by KC Kean
Kai was surprisingly okay with his left hand, not as fast or accurate as he would be with his right hand, but still on target. I can see the stress in his eyes. I heard him mumble something about being useless earlier, but I quickly shut him down. Kai still does so much for us, especially the tech side, and even if he didn’t, he deserves a moment to rest his injury. Tech was free reign, meaning we spent the whole time making sure we were on top of the security feeds and tweaking anything slightly out of place.
The three of us walk out of the building and wait for Oscar and Red to finish up in Science. People stop and stare, seeing us outside of a classroom properly for the first time today. It’s too cloudy to put my sunglasses on to hide the annoyance in my eyes, so they’ll just have to deal with my resting bitch face.
I’m glad we have Combat after lunch, hopefully I’ll be able to beat some of this tension out of my system. My phone vibrates in my pocket, pulling my attention from everyone around us. Kai and Parker seem to be trying to block me from everyone, but it’s not doing much.
Roman: Hey, Princess. I’ve got our table ready in the lunch hall. Hurry your ass over here, I miss you.
I smile down at my phone. Since he said those three words, it’s like his head and heart are in the same place. Now he’s open to sharing his emotions with me, and I love it.
Luna: Bossy much? We won’t be long. I’ve missed you too.
Roman: Damn right I am. Less texting, more moving.
Roman: I LOVE YOU <3
Oh my, did he just love heart emoji me? Who the hell is this guy? This might be my favorite side of Roman.
Luna: I love you too, baby.
“What are you smiling at?” Parker asks as I put my phone away.
“Nothing. Roman just sent me a love heart emoji.” I waggle my eyebrows for added effect, and I see the surprise on his face too.
“I didn’t even think he knew they were a thing,” he murmurs, placing a hand to his chest dramatically, and I roll my eyes, but a growl from the entryway of the academic building stops our playfulness.
“I said, back the fuck away.” I know that voice is Oscar’s, but what the hell is going on?
Looking around the other students, I spot Oscar jogging down the steps, Red running along with him as he holds her arm. The anger on his face is prominent in the frown lines marking his face and the grinding of his jaw.
Instinctively, I move towards Oscar, but he signals for me not to as he walks our way. “Get in the Rolls, now.”
“What? Oscar, slow down, talk to me.” I put myself in his path, my hands landing on his chest as he stops right in front of me. Looking over me, he speaks with one of the guys.
“Get Jess in the car.” Dropping her arm, she looks frantically between us.
“Somebody, please tell me what the fuck is going on,” I grind out, my body zinging with adrenaline, ready to attack whatever has upset Oscar.
“It’s me,” a voice says quietly behind Oscar. He tries to block my view, but I step to the side, finding Trudy. My blood instantly boils as she stands before me, guilt written all over her face.
“You’ve got some fucking nerve,” I spit out, and she remains completely still, as fear flashes in her eyes.
“The nerve, baby girl,” Oscar grunts beside me. “Is that she was trying to get Jess to sweet talk you, soften the blow of her betrayal and all that.”
I glance back at Red as Ian opens the door to the Rolls, shame on her face too. Is this all a joke? Taking in the scene around me, I notice every pair of eyes on us right now, wanting to see me air my dirty laundry in their faces, all for the love of gossip.
Stalking towards Trudy, she flinches back, ready for me to hit her. So, I’m sure it surprises her when I growl in her ear instead. “You better show up to Ace. Tonight, seven p.m. You’ve got some fucking explaining to do. When I kick your ass, it’ll be for my pleasure, not for the enjoyment of bystanders.”
She nods frantically as I lean back, walking towards the same Rolls as Red. I feel Oscar go to protest, but I just glare at him. Climbing in, I slam the door shut behind me before Ian can help.
“Luna, I…”
“Shut up, Red!” I shout, unable to control my anger right now. “This is the kind of thing I expect you to tell me about, Jess. I don’t expect to see shame on your face because you fucking know you should have said something sooner.”
