She’s in the middle of telling me a story about trying habanero peppers for the first time when Cade’s distinctive knock sounds at the door.
Grinning at her ability to vastly exaggerate situations, my eyes are glittering with mirth as I go to unlock the door for him to come in. My smile stalls his steps, and he just stares at me for a moment, arms full of snacks.
I can feel the corners of my mouth turning down in confusion before he shakes his head for me to stop. “I’m staring because you’re stunning, Sunshine. I love seeing your face lit up with happiness. It suites you.”
Blushing furiously, I force myself to not look away from him as his words hit home. “I… Thank you, Cade.” That’s ones of the sweetest things anyone’s ever said to me.
The clearing of a throat nearby has us both looking away. Desire is roaring through me for this gentle man, but now is definitely not the time. “Kenji’s found something I think you’ll want to hear.” I tell him, taking some of the food from his hands and leading him over to where she’s sitting cross-legged in the middle of his scattered pigeon.
Poor robot bird.
Tossing Kenji a bag of expired crisps, I take one for myself before setting the rest of Cade’s haul down in a pile onto one of the folded seats.
Cade wastes no time, peppering Kenji with questions about his communications device.
“So, basically, I know they’re alive, but I can’t read what they’ve sent you. It’s all stored right here in this little chip.” She holds up the tiny shining object for him to see. I wish I knew more about IT so I could call it by its name. Alas, research was less my thing than actual medicine.
“How do we extract the messages?” Cade asks curiously.
At this, Kenji’s smile pops out once more, her white teeth gleaming against her chocolate skin. “That’s where I come in… again.” She chirps, “I have an old Pear laptop,” a knock-off of another, more well-known fruit branded technology, “back at my place. If I can find a micro-SD adapter, I can plug this bad boy in, and then it will be up to you to decode the data.”
She makes it sound so simple. I’m sure it’s not.
“Saedie, you stay here.” Cade orders, his alpha voice coming out to play. I don’t argue — I like it when he bosses me about… sometimes. “I’ll escort Kenji to her housing unit and we’ll be back soon.”
“Sir, yes, sir.” I salute him mockingly, trying to get a rise out of him. He just shakes his head, refusing to acknowledge my childish antics.
“Let’s go.” He turns to Kenji, holding open the door for her. “Turn out the lights until we get back. I don’t want Luca to get any ideas about visiting while I’m gone. I wouldn’t put it past him to try and whisk you away when I’m not here to stop it.”
For him to admit that he’s insecure about Luca is a major revelation, especially in front of Kenji… I don’t make him sweat it out, giving him a look that silently tells him I understand where he’s coming from.
I don’t want to leave with Luca any more than Cade wants me to.
We will have to visit the topic soon though. It’s not something we can ignore indefinitely. Luca’s warning of being back in a couple of days still rings in my ears.
◆◆◆
After their gone, I tidy up the place a bit. I’ve left empty food containers on the information counter long enough they’re starting to mold, and that’s just gross. Grabbing them up, while trying not to touch them at the same time, proves ridiculous. I pick up the nasty fucks and toss them in the bin quickly, wishing I had some water to wash my hands.
After storing away the food we hadn’t finished in an empty milk crate, I straighten up the pillows and blankets on the pallet, making it look less like someone’s been rolling around doing the dirty. I’m a bit surprised Kenji was so quick to jump into the space, with how much it looked like a sex den before.
Not that we’ve had sex again since that first time. There’s been too much going on, and I’m still so torn with everything. Cade seems to be opening up more, emotionally, but…
Oh, jeez. Stop with the rambling.
I’ve always been good with silence since I was little, with being on my own in general, but right now I find I really don’t like it.
Having Cade and Kenji out of my sight when we have so much on the line is fraying on my nerve endings. But I get Cade’s need for me to stay safely tucked away behind a heavy - locked - door.
The fucking immunity thing is making us paranoid.
My list from before is peeking out from under the edge of the pallet, and I snatch it up, reviewing what I’ve written. All good points, both ways.
