“Those shrinks and the people you made me talk to after what happened to my family... They weren’t there to help me, were they? They were evaluating me.”
“You scored higher than any recruits we’ve ever had. But you weren’t recruitable. Yet our agendas aligned. You just weren’t ours on paper. Maeve—”
“And those times you kept telling me to stand down? To stay away from Atlas? What was that? Reverse psychology?”
There’s shuffling on the other side of the line.
“No.I care for you. And Inever wanted you to follow that path. Tell me to get you out of there right now, and I will. For me, you come first.”
Through blurred vision and a racing pulse, I see clearly now.
“It’s okay to use each other.” I gulp down the sting of the betrayal. It’s nothing compared to what I’m doing to Atlas, and I deserve every bit of what’s hitting me now and more. “Find a way for Mason to learn this location. And bury Vanguard Horizon. Or at least give them enough hell, so they start losing clients. It doesn’t matter how long it takes.”
I close the line, delete the calls and the text to Trent, and leavemy phone on the nearby counter. Then I turn the water back on. Cold. As cold as my skin will allow for my mind to freeze off all thoughts of doubt.
Pull yourself together, you little shit! This changes nothing. Focus.
One hell of an evening awaits.
Chapter 36
Summer
“Fucking best lasagna ever!”
Connor’s outburst after his very first bite, combined with the rich smell, tells me I’ve done a great job with the dish, even if I haven’t tasted it yet.
His plate is still full when he reaches over and scoops a huge portion from the tray. He keeps stuffing food into his mouth like a chipmunk. I’ve never before witnessed anyone eating like this.
The front door unlocks, and Dean strides inside like he’s the only one in the room. Being fashionably late, using his own key, and joining us without a single apology or even a simple “Hello” is Dean’s way of making a statement—one louder than words could ever be—I’m not welcome in his world.
“What’s up your ass?” Connor doesn’t seem to be one to read the room, or care, for that matter. “Here!” He snatches the serving spoon and plops a massive chunk of lasagna onto Dean’s plate. “Eat up. It’s sublime.”
Dean looks at me with a fork in hand, taking a cautious bite, like he’s worried I might have spiked the food.
“It’s good,” he says, his tone cool at best.
For the next hour or so, he remains quiet, while Carter clearly doesn’t know the definition of silence, his amiable tone letting me in on what a gregarious guy he is. This comes as a stark contrast to the way Dean keeps his piercing gaze fixed on me.
The moment I get up to bring the chocolate ganache cake topped with strawberries and the cannoli, the still-unwelcoming voice follows me across the room.
“An uninformed majority will always lose against an informed minority.”
“You wanna play a game of Werewolf or something?” I say over my shoulder, pausing for a moment.
“Or something.” His expression stays untouched by any emotion, but the leaned-in posture gives away curiosity. “We’re the uninformed majority when it comes to you. So how about a game of Never Have I Ever?”
He’s trying to play me?To manipulate me into giving him truths underthe guise of a game? Ingenious.
Taking the plate with the cake, I head back to the table.
“Isn’t that a game for schoolgirls?” I retort, turning on my heels to get the rest.
“Not with the questions we’d ask,” Dean continues.
I spot Connor licking his finger after gathering some chocolate from the cake, his juvenile streak shining brightly when it comes to food.
“If you’re playing it like a drinking game, I’ll pass. I can’t really hold my liquor,” I say, getting distracted by how my boyfriend is bringing dessert plates and forks for everyone.
