own house.
She could tell Ben was struggling not to laugh. "Any other requests?"
"I need more clothes and my own bed. You can’t lock me in. I can leave whenever I want." Her terms were non-negotiable.
"No, I’ll agree to anything else but you walking around town without someone with you I cannot. I still don’t know who set us up or if Alejandro will send men after you. I have to know your safe."
"Fine, free reign with an escort." She amended. She didn’t care what she had to agree to at that moment only if she could get out of here. If she never saw bars or concrete walls again it would be too soon.
"I can agree to those terms." Giving her one of his lop sided grins that always used to melt her insides. She hated admitting that it still did.
Ben stood up to his full height and held a hand out to her. "Well then, Goldilocks, let’s go home."
Hannah didn’t know what to expect when she arrived at Ben's home but it wasn't a two-story yellow house with white trim. It looked so domesticated for him. She would assume he was the basement apartment with a leather couch and TV was the only furniture kind of guy.
"What?" He asked when she just stood there staring at it.
"This is your house?"
"Yeah," He said slowly, not understanding her question.
"Yours as in you bought it or you live with your mother?"
Ben smiled and shook his head. "I bought it. My mom lives in Texas as you well know with my father. It has enough room for my gear and if any of the guys need to crash. Come on I’ll show you around." Ben took her hand and led her up the