“Why do you sound so surprised? Our role here is to represent our people, not keep them at a distance.”
Huh. It’s a refreshing change from the way the General operates, keeping a barrier between himself and the citizenry. Ruling from his office while his colonels and captains deal with all the little people beneath him.
I go straight to the mess hall because I’m famished. When I search for Gray, I find him and Karra sitting alone today, their bodies angled toward each other, his blond hair tousled. She leans in and smooths it away from his face before kissing him, and his lips curve into a smile before he pulls away.
It’s the first smile I’ve seen from him since we boarded the planelast night. On the flight back after my rendezvous with Cross, he barely glanced my way, let alone smiled. Maybe he thinks I took advantage of our friendship by asking for the favor? I hope not. I would do the same for him and never view it as a bother.
“Wrenny,” Mako calls out, waving me over. He’s sitting with Henley, Saint, and Evlynne, who never hides her dislike of me.
Still, eating breakfast with her snide ass beats eating by myself, so I carry my tray over and settle next to Saint.
“Morning.” I nod toward Gray and Karra’s table. “What’s with the lovebirds sitting alone?”
Mako snorts. “Karra decided they require one couples breakfast a week to strengthen the relationship.”
“You mean the relationship she’ll end in a few months?” inquires Saint.
“Only to immediately come crawling back to him?” finishes Henley.
Evlynne punches Henley’s arm. “Hey. Don’t be an ass. It might last. This time,” she amends, which triggers boisterous laughter from Mako and Henley, and a low chuckle from Saint.
Luisa and Neema join us a few minutes later, setting down their trays. When Luisa’s gaze homes in on Saint, she breaks out in a delighted smile.
“Is that a hickey?” she demands.
He merely smirks. The man has a way of exuding sex appeal without saying a single word.
“Who’s been sucking on your neck, Sainty?” Neema teases.
Henley grins. “Who hasn’t?”
“Seriously?” counters Evlynne. “You’re even worse, Hen.”
“And you’re innocent in all this? Because I’m pretty sure you’ve given Saint his fair share of hickeys over the years.”
She’s completely unrepentant. “Well, look at him.” Evlynne gestures to Saint, who’s casually sipping his coffee, unfazed by the attention. “How could you not want to nibble on that?”
“Are you done objectifying us?” Mako asks with a mock frown.
“Oh, honey, I don’t think you were part of the conversation,” Luisa says, reaching over to pat his arm.
He growls in outrage, and another wave of laughter rolls through the table.
I spend the rest of the morning at the range, working with Wells and a recruit named Uma, then eat lunch with Zak. Afterward, I make my way to the war room for my meeting, relaxing when I receive a smile from Gray. Maybe he’snotangry about last night.
“Cowgirl,” he greets me.
Today, Adrienne sits at the head of the table, with Kallister and Fiona to her right, and Gray and Teriq on her left. Rather than pull out a chair, I stand facing them all, feeling like I’m about to give a presentation in school.
“What’s this about, Darlington?” Adrienne asks.
I clear my throat, swallowing my nerves. “It’s about Lieutenant Ford.”
Teriq speaks up, annoyance etched into his features. “He hasn’t provided a single piece of useful intel in two weeks.”
“And he’s not going to,” I answer with a shrug. “At least not yet.”
Kallister chuckles. “You’re not exactly making a convincing case for him.”