But…
I refuse to turn myself over to that monster.
I just can’t do it.
The admittance, even to myself, makes me nauseous. I thought I was selfless, and maybe I am in some things, but I can’t pull myself out of the equation right now. It’s too big of a risk.
I have Jeremy, Cade, Kenji and even Ainsley to think about — although I don’t know the little tyke. If I were to walk up to Nyler and let him have his way, I know in my heart they’d be the ones to suffer. Not me, at the torture under his hands.
So no being a martyr. Yet.
CHAPTER 22
Waking up, confused and completely out of it, at first I can’t figure out what’s going on. As soft murmurs reach my ears from across the room where Cade and Kenji sit with robot pigeon parts laid out between them, I realize I must have dozed off waiting for them to come back.
Oops. Real kick-ass, Saedie.
Attuned to me as he is, Cade glances my way as soon as I stir, offering me a warm, if small, smile in greeting while continuing to listen to what Kenji’s telling him.
I can’t make out her words from here, but she seems excited again, so I’ll take that as a good sign. Not wanting to interrupt them, I move about quietly, gathering a change of clothes from the ‘clean’ pile. I mean… they’re all piles, really, stacked in overturned plastic storage, but I have a system — I know what’s able to be worn and what’s better off waiting around like stale cheese to be washed.
Cade’s watchfulness never falters and I blush as I step to the side of my makeshift wardrobe to change into the black skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder beige sweater. I’m aroused by his ardent focus, but I know we can’t act on anything at the moment. I’m really not into threesomes, despite the fact it could solve a lot of problems with Luca and Cade.
Don’t even go there.
Heading over to join them, I settle in at his side, my knees pressed together as I tune in to Kenji’s long-winded explanation of one thing or another. She’s so focused on her craft, staring down at the laptop resting on her outstretched legs, that she doesn’t register my arrival for a good five minutes. It’s hard not to laugh when she finally does, looking up at me then across the room like she can’t figure out how I got where I am. I hear her whisper, “Sneaky bitch,” under her breath and snicker at her.
“You were involved.” I say by way of explanation, shrugging. “Did you guys manage to decipher the messages?”
I feel Cade tense beside me, and I brace myself, thinking it’s a bad sign as Kenji responds, “We did. His team is… Wait, you take this one, big guy. It’s your news to share.” She winks at him, raising my hackles a bit, but Cade soothes them back down with a brush of his hand against mine.
Never thought I was the jealous type — color me surprised.
“My team is about two klicks east of here, at a location they’ve secured for the time being.” He tells me, letting me glimpse the hope he’s feeling. “They’re waiting for me to get back with them on when to try and infiltrate.”
That gives me pause, “Infiltrate?” I ask, my confusion clear. “Isn’t that more like joining the enemy and such, rather than breaking down the door?”
He nods, then tries to explain. “Yes, it is. We need to be able to brief them in person, and come up with a mission plan that involves all six of us. If we go in t
here half-cocked, people are going to get hurt. And it won’t just be Nyler’s men.”
I guess I can see his point, but I’m itching to get things done now. People are suffering while we sit here and debate semantics. We know we need to get in there and get them out — I hate all this waiting around.
Cade offers me a consoling half-smile. It doesn’t reach his eyes like my favourite ones do, but I’ll take it.
He said all six of us, which means his team is smaller than I initially thought. Though I guess that’s to be expected - my Dad passed on, and there’s no telling if other members of his team have met a similar fate. “When will you tell them to come?”
His response is quick, like he’s been waiting for me to ask. “I wanted to discuss it with you first, but didn’t want to wake you.”
Sweet gesture, but also unnecessary.
“I appreciate that,” I assure him, “but you know more about tactical planning than me. There was no need to wait.”
He doesn’t like hearing that, giving me a look that shouts ‘too late now’.
“True, but I need you to talk to Luca. He’s hellbent on saving you, so you’re the best chance we have of convincing him to help us. After that discussion, and only then, will I bring my men into the line of fire.”