I need to get myself under control. Leaning my head back, I glance up to the roof of the car. Inhaling slowly through my nose, I hold my breath, before slowly exhaling through my mouth. I repeat the process a few more times, finally feeling my heart calm and logic return.
Taking one more calming breath, I look to Red. “Do I want to hear what she has to say?” I ask, looking her in the eye. She clamps her lips shut, simply nodding in response.
Great, another shit show to add to my snowball effect. Just push me down the mountain now.
“You’ve got the car ride over to the food court to catch me up to speed, and tell me what the fuck has been going on,” I murmur, searching her eyes for any more secrets.
“Trudy didn’t say what happened, but there is a haunted look in her eyes that wasn’t there before, darker than I’ve ever seen. Aiden mentioned she hasn’t been sleeping at all, lost to the fear that now rests inside of her.” Her words are deep, barely above a whisper, as they carve themselves into my soul. If Red believes it, I trust in her to at least offer Trudy the chance to explain. Especially after what Conor mentioned in The Tunnel.
“I’ll listen to what she has to say, but I’m not promising more than that,” I say, and Red nods lightly. I’m surprised to see a weight lift off her shoulders at my words, not understanding why it matters so much to her. “So, what else have I been missing out on?”
“Uhh, not much really. Maverick had me like a damsel in distress, training at every available minute, and not willing to let me out of his sight or those he trusts. Which meant I’ve done a whole lot of nothing, except reading.”
“And who does he trust?” I ask. There’s something missing, that she’s not telling me, I can feel it, but I can’t put my finger on it.
“Not many people apparently. Although, since staying there his circle seems to have expanded.” She rubs her hands down her skirt nervously, and I can tell by the crinkle between her eyes something is playing on her mind.
“Talk to me, Jess. Whatever is going on you can talk to me you know?” I say, softening my voice, compared to the rage I had moments earlier.
Searching my gaze, she clears her throat. “I, uh, well…”
Before she can respond, the car door on my side flies open, and Roman peeks his head in. I didn’t even realize the Rolls had come to a stop, and before I can continue to process anything else, Roman unclips my seatbelt and pulls me from the car.
My legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he presses me against the side of the car.
“What took you so long, Princess?”
“We…”
His mouth takes mine, not waiting for a response. My fingers curl in his hair at the back of his neck, as I get lost in his touch, letting him consume me, instead of all the stress I just felt.
“Don’t keep me waiting like that, Princess. I missed you,” he growls against my lips, and I can’t help but smile at his possessive streak. I shouldn’t love his bossy tendencies but I just can’t get enough of him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
(Oscar)
Sitting down on the bench, sweat trails down my face as I pull my top over my head. Training in Combat didn’t seem to be enough for any of us, so we came back to Ace, and we’ve been in the gym ever since.
Swiping my face with my t-shirt, I watch as Roman and Luna spar together in the cage. The fury and tension building inside of her is not subsiding, no matter how hard she pushes herself. We’re all mad at Trudy for what she did, and the fact she was trying to get Jess to back her up, fucks with my head. There should have been no reason for Jess to even consider ente
rtaining the idea, let alone keep quiet about it. I know Red hasn't actually tried to talk to Luna about it yet, but she didn’t say anything at all.
Shaking my head, I glance to Parker, who is still running on the treadmill. Kai is the only one not here, wanting to spend some time with his sister.
Grabbing a bottle of water, I down half of it in one go, glancing at the clock. “Ten minutes, baby girl,” I call out, distracting her, which leaves her open for Roman to get her around the waist, dropping her to the floor.
“Fuck, Oscar,” she grumbles from the mat, but Roman smiles at me.
“Thanks, man.” Dropping on top of her, he touches his lips to Luna’s, who doesn’t resist at all. She can thank me later.
“Hey, Parker, wanna make out too? My lips are lonely,” I shout to him across the room, but he just gives me the finger. “I’ll just play with myself then.” I groan, and his head whips around lightning fast, making me grin. I just give him the finger back, take that, asshole. I wonder if I look that good in loose grey shorts hanging off my hips? Who am I kidding, of course I do.
