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“You think I give a fuck about him,” he hissed, looking beyond the comm screen then back to her. His voice lowered as he stated clearly, “I don’t want anything to happen to you, Seraphina. That’s me being protective. What I’m not, is worried over a low life loser, who seems to think he can do what he wants because he’s managed to find himself useful to law enforcement.”
Two things hit at once. The first, Rook did work in some form of authority. It was the only way he could know that Jarad had a connection working with them. Secondly, and the one she focused on, was his announcement of being protective.
Of her.
Her breath caught and her heart softened. Her ears burned as she battled the feelings his words engendered. She folded her hands together in her lap beneath the table and squeezed her fingers together to keep from bursting into tears. Coco was the last person to be protective of Seraphina. Her friend fought like a wild animal at the group home until Seraphina learned to defend herself.
As adults, Coco would eye anyone she considered a threat to either of them. On that fateful day, her friend had thought nothing of coming over to save Seraphina from Kai. She’d risked her life to run together. Coco could have abandoned her when she realized they were busted.
But she hadn’t. She’d died sticking with Seraphina to the very end. How could she explain all of that to Rook?
Then she realized, she didn’t have to but a part of her wanted to. “Rook, this isn’t a meaningless vendetta or lark.”
And she spilled her story to him. Kai setting her up at the gaming center, Jarad paying to implicate them in anything and the hit on Coco. In the end, tears trickled from her eyes. She swiped them away angrily.
“I owe Coco. I owe her my life and if nothing else, Jarad will pay for what he did and for taking such a beautiful woman from this world on a spiteful whim. I can’t give up on that, Rook. Not for the Alliance, not for whoever you work with and not for...you,” she finished.
Rook muttered a harsh curse and gripped the back of his neck. Strain creased his forehead with deep lines and his lips pressed tight together. His brown eyes met hers like hardened steel.
A lump rose in her throat and she prepared to tap the end comm button to avoid hearing him say he didn’t understand.
Except her hand didn’t move. She couldn’t end the contact with the only other person who knew why she did what she did. The only person alive who knew what her true face looked like.
Gods in the whole realm forgive her because she could. not. do. it. So she waited for the pain and the regret that would surely come.
“Will you at least be careful?” he asked.
She blinked. It took a bit for her to understand his question. When she did, joy sprung inside like a fountain and spread. Her bare toes curled against the floor. Another angry swipe at the cursed tears and she mumbled, “We talked about that. You know I will. Plus, I got away from you, didn’t I?”
Her sassy response didn’t pull out the smile she expected. Rook growled, the sound making her already jittery nerves dance. “Ishotyou, Fina.”
She grimaced. “There is that. But I had on my nano suit.”
Her protest didn’t appear to carry any weight if the expression on his face was anything to go on. “Level 3 resistant armor that could have failed after numerous hits. If my team had found you in that room and you took multiple laser fire from them, y— ”
He sighed roughly and scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t want to think about it. If you do decide you might go into a dangerous situation in the future, and I’m not saying I know anything about that. At least promise me to upgrade to a level 5 nano suit.”
Wincing at the cost, she said, “That’s on the high end of credits.”
“Fina!”
“Alright. I’ll add an upgraded level for my nano suit. You know, to have around my place.” She winked, feeling lighter than she had in years.
Rook groaned. “I wish I could convince you to leave this alone but I can tell how much your friend meant to you.”
Coco hadn’t just been a friend, she’d been family.
There was more he wanted to say, a look in his eyes she wished she had the strength to read. “I have to go. Remember to—”
“Be careful,” she filled in.
His sigh conveyed a lot more than he probably thought. Seraphina bit her lip, resisting the urge to smile.
“Be careful, upgrade your armor, don’t come as the person I’m not supposed to know about,” he added.
After that list, her heart swelled with an uncomfortable emotion. She didn’t want to put a name to it and could only nod, her voice too thick to speak.
“Goodbye, Fina,” he said softly.
“More like I’ll see you later.” She hit the end on the comm before he had a chance to respond but she did catch the widening of his eyes then the screen went black.
She kicked away from the table and stretched her arms overhead. Rook cared about her. He’d as much admitted it. Her heart thumped and she jerked upright in her chair.
She cared about him too.
