AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Grab whatever you need. I can figure out the rest of it on the way.”
There was so much he didn’t understand — so much about me that he didn’t know, and that I’d never really thought about telling another living soul. I wasn’t sure if I could do it now, even though those eyes were looking at me with a strange mixture of apprehension and warmth, like he wanted to tell me something, too.
We were living in a dangerous world, and at the moment we were playing one of the most deadly games I’d ever played.
I wanted to tell him everything — to sit him down and bare my soul to him so he could weigh me, judge me, and figure out if he still thought I was worthy — but we didn’t have time.
And if I was being honest, I wasn’t sure what I would do if the answer was no.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to leave him alone — I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to leave him alone. The last thing I wanted was to become a real stalker, but…
“Are you in danger because you didn’t let them take me?” Clay’s voice wasn’t as worried as it should have been. In fact, he sounded a little angry, the same tone I’d heard vibrating through his chest before he’d killed someone in front of me.
“No. I mean…” I frowned. “Yes? It’s fine. I can work it out, but I can’t work it out if I’m here when shit starts to hit the fan.”
He still looked angry, and I didn’t understand it. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to get the chance to until we were somewhere safe.
I still needed to confess — I could tell him everything. I could tell him I’d initially been sent to watch him. I could tell him somewhere along the way I’d lost the plot and completely defied my father when I took him.
I could tell him from the moment I’d seen his eyes, something inside of me seemed incapable of doing anything that could possibly hurt him…
But no. We didn’t have the time, and I didn’t want to upset him when we weren’t somewhere where I could keep him safe…
And god, I wanted to keep him safe.
“Where are we going?” At least he seemed practical while he moved around the room. He had a black duffle bag, and he was stuffing things into it faster than I could keep track — it wasn’t clothes, though. He grabbed a computer and a phone. When he wandered from the room, I sat up on the bed and stared at my hands.
That was the question.
Where could I take him that he’d willingly go, and where could I take him that they wouldn’t be able to find him?
“Jayce?” He popped his head back in a few seconds later, and his hazel eyes searched my face. “I’m assuming your house is about as safe as mine.”
Technically, it was safer… but that was only because I had an entire basement full of weaponry and enough food and water to keep myself barricaded there for months if I had to. That would just leave us as sitting ducks, so…
“I don’t know. Maybe we can book a hotel a few cities over. I have IDs I can use, though…” My fingers brushed over the chip implanted just beneath my skin, and I frowned. “I probably need to cut this out.”
Clay rolled his eyes. “Is it always straight to violence with you?” He was already walking back into the room with a little black device in his hands. It was the same size as a cellphone, and it even had a screen — when he clicked it on, the high-pitched whine wasn’t any phone sound I’d ever heard.
“Is that a —” he beeped it over my collarbone before I had a chance to finish my question, then flipped it around to show me my information glaring back at me.
Jayce Holden, 25.
“Pretty cool, right?” He handed it to me, and I frowned. It had more weight than I thought it would, and it felt more expensive than his little apartment let on.
“Where did you get this?”
He paused, but it was only for a second. “I worked for a technology company… before I fell in with Keyton.” I didn’t miss the way his eyes flashed from mine to my hands. I didn’t miss the way he swayed on the spot for just a second, like he really wanted to tell me something.
To tell me more.
To tell me why he was lying.
I would have called him on it if I weren’t keeping my own secrets. Once we were somewhere safe — once we were somewhere that we could sit and talk without the worry of a bullet flying through his skull — I’d get answers. And maybe… well, maybe I’d give them, too.
“All right.” He actually startled, looking up at me like he couldn’t believe I just let it slide.
“All right?”
