“With justification.”
“Maybe, but I probably should have kept my cool. Are you ready to tell me yet?” She nodded. “Anna and I haven’t exactly gotten along since I’ve joined the group. I pretty much figured right away the two of you used to have something together and she still had feelings for you. Because of it, I think she resented what was starting to develop between us. I didn’t realize how badly things had escalated until that incident. I approached her in an attempt to work out our differences, but she wasn’t interested. Then she basically told me what a jerk she thinks I am and how you’ll eventually get tired of me.”
“Is that what set you off?”
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Sydney lowered her lashes. “Yes. I was already uncertain about your feelings for me, and hearing her speak my worst fears made me snap. I hit her and then I panicked.
I ran out of the room and you know the rest.”
“I’ll have a talk with her when we get back to camp.”
“No. Don’t do that. She’s going to have to work out her feelings on her own, and I doubt she’d appreciate you coming to her on my behalf.”
“But she had no right to say those things to you.”
“And I shouldn’t have hit her so that makes us even. Look, she’s a big girl. She’ll learn to deal with it in her own time, but it’s not going to change how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me?”
She gulped. Now was the time to open her heart to him, to tell Jack how she really felt. “I love you.”
He stiffened. “Don’t say it unless you mean it.”
“I do mean it. I’ve been fighting my feelings for you since we met and I’m no longer afraid to say it. Someone told me love meant taking chances. I can’t think of anyone else I’d risk giving my heart to other than you.” He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers before pulling back with a pained expression. “This wasn’t a good time to tell me you love me when I’m not in a position to do anything about it.”
Sydney giggled. “You were the one who wanted me to tell you how I felt.”
“So I did.”
“Finish eating your food.”
“I’d much rather make love to you.”
“We can’t.”
“Why not? I love you and you feel the same. I don’t see why we can’t.”
“Because we’re in a sewer and you’re in no shape to make love. We’ll need to wait until you’re feeling better and not before.”
“That’s torture,” he groaned.
“Do you think I liked being without you the past few nights?”
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“You’ve never indicated otherwise. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to go to bed with a raging hard on every night. My cock missed your pussy.” A blush heated her cheeks and she said shyly, “My pussy missed your cock. As much as I missed having your arms around me at night, we can’t do anything here.
Now finish your food.”
“You’re a tough taskmaster.”
“When I need to be.”
They ate in silence, stealing meaningful glances at each other until the food was gone.
“We might as well try to get some sleep.” Sydney surveyed their surroundings for someplace comfortable to sleep. There weren’t any options. “It looks like we’ll have to make do right where we are.”
Jack shrugged. “I’ve slept in worse conditions. Besides, as long as you’re here with me, it won’t be so bad at all.”
“You’re not going to get sappy on me, are you, Jack?” He offered her a sheepish grin. “Am I overdoing it?”
“A tad.”
Jack chuckled. “Okay. I’ll tone things down a bit if you sleep next to me tonight.”
“It’s a deal, but you have to be careful not to aggravate your injury.” Sydney made sure Jack was comfortable before she slid next to him, absorbing his warmth.
“Will you be okay for the night? Is your wound bothering you?”
“It hurts a little, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. You’ve taken good care of me.” She pressed a kiss against his jaw. “Thank you.”
He wrapped his good arm around her and held her close.
Sydney attempted to sleep, but found it difficult when her mind began to drift toward the other members of their group. “Jack?” she whispered to see if he was still awake.
“Yes?”
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“Do you think the rest of our team made it back to camp safely?” She was still annoyed at how quickly they had been willing to leave Jack behind. She’d expected it of Bennett; he was an asshole. But she’d expected more of Anna. For someone who supposedly still had feelings for Jack, she certainly was quick to run when he was in trouble. Sydney didn’t know why she’d been worried about the other woman when it was now clear to her that Anna’s ego was bruised more than anything else. Whether the woman liked her or not was no longer Sydney’s concern.
She wondered what Bella and Holly would say when the rest of the group returned without them. And had the other teams fulfilled their missions successfully?
“Unfortunately we won’t know until we get back, but Chase knows what he’s doing. He runs very tight missions so I won’t worry about him. As for the third group, the leaders are pretty competent. Once we get back to camp, we’ll be able to plan the next phase.”
“Attacking the Cyrellians directly?”
“Yes. But that won’t be for another couple days. We knew it would eventually come to this.”
“I know.” She snuggled closer to him with a shiver. As difficult as this mission had been, this was only the beginning.
“What the hell do you mean you left them behind? You’re a team! You’re not supposed to leave any of your members!” Holly screamed at Bennett. She wanted to punch him in his thick neck.
The first two groups had returned from their missions successfully. The waste management building and the mental institution had been destroyed. Holly had been with Chase. The joy of returning back to camp safely despite being chased by some law enforcement officers was short lived when she saw Sydney had not returned with her group.
Bennett didn’t look impressed by her tirade. “What did you expect us to do?