The door creaks open, and Red pops her head around the door. I try to glare at her, but it’s pointless, we’re all too damn soft on her. She looks straight to Luna until she sees her beneath Roman, then her eyes glance anywhere else.
“Are you here for the show?” I ask, and she runs her hands down her thighs.
“I’m here to support Luna,” her voice surprisingly full of confidence. She takes the seat beside me, looking me straight in my eyes. “I know I didn’t tell Luna what Trudy was asking me to do, but don’t underestimate my loyalty to her.” Her eyes stray to Luna, who is still grinding against Roman. “She is one of the most important people in my life, Oscar. She was taken by her own mother, who she had to kill, and has since been attacked in The Tunnel and The Slums.” Her fiery eyes turn back to mine. “So, I’m sorry if it wasn’t at the top of my fucking list, but I was worried she wasn’t coming back,” she snaps, leaving me to gape at her in surprise.
Well then.
“Okay,” I finally manage to say, making her look at me, confused.
“Okay?”
“Yeah, okay. I believe you,” I respond, watching as Roman helps Luna up off the mat.
“As simple as that?”
“I’m not a parrot, Jessikins.” I give her a bored look, and she shakes her head at me, a soft smile playing on her lips.
“Thanks, Ozzie,” she murmurs, nudging my arm with hers.
Roman throws a towel at Luna as she comes to stand in front of us, dripping with sweat and giving Roman her sexy eyes. Hot as fuck. I can see her Pac-man tattoo peeking out just above her sports bra, and goosebumps spread all over my skin, just like every other time I catch sight of it.
Not wanting to be outdone, I grab a bottle of water from beside me, unscrewing the cap, I hold it out to her. Smiling down at me, she takes it from my hands.
“Are you two good now?” She asks, tilting the bottle between Jess and me, making me frown. Seeing the question in my eyes, she takes a seat on my lap, my arm instantly wrapping around her waist, as she sips her water before continuing. “Red and I talked it out in the car, making sure we fully understood each other. She then bet me twenty bucks that she would have to explain herself to you too.”
My jaw drops, is she for real? I look to Jess, who shrugs unapologetically at me.
“I can see your brain thinking over whether you should be insulted or not,” Jess says, and I raise an eyebrow. “You shouldn’t, but you just don’t want to admit it.” She winks at me as Luna kisses my head.
Roman grins down at her words, squeezing her shoulder, showing her the support she always shows us. I can’t even fucking argue, so I don’t intend to.
Just as Parker steps off the treadmill, the door to the gym swings open. Conor Starker steps in, followed by Trudy and Aiden behind her. Conor’s facial expression doesn’t change at all, as he takes in his surroundings, while Trudy looks nervously at Luna, and Aiden glares at Roman.
Luna stands to her feet, slowly moving towards Trudy, and no one moves. Just as Luna nears her, Aiden steps in front of his sister protectively, making me rise to my feet too.
“You don’t get to fucking kill her,” he grunts out, and Luna laughs, raising her eyebrow at him.
Trudy steps around her brother, coming to his side and making Luna shift her position. As she goes to open her mouth, Luna swings her arms back and punches her straight in the face, watching her drop to the floor. She hits her right on her cheekbone, so there’s no blood, but there is going to be a black eye in the morning.
“Who said anything about killing anyone?” Luna huffs out, crouching down to Trudy’s level.
I try to adjust myself privately, but the shake of Parker’s head beside me tells me he caught it. It’s not my fault our wife is so fucking hot when she’s angry.
*****
(Luna)
I shake my hand out, enjoying the throb that pulses through my hand. Crouching down before Trudy, I rest my arms on my thighs. I’m surprised when she doesn’t stay down, instead rising to her knees before me, dropping her hand from her cheek, as if preparing for the next hit.
Why is she doing that? Openly taking what she expects me to throw at her. I glance at Red, who nods ever so slightly, and I sigh.
“Get up.”
She does a double-take at me, making sure she heard me right, as I stand to my feet. Conor stares at me with a raised eyebrow, but I don’t miss his clenched hands by his sides. While Aiden openly glares over my shoulder.
