Justice (A Science Fiction / Fantasy Romance)

by Fall, Carly

  “It doesn’t make sense to me, as SR44 males don’t mate each other, but it’s the only explanation that seems probable.” Justice turned to him. “Did you know Simon?”

  “Yeah. A little bit. I had a couple of encounters with him, and then I saw his dead body after Micah blew out his brains.”

  “That’s rough.”

  “Definitely, but I had no idea he and Titus had a thing going.”

  Justice looked out the window again. “I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a guess. After we found him, figured out he was a SR44ian and Macy healed him, he rested for a long time. We’d find him in the middle of the night screaming Simon’s name with tears rolling down his face. After waking him, he’d curl into a ball and just cry.”

  “It sounds like your guess is right on. That’s really too bad.”

  “I agree.”

  “I’ll talk it over with the Saviors and we’ll come up with a plan to get him back on his feet.”

  “So you trust him now?”

  Blake shrugged. “Don’t know about that, but I’d rather have him up and around and trying to kill us all than in his current state. He’s a fucking downer.”

  They pulled off the highway and drove up a narrow road into a neighborhood. The farther upward they went, the bigger the houses became. He marveled at the monstrosities that lined both sides of the street, each fenced off from the other on sprawling parcels of land covered in large trees and cacti, as well as well-manicured lawns.

  Blake hung a left into the steep driveway. At the top, Justice let out a low whistle.

  Large white columns spanned up in the air, and the wooden front door looked as though a fifteen-foot giant lived in the house.

  Jovan pulled in behind them as Justice removed his duffel bag from the Escalade.

  “Man, this house has some memories,” Jovan murmured, shaking his head as he got out of his car. “Remember that, Blake? With Alaina?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “And when Noah sent Liberty and me here when I found her in the alley?”

  “You found Liberty in an alley?” Justice asked, surprised.

  “Yeah. It was crazy. She forgot her bag in a strip club, and I went out to give it to her.”

  Shock almost knocked him off his feet. “Liberty used to be a stripper?”

  Jovan laughed. “No, she didn’t have the chops for that back then. I’ll tell you the story sometime. It’s pretty funny now that’s it’s over. But back then …”

  “Yeah, you weren’t laughing too hard, back then,” Blake said as he moved toward the door.

  Justice stepped in after Blake unlocked it, then moved to a keypad on the adjacent wall and punched in some numbers. He strained to hear an alarm, but silence reigned.

  “It doesn’t go to the police like a normal house alarm would,” Blake explained, as if reading his thoughts. “It goes back to the silo.”

  “And I suppose I’ll be getting that code?”

  Blake nodded and handed him a piece of paper. “Of course. Noah would be livid if someone didn’t activate the alarm when leaving … or staying. Make sure this thing is on at all times.”

  “Got it.”

  “Why don’t you head back and get Holly?” Jovan said. “Blake and I will make a run to the grocery store and get some eats. What do you want?”

  Justice shrugged. One thing he did know was that he didn’t want any MREs, but he craved fresh vegetables. “Just get whatever, but stock up on the greens.”

  “So, Frosted Flakes? Krispy Crème donuts? Those are my faves.”

  He chuckled as he looked around again. “I don’t even know what those things are, but they sound like they’re loaded down with sugar.”

  “’Goodness, my friend,” Jovan replied. “I prefer to think of it as ‘goodness.’”

  “Come on. I’ll show you around, and have no fear. I’ll get the groceries. If I left the shopping to the garbage gut over there, you’d have Diabetes within a week,” Blake said, taking his arm.

  “What’s Diabetes?”

  “Shit you don’t want.”

  Justice realized each and every day that he spent with the Saviors how little he knew about life on Earth, even though he’d been schooled on all things human before leaving SR44.

  Blake led him through the house, pointing out the huge kitchen with the silver appliances and granite counter tops.

  “The upstairs has the master bedroom over here,” Blake said as he led him through the foyer again. He noticed a room to the right with nothing in it but a white couch. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the whole valley. He imagined at night, the view would be even more spectacular with the city lights twinkling below. He veered off their path for a closer look.

  “This room is called a Solarium,” Jovan said. “Personally, I don’t get why it needs a special name. It’s a room with a couch and some windows. But you know those humans … they need to put a label on everything.”

  Justice imagined sitting on the couch with a whiskey, staring out over the view, and a sense of calm overcame him. Yes, he’d be spending some time in the Solarium.

  “Let’s get to the master bedroom,” Blake said. “Or as Jovan may call it, a big room with a big bed, because God forbid a room actually has a name.”

  A king-sized bed draped in white covers sat in the middle of the room, while pillows hid half the surface. Long taupe shades hung over floor-to-ceiling windows while thick white carpet muffled their footsteps.

  “I wouldn’t recommend you stay in here,” Blake continued. “I think downstairs is probably the best bet for both of you.”

  Justice followed him down the sweeping staircase just outside the master bedroom. They came to a family room with a towering red-brick fireplace and oversized brown couches that looked as if they’d swallow him up if he sat in them. To his left sat a pool table and a bar, and beyond that, sliding glass doors led out to a patio and pool.

