They glared at each other for the longest time. I wasn’t sure which of them, if either, was going to back down first. Perhaps I was going to have to get my fisticuffs out.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to. Garrick was the first to blink as he turned toward me. “I’m going to bed. Night Ame, thanks for today.”
“You know where everything is, let me know if you need anything else.” I watched him nod as he left and closed the door after himself. The moment we were alone, I turned my attention to Lochie. I could get angry with him about being angry with Garrick, but it was easier to let it go. I was too emotionally exhausted for another fight. “You didn’t mention you were coming over.”
“Check your phone.”
I reached over to my handbag on the bedside table and fished out my phone. There were two texts from Lochie. The first asking if I wanted some company, the next saying he was coming over. Okay, so there was that.
“Oh. Sorry. I had my phone on silent since going to the police station.” We were both still standing there, staring at each other. Things hadn’t felt that awkward between us in ages. Not since… we’d broken up.
“So, do you want company?” Lochie asked. He purposefully relaxed his stance, I could see all the muscles in his shoulders and arms loosen up.
I shrugged and sat on the bed, hoping he would join me without me having to say the words out loud. “I haven’t seen you all day, what have you been up to?”
He took a few casual steps and finally perched on the end of my bed. Good boy. “Spending some time with Jordan. He said he’s been missing me lately.” Jordan was Lochie’s brother. He had cerebral palsy so they had a special bond that went beyond just brotherhood. Lochie was his fierce protector as well as carer.
“That’s sweet.”
“What have you been up to?” He asked the question like it was an accusation.
“I caught up with Lola and then picked up Garrick when he was granted bail. We haven’t long been back.”
“Seemed like long enough.”
I wanted to groan and roll my eyes but that probably wouldn’t have calmed the situation. There was something seriously wrong between Lochie and Garrick. It was like their souls were destined to be arch enemies for all of eternity or something.
“Don’t start this again, Lochie. Garrick and I are just friends, I am allowed to comfort him. It doesn’t take anything away from what we have.”
He snaked his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers together. I really liked it when he did that. I’m not sure if he knew that, and that’s why he did it, or if he enjoyed it just as much as I did. “What do we have?”
“You know what we have.”
Lochie grinned, his tension all gone as he relaxed his jaw. “I forget, tell me again.”
I slid down the bed so there wasn’t a gap between us anymore. With our hands still glued together, I swung my leg over him to sit on his lap. We were face to face, so close I could feel his breath on my skin.
“We have this,” I said quietly before kissing him. I wanted to remind him exactly how much I loved him so I put it all into that kiss.
Lochie let go of my fingers so he could cradle my head with both his hands. I snaked mine around his neck so they linked behind him. He met my kiss greedily, not letting me go until we were both breathless.
When we let go, our foreheads rested on one another. He started laughing. “So that’s what we have, I did always wonder.”
“You’re terrible. And jealous for no reason.”
His laughing abruptly stopped. “You know I don’t trust that d-… guy.”
“But you trust me.” It wasn’t supposed to be a question but apparently Lochie heard it as one.
“Maybe.”
I swatted at his back. “I can’t even handle you, what makes you think I could handle two guys at the one time?”
“He would probably do all the handling.” Lochie’s hands slid down my sides to rest on the small of my back, giving his words a completely different connotation.
I kissed him again – only because it was more polite than strangling him. “The only guy I want handling me is you. Get that into your stupid, thick skull already.”
“I’m going to need more convincing.” The amusement in his eyes that made them sparkle gave away his teasing. He was having fun playing with me.
But I wasn’t to be played with. “And I’m going to need more convincing that I should even bother with you.”
Suddenly, Lochie held me tighter and flipped me over so I was lying on the bed looking up at him. The whole thing had happened so quickly it took me a moment to catch up with him.
“How would you like me to convince you?” Lochie whispered. Man, there were so many answers to that question that ran through my mind. I was so glad he couldn’t hear any of them. He kissed my neck before I could answer. With each point of contact, the butterflies in my stomach fluttered like crazy. I was at serious risk of forgetting my own name.
“Lochie,” I managed to get out. It was supposed to be a warning to stop because we shouldn’t be doing that on my bed in my bedroom. It was too dangerous in case it led to other things we shouldn’t be doing.
I pushed at his chest a little because a part of me was convinced I should let him go and see what happens. His stopped kissing my neck to look at me. Damn it, he had the most beautiful blue eyes in the world. “Amery?”
“Lochie,” I said more convincingly. At least it kind of sounded like a warning that time. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” I even hated hearing those words myself.
Rules. There were always stupid rules.
“Amery.” Now he was mocking me.
“We need to stop.”
He looked around pointedly, I had no clue what he was doing but I was sure he was up to something. “I don’t see the fun police anywhere. I think we’re alone.” He whispered the last sentence like some creepy stalker guy.
“Alone for now,” I reminded him. “Anyone could walk in. If they see you in here like this, they’re going to freak out.”
