Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64702 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
He rolls away from me and sits on the edge of the bed, his shoulders rolled forward. The intercom buzzes on the wall by the door, and he grabs his pants, shoves his feet inside them, and walks that direction, punching the button to say, “What?”
Katie laughs and says, “What back at ya. I left a package at the door. Some colored contacts for Addie and an invitation to lunch. I’m hoping she can cover a meeting for me.”
Creed grunts and releases the button before opening the door and snapping up the package. At this point, I’ve started dressing, and Creed sits back down on the bed and places the package next to me.
“I get why you want to do this, Addie. I just don’t like it.”
I pull my shirt over my head and step in front of him, my hands settling on his shoulders. “You can stay close and keep me safe. I’m lucky that way. Most people wouldn’t have that advantage.”
“I will only agree to this if I get right on the logistics with Caleb and feel good about keeping you safe.”
If I’d known how tormented and protective he felt over me, I’d have never stayed away from Creed. He knew that. Of course, he knew, and that’s why he allowed me to think he was the enemy. He was protecting me then as he is now, and it means everything to me.
“Once I desert ship, he has no moral compass. He’ll lash out. Me going back, no matter how brief, offers you a window to check his actions and intent.”
“We need the blood test results before we solidify anything.”
“Maybe that’s what the lunch is about.” I sit next to him and grab the invitation, reading and then glancing up at Creed. “It’s a lunch meeting for the women you rescued. Katie can’t make it and wants me to run the get-together. I have to go to this.” I push to my feet and kiss him. “I need to freshen up.” I dart toward the bathroom and start inspecting the items I’ve had delivered for my use.
“You should be resting,” Creed says from the doorway.
I set some pretty amazing make-up on the counter and glance over at him. “The injection Katie gave me worked miracles. I feel fine.” I go back to pulling out the supplies I need to pretty myself up.
A second ticks by, two—silence that holds yet more unspoken words.
“You should wear the contacts Katie brought for you,” he says.
“I will when I see my father.”
“The women from Zodius aren’t GTECH, nor are they lifebonds. And considering I was one of their captors, I doubt your being linked to me will work in your favor.”
I abandon what I’m doing and face him. “You were the one who saved them, Creed. I don’t understand.”
“I was their enemy and captor far longer than I was anything else.”
He rotates out of the room, the air charged with his energy. I stare after him with a twist in my gut. He’s afraid of what I’ll discover during the lunch. I pursue him and find him standing with his back to me, hands on his hips, shoulders bunched.
I waste no time advancing on him, stepping to his front, and wrapping my arms around him. “I’m not hiding my eyes from these women, Creed. I’m not afraid of you, and I won’t tolerate them being either. You saved their lives. Furthermore, my bond to you shows them that I am a target for Ava’s fertility testing, just like them. It shows them I have a reason to fight and protect them, and considering who my father is, that’s a big deal. Now. I’m going to freshen up, and I’d like it very much if you’d walk me to where I’m going.”
He cups my head and kisses me hard and fast. “Stubborn woman,” he murmurs.
“Bossy man.”
“Which gets me nowhere with you.”
“No,” I say, stepping out of his arms. “But you can keep trying.” And with that, I rush into the bathroom, leaving him to no doubt fret over what’s to come of the lunch, but in the end, we’ll be better for it.
Because he’ll know that I see him, really see him, perhaps more clearly than he sees himself. He’s a hero.
He’s my hero.
Chapter Forty
Addie
We walk through Sunrise City, and I’m once again in awe of the stores and restaurants, afoot with mostly male activity. “Amazing,” I murmur. “All this has been built in only two years?”
“It’s a fraction of what Julian has done with Groom Lake,” he replies. “Caleb held back on construction the first year. He felt that building Sunrise City meant accepting that this war would continue. But eventually, he decided the comfort of those who called this place home was too critical to overlook. We have a good number of humans here. Many of the scientific staff fear they are targets for the Zodius. They have their entire families under our protection.”