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I lean back in my chair and smile. Now, it all makes sense. I love it when my hunches pay off.
Yvette stares at me and then drops her chin and turns on the stiletto heel and leaves.
“Now, they are ours.” I say in triumph. Silas and Gray move in closer as I begin to talk. The plan we’ve set up is about to be put into play. We all have our parts. This will be our all or nothing. I fire off a message to my private investigator and lean back in my chair.
We will get our omega.
three
Onyx
“Right, I’ve investigated the whole place, and it’s not going to be that bad!” I say to Silvie with false cheer. My fake smile makes my cheeks ache, and I drop it almost at once.
I’m dead on my feet. I’ve been studying at night and working under Simon and his crew of robotic managers for the last four days. Lack of sleep is killing me. Silvie has wanted me to explore the resort and take her out during the evening hours. I can’t do everything, but she’s bored. So she wants to talk and have me report all the details to her and ask me a million questions, and she just doesn’t let me sleep. My eyelids feel heavy, and my eyes are burning. I didn’t get to eat today, either.
“I hate it. I want to go home.” Silver barks out.
“We can’t, Silvie. I signed a contract.” My voice is tired and lacks the politeness I normally have.
“I hate it here, Onyx.” She stomps away from me and walks into the bedroom. “I want to go out.”
“You can’t, Silvie.” I sit on the wooden chair and put my head in my hands. “Please.”
“I have to get out of here. This place is a nightmare. Please. It’s like a prison.”
“The event starts in a few days,” I try to explain, “there are people everywhere. You could get caught.”
“Pur-lease!” she snaps sarcastically and rolls her eyes. “You can’t keep me here!”
I groan and rub my fingertips into my forehead. She’s working herself up into a lather. If this keeps going, she’ll be screaming at me within the hour. The idea of it makes my throat close up.
“One little walk.” I spit out quickly when she pauses. “One walk, I’ll show you the pool, and then you come back, and you let me sleep.”
She beams at me, and the expression almost makes it worth it. The problem is that one little walk, or candy, or anything is never enough. She always wants more, so the relief is short-lived, and I know it, but I can’t stop myself from being happy that she’s happy. I push myself up into a stand and head towards the door. She puts her arm through mine and almost drags me into the door frame.
“So, I painted my nails today. Do you like? Rose gold.”
“Pretty.” Where did she get the nail polish? I’m not stupid enough to ask.
I let her waffle on as I lead her through the rows of cabins and down along the path until we get to a gate that says Staff Only.
“All right, we’re entering the resort proper now, Silvie. No messing around, and be ready to run.” The forest has given way to cultured gardens and paths that are immaculate. Everything seems to be made out of white stone here.
“I will. Of course, I will.” I don’t believe her.
My nerves don’t dance. They are jumping up and down, flexing with each heartbeat and stray thought. What if someone sees us? What if I lose the job?
The pool is massive, a great, big, deep in-ground pool surrounded by gardens and walls with vines. It’s got a fountain at one end and a spa off in the corner. Around the pool, on the white stone ground, are two dozen lounges with tables and towels. It really is beautiful. I should relax, but my anxiety only gets worse. Silvie runs ahead of me and stops at the edge of the pool. Her eyes are enormous when she looks back and smiles.
She’s so beautiful. When she smiles like that, I wish we were kids again, before we found out our designations and my father’s words twisted us into warped versions of who we used to be.
“I’m wearing my swimsuit.”
I frown, repeating the words in my mind, panic growing. My eyes widen, and I reach for her arm. She shakes me off. “No, Silvie, you can’t. I’d lose my job, we’d have to leave. We’ll starve.” I sound like a broken record, and she’s tuned me out.
She pouts and then removes her dress, anyway. “Stop being such a buzzkill. One little swim. It will be fine.”
“Silver, get your ass away from that pool right now.” I snap.
