trained on the file.
I hesitate, wondering if she’s finished with me, if this is another test, if I should respond somehow, when her head jerks up. Her gaze pierces me and my breath catches in my throat. She reminds me of a deadly cobra, poised and ready to strike. No matter how much I wish it were otherwise, she terrifies me.
“Has Luke been helpful to you so far?” Her tone is deceptively casual, and yet there’s something there, something difficult to identify, but I fear infinitely dangerous.
I hesitate, a silent war waging within. It’s not like he’s my family. We aren’t even friends, really. Whatever existed between us has been destroyed. He’s a big boy; he can take care of himself. And I don’t doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice me to save his own skin. But he’s also Luke…
Silence fills the room.
“X.” The Director’s tone is slightly harsher this time.
“Luke is Luke.” I laugh shortly, forcing the sound out of my tense mouth. The Director’s eyes widen. I’m not sure who’s more shocked that I have the audacity to display an emotion as human as laughter in the Director’s presence. “I’m not sure you can ever really classify Luke as helpful. He’s done some surveillance for me, that sort of thing,” I add hastily, my expression deceptively bland.
The Director’s eyes narrow for a moment. I hold my breath.
“Thank you. That will be all, X.”
Chapter Ten
I take the most convoluted route to Luke’s place I can think of, retracing my path several times to ensure no one follows me.
I stand in front of the front door, jabbing the buzzer with my finger. Nervous energy pours through my body, building at the point where my finger presses against the button. I don’t bother announcing myself through the intercom. Three cameras pointed at different entryway angles partially hidden off the archway in front of his building do it for me.
Please be home.
With a buzz, the front door swings open.
Luke stands at the end of the hallway, his arms crossed against his chest, a look of annoyance on his face. He’s dressed casually in jeans and a blue T-shirt. The fabric stretches across his broad shoulders. His feet are bare.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you, too. I needed to get in touch with you and it’s not like I have a number to call. I had a meeting with the Director. I thought you should know.”
Luke turns, waving his arm behind him. “Come on.”
I follow him through the house, up the stairs, and into the living room.
He sits on the couch, motioning for me to sit next to him. “What did she want?”
“She gave me my cover for the Arnoff job. I go into the school soon.” Luke nods. Clearly the Director has been keeping him in the loop. Their constant communication gives me pause. What if it’s all another game? Another test they’re setting me up to fail? I hesitate. “She asked about us working together. She asked about you.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her you were helpful.” I make a face. “So basically I lied.”
“How did you manage that?”
“I’m better than I was. A lot better.”
He doesn’t look impressed.
“Besides. I said I lied. I didn’t say she believed me.”
“You don’t think she trusts me.”
“I don’t know what she thinks. The Director is one of the most difficult people to read. But yeah, I think she was testing us. I’m not sure if she was fishing for information on you or me.”
“Or both of us. She doesn’t like people forming bonds. Each man is an island and all that. That’s why she chose you—” He’s silent for a beat. “That’s why she chose you to be the one to kill me. To try, at least. She knew it would hurt the most if it was you.”
This time it’s not a twinge of guilt that hits me, but a full-on punch. I’m ashamed to admit I never considered that before. I always knew part of why I was chosen to
I hesitate, wondering if she’s finished with me, if this is another test, if I should respond somehow, when her head jerks up. Her gaze pierces me and my breath catches in my throat. She reminds me of a deadly cobra, poised and ready to strike. No matter how much I wish it were otherwise, she terrifies me.
“Has Luke been helpful to you so far?” Her tone is deceptively casual, and yet there’s something there, something difficult to identify, but I fear infinitely dangerous.
I hesitate, a silent war waging within. It’s not like he’s my family. We aren’t even friends, really. Whatever existed between us has been destroyed. He’s a big boy; he can take care of himself. And I don’t doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice me to save his own skin. But he’s also Luke…
Silence fills the room.
“X.” The Director’s tone is slightly harsher this time.
“Luke is Luke.” I laugh shortly, forcing the sound out of my tense mouth. The Director’s eyes widen. I’m not sure who’s more shocked that I have the audacity to display an emotion as human as laughter in the Director’s presence. “I’m not sure you can ever really classify Luke as helpful. He’s done some surveillance for me, that sort of thing,” I add hastily, my expression deceptively bland.
The Director’s eyes narrow for a moment. I hold my breath.
“Thank you. That will be all, X.”
Chapter Ten
I take the most convoluted route to Luke’s place I can think of, retracing my path several times to ensure no one follows me.
I stand in front of the front door, jabbing the buzzer with my finger. Nervous energy pours through my body, building at the point where my finger presses against the button. I don’t bother announcing myself through the intercom. Three cameras pointed at different entryway angles partially hidden off the archway in front of his building do it for me.
Please be home.
With a buzz, the front door swings open.
Luke stands at the end of the hallway, his arms crossed against his chest, a look of annoyance on his face. He’s dressed casually in jeans and a blue T-shirt. The fabric stretches across his broad shoulders. His feet are bare.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you, too. I needed to get in touch with you and it’s not like I have a number to call. I had a meeting with the Director. I thought you should know.”
Luke turns, waving his arm behind him. “Come on.”
I follow him through the house, up the stairs, and into the living room.
He sits on the couch, motioning for me to sit next to him. “What did she want?”
“She gave me my cover for the Arnoff job. I go into the school soon.” Luke nods. Clearly the Director has been keeping him in the loop. Their constant communication gives me pause. What if it’s all another game? Another test they’re setting me up to fail? I hesitate. “She asked about us working together. She asked about you.”
“What did you say?”
“I told her you were helpful.” I make a face. “So basically I lied.”
“How did you manage that?”
“I’m better than I was. A lot better.”
He doesn’t look impressed.
“Besides. I said I lied. I didn’t say she believed me.”
“You don’t think she trusts me.”
“I don’t know what she thinks. The Director is one of the most difficult people to read. But yeah, I think she was testing us. I’m not sure if she was fishing for information on you or me.”
“Or both of us. She doesn’t like people forming bonds. Each man is an island and all that. That’s why she chose you—” He’s silent for a beat. “That’s why she chose you to be the one to kill me. To try, at least. She knew it would hurt the most if it was you.”
This time it’s not a twinge of guilt that hits me, but a full-on punch. I’m ashamed to admit I never considered that before. I always knew part of why I was chosen to
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