Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 146530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146530 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
After. He heard her muffled laughter. At first he thought it was aloud, but then he realized she’d laughed only for him. In his mind.
You don’t have all the facts.
Just pushing the statement into her mind sounded melodramatic. She tilted her head up, her eyes meeting his. All that intense blue looking at him. The laughter faded, and he was looking at something else altogether. Another emotion he hadn’t seen in a woman’s eyes ever when she looked at him. His stomach dropped away. She had the ability to tear out his heart.
“Coming up on the house now, Jonas,” Kyle announced.
Jonas brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “Long fall, honey,” he murmured, conceding. If love was a battle, he’d lost that war before it had ever started.
Her gaze softened even more. He didn’t have to explain anything to her. She understood him probably better than he understood himself.
Kyle circled around and parked the truck, nose out, behind Jack Norton’s truck, making certain he had plenty of room to exit quickly. Jonas made no move to get out of the back seat with Camellia until both Jeff and Kyle were out and waiting for them.
“Stay close to me, Camellia. Don’t let them lead you away for any reason,” he cautioned as he helped her from the vehicle.
“I thought you trusted one another. We just talked about this. You said they’ve always been your friends, Jonas,” she reminded.
Jonas slung his arm around her neck and leaned down to put his lips close to her ear. “We do. I did,” he corrected. “Until this. I don’t want any of them to report you or what you can do to anyone above them. I like Logan, but I don’t know how independent he chooses to be from his commander. I don’t want to take chances with you.”
Camellia nodded. “I get it, Jonas. I’ll be very careful.”
They started up the steps to the house where Logan, Jack and Briony waited.
Marigold betrayed you once, Camellia. You have to expect her to again. Whatever she remembers or can understand about what you do to help her, she will relate to her team.
Jonas saw her blink rapidly, those dark lashes that were very feathery, long and curved up at the ends. He hated reminding her, but he knew the moment she saw Marigold in a vulnerable state, that soft spot inside her would kick in, and she would go all out to aid her. He needed her to be cautious while she did so.
Logan stepped aside to allow them through the door. Jack and Briony led the way.
Jeff went in first. Ken’s in the house, but no one else. Not even the children.
Ken is Marigold’s husband, Jonas reminded Camellia. They followed Jeff, with Kyle behind them.
Marigold was sitting up in a very large bed, her dark chocolate gaze fixed on the door. She had platinum-and-gold hair just like her sister, Briony. It was cut short, whereas before, she had worn it longer. Her face was thinner, her skin pale, almost gray. She had always been a confident soldier, running missions by the time she was twelve. Now, she looked anything but confident.
Jonas knew all about her. He’d made it his business to know after the things Camellia told him. He’d asked Gator to have Flame—Gator’s wife and a talented woman on the computer—gather everything she could on Marigold and send it to his phone as soon as possible. He’d read every word. The woman was a soldier, no doubt about it, even if she didn’t look like one now.
Marigold was reputed to be an excellent sniper. But at the moment, her hands shook, and she twisted her fingers together until Ken Norton, who sat on the edge of the bed, put his large hand over both of hers to cover the anxious motion. Mari could telepathically control machinery, so she was strong mentally. She looked on the verge of tears, a woman worn down by months if not years of struggle.
“She came, Mari,” Briony said softly. “Hopefully, she can help. She’s just going to take a look and see.”
“Cami.” Marigold breathed her nickname more than spoke it. “I never thought you would come after what I did.”
Camellia waved her hand as if dismissing the past. She walked briskly across the room, extending her hand to Ken. “I’m Camellia Mist. We just missed meeting one another a few years back. Thank you for what you did. Getting us out of that hellish place. I certainly hope I can help. Let me take a look. I’ll need to put my hands on you, Mari. Jonas will have to as well. Does it hurt to be touched?”
There were bruises all over Marigold’s skin. Marigold hadn’t taken her eyes from Camellia. She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Do whatever you have to do. I can’t even hold my babies anymore, Cami. I can’t hold them when they cry. I can’t feed them.” Tears welled up. “I promised I wouldn’t cry if you came. I don’t want to put pressure on you. No one has been able to help. If this is my punishment for what happened to Ivy . . .”