  “The bedrooms are this way,” Blake said, motioning for him to follow.

  They went through the living room and down a small hall. Five bedrooms sat next to each other.

  “See what I mean? This way, you’re close to each other, but still have your privacy. You can keep an eye on her.”

  Yes, although the big bed upstairs looked inviting, he definitely could see how sleeping downstairs would be far more practical.

  Opening the door to the second bedroom, he found it comfortable enough with a king-sized bed, light brown carpet, and an amber colored bedspread that reminded him of whiskey.

  “This is great,” he murmured.

  He walked into the other bedrooms, and all were furnished just as nicely.

  “Yeah, you should have seen it when Noah first bought it,” Jovan said. “These bedrooms had all this flowery shit … it looked like tulip farmer threw up in here.”

  He chuckled and felt good about the house, the security system, and having Holly here.

  “I guess I’ll take off and get Holly, then,” he said. “You’ll call me when you know something about her neighbors?”

  “Yup. While you’re gone, we’ll get some grub for you. Like I said, the program will take a while, maybe even into tomorrow, but I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”

  “Thanks, Blake. Thanks for everything.”

  “No sweat. We’ll talk soon.

  Justice shook both their hands and then headed out the door.

  Chapter 27

  Holly paced the room in the bunker, stubbing her toe on the chair. Cursing, she went into the bedroom and put her running shoes on.

  Justice had been gone for hours, and although she’d tried not to, she’d become nervous. What if he’d left her here?

  Panic welled within her, and she ran up the hallway to the chain link fence, only to find it locked.

  Sweat broke out on her brow as she pulled on the lock.

  “I’m trapped in here,” she whispered.

  Slowly, she made her way back to the main part of the bunker as she
tried to think logically about it.

  Once she didn’t show up for work and her superiors found out the police wanted her for murder, they’d set someone else up to do her job. Then, she may be able to get out, but would also most likely fall directly into the arms of the police. That wouldn’t do.

  Justice had said he’d return in a couple of hours. It seemed like a short stint of forever.

  Sighing, she decided to do a little snooping.

  She opened the first door on the right and frowned. It looked as if it had been lived in, with the clothing hanging from the rack and lying on an unmade bed.

  The next door proved the same. She quickly rushed to from room to room, opening all the doors. It appeared almost all had been occupied at some point.

  Perhaps the military did training down here? Maybe they did testing to see how well people would function together as a unit?

  Interesting. She’d have to ask Justice about it since his rank was higher than hers and he most certainly knew more about what happened in their secret little branch of the Army.

  She found it interesting working for the clandestine part of the Army, and wished she knew more about what went on. She remembered the first time she’d seen an alien while performing security at Area 2. She’d been shocked how much the big man had looked like a human, except for the glow of his eyes at night. He’d fought, yelled, and screamed at his keepers, but they’d kept going back to him to run more tests. What had his name been? Micah. That had been it. She’d had to taser him more than once herself as he’d stood over six-foot-five and close to three hundred pounds.

  Just a littler larger than Justice.

  The thought caught her off-guard, and she stopped her pacing. Yes, Justice was huge, but that didn’t mean anything. It certainly didn’t mean he came from the same species as that Micah dude.

  She heard the main door open, and her breath caught in her throat. Slowly moving to the room she slept in, she shut the door, leaving a crack for her to peek out.

  The gate at the top of the hallway opened, and footsteps echoed throughout the chamber.

  What if it wasn’t Justice? Could it be someone else, someone who would turn her over to the police? Someone who would get her in big trouble for being here? Fear coiled in her stomach as she tried not to breathe.

  “Holly?” Justice called as he came into view.

  Exhaling loudly, she threw open the door and held back the desire to run and throw herself at him. “You scared me!”

  “Sorry. I should have called to you from up above. I’ve got good news, but we should probably get moving.”

  He grinned at her, his white teeth standing out against his dark skin. He wore the same military shirt and camouflage pants from the night before, but his face looked different. His dark eyes held a glint of excitement.

  “I’m ready,” she said.

  As they walked up the hallway, she said, “I was afraid you weren’t coming back for me.”

  He laughed and looked over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t do that. I told you I’d be back, and I’m a male of my word.”

  She grinned, but thought how strange it seemed to refer to himself as a ‘male’ instead of a ‘man.’

  They got in his Escalade, and she noticed the duffel bag in the back seat. “Where are we going?”

  “Some place safe.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “A friend’s house. I think you’ll like it there, and we won’t have to worry about anyone catching us in places you aren’t supposed to be.”

  It felt strange to be going with an almost complete stranger to an unknown house, but she reminded herself she had very few other options. She’d have to throw all her trust behind Justice. So far, he’d done exactly what he said he would.

  Glancing over at him, she took in his strong profile. His hard features seemed to be made out of granite with a dark chocolate covering. Her gaze traveled down to his huge arms and tight waist, and she blushed in spite of herself. He really was a good-looking guy.

  She shouldn’t be admiring him like that.

