AllFreeNovel
Share Us
MYA
“I’m going to give you two a chance to talk. I’ll be outside. Chopping wood or something.” Sam tossed a hand over his shoulder, emphasizing the first words he’d spoken since I’d followed him into the small kitchen.
Oliver walked in, pulling a gray T-shirt over his head, barely acknowledging his dad with a grumbling noise as they passed each other. He’d already put socks on, probably so I wouldn’t pay attention to how he’d hurt himself for me. Again. Damn that word. He kept making sacrifices for me. Even now, after he’d left me behind.
I set aside the mug Sam had handed me, not really interested in Irish coffee. “Have anything without so much kick to it?”
Oliver peered over at the mug, shaking his head. “Sorry about that.” He walked past me, and I caught a hint of his cologne that he definitely hadn’t been wearing in the woods.
You put that on for me? Why’d that make my heart jump?
He turned on the stove, setting a red kettle there, then set his back to the counter next to it, not yet blessing me with eye contact.
Rooted to my spot by the table, I observed the kitchen. Not so much charming as stuck in the ’70s. With peeling wallpaper and scuffed-up wood floors, it was about the size of the kitchen I’d had at twenty-two. Basically, small and simple.
When Oliver folded his arms, I took that as my cue to redirect my attention his way and open up some type of dialogue, but he beat me to it.
“Should you let Gwen know you found me, and you’re not dead?” His tone was flat, not much emotion, and I wasn’t sure why that bothered me, but it did.
“She’s tracking me. Not the kind of trackers Sydney gave us in Thailand. We still don’t know how anyone found out about those and killed the signal, so we don’t use them anymore, just in case.” I pushed my hair back, showing him the diamond studs in my ears. “These earrings were designed by Gwen. An upgrade from those invisible stickers she invented a while back. No limit on their range, either.” Thank God I’d convinced Gwen to help me, or I’d have been screwed. “But yeah, I suppose I should send her a quick encrypted text.”
He reached into his pocket and produced my phone and tossed it to me.
Considering how much that surprised me, I was glad I caught it mid-air instead of letting it whack me in the face. “You went through my things?”
“Front pocket of the backpack only. I knew you’d have your phone there.” He pointed to the ceiling. “Dad killed the power and jammed all the signals so you didn’t electrocute yourself, so give it a few minutes before you try and get a text out.” A lock of hair fell across his forehead and in his eyes, and I barely stopped myself before I maneuvered around the table between us to brush it away myself.
“Your dad’s paranoid, huh?” I asked as he tore his hands through his hair, sweeping the dark strands out of his eyes.
“That’s an understatement.” He relocked his arms over his chest, the vein in his arm more prominent from the movement. “How long will the team be on their mission?”
“Why?” I arched my brow.
“So I know how long I’ve got to deal with you here.” He drew his lower lip inward as if biting back more that he wanted to say.
“Five days. Maybe longer.” I set the phone on the table so I could hold on to the nearby chair for support. “A lot has happened since you took off.”
“I know.” He studied me as if disinterested in anything related to the evil group that ruined our lives. Subpar acting at best. He cared. Of course he did.
“Would you like me to recap these last few months? Summarize everything?”
“I don’t need a book report.” He casually lifted his shoulders, training his attention out the small window over the sink. “All I know is you shouldn’t be here. You risked your life for nothing.”
“I risked my life for you,” I protested, because damn, that jab stung.
In a more somber tone, he said, “I’m not worth the risk. And I didn’t want to be found.” He faced the counter, dropping his head forward. His triceps flexed, and his back muscles pinched together as he braced against it.
“Well, then you shouldn’t have let me find you.” If he was going to be harsh, I could play that game, too. “Like I said earlier, Gwen covered your tracks, and mine coming here.” I let go of the chair and skirted the small square table that was parked at the center of the cramped space. “Why were you at The Sapphire?”
“There’s no way the team left on an op without security protecting you. Not since The Collective knows your name,” he said instead.
“The Collective knows more than my name. More than yours.” I swallowed, waiting for a reaction from him, but he didn’t even bother to lift his head to let me know he’d heard me.
“I’m aware.”
Wait, how?
No time to digest that fact before he quickly ordered, “Now, text Gwen you’re alive, and I’m going to make pancakes.” He glanced back at me over his shoulder. “I remember how grumpy you get when you’re hungry.”