He sighed and rolled over to lie next to me on the bed. He made it sound like such hard work, as if it took every piece of his strength to get off me. “You drive me crazy, Jones.”
“Feeling is mutual, Mercury.” The corners of his mouth crooked up, telling me he really wasn’t that annoyed. “Do you want to stay over tonight?”
“I guess. Someone needs to protect you from all the aliens in this house.”
I punched his arm, knowing it was like a mouse hitting an elephant. “I need all the aliens to protect me from you.”
“Then send me home.”
Okay, so he knew when to call my bluff really, really well. I pulled his arm around my shoulders and snuggled into his side. “Go home.”
He pulled me closer. “Make me.”
We stayed that way all night. I knew it was risky letting Lochie stay over but my parents did actually respect my privacy. It had been ages since any of them had burst into my bedroom without knocking. We hadn’t got caught yet so I was willing to play the odds.
Plus, it wasn’t like anything happened. Lochie, despite all his flaws, was always a complete gentleman. We only slept and Lochie’s presence seemed to keep all my nightmares away. It was completely innocent. On my part anyway, I didn’t want to know what was going on inside his brain.
My alarm woke us at seven the next morning. Lochie reached over me and hit the snooze button. He mumbled something that I wasn’t sure was English and rolled back over again.
I pushed at him. “It’s time to get up.”
“It’s too early.” He wasn’t a morning person either. That seemed to be a trend with teenage boys.
“My parents are going to see your car outside.” They were ex-FBI agents, after all. I was certain they used all their old skills just to check up on me.
He rolled over to face me. “I’m willing to risk it.”
“And be interrogated by all four of my parents?” I arched an eyebrow
in question.
He rubbed at his eyes and scratched at his beard stubble – it wasn’t much, just enough to make him a thousand times hotter than when he was clean shaven. “Why’d you have to be the only girlfriend around with a double set of parents?”
“Just lucky I guess.”
He groaned and pulled himself to sit up. That was progress. “Okay. Are we going to play the old come-in-through-the-front-door trick, or do you want me to leave?”
“I would rather stay here all day. But that isn’t really an option. I should probably help Garrick today and work out what he’s going to do.” I winced, waiting for the inevitable backtalk that happened whenever I mentioned his name.
To my surprise, Lochie leaned over and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Call me later.” He got up and headed for the window.
“Lochie.” I stopped him, still a little stunned. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. “Thanks.”
He bowed like a medieval knight before disappearing out the window. Gosh, that guy was confusing. Just when I thought I could work him out, he went and did something weird. And nice. I seriously needed a Lochie translator.
I stumbled downstairs after having a shower so people didn’t notice I was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Because they would have noticed, like within ten seconds of seeing me. That was how I lived my life.
Everyone was already up. I really hoped that didn’t mean they had witnessed Lochie scurrying across the lawn. I tried not to look guilty, which was easier said than done. “Good morning, everyone.”
They each muttered a response. No questions about Lochie so far, that had to be a good sign.
“I’m glad you’re up,” Adoptive Dad started. He didn’t sound as perky as he usually did at breakfast. “We’ve had a phone call.”
I wanted to go back to bed and restart the day without hearing those words. “Who called?”
“Krom. He has demanded your presence in his office first thing this morning.”
Was it too late to run away?
CHAPTER 4
“What does Krom want?” I asked, hoping someone would be able to put the churning in my stomach to rest.
“He’s summoned me too. So I guess this is about my arrest,” Garrick answered. Still, that didn’t explain why I had to front up too. I hadn’t heard anything from Krom, the former leader of Trucon and now the Head of Alien Liaison for the Department, since he had granted me my freedom. I thought I was done with him. Apparently not.
Someone knocked on the front door, cutting off any further questions. One glance at the door and I knew it was Lochie. The figure behind the frosted glass was definitely Lochie-shaped. And I thought he had listened to me earlier.
Adoptive Mom beat me to the door. “Lochie, hello. Come in.” She allowed him to enter. He had run a comb – or, more likely, a hand – through his hair so he didn’t look so just awoken.
“Good morning,” I said cheerily. I didn’t kiss him on the cheek like I would have done once, it would have given my birth parents a conniption. “You’re up early.”
“Yeah, I’ve been for a run.” His shorts and nice shirt clearly weren’t exercise clothes. He needed a lesson in Parent Deception 101.
My birth mother interrupted our little fake reunion. “Well, Amery is about to leave. She has been summoned to our leader. So your trip was for nothing.”
Lochie’s eyes shot to me with real concern. “You’re going to see Krom?” I nodded. “I’ll come with you.”
“You’re not invited,” Garrick said quickly. Here we go again.
For once, Lochie ignored him and only looked at me. “I want to come with you. I know what he’s like.”
A two hour car journey with the mortal enemies was not exactly pleasing to the brain, but I actually did want Lochie to come with us. Krom liked him, and he came in handy at times. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to have him there. Providing we all survived the car ride.
I nodded again. “Okay.” Garrick snorted disgust across the room, I pretended I didn’t hear it.
