Page 159 of The Unravelings

“Tonight I need you to look the other way. I have to do something. It’s why I’m dressed like this. Someone took something from me, and I have to get it back. No matter what you see. No matter who I leave this fight with, you can’t⁠—”

“You’re leaving with someone else?” JJ asks with hurt in his tone, but he doesn’t let me go. Doesn’t move an inch. No. JJ stays there, staring deep into my eyes, looking for an answer I’m afraid to give. “And what do you mean they took something from you?”

I put my hand on his chest, letting the thunderous beat of his heart bounce against my palm. I linger there for longer than necessary, knowing that eyes will be on us. People will have questions. Questions I don’t want to answer. And JJ? Well, I’m sure he won’t want to, either. If I could, I’d stay in his arms for tonight like I did before.

“I have a secret, JJ,” I whisper, letting the warmth of my breath brush past his ear. “I want to tell you where I’ve been and who I’ve become. Why I’m here in the first place.” I search his eyes desperately, hoping he will understand. “But I need you to look the other way tonight. I know⁠—”

“No,” JJ softly says, squeezing my hip. “I-I understand.” His eyes flick to the crowd and back to me. “It’s him, isn’t it? You have something with Malic.” I lick my lips and nod. I don’t tell him I’m not sure what I have with Malic. A sexual attraction? A major one. Relationship? Probably not. “I’ve shared you once, Spitfire,” he murmurs. “I’ll do it again, you know. If I can’t have all of you, then I want my piece. My spitfire. I’ll take what I can get until you trust me, okay? If you have something with him. Then, okay. Although I think you should stay the hell away from him and Wilder. Far, far away,” he mumbles with disapproval.

“They’re dangerous, I know,” I whisper, staring deep into his brown eyes. “I’ve seen a lot of dangerous things in my life.”

“You’ll be careful?” he asks, on a plea. “Please be careful with them. I can’t lose you again. Don’t let them take you away from me…” He trails off, sucking in an anxious breath.

“I’ll be careful, JJ. I want to make sure you and I are good.” My brows furrow with realization. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He leans in, discreetly kissing my cheek and my breath leaves my lungs at the contact. As he pulls away, he looks directly into my eyes. “I’ll wait forever for you. No matter what happens. But I need you to turn on your location for me. Okay? So I can watch you and make sure you’re safe. And if I don’t hear from you by the morning, I’m coming to find you.” He spears me with a look that says he means business. “Because you can willingly walk into danger, but I’ll drag your ass out of there into safety.”

Be still my beating heart.

“Okay,” I whisper, instantly missing his presence when he steps back. I pull out my phone, turn on my location, and show him the screen so he can access it.

He nods, checking his phone with a sigh of relief. “I’ll be waiting, Spitfire,” he says before slipping through the crowd and keeping his head down.

He makes his way to the table with Hux and Mack, sitting behind them with a soft smile on his lips. He looks into my eyes through the crowd and discreetly nods, giving me the strength to go on with my plan.

44

Olivia

I nibble my bottom lip as I stare across the Coliseum, gaze glued to the man who left me standing here and reeling in the touch of his hands. The blow of his warm breath against my cheek. Not only that, it’s the words he whispered not too long ago. All the confessions of their innocence. His insistence that it wasn’t them and the proof he showed me. Every confession bounces around my skull, confusing me more. I don’t understand anymore. He’s taken my perception of the night’s events and warped them into something I’m terrified to face.

The truth.

I want it. Desperately. To learn who was actually behind my mother and sister’s deaths. Not to mention my attempted death. Would be music to my ears.

There’s a fear, though, in the back of my head that JJ is lying to me. Again. That everything is what I saw and came to know.

Fuck.

The sooner Carter gets back to me about the USB filled with evidence, the better off I’ll be. It’ll prove everything once and for all.

Right now, though. I need to stop letting everything scramble my brain and focus on Malic. He’s my mission tonight. Whether or not we have a nice reunion beneath the sheets. And let’s face it, I wouldn’t mind going another round with him. But I’m finding my glasses.

No matter the cost.

It’s too bad I can’t stop myself from stealing glances at JJ, Hux, and Mack. They’re like a magnet pulling me in against my damn will.

JJ stands behind the table with Mack and Hux, crossing his arms over his chest with indifference. Huxley’s gaze flickers between JJ and a spot near me, looking all around for something. Or someone? Regardless, I don’t want to find out. So, I shrink back, trying to hide myself in the crowd growing thicker around me by the second. Hoping Hux doesn’t get a glimpse of me. What would he do? Would he recognize me as his old friend? Or Oliver? I don’t know. I don’t want to see the results of their recognizing me. I knew this entire adventure would be a big risk.

But I had to do it.

Jonathan started asking questions about my glasses this morning. Fucking Dave. He must have opened his stupid mouth and told on me. Rude. But fair, I guess. Jonathan is my boss. Fuck. If only he could have kept his mouth shut for a little longer, then I wouldn’t be so damn desperate.

Pulling out my phone, I reread the message I saved to keep myself motivated in my current predicament.

Agent Zero: Agent Seven, it seems your recording device has been offline for some time. It’s imperative you keep your glasses charged and on your person. It’s part of your job.

Was I mature enough to respond? Absolutely not. In fact, a shiver of fear worked its way through me the second I read the message. It means he suspects something. Possibly knows I’ve lost them. So, I’ll respond when my glasses are firmly in my grip, on the charger, and ready to go. Only then will I tell him that it’s all good. Because he’d flip his shit if I asked for another pair.