He’s trying to protect them. And me. I didn’t think of that, and it makes shame charge through me. “He said he’d be back in a couple of days.”
“That’s all well and good, but we need him now.”
So… he’s asking me to go to him?
I don’t know how to convince someone that is akin to a zealot that staying in the place they want to flee is the best option all around.
Guess I’m going to fucking find out.
Sighing, I try not to let him see my frustration, about to spout off something witty in response but Kenji chimes in, causing me to jump. I’d almost forgotten she was sitting here too, with how wrapped up I was in Cade.
“Ehem. Much as I enjoy drama, can we get back to it?” She tosses out jokingly.
“I’ll stop by his place, and if he’s not there I’ll hit up the gym.” It comes out reluctant, but I really don’t care. They both know I don’t want to anyway. “I’m not going to try and convince him alone…. I’ll get him to come back here and talk to you and me, Cade.” I turn, raising my eyebrow at my friend, “Kenji, it might be best if you lay low for a while — I don’t necessarily want him knowing you’re a part of our coup just yet. I think it’ll be safer for all of us.” She doesn’t argue, and I take that as her agreement.
Cade looks like he has something to add, but he must think better of it because he turns to Kenji instead. “Send Cap a message letting him know we’ll have an answer soon, and that they need to gear up.”
Kenji quickly gets to it, tapping away at the keys. I know it shouldn’t surprise me, with all the technology that existed Before, but seeing a working computer is a bit mind-boggling. I wonder if she can….
“Hey Kenj.” I pipe up, a brilliant thought striking me. “If they’ve managed to finagle long-distance communication with robot pigeons… can you piggyback off their work and make our phones function off the same thing?” I question curiously, getting more and more excited as I ramble. “I mean, you’ve already linked it up with your laptop — there wouldn’t be much of a difference, right?”
Kenji gasps, “Yes! Why the fuck didn’t I think of that already?”
“Too much going on,” I offer.
“Hmm.” Comes Cade’s eloquent input to the conversation.
“What?” I jab at him in the side with a well-placed finger, “You don’t think it can work?”
“It’s not that….”
“Then what!” I all but demand, tempering my brash tone with a grin so he knows I’m being playful.
A look passes over his features - does he want to punish me for my attitude? Do it and see what happens. Ever the restrained one he bottles up whatever he was thinking and simply replies, “The tech that allows for our communication was created by the Secret Service’s IT guys long before the pandemic took hold.”
“Okay….” Drawing out the word, I urge him to get to the point, waving a hand in the universal gesture for ‘hurry up’.
“We may not be an official government any longer to outsiders, but that’s proprietary information. If it’s used without permission, there could be ramifications.”
Ever the thinker.
“Cade.” He looks up at me, askance. “You’re all the approval we need.”
Kenji chuckles, “She’s got you there.”
“I suppose,” is his only remark, though he doesn’t sound convinced.
I tell Kenji to do what she needs to, and after collecting my old smartphone from the backpack where it’s been for a few weeks, I watch as Cade pulls his out from a cargo pocket.
Uh huh. Thought so, bucko.
“You’ve had yours this whole time!” Accusation floats in the air.
Cade shrugs, smirking at my disapproval. “Never said I didn’t like the idea. I was hoping Kenji would be able to do something to up our communication efforts, so I grabbed my phone when I collected the pigeon from my place.”
Asshat.
In lieu of responding, I pull on my black chucks and stride off toward the door. Cade catches me halfway there, gripping my arm to hold me in place as he leans down and delivers a soft peck to my lips. “Don’t be gone too long, or I’ll have to come looking.” I may roll my eyes at his protectiveness, but on the inside I’m a sticky pile of goo. I love having someone care enough about my welfare that they’d threaten to hunt me down.
Apparently, so does my sex drive. Ha!
◆◆◆
Standing outside Luca’s door, I brace myself before knocking. I can feel in my gut that this isn’t going to go well, but we need his help. If only I can get him to agree.