Carry Jack the rest of the way back? He would have slowed us down and we would have all been caught. That makes no sense.”
“Then why did Sydney stay behind?” Holly demanded, not caring if she was making a scene. All she could think about was Sydney being in danger.
“That was her choice. No one twisted her arm to stay behind. If the Cyrellians got her, she only has herself to blame,” Anna interjected.
Holly turned her attention to the blonde, looking her up and down with unconcealed contempt. “Just because Sydney’s not a heartless bitch like you, it doesn’t mean she deserves to be captured.”
Blue eyes narrowed to slits of fury. “I may be a bitch, but I’m not a fool like your friend. If she was stupid enough to get caught, it was her own fault.”
“And if you say another word against Sydney, I’ll make sure you get another black eye.”
Chase put himself in the middle of the two women. “Whoa. You two need to calm down. Anna, I suggest you go somewhere and cool off.”
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“Me!” Anna’s face turned a bright shade of red. “She’s the one threatening violence. She and those friends of hers have been nothing but trouble since they arrived, but it seems I’m the only one with the guts to stand up to them.” Chase raised a brow. “You’re making a scene, Anna. I suggest you go somewhere to calm down. The refugees are starting to come in in droves and we don’t want to scare people off with all the dissention.” The blonde’s mouth thinned to an angry white line. “Then I advise you to do something about your girlfriend.”
If Chase hadn’t wrapped his arms around her waist and held her back, Holly would have strangled Anna. “And I
advise
you to get out of my face or I’ll break your neck.”
“Stop it, Holly,” Chase whispered in her ear. “You’re making as big a scene as she is.”
Holly looked around to see some of the stunned expressions on the onlookers’
faces and realized she was making a fool of herself. “I’m sorry.”
“We’ll talk about this later,” Chase said. “Anna, please go. I understand this time of year is difficult for you, but that doesn’t give you license to behave this way. People are starting to talk.”
Anna lifted her chin in defiance, her blue eyes shimmering suspiciously. “You’re lying. You’re just saying that to defend your little friend.”
“I’d never lie to you, Anna. For whatever it’s worth I’m still your friend, and as your friend, I feel it’s my place to tell you I think you’ve been acting like a jerk lately.
Do yourself a favor and get it together. There are much more important things at hand than starting an argument.”
Anna gave Chase a hard stare before turning on her heel and rushing out of the room.
Bennett chose that moment to share his opinion. “If this is how this group is run, it’s no wonder your leader got himself wounded.”
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Chase’s eyebrows lifted together, forming a vee. “Wounded? What do you mean?”
Bennett stared at his fingernails as if they were more interesting to him than the current conversation. “Exactly what I said. Though if you ask me, it was just a flesh wound.”
“How do you know? Did you stick around long enough to find out?” Holly demanded, wishing Chase would release her so she could wipe the smug look from Bennett’s face. She’d gotten a bad vibe off of him from the very beginning, and after speaking with a few of the group members from his camp, she discovered he wasn’t well liked among them either. Though he was knowledgeable in various areas, Bennett’s my-way-or-no-way approach to leadership left much to be desired.
Bennett lifted his shoulder in a gesture of extreme nonchalance. “He was still alive last I saw of him. Anyway, it’s not like we can go back there and find out what happened to him. The city is swarming with the law and any outlaws caught are likely to suffer the same fate. We all knew going in there was a risk some of us wouldn’t make it back. So really there’s nothing that can be done. The best we can do is wait and see if they return safely.”
As much as she wanted to disagree with him, Bennett’s words made sense, but still, her best friend was out there. She couldn’t stand by and do nothing. “Chase, we have to do something. Can’t we sneak into the city and find out what’s happened?” The muscles in Chase’s jaw clenched and unclenched, betraying his internal struggle. His nostrils flared briefly as he shot Bennett a hostile stare. “Unfortunately, what Bennett says is true. We’ll wait until tomorrow night to go after them. It would be safer to enter the city after nightfall when some of the excitement dies down. They’re not as likely to have as many people patrolling the city tomorrow night.” Bennett snorted. “I don’t know why you’re wasting the effort on a mediocre leader.”
Holly rolled her eyes, tired of his pompous statements. “And if you were any kind of leader you wouldn’t have left Jack and Sydney behind. What the hell is your
56
problem anyway? All you’ve done is criticize since you’ve been here. Was your life so crummy before you became an outlaw that now you have a little bit of power you have to lord it over everyone?”
Bennett turned a bright shade of red from the top of his bald head to his neck.
Holly narrowed her eyes. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
Bennett tightened his lips to a thin white line. “Chase, you need to control your woman.” He shot them one last glare before storming off.
Holly’s fists clenched at her sides. “You can let go of me, Chase. I promise I won’t hit anyone.”
Chase released her waist only to capture her hand. “Let’s go outside for some air.”
She offered him no argument because Holly figured she’d already caused enough of a spectacle of herself. She probably shouldn’t have confronted Bennett and Anna in front of everyone the way she did, but her concern for Sydney’s safety had overridden her common sense.
