Page 44 of Fractured Future

“Tripped over the armchair going to the bathroom.”

Huh. Something tells me her spatial awareness is far better than that.

“Can’t sleep either?” I prod.

Ember shrugs. “I managed a few hours.”

“So… want some company?”

“Will you leave me alone if I say no?” she sasses back.

That mouth.

“I’m not a stalker,” I argue playfully. “Well, not much anyway. I’ll just sit out here and pout.”

“Why am I not surprised?” She exhales in a weary manner. “Fine. Come in.”

“We don’t have to talk.”

“Even better.”

Passing her, I step into the low-lit room. “If I have to listen to Hyland snore for a moment longer, I’m going to go play in the road.”

Ember snickers under her breath. “I can hear it through the wall.”

“I’m convinced he swallowed a bloody train before passing out. Try living with that twenty-four-seven for five months.”

Her auburn brows raise when I flop onto her unmade bed, stretching my limbs out. She got a double while we’re all crammed in on twin mattresses in a single room.

“Nice big bed.”

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you?”

“Thanks.” I jam a pillow beneath my head. “I will.”

“Do you have any sense of personal boundaries?”

“What are those?” I watch her move to the armchair.

Snorting, Ember stiffly lowers herself into it. “I’m starting to understand the ‘pup’ nickname.”

“Watch it. Better to have me as a friend than an enemy.”

This time, her laughter sounds genuine. It’s a tinkling symphony, far different from the raspiness of her usual sarcasm. I feel a smile spreading my lips wide.

“So… You grew up with Warner? All happy families and shit?”

Ember’s expression sobers, a crease forming between her eyebrows. “Something like that.”

“How old are you?”

“By now… I guess, thirty-one? I haven’t even thought about my birthday since I was taken.”

“Five years younger then. I swear, Warner gets greyer by the day. Your brother too.”

“You’ve seen Tom?” She looks over to me.

“Well, yeah. He’s always at HQ for meetings and stuff.”