It’s the girl from before - Morgan - who answers, looking bewildered and pissed to see me. She props a hand on the frame of the door, while the other rests on the handle, blocking me from entering. She’s wearing a blue silk teddy today, and I can’t help but wonder why in the world that would be something she’d save in the middle of a global crisis.
I mean… yeah, let’s totally grab the sexy clothes.
I’m not slut shaming — just saying. Who knows? Maybe that’s all she owns. I smirk at my own thought, and it sets her off in a bad way.
Oops.
“What do you want?” She bites out, the acid in her tone threatening to melt my flesh. Good thing I’ve built up tougher skin that that over the years of dealing with the woman who once called herself my mother.
Not wanting to fight fire with fire at the moment, choosing the mature route - see, I can be an adult - I reply in the kindest tone I’m capable of at the moment. “Is Luca in?”
She rolls her eyes, her eyebrows shooting so far into her blond hairline they almost disappear from sight.
Damn, this girl’s about to hit my shit list.
“My fiancé,” she emphasizes the word for extra shock factor - it works, “isn’t in right now. He’s on extra duty. Maybe you should come back… Never.”
His fucking what now? Oh hell no. Anger hurtles through me in equal parts to the pain stabbing my heart out of nowhere. We’d made no promises to each other - hell, I’m falling in love with Cade, for goodness sake - but a part of me still has feelings for Luca. A part which is now dissolving to ash with her petty confession.
Half of me wonders if she’s saying it just to get a rise out of me, but I’m not in the mood to delve deeper into her jab.
I’m done. “What the fuck is your problem?” I hold up my hand when she starts to respond, effectively cutting her off. “No, you know what, I don’t have the time. I’d ask that you tell Luca I stopped by, but I’m not an idiot, he’d probably never get the message. Have a good day.”
I stalk away, head held high, heart in my throat. Regardless if she’s playing gatekeeper or not, I still need to talk to
Luca. Rather than take her at her word that he’s on extra duty - that wouldn’t make sense, seeing as it’s morning and Atlas usually operates at night - I head to the gym. Exactly where I should have gone in the first place.
My mistake. I won’t make it again.
I’m officially on a self-imposed ban of Luca’s apartment. Maybe even the man himself, if what she claimed is true. Coming to me and professing his love, when all along he has a fiancé? That’s dirty. And unacceptable. Home-wrecker, I am not.
Storming down the stairs to the gym, I let out a breath when I find it empty save the man I’m looking for. Finally.
“We need to talk.” The words come out biting, alerting a startled Luca to my presence. That he didn’t hear me on my way down goes to show how fully absorbed in his workout he must have been.
Jumping up from where he was laid out on a weight bench, it doesn’t take him long to reach my side. He’s studying my face like he’ll find answers to my attitude there, and I let him see the anger. “What happened?” He asks softly, reaching up to cup my cheek. “Is it Robert?” He looks around the room, as if waiting for the man himself to pop out like a jack in the box from behind one of the pieces of workout equipment. “Did Cade do something?”
No, dickhead, you did!
“Are you engaged?” I blurt out, biting my tongue to stop the next flow of words. That is not what we need to discuss.
The regret that trickles into the gaze holding mine is all the answer I need. He is.
“Why?”
Why didn’t you tell me? Why are you playing games with my emotions? Am I just a joke to you?
I manage to keep the questions to myself, thankfully, as he replies in that deep voice of his, making me want to shiver. I lock down on the visceral reaction, staying still under his guilt-ridden attention. “Because I can’t tell him no, even when I despise the idea of marrying that bitch, if I want Jake to stay safe.”
He’s pulling at my heartstrings, and for the first time, I genuinely wonder if it’s all contrived. I’ve had the thoughts before, that maybe Nyler’s using Luca to get to me, but I’ve never truly thought it a possibility. Am I really that naive?
Atlas (Apocalyptic Cries Book 1) Page 21