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“Edith!” I squealed.

Geo chuckled, coming up beside me and bumping my shoulder. “Well, de la Puente, I’d be a good teammate and wait for you if you wanted to try it on…”

“Eww,” I said.

“Knock it off, Mason,” Wes growled, having recovered from his coughing fit. He stepped between us and shoved Geo over.

Geo chuckled again, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Just playin’, brother. Just playin’.” He caught my eye, gave me a wink, and puckered his lips before following the rest of ourgroup out. Edith followed, snagging a few more items off the counters before she slipped out the front.

“Pig,” Wes muttered.

“I know, right?” I didn’t know Geo Mason at all. And I was deciding I had no desire to get to know him any better.

“We better go—”

“Wait!” I said, halting him in his steps. He turned to face me, his hazel eyes rich with flecks of green that accented the golden hues. His hair was tucked under a baseball cap, which I decided I didn’t like on him that much. I preferred his hair out and accessible, where I could run my fingers through the blond strands and feel the silky softness against my skin. I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say or how to say it. And there was no time to do this right, but there was a very strong possibility I may not get another chance. So I took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”

“Mara,” Wes began, cutting me off. “We can’t do this now. We’ve got to go.”

“Wes,please. It’ll only take a second and I can’t take another step without you knowing this.” He sighed heavily, shifting his weight, but he stayed put. I pressed the advantage. “I’m sorry for everything that happened. And I can’t explain everything right now, but maybe when this is all over, I can do a better job then. But I just need you to know that I never meant to hurt you, and that, no matter what happens, know that I care about you.”

With furrowed brows, Wes looked off in the distance, shifting his weight. “You don’t owe me anything. What happened between us, I know it wasn’t real. And it’s not your fault that I wanted it to be.”

“Wes—”

“Just let me finish,” he cut me off, eyes back on me. “It’s not your fault, it’s mine. And it’s unfair for me to hold it against you. Sasha and my dad put you in a tough position, giving you achance at saving your brother, and I get that. And I can’t blame you for taking it.”

Emotions climbed up my throat. Because who was I to deserve this man? I could live a thousand lives and never deserve him, never earn the right for him to be mine. I was his once, and I ruined it.

He blew out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know what plans my dad or Sasha have for everything, but when we get back, I’ll make sure you’re freed from them. I’ll make sure your brother doesn’t have to stand trial, and I’ll make sure you’re not forced into anything ever again. No marriage needed. You have my word.”

“But Wes—”

“Yo!” Jay barged back in. “Dudes, we just got intel saying that they’re beginning evacuations at the REG. We’ve got to get our asses down there like it was yesterday.”

“Crap,” Wes muttered. “Let’s go.” And he was off, following Jay, and I followed him. But all the while, my mind was spinning. I wasn’t happy with how everything sat with Wes, but it was better I guessed. It wasn’t what I wanted, but it would have to do because we were out of time and out of options. And now, Jacob and I had to figure out how to ditch everyone so we could get to the REG before all the nano tech disappeared. This was going to be hell.

75: Right in the Heart

It was bizarre seeing District 1 so empty during the day. We jogged down the middle of the street, trying to hightail it to the REG office. And all the while, we heard the constant sound of gunfire, explosions, and the screams of people in the distance. The sounds of battle raging beyond the wall sent a shiver up my spine and chilled me to the bone.

My mind kept offering me images of the forest, the sounds of the hellhounds howling into the night, and all I could do was force them down as best as I could. Because each image threatened to send me back in time, back to that moment, fighting for my life. But I couldn’t fight the past…not when I was about to fight my adversaries in the present.

Focus.

I had to stay focused, or I was going to die.

Time ticked, and Jacob pushed us harder and harder, trying to get us out of District 1 and into the capital of Telvia before time ran out. And as I ran, I recognized where we were. Telviawas organized in rings. The city center was known as the Capital where the Administration Buildings, REG Command, and the Academy were located, followed by the riches of District 1. The next layer was District 2, home to the Middle Class. And the outer ring was the slums of District 3, where the Subclass struggled to live halfway decent lives. Cameron Street was one of the few roads that traveled through all rings of Telvia, straight to the Admin Buildings. And we were close. So close, in fact, we heard the chaos ensuing just a mere few streets away.

“Hold up,” Jacob said, dodging into another shop. This one, thank god, wasn’t a lingerie store. I didn’t think I could handle another one of those. Elegant party clothes were on display all around us. Dresses hung on hangers, glittering as they caught the sun. Mannequins sported tuxedos and elegant suites. Jacob walked us back further into the store, away from the windows.

“What’s going on, de la Puente?” Geo said. “Doesn’t look like REG Command to me.”

Jacob ignored him, rummaging through his bag as he spoke. “You’re a bright one, Geo. I’ll give you that,” he said, clearly not meaning it. “In another couple of blocks, we’re going to be in the throes of Capital evacuations.”

“Are we kicking their asses so much that they’re evacuating the Capital?” Jay asked.

“Protocol,” I responded. “They always evacuate District 1 citizens first, followed by Capital officials, during any sizable threat.”