Once they were outside, Chase slung his arm around her shoulders. “Let it out, baby.”
A knot formed in Holly’s chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. “I knew there would be some danger in these missions, but I figured Jack would take care of her.
Now that I know he’s hurt, I’m scared as hell. How can you be so calm when Jack’s been wounded? He could be dead.”
“I’m worried, but I’ve known Jack for a long time and he always manages to pull through somehow.”
“But what if he doesn’t this time?”
“Giving in to those thoughts won’t change matters. I can only hope for the best and tomorrow night we’ll find out for sure what’s happened to them. Until then, I can’t give up hope.”
Holly wished she had Chase’s confidence. She wanted to believe Sydney was safe, but anxiety got the better of her, clenching her heart and squeezing until she could
57
hardly breathe. “I can’t stop thinking about Sydney. What if the Cyrellians have her?
They could be torturing her for all we know.”
“Have you thought that maybe she can take care of herself?” Holly nodded. “In most situations, yes, but this is different. We’re not exactly back in the city living the lives we once knew. This is war. It’s an unpredictable variable none of us are used to. I can’t tell you how scared I was when we blew up the mental institution. My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to pop out of my chest. I almost pissed myself when we nearly got caught. If it weren’t for that small group throwing rocks at the Cyrellians, we’d probably still be back there. I can only hope Sydney and Jack have found refuge with rebel sympathizers.”
“Don’t count your friend out. She very well could be taking care of Jack as we speak. Sydney doesn’t strike me as the type to lie down and take defeat. She’s a fighter.”
Holly nodded with a smile tugging the corners of her lips. “I do have faith in her ability to somehow get back to us. I’m just so scared. Even though everything is chaotic around us, I knew everything would be all right as long as I had Bella and Sydney.
They’re like my sisters.”
Chase bent and touched his forehead to hers. “You have me.” Holly wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I’m glad to have you in my life.” She kissed him long and deep, pushing her tongue forward to sample the addicting taste of him.
“Mmm,” he groaned, pulling away. “It’s no fair to tease me like this when neither one of us are in a position to do anything about it.” She grinned. “Who said I was teasing you?” She ran her hand down the center of his chest, allowing it to descend until it cupped the bulge between his thighs. He was hard. “Can’t we sneak away for a little… you know?” Chase clasped her hand and raised it. He brushed his lips over her knuckles. “As much as I’d like for us to, we have no time. There are a number of people fleeing the city and coming to our camp to seek refuge. We’ve sent teams to scout the outskirts of
58
the city to guide any refugees out. Uploading those pictures was a brilliant idea.
Because of you, people who’ve had doubts about the Cyrellians, but didn’t have the courage to act against them, are beginning to talk. More people realize what we’ve been fighting for all this time, and they’re willing to join us. This will make the attack against the Cyrellians much easier.”
“There will be those who are still in denial about what they’re doing.”
“Unfortunately. And lives may be lost because of it, but it’s a price we’ll have to pay.”
“But can’t we avoid human casualties?” This was one of Holly’s biggest concerns. “There are people who are so brainwashed, nothing we say will change their minds, but they’re victims of the Cyrellian propaganda just like us.”
“Sometimes you can’t save everyone,” Chase said gently.
“It doesn’t seem fair.”
“I know, baby, but if it comes to a choice between us or them, we’ll have to take them down as well.”
She knew he was right, but she didn’t have to like it. “I feel a little better now.
We should probably go back in there. I think I need to apologize to Anna.”
“Don’t worry about her. You probably said what a lot of us have been thinking lately. Normally she isn’t like this. She’s going through a lot right now. We’re coming up on the anniversary of her family’s death. Around this time of year she usually keeps to herself and doesn’t say much, but this time her behavior is out of the norm.”
“Why do you think she’s being more difficult this time around?” Chase shrugged. “I’d say it’s because Jack is otherwise occupied.”
“With Sydney?”
He nodded. “The past couple years, he’d spend time with Anna and get her through this difficult time. They’ve always had a close friendship, although she made no secret of her desire for there to be more between them.”
“Obviously something happened or she wouldn’t be acting the way she is.
Unless she’s simply psychotic.”
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“No. That’s not it. Not too long before Sydney came on the scene, they slept together. Jack knows he messed up and feels bad about it, but it seems Anna’s not able to let go.”
“That’s sad, but she can’t blame the rest of us because she can’t get what she wants.”
“I know. I tell you all this because I want you to be patient with her. You have a generous heart and I know you have it in you to extend some of that generosity to her.” When he put it like that, Holly felt a little sorry for the other woman. Chase was right. It wouldn’t take much to be kind to someone who probably needed a friend more than anything else. “Okay. The next time she says something nasty, I’ll turn the other cheek.”
Chase pressed a kiss against her forehead. “That’s all I ask. Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.”
He raised a brow. “For what?”
“For loving me.”