no right to be saying these things to him. No right, not when I had admitted an hour ago that I had been with Aric the other night. It was such a double standard and I wasn’t really mad at him anyway. I was mad at myself for feeling this way about him being on a date. I hated that he might have the same feelings when he knew I was with Aric.
“Alyssum,” he said, “you were on a date with Aric the other night?”
I shrugged. “You’ve got my number if you want to use it.”
I wanted to stay near him longer, yet I needed to get away. The burn of the green-eyed monster rose from my stomach again after I’d worked so hard to beat it down with an imaginary club. I absolutely could not see that girl with him again. If I did, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my emotions in check. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but I hated her. I’d never hated someone I didn’t know unless he or she was a Gobel.
***
When I pulled back into the little motel, a large, black SUV was in the spot next to where I normally parked. It was too familiar. After I shifted into park and turned my Mini off, I took a deep breath, then dropped my head back against the headrest to close my eyes for a few seconds. Anyone could be inside that black monster, but since there was no way for me to get inside my room without the driver seeing me, I had to face the music.
The SUV’s driver’s door opened the same time mine did. When I came around to the front, one of the guys on Dad’s security team was leaning against the vehicle with an arm on the hood. I sighed in relief. If he were my dad, that would’ve been much worse.
“Flint, what are you doing here?”
Flint wasn’t just on the security team; he was the head of it. He organized everything, made sure our family was safe and trained recruits. He was good and looked the part with bulky muscles, a military cut, black cargo pants, a black t-shirt and black boots. As if that wouldn’t stand out in Putnam Valley.
“Your mother sent me.”
“She told you I’m here?” He nodded and I wondered what else she told him. “I’m not ready to come back yet.”
He could make me if he really wanted to, but I hoped he didn’t really want to. His orders would have come from Mom and she’d been okay with me coming here. Actually, she’d encouraged it.
“It’s been a month, Alyssum. Your dad is about to send the Calvary for you.”
Obviously there was a conversation that needed to take place. I waved my hand to indicate that he should follow me. We went inside the motel room so no one was likely to overhear.
“Does he know where I am?” I asked once he shut the door behind him. If Dad knew where I was, this mission was likely over and I hadn’t even told Jensen about Gremalians yet.
“He doesn’t. Your mother assures him that she knows where you are and that you’re safe, but his patience is wearing thin.”
Flint crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t quite old enough to be my father but sometimes, when he was showing his disappointment in me, it felt like he could be.
“She hasn’t told him?” I asked. That was unlike Mom. Usually she told him everything.
“She hasn’t. And let’s just say that isn’t something that goes over well with your father.”
“I can imagine.” I snorted.
“Alyssum, things have been happening. It’s getting dangerous and everyone would feel better if you were where we could protect you. While your mother hasn’t told me much, I do know you’re on this mission to bring home the prodigal son, but again, it’s been almost a month. Time to throw in the towel and come home with me.”
He said it with such authority that I almost agreed out of reflex. Almost.
“What’s happened?”
Flint sighed but didn’t change his stance. “There was a big fire at the copper mines. We didn’t start it, obviously. I’ll give you one guess who did.” Gobel. “The mines are okay, but some people got hurt. We have intel that the Gobel
“Alyssum,” he said, “you were on a date with Aric the other night?”
I shrugged. “You’ve got my number if you want to use it.”
I wanted to stay near him longer, yet I needed to get away. The burn of the green-eyed monster rose from my stomach again after I’d worked so hard to beat it down with an imaginary club. I absolutely could not see that girl with him again. If I did, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my emotions in check. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but I hated her. I’d never hated someone I didn’t know unless he or she was a Gobel.
***
When I pulled back into the little motel, a large, black SUV was in the spot next to where I normally parked. It was too familiar. After I shifted into park and turned my Mini off, I took a deep breath, then dropped my head back against the headrest to close my eyes for a few seconds. Anyone could be inside that black monster, but since there was no way for me to get inside my room without the driver seeing me, I had to face the music.
The SUV’s driver’s door opened the same time mine did. When I came around to the front, one of the guys on Dad’s security team was leaning against the vehicle with an arm on the hood. I sighed in relief. If he were my dad, that would’ve been much worse.
“Flint, what are you doing here?”
Flint wasn’t just on the security team; he was the head of it. He organized everything, made sure our family was safe and trained recruits. He was good and looked the part with bulky muscles, a military cut, black cargo pants, a black t-shirt and black boots. As if that wouldn’t stand out in Putnam Valley.
“Your mother sent me.”
“She told you I’m here?” He nodded and I wondered what else she told him. “I’m not ready to come back yet.”
He could make me if he really wanted to, but I hoped he didn’t really want to. His orders would have come from Mom and she’d been okay with me coming here. Actually, she’d encouraged it.
“It’s been a month, Alyssum. Your dad is about to send the Calvary for you.”
Obviously there was a conversation that needed to take place. I waved my hand to indicate that he should follow me. We went inside the motel room so no one was likely to overhear.
“Does he know where I am?” I asked once he shut the door behind him. If Dad knew where I was, this mission was likely over and I hadn’t even told Jensen about Gremalians yet.
“He doesn’t. Your mother assures him that she knows where you are and that you’re safe, but his patience is wearing thin.”
Flint crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t quite old enough to be my father but sometimes, when he was showing his disappointment in me, it felt like he could be.
“She hasn’t told him?” I asked. That was unlike Mom. Usually she told him everything.
“She hasn’t. And let’s just say that isn’t something that goes over well with your father.”
“I can imagine.” I snorted.
“Alyssum, things have been happening. It’s getting dangerous and everyone would feel better if you were where we could protect you. While your mother hasn’t told me much, I do know you’re on this mission to bring home the prodigal son, but again, it’s been almost a month. Time to throw in the towel and come home with me.”
He said it with such authority that I almost agreed out of reflex. Almost.
“What’s happened?”
Flint sighed but didn’t change his stance. “There was a big fire at the copper mines. We didn’t start it, obviously. I’ll give you one guess who did.” Gobel. “The mines are okay, but some people got hurt. We have intel that the Gobel
Similar Books
