“Simone?” I whimper, my tears falling all the more.
“She’s-”
“I’m still alive and very fucking pissed right now,” she growls from behind us, and I gasp while turning around and rushing her for an embrace.
I feel her tears against my cheek as we both fall into the much needed sisterly hug.
"Captain Fricks?" Jase asks.
"Fortunately, he and some of the others went on a reconnaissance mission early this morning, so they weren't here," Rex murmurs softly.
“I need to make some calls,” Jase says with his commander’s tone, but I act as though he doesn’t exist.
“We need to get you out of here. You’ve cried through your contacts,” Rex whispers while checking around.
I just nod and lower my eyes to the ground to keep them from being seen by the men with full blood night vision as I follow my alive-and-well brother. Simone holds my hand, feeling my anxiety and understanding what's going on. My pocket buzzes again, and I finally pull out the phone I’ve ignored to see what Mr. Mask wants. I gasp as I read the first message I never checked.
They're going after Seminole. Stay away. I’ll take care of it the best I can.
I quickly flip to the next one, and I shake my head in disbelief at all the pain I could have spared myself if I had just read it when it went off.
I’ve got your brother and Simone. They’re safe. You can find them in the fields of your Mom and Dad’s first house.
Then I move down to the latest one.
I hope you read this one sooner than you did my other two. Meet me in Jameson City. Shalon De La More, room 515.
I slip the phone back into my pocket, and then I pull out a pair of fresh contacts the second we reach the vehicles.
“Where to?” Simone asks while climbing into my passenger seat.
“I’ve made arrangements for you to stay at my place in Jameson,” Jase murmurs while joining us. “The commander is offered a suite at the Shavon, and it’s plenty big enough for the three of you to use until we can find you a new base to set up.”
“I have a home in Hershian,” Simone interjects. “I was just here as a favor to the commander and to my cousin.”
She didn't even catch on. Neither did Rex. He said his place and the commander's suite in the same breath. Do Simone and Rex already fucking know?
That sick feeling returns, and my eyes cut toward Jase before they threaten to burn through yet another pair of my fake blues.
“I’m not staying in your place, Commander. It would be inappropriate. I’ll get my own place,” I growl, and Jase winces under my cold, callous rejection.
Simone and Rex both gasp at the sudden realization - which answers the question as to whether or not they knew - and they stare at the man who is no longer a phantom. Simone is the first to finally break the startling silence.
“So you’re-”
“I am,” Jase sighs out, the weight of the world now shining through his lying eyes.
“I want to get out of here,” I mumble, and Rex helps me into the back of my car while offering me a sympathetic smile.
Simone shakes her head while opening the door, and then she glares at our commander while scolding, “You don’t fuck someone, let them fall in love, and then keep something like this from them while constantly reassuring them they can trust you.”
She hops in the car, and Jase’s eyes lower to the ground as Rex takes the place behind the wheel.
“Sorry, Aria,” my brother says with his pitying tone.
“Just get us to Jameson. I need a shower and a bed.”
“What hotel?” he asks while backing up and turning around.
