Page 187 of The Unravelings

“So, you’re like…a fucking spy for the government?” Wilder asks, toying with his cigarette again. “Fuck me,” he groans. “And you’re here? At this godforsaken place?” He mutters a few more words under his breath, looking at Liv with worry in his gaze.

I don’t blame him.

Being any sort of law enforcement in an environment like Greenwood is a recipe for disaster. One false move and Olivia’s dead where she stands. Fuck.

“Yes,” she says slowly. “I’m here for a reason.”

A reason I don’t think I want to know. Olivia’s agency, which is wild to think about, has sent her to this specific campus. If they’re a true agency working in the shadows, they have a specific reason to drop her off here undercover.

Fuck.

If Olivia’s identity were to get out to the wrong people, she’d be taken and killed. Probably hung up like some sort of trophy for ridding the campus of law enforcement. Fuck. This is a campus full of people up to no good. They’re only here to make connections and get degrees. They’ll go on to work for their Mafia fathers or gang leaders or whatever powerful entity they’ve come from.

Olivia doesn’t stand a chance if anyone finds out.

Her life is at stake.

“Oh, goody. Do I finally get to understand?” Malic asks, running his fingers over the badge. “Agent Seven, yes?”

“How the fuck do you even know this?” Wilder asks.

“Because I’m nosy.” Malic’s grin says it all as it slides across his face.

“You were hiding in the fucking brush again, weren’t you? Lurking in the shadows and spying on people. You know, one day you’re going to get yourself killed by someone. This is why I had a tracker on your phone so I could see where your body was.” Wilder huffs in annoyance. “Too bad you ruined that, too. I swear to God, I am locking you in your room from now on.”

Malic swiftly rolls his eyes. “You underestimate me, Keeper. Besides, the information I find is quite juicy. No one ever suspects someone in the trees listening to them. Like yesterday, a Mafia princess and her enemy’s prince were canoodling in her dorm room. Quite scandalous, if you ask me.”

“You climb trees?” I question, furrowing my brows.

Great. Exactly what we need on campus. A psycho in the trees listening to all the gossip happening below him. What if he’s heard us and our conversations? My hackles rise when Malic’s gaze slides to me, gleaming with mischief that I can’t place.

“That’s all you took from my statement? No one wants the tea?” He frowns and crosses his arms.

“No one wants the goddamn tea, Mal. Zip your lips before you accidentally get yourself killed or go missing. You’re spying on…” Wilder’s gaze snaps to me and then back to Malic. “And that’s exactly what I would need in this fucking economy,” Wilder lashes out, shaking his head at Malic, who grins at him again.

“So, you were hiding out and happened to discover I was an agent?” Olivia crosses her arms over her chest and narrows her eyes. “When and where?”

“Oh, I was hanging out by the woods after following…” He trails off and waggles his finger at me. I stiffen. “When your poor cousin was being sent away and begged to be devoured by lions because he fucked something up. He also mentioned snipers. He seemed nice.” Malic grins. “Maybe he and I could also be friends? Any friend of yours is mine. Especially friends with snipers.”

“The last thing you need is friends with sniper rifles,” Wilder says.

“Fucking Jordy,” she grumbles, tossing her hands in the air.

“Hold up.” I put up a hand. “You were following me?” I narrow my eyes. “How often do you follow us around?”

Malic innocently shrugs. “I mean, I did break into your house, befriend your ferocious guard dog, and then kidnap Huxley. It’s not that hard to follow the three of you and not be noticed.”

“You need a collar and a leash,” Wilder murmurs.

“Kinky. Should we try that?” He looks directly at Olivia with big eyes and bats his eyelashes.

Thankfully, she ignores him as I process the other part of his sentence.

“Wait. The fucker who was hanging off Simon?” I ask. “He’s your cousin?” I don’t remember any of her cousins being named Jordy. In fact, I’ve always known her cousin as Jericho. Not to mention, she’s supposed to be dead, so how would her family be in her life at all?

“Not by blood. He’s my work partner,” she says. “I shouldn’t even be telling you guys this,” she groans, putting her forehead on the island and slightly tapping it against the marble a few times.

Reaching over, I gently rub her back, hoping to melt away the tension running through her. Despite wanting answers from her, I’m overjoyed to still have her here within reach and that she’s allowing me to continue to touch her.