Page 26 of Vengeance of the Gods

Neither am I.

So much had changed since they were two teens falling in love.

The waitress came around to check on them again, interrupting Vega’s trance.

“Actually, I think we should probably get out of here.” Bridger’s eyes didn’t leave Vega’s as he answered. “She and I have a long night ahead of us.”

12

Bridger stayed mostly quiet as Vega led them through the unfamiliar streets of Rome.

She hadn’t gone many places without Chase at her side, but Vega had paid attention and always tried to take a new way home from therapy. She’d done enough research over the last few weeks, attempting to learn her surroundings and the layout of the city without actually being able to explore.

Rome was statistically a safe city, but anyone could find trouble if they went looking for it, and it seemed there were a few neighborhoods on the outskirts where Vega might be able to score a cheap room and a passport in the same night.

How am I gonna pull this off?

The silence between them gave her plenty of time to plan what came next. Could the portal really be the curse holding her here? Warmth spread through her chest, like her body was trying to give her a sign. Vega secretly worried it was false hope clouding her better judgement.

Bridger eyeballed everything as they descended the stairs to the metro. Vega spared a few glances at him, wondering if this is what she looked like without her memories when she got back to Tolevarre.

A little lost… but slightly amazed at all the unfamiliar and exciting things.

Vega felt like she was merely a passenger in her own body, watching it go about its day. She floated onto the train when it approached the platform, chose two seats in the corner, and finally slammed back into herself when the train lurched forward. She reached out to steady herself, not paying attention to where her hand landed.

Vega’s vision cleared to see her fingers digging into Bridger’s thigh. Her eyes trailed up his body, catching his dark gaze.

“Ow,” he said calmly.

She snatched her hand to her lap. “Sorry.”

Bridger bit his lip to stifle a laugh.

Vega sank as far away from him as she could. Why am I acting so weird? So what, you fucked him and were in a relationship for seventeen years and then he betrayed you? Get over it. You hate him now. Touching him wasn’t a big deal, and the feeling she thought she got when their skin met wasn’t real.

That’s what she told herself as she glanced over to find him still staring. “What?” she asked, glowering. She hated the rush of self consciousness washing over her.

“You said earlier Chase is the least problematic of all the men from these lives…” Bridger trailed off, waiting for her to respond.

Vega nodded once, unsure where he was going with this.

“You’ve been through a lot more than anyone knows in these lives, haven’t you?” Bridger’s question freed a piece of Vega, one she hadn’t known was locked away.

Most people wanted to pretend these lives weren’t real, that Vega hadn’t lived them. It was easy to ignore the impact they had when they got written off as a product of the curse… but it wasn’t. To them it might be, but to Vega? All of this, every single person she’d been, every life she’d lived, added up, making her the version of herself she was today.

“So much more,” Vega admitted. “It’s impossible to be the girl I was before all this started.”

The train squealed, rattling through the dark tunnels, but Bridger didn’t seem to be paying attention to anything but her.

Vega felt the heat in his stare.

“Tell me something real,” Bridger said softly.

Vega eyed him, his expression surprised, like the question hadn’t been one he planned to ask. Bridger had caught them both off guard.

If they were going to be allies, if they were going to figure out how to work together again, she had to learn to open up—to give him what he needed to feel… needed.

That was all he’d ever wanted. To feel needed.