AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’d never had a friend like Anna, never had anyone who wasn’t out to get a piece of my name or my money. But not with Anna. She never even cared how much I was worth. The memory of her hiding on that boat came roaring back to me as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. “I love you,” I whispered.
“Not as much as I love you,” she murmured against my ear. “But I have to go.”
I swallowed hard and pulled away.
“Promise me we’ll catch up when you’re back home?” Anna said hopefully.
“I promise,” I lied.
The truth was, there’d be no catching up with anyone if this all went wrong. Just like everything I had in my life, my friendship with Anna would be tainted. If I ran, they’d pick apart the last moments of my time here and I was sure they’d pick apart Anna’s, too.
They’d watch her, haunt her. I glanced at Finley, who just watched us with the chilling gaze of a killer. Maybe it was good she was with someone like Fin? Maybe my father and Haelstrom Hale would leave her alone.
The more that thought took hold, the more painful it became.
No friends.
No protection.
Just me…and my unborn child.
“Okay,” Finley murmured, taking a tentative step toward Anna, his voice careful. “I better get you back now. You must be exhausted.”
From running for her life, right? I hadn’t forgotten how frantic Fin was only hours ago…and how strangely calm he was now, even with two of his closest advisors dead in some mysterious attack. One squeeze of my hand, and she stepped away.
She glanced at me over her shoulder as she left, heading deeper along the halls before she disappeared.
“Is the island safe?” Lazarus looked toward the Commander. “Do not fucking lie to me.”
He glanced my way before the Commander answered, and I knew he was thinking about more than his own safety here.
“I don’t know.” Traces of his Albanian accent edged into the Commander’s words. “I assumed it was, but after tonight… I can't be certain.”
Lazarus jerked his attention back to the older man. “Was this an attack on the Commission?”
Something in the way the Commander fell silent told him more than words ever could. Lazarus just gave a nod. “Kat will be staying with me until the Commission decides to close down the Institute.”
There was a flinch, but the Commander just nodded.
“Kat,” Lazarus held out his hand. “Let’s get you some rest.”
I took his hand, letting him lead me back to the apartment once more, my heart filled with desperation and pain. If they closed down the island, then I was done…I’d be forced to go back home.
35
Lazarus
She was quiet and withdrawn in the wake of taking her to see Anna, letting me lead her back to the apartment without saying a damn word.
“Kat,” Freddy spoke her name as the elevator doors opened. She flinched before meeting his gaze. Something passed between them. Something that made my brother slowly nod and murmur, “Sorry this didn’t turn out better, but you’re safe with Laz…you’re safe with us.”
She just stared at him…then swallowed hard. Her voice was husky as she whispered, “Thank you, Freddy. That means a lot.”
Then I took her inside and slipped my leather jacket from her small shoulders that sagged under the weight of her worries. Silence was a beast that stalked us, watching us with ravenous eyes. I felt it’s stare, was aware of its movement. Hell, I was aware of any movement when it came to her. I moved into the kitchen, poured her a glass of water while she slipped off her shoes and stepped out of my damn jeans.
They were too big for her, but seeing her dressed like that, my black shirt tied around her small waist and her red hair in a tumble of curls around her shoulders, had brought me undone. I’d been hit by a blow I’d never seen coming, one that had hit me square in the center of my chest.
“Here.” I held out the glass of water.
