Fast Forward by Heather Long

Author:Heather Long [Long, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-21T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

“Threats are the weapons of those who are threatened.” - Giovanni Boccaccio

VALDA

We couldn’t stay at the manor house. The two days they’d waited for us there had been dangerous enough, according to the reports from Campbell and his men. When I asked Campbell why he didn’t tell me about the escape, all he said was, “Until I had confirmation, I wouldn’t risk you. That meant not telling you. Captain’s orders.”

Dirk had nodded and clasped the man on the shoulder. The two had hugged like brothers. In fact, all of Dirk’s men had looked relieved and pleased to see him. There had been no small amount of ferocity in their eyes at his appearance. His and Hatch’s both.

They’d been tortured. Abused. But they were in good spirits, and any time their gazes snagged on me, those expressions softened. I hadn’t left Hatch’s lap for the entirety of Oz’s debrief.

Oz.

He hadn’t left me.

Well, he had. He’d lied to me. And from the look in Andreas’ eyes, he’d known about the lie. I could be angry about it all, I supposed. Oz’s words and logic, coupled with his cool delivery, had all been carefully designed to make me believe him. To encourage me to let him know.

Severing our connection had been more about making sure I stayed behind than about leaving me. I’d have to reconcile that with the hurt he’d left in his wake. It might take time, but I could certainly do it. Despite the wound to my heart and my pride—yes, I could admit to the last—I’d never fault his choice. I’d taken years from them all with my actions.

If he truly had wanted to move on, I had accepted that idea. I couldn’t ask him for more. Yet, he’d done the opposite. He’d run into danger to get Dirk and Hatch back. Now, he kept his distance from me, his worried eyes tracking to me when he thought I wasn’t looking.

It took Campbell a couple of hours to arrange transport, during which, Oz debriefed us on what he’d managed to learn during his time with the Blossom Foundry. The most troubling aspect seemed to be that they wanted me back in the memoriam. The why, however, had remained classified. At least, as far as Oz had been concerned.

We made a meal of protein packs, and then we were back in vehicles. Oz and Andreas rode in the vehicle behind ours, but Dirk wanted me with him. Even wounded and beaten, his opinions on my safety hadn’t changed. There was room enough in our vehicle for all five of us, but Oz had just diverted to a second car and Andreas followed him after giving me a soft kiss.

Things with Andreas were better than they’d ever been, while Oz and I seemed to be disintegrating before my eyes.

Dressed much like his men now in casual clothing, it did nothing to hide the weapons Dirk had secured on his person. We had no intentions of stopping before we reached the ferry crossing at Dover.

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