“I said, get up,” I repeat, when she’s still gaping up at me. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she looks at me nervously. “Conor, go and get her an ice pack before her face swells too much,” I murmur, catching the surprise on his face before he turns and leaves without question. “Aiden, I don’t know what you’re glaring at, but your frown is giving me a fucking headache.”
He sighs as he glances at me from the corner of his eye. Shaking his head, he walks over to Red and the guys sitting on the benches. “Hi Jessica, long time no see. Why don’t you extract yourself from Roman and sit with me?” There’s a slight growl in his undertone, but I don’t have time to deal with the usual bullshit with him and Roman.
Glancing over my shoulder, Red looks like a deer caught in the headlights as she glances between the two of them. Roman is still standing beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder from when he was comforting her earlier, while Aiden glares at him.
The confusion on Oscar’s and Parker’s faces likely match mine, but we haven’t got time for petty shit like this. “Aiden, either sit down and shut up, or leave, you aren’t helping,” Trudy mutters, and he sighs dramatically as he takes a seat beside Red on the bench.
“I was fucking sitting there,” Oscar grouches, waving his hands around in protest, but Aiden just shrugs his shoulders.
“On your feet, lose your seat.” Aiden grins back at him, leaving Oscar to glare at him.
Shaking my head at them, we’re getting completely off topic. Turning back to Trudy, as she stands before me. Red said she is worth listening to, so this is her one and only chance.
Conor steps in with what looks like a frozen bag of peas wrapped in a towel, handing it off to Trudy, who smiles in thanks.
“I want the fucking truth, and if I ask you a question, you answer. Understood?” She nods frantically, wincing as the cloth touches her already bruising cheek. “Tell me what the hell happened?”
She looks around at us all for a moment before taking a deep breath, trying to relax her nerves. “So, after you and Kai came to the tents to set up the cameras, Barbette Dietrichson showed up. Apparently, she had video footage of Aiden and I coming over to your room, the day we discussed setting up a spot at the party for you to get Brett. She also watched Kai set the camera up in the tree, and wanted to know why.”
She looks behind me, and I follow her gaze to Aiden, who nods encouragingly to her, his hands clasped together as
he leans forward on his knees. “Tell them, Tru. You promised,” he murmurs, and l look back at her.
“I told her I didn’t know what she was talking about. That you and I were friends, but she wouldn’t believe it.” Her hands start to shake as she tries to find the right words. “Then Rico, the member of The Ring, showed up.” I watch as she gulps, her hand coming to her chest. “I’m still waiting for him to come back and finish what he started. Now he knows I didn’t do everything they asked me to do,” she whimpers, tears forming in her eyes.
What the fuck did he do to her? The pained, haunted look in her eyes has me trying to console her a little. “He’s dead, Trudy. He won’t be returning.”
Her eyes shoot to mine, and when she only sees the truth in my words, she breaks down, the ice pack in her hands dropping to the ground. Face in her hands, she sobs as Conor slowly puts his arm around her. I want answers, but I can see she needs a minute.
“When did this happen?” Conor asks.
“In The Slums, I watched my father do it over the camera feed,” I answer, and he simply nods in response.
“The only camera feed I saw was when Rico put a bounty on Parker’s head. The rest of the time, I was knee-deep in dead bodies,” Conor responds.
I glance at Parker, checking he’s okay with the mention of his father, and he offers a small smile in reassurance. Although, I can still see the concern in his eyes for whatever he did to Trudy. Finally, having the strength to carry on Trudy clears her throat.
“He, erm, he was quite forceful in his mission, to get me to help, and I was too weak,” she whispers, swiping her hands at her cheeks. “But, uh, he wanted me to help catch you off guard, and he knew my bloodline is in Science. So, he wanted some paralysis stim shots, because the one’s they’d been banking on, hadn’t come through.”
Oscar growls behind me, knowing it was his assignment they were waiting on. I look at him, but Parker is whispering in his ear, trying to calm him already.