“Release,” Mark said in a profound tone.
Remy coughed on her water, shoving back her chair to bend forward. Tater patted her back.
“She knows?” Rylen murmured to me.
“Yep,” I muttered back. He chuckled into his coffee.
“I just meant, you already went that afternoon,” Texas Harry said.
“Yeah,” Rylen told him. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Tex shrugged with his good shoulder, like that was acceptable enough. Really, I knew he was asking because people in the compound were warned against overuse of the gym due to strict food rationing. They didn’t want anyone overdoing it when there weren’t enough calories to warrant it.
This convo needed to steer away from the gym. “How you feeling?” I asked Texas Harry.
He gave me a thumbs-up. “Just dandy.”Liar.
“Come see me later to have your bandage changed.”
He nodded.
We all stood to leave, and Rylen clutched my hip, pulling me closer and kissing me—a long, soft peck. To my humiliation, our entire table let out catcalls, howling.
“Oh, my God,” I said as Rylen chuckled.
Remy’s lips were pressed together in glee, and Tater had a bemused expression, mouth quirked to one side. “That’s just weird.”
“See you after work,” Ry said.
I walked away from them feeling a gushy sense of happiness I’d never experienced in my life. I couldn’t wait to get to the med room where I could smile all I wanted and not have to hide it. This kind of joy seemed out of place in the compound.
Keeping my eyes down, I nearly collided with someone at the entrance to the hallway. I looked up at Linette and stopped when she blocked my way.
“You’re welcome,” she said.
“For what?”
“For giving you the push you obviously needed.” She peered over my shoulder to where Rylen was disappearing into the forbidden door. I rolled my eyes and started to walk past until she said, “You should have heard how he talked about you when he was being questioned.”
I looked at her again, and she was serious. My heart expanded just a little.
“He didn’t quite know how to categorize you in his life, but it was clear he loved you. Still . . . if you didn’t make a move soon, I would have.” She smirked and walked away, to the forbidden door where she punched in a code. Freaking Linette.
Well, at least I wasn’t smiling like a dumbass anymore.
My shift was almost over when a soft knock revealed Rylen’s face. My tummy swirled with thoughts of making out at work again, but his face was tense. He came in and shut the door.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Captain King . . . they’ve got us working together. Flight simulations.”
My stomach plummeted. “For the fighter jet?”
Rylen nodded. “I’m copiloting.”
Copiloting? I pinched the skin between my eyes the way Dad used to.
“No, Ry. It’s too dangerous. He’s a loose cannon.” Being in the fighter meant Rylen and Michael would be flyingatthe enemy, while the rest of us were flying away. “If DRI attacks, they’ll bring fighter jets of their own. And those big ass guns that can shoot down planes from the ground.”
