Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 69822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69822 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“I’m going,” I tell him with finality and strength I don’t feel anywhere else.
“As you wish.” His answer is accompanied by a look of disappointment. Clenching his jaw, he moves his gaze back to the kitchen.
My body sags and I heave in a breath when Cason turns his back to me to go down the stairs first. The sinking feeling that chills every inch of my skin is something I’ve felt before and I hate it. It will always come. Those who are bigger, scarier, and hold an air of darkness around them will always bring out my survival instinct to run. But they die just like the rest of us.
I only peek up to Cason’s back when I hear him as he grabs his ear. I can hear the bellowing that’s coming from it from where I stand.
“Aria,” Cason starts speaking before he’s fully turned to me. “Please forgive me for trying to intimidate you.” He chokes on his words as if terrified of getting them wrong and the look in his eyes couldn’t be further from the look that gave me goosebumps only moments ago.
“I forgive you,” I answer him slowly, questioning my own response and wanting to know what the fuck just happened. The question lingers in my words as they reach his ear. Or rather, the earpiece that’s still filled with the yells of someone on the other end. An enraged Carter, naturally. My lips threaten to tug into a smile as I hear his voice, but I contain it as Cason continues.
“Your decisions are your own and I have absolutely no right to interfere. I’m only here to protect you.”
It’s as if he’s speaking an oath. His gaze is genuinely full of remorse and I wonder what he really thinks of me. I haven’t thought of that at all until this moment.
“I’ll never turn my back on you again,” he tells me with both of his hands clasped in front of him apologetically. He even lowers his head some, hunching his shoulders to meet my gaze at eye level. “Would you like me to take you to Eli?”
“No need.” Eli’s voice startles me and I’m ashamed I jump backward. Eli’s smile is wicked like he’s proud he got to me. With my hand on my chest and my back against the wall, he passes me a white jean jacket.
“You scared me,” I tell him in the same breath I exhale. My heart still feels like it’s about to leap out of my chest.
“I know,” he says, grinning like a Cheshire cat before resuming his normal dominating stance.
“Carter wanted me to give this to you, in case you’d be needing it,” he tells me, and I snatch it from him. It matches my outfit, which I do and don’t like about this situation. I want to ask where the cameras are. I want to question both men and demand they tell me everything Carter tells them, but I don’t want to give away how little I know. Not to them.
“Asshole,” I mutter as I right myself and steady my breath. Cason lets out a snort of a laugh and the tension between the three of us eases some. But only for a moment.
“I’m sorry, Aria,” Cason tells me as I drape the jacket over my forearm. “I have strong opinions and I know I need to keep them to myself and I’m sorry,” he rambles slightly, but his tone is genuine, and his green eyes shine with remorse.
“I get it,” I tell him. “I know what war means and what this means.” I look him in the eyes as I answer and neither of us wavers, not until Eli speaks up.
“Are you ready to meet with the enemy?” Eli asks me, and I can’t look at either of them as I answer, “I already have.”
From the corner of my eye, I see the smile wane on his face, but Eli nudges me with his shoulder before walking out in front.
“Be smart, Aria,” Cason warns as my small footsteps echo in the foyer. My quickened pulse increases even more and I have to walk a little quicker to keep up with Eli.
It didn’t feel real until just now.
The crickets are out tonight, and the sky is lit with so many stars. More stars than I’ve ever seen in Fallbrook.
“How long until we’re there?” I ask Eli, breathing in the crisp air of the cool summer night and ignoring the roiling in the pit of my stomach. The anxiety numbs my hands and I clench and unclench them before deciding to shrug on the jacket and slip my hands into my pockets.
Taking a look around to my left and right, this street is nothing but houses. I barely remember that from the drive up. The next street is where the houses are grouped closer together and there’s something on the corner, a church or a liquor store, maybe both. I don’t remember.