As I close my door, the wide neckline of my thin black sweater falls off one shoulder to reveal the strap of my bra, drawing Gray’s attention.
He rakes his gaze over me, making a tsking noise with his tongue. “You’re wasted on the captain, cowgirl.”
“I don’t think your girlfriend would appreciate you saying that.”
“I’m not hitting on you, only stating a truth. You’re pure smoke. Way too hot for a cold prick like Redden. That guy doesn’t know how to have fun.”
“Trust me, he knows how to have fun.” I swallow a laugh. “Though maybe not as much as you.”
“Nobody can have as much fun as me.” He swings his arm over my shoulder. “Come on, let’s go and get boozed.”
We make it five feet down the hall before he stops, claiming he forgot something. He jogs back to his quarters and returns a moment later with a rifle.
I raise my eyebrows. “Why do we need a rifle for a party?”
“Lots of white coyotes in these hills,” he explains. “Ridgehowlers, too. Better safe than sorry.”
“You know I’m a much better shot than you, right?”
“Good point.” He slips the strap off and holds the weapon out to me.
“You’re giving me a rifle?” I can’t fight a jubilant smile. Aside from the guns at the range, which I return and lock up after I’m done with them, this is the first time I’ve carried a weapon since I got to the Dagger. “Even though nobody trusts me?”
“Oh, fuck off with that. Everyone loves you. Mako talks about you so much that I think he’s locked, and Lu is dying to be your friend, which you would know if you weren’t so antisocial. But anyway, who cares about everyone else?” Gray winks. “I’m the only one who matters, andItrust you.”
I trust you.
Those three simple words do more for me than he could ever imagine.
Nobody but Kallister knows who my parents are, yet it constantly feels like I’m walking in the shadows of their actions, trying to atone for sins I never even committed.
Knowing I have Gray’s trust dislodges some of that shame and fear from my chest, easing the weight.
We leave the base through the air lock, taking the same path Kallister used when he showed me the white daggerstone cave on the bluff. The reminder triggers a rush of anxiety. I hate placing my trust in people I don’t know, and if he wasn’t Uncle Jim’s twin, I’d be a lot more terrified about Kallister knowing my secret.
Earlier, when I told Cross about Kallister’s cave ambush, he made it clear how muchhetrusted Kallister. As in, not one damn bit. Cross warned me to be on guard and keep my distance. All I can really do, though, is hope that Kallister keeps his promise to stay quiet.
The back of my neck suddenly tingles. Speaking of Cross.
Since I hate ignoring him, I quickly accept the link, but only to say,“Hey. I can’t talk.”
“Why not?”he asks suspiciously.
“I’m with Kaine. We’re—”
“Don’t fucking make me murder that man, Dove.”
I clamp my teeth over my lip to stop from laughing.“Stop it. He’s my friend.”
“Yeah, well, he’s gonna be your dead friend if he tries anything.”
“Can we link up later?”I ask him.“Or is it important?”
There’s a beat.“It can wait.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. We can talk later. I love you.”