  She gazed out the window and turned her thoughts to Billy. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she wondered where his body had been taken. Could there be more than one morgue in the city? No one would claim him, but maybe the authorities would keep it until she could get out of this mess and give him a proper burial.

  Her heart literally ached thinking about him being gone, and a tear slipped down her cheek. She quickly brushed it away.

  “Tell me about your brother,” Justice said, his voice soft. “Sometimes, it helps to talk about the person you’ve lost. It helps to heal, and also to keep their memories alive.”

  She refused to look at him. He’d been so kind and so good to her, she felt afraid that she would completely lose it and begin blubbering if she met his gaze. “Who did you lose?”

  “My whole family was wiped out in an … accident not too long ago. My mother, father, and my brother.”

  She shut her eyes. She’d begun to feel sorry for herself, and she sat next to someone who had lost more than her. It served as a clear reminder that there would always be someone who had it worse. “I’m so sorry, Justice. Was it a car accident?”

  He hesitated for a minute. “Yes. Tell me about your brother. I remember you saying that he was in the military.”

  She tried to recall if she’d actually said anything to him about her brother’s profession, but couldn’t remember if she had. “He did three tours in the wars and they discharged him at age thirty. He’s been laid up with PTSD and depression for the past couple of years. My parents used to take care of him, but then they died, so it fell on me.”

  “That’s rough.”

  She shrugged. Yes, it had been hard, but she’d do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant Billy still lived. “He was a good guy.”

  Afraid she’d completely lose it, she changed the subject. “Did you find someone to help us?”

  He nodded. “Yes, a friend.”

  “What’s he going to do?”

  “He’s got some tools at his disposal that will help us locate the man who killed Billy.”

  Had she mentioned his name to Justice? She must have and just didn’t remember. Her mind felt so scrambled, like a dropped box of puzzle pieces.

  “Then we go and make him confess to the police, right?” she asked. “Or at least, find a way to tie him to the murder.”

  “Of course.”

  She still felt the need to kill the son of a bitch who’d destroyed her life in just a few moments of time. However, she also knew that she’d really be in trouble then. Besides, she had to remember that although the hurt and anger that consumed her made her want to kill him, she had to rise above her base urges and prove that she would remain better than him.

  They pulled off the freeway and headed up a road where the houses seemed to get bigger and more magnificent the higher they went. When they pulled into the driveway, she looked at large, white columns, the wooden front door that stood at least twenty feet wide, and her heartbeat quickened. She’d never been in such a house. “Who’s your friend?”

  Justice smiled. “Wait until you see the inside.”

  Chapter 28

  As he followed Holly around the house, he couldn’t help but grin at the look of absolute amazement on her face. Eyes wide, jaw slightly opened, a flush in her cheeks … he loved that he’d been able to erase the look of complete sadness, even if just for a little bit.

  “We’re staying here?” she asked again as they moved into the downstairs area.

  “We’ll need to sleep in the bedrooms down here, but yes, this is where we’re going to be until we get your situation cleared up.”

  She spun around the room, then ran her hand over the felt of the pool table. “I never imagined I would ever step into a house like this, let alone stay in one.”

  She glanced over at him and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling.

  The feeling of wanting to pull her into his arms, crush her t
o his chest, and let her know everything would work out almost overwhelmed him. He fought to stay exactly where he stood. If he moved, he feared he wouldn't be able to stop moving toward Holly. “It’s an amazing place.”

  “You have wealthy friends,” she commented as she turned to the pool. “This is just gorgeous.”

  His stomach growled and he realized he hadn’t touched any food except for the MRE earlier. What had Blake and Jovan brought back from the store?

  Not that he could really cook anything, but he could throw together a turkey sandwich or something. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starved.”

  “Let’s head up to the kitchen and see what we have.”

  The downstairs had two staircases; a set that came down by the master bedroom, and one that sat on the opposite end, by the bedrooms. They climbed those stairs and ended up in the kitchen. He couldn’t help but grin—he loved efficiency.

  Opening the refrigerator, he saw that all the shelves had been stocked with meats, chicken, vegetables, milk … it seemed like enough food for a small army—or a hungry bunch of SR44ian males. Yeah, Blake and Jovan had definitely gone overboard.

  “Wow. What should we have?” Holly asked.

  “Well, I’m not much of a cook—”

  “Okay. Then let me in there and I’ll whip us up something good.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” he commented as he stepped back and she moved into the refrigerator doorway.

  “I want to, Justice.” Turning to him, she met his gaze. “You’ve done so much for me already. At least, let me make you dinner.”

  As they stared at each other, her face seemed so truthful and solemn and he believed her. How he wanted to trace his finger down her cheekbone and across her full lips. He tried to look away, but he couldn’t. Her eyes reminded him of the sky, and although her short hair didn’t want to lie down, it looked silky soft, and he longed to run his fingers through it.

  He should step away and try to break this spell, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to remain here for eternity, staring into her gorgeous eyes. Did he see some of the same longing in her gaze, as well, or did he just wish he did?

  “Justice?” she said, her voice hoarse.