“You should get going,” Birth Dad said to break the awkward silence that followed. “You don’t want to leave Leader Krom waiting for you.” I knew that was the truth. Angry Krom was a scary Krom indeed.
Lochie and I waited next to the car while Garrick finished getting ready to go. We fought over who was to drive, Lochie never trusted me behind the wheel – he thought I was too scary. But, considering it was my car, I won.
It was the first moment we were alone together since he had shown up. “I thought you were going home.”
“I was. I can’t find my car keys. I think I left them in your room when I emptied my pockets last night,” he replied. I thought back, trying to picture my bedside table where he usually left his stuff. There were probably a set of keys there – along with his wallet, which he would need for his ID at the Department.
“Wait here and I’ll go get them.” He didn’t argue as I hurried inside. I pretended like I forgot my own keys and ran upstairs. By the time I had everything, Garrick was waiting at the car.
“Shotgun,” he declared.
“Uh, no,” Lochie replied. He opened the front passenger side door and jumped in before Garrick even had a chance to move.
I rolled my eyes and climbed into the driver’s seat while Garrick slunk into the back. At least we were all in the car without a punch up, that was what I called progress. I sped down the road before they could change their minds.
Krom’s office was set up at the Department, a place I would rather never see again. The building held nothing but bad memories for me. I had reported in there every year for seventeen years. It was within those walls that they decided my fate on so many occasions. It was also the place where I was held captive and thought I was going to die. Definitely not a happy place for me.
Even flanked by Lochie and Garrick as we walked in to see the former leader of Trucon, those same fearful emotions crept back in. We were on their turf and it was where I felt most vulnerable.
Lochie placed his hand lightly on my back, giving me his reassurance that he was there for me. I relaxed a little, but only a little because I shouldn’t let my guard down at all.
Krom indicated to the seats around a small boardroom table in his office. He had changed his fashion style since I had last seen him. Instead of the shiny jumpsuit he favored on his planet, he was wearing a black suit. He could have easily been mistaken for all the other agents in the government building.
There was one thing that hadn’t changed about him though – his booming voice that was louder than a foghorn. Apparently he still hadn’t learned about the difference between an inside voice and an outside one. “You’re late.”
“We came as soon as we got your message,” Garrick said, without a hint of defensiveness. He respected Krom’s authority a lot more than I did. My birth parents were even worse, they practically worshipped the guy.
Krom didn’t bother to argue. “You are lucky I didn’t send armed guards to drag you here. I cannot tell you how angry I am at you.” His ire was directed at Garrick, for once not at me. “Charged with murder? Do you know what you’ve done?”
“I didn’t do it, I was framed.” Finally, Garrick was defending himself. I was worried he was going to take whatever mud Krom slung at him. I wouldn’t have been able to sit idly by if he didn’t say something.
“Tell me the truth, Member Garrick. I will not tolerate any lies.”
“It is the truth, I swear. I had nothing to do with the girl’s murder. I was only trying to help her.”
“And you didn’t think how being caught with a dead body would affect our people? We cannot afford to have this kind of publicity. Not when our presence here is still so… vicarious.” Krom sat back in his chair as he processed everything in his mind. “Tell me everything. And don’t lie.”
We were all completely silent as Garrick recounted his story. He told Krom everything he had told me without leaving anything out. At least I wouldn’t have to
relay it all to Lochie later on, I noticed how intently he was listening to it all.
“How many enemies have you made, Member Garrick?” Krom asked when he was done.
“None that I know of.”
“Have you been following the project rules?” I had to cover my mouth to stop myself snorting at the question. Project Integrate was over, all the aliens were free. Except… we apparently weren’t free.
There seemed to be more rules now than when we were a secret. Plus, I was certain they were making them up as they went along. One of the new rules was that we couldn’t excel at sports because that would make the humans feel inferior. Like I said, they were just making up random stuff.
“I’ve been following all the rules,” Garrick replied. He didn’t seem insulted by the question like I would have been.
“What makes you think you were framed?” Krom asked.
“I’ve been replaying it all in my head over and over again. I called for an ambulance and said there was a girl that had been hurt and I thought it was really bad. But the cops came within minutes of that call, almost like they had already been tipped off.” That was news to me. The conversation suddenly got a lot more interesting.
“The ambulance dispatch couldn’t have called them?” I interrupted.
Garrick turned his attention to me as he replied. “I’m talking moments. I barely finished telling the emergency people that I needed help before they arrived. They had to know the body was there.”
“The real murderer could have tipped them off,” I added. It was possible, even a killer could have a change of heart or a guilty conscience.
“Maybe. But the cops went straight for me, they didn’t even look at what was going on. One minute I was on the phone trying to help the girl, the next I was handcuffed and being taken away. They were there to get me.”
Krom seemed to agree. “I don’t believe in coincidences, not when there is still so much tension between us and the humans. There are plenty of them who wish to see us destroyed.”
Project Integrate Series Boxed Set Page 68