Page 26

Marcus

I didn't think it would annoy me this much, but for the last few days I have yet to find Hunter without Elliott right next to him.

He said he was trying to get her to open up to him and I didn't know what he meant by that.

Was it whatever secrets she was hiding, or to see what hidden desires she might have?

Whatever the fuck it was, he was doing a really good job at it.

A little too good if you ask me.

They were snuggling up on the couch yesterday watching some movie she said she has never heard of.

It was fucking Jumanji. Who the fuck hasn't seen or heard of Jumanji?

Okay maybe she hasn't, being that she was in a cult and shit, but Hunter's favorite movie wasn't going to go unwatched in this house once he heard that she didn't know it even existed .

But watching movies and snuggling wasn’t the only thing they were doing, nope. She helped him cook and they even started reading books together in his study. I didn't get it.

What kind of pheromones did she fucking ooze out of her pores to get men to be at her beck and call?

I didn't see a reason for him to be this nice to her just to get some intel for our mission.

No, It was more than that. He wanted her.

He wanted to be around her. I, however, was avoiding her at all costs.

Besides meals and our expanding conversations about Everton and what she might know, I didn't want to see her.

So I’ve been staring at my monitors for hours now, trying to get into the Everton system. I need to keep my mind occupied. Whoever was in control of their files and security was actually good at their job, like really good. It was pissing me the fuck off. I welcomed the distraction, though.

A yowl sounds from below my desk and I look down to see a set of glowing eyes staring back.

“Hey Garbagè.” I coo to her.

She comes to rub against my leg, eyes on me.

Without delay she leaps on to my lap, head butting my chin.

Her long fur tickles my nose, her cue for me to pet her and give her her favorite ear scratches.

She grew up to be a big cat, way bigger than I thought this little runt would be when I found her during a mission.

I was in an alley waiting for my target.

The sound of her small meows caught my attention, but my focus was solely on the mission.

I took him out like I was assigned to, radioing Hunter and Kam that the job was done.

The rest of my team swooped in, taking care of the evidence and body.

I gave them their final instructions before heading back to my bike.

A long and sad cry hit my ears as I passed a dumpster.

I gave out a huff, lifting the lid and seeing nothing in its contents.

The tiny meows shrieked louder as I let the lid of the dumpster drop and when I peeked around the dumpster, a black trash bag in the corner shuffled.

I leaped to the bag, tearing it open frantically trying to get to the kitten but also trying my best not to hurt it in the process.

My fingers finally brushed fur as I gently grabbed the small little creature and as its whole body came out of the bag, it wailed at me.

She fit in the palm of my hand. Her patches of white, orange, and black fur.

I tucked her into my jacket to warm her and walked back to my team, tossing my bike keys to my top man, Lenard.

He didn’t question it, just nodded. I radioed Hunter and Kameron to pick me up a few blocks over, unlike Lenard, they had many questions.

Ones I didn’t have answers to. They took one look at me untucking my new friend out of my jacket and gave a unified ‘NO’.

They did not want me to keep her, but they didn’t have a choice. I was a father now, end of story.

‘Meet our new roommate , Garbagè.’ Was all I replied with.

‘Who names a cat garbage ?’ Hunter said from the driver's seat.

‘It’s Garbagè. Not garbage. She is a classy girl. Plus, I found her tied up in a garbage bag, so, it's fitting.”

She has been my little emotional support friend ever since .

I watch her as I sit at my desk, giving her love before she curls up in my lap, letting me return to my work. Her purring calms my rising nerves.

I try to break through the cyberwall another way, using multiple coding series.

I’m desperate at this point. This whole thing has me thinking of other ways to force my way in.

I finish the sequence and push the enter button, falling back onto my chair, feeling defeated.

To my surprise, files start to upload and appear on my screen.

The desktop monitor on my left starts to morph into a screen mirror of whatever computer I’ve managed to break into, and I fucking light up with excitement and start to back-up all the files and hard drives immediately.

I know better than to trust how long I can stay in here.

It starts to load as I begin to dive in, and I can’t wait to see what they have in all these documents and folders.

I see one marked members and decide that’s a good one to start with.

The folder opens to show even more folders with a range of titles like men, interviewees, women, children, Chosen, to be Chosen, and failed.

I click on 'to be Chosen' and I my teeth grind at what I see.

I push up from the chair and it rolls back hitting the wall, Garbagè springs from my lap.

I need to get Hunter and I already know where he is.

** *

I stomp through the house and stop at his office door. It's cracked open and I'm already annoyed watching how she reads her book on the couch, with a coffee he probably made for her. I'm just standing here like a fucking creep watching them co-exist so effortlessly.

"You coming in or not? I don't like hearing you linger in the hallway."

I see Elliot jump at his words.

"What are you—" her question is cut short as I push the door open further. Her curious eyes land on mine, and I watch as the calmness she had moments ago fades into annoyance.

"I didn't want to interrupt reading time for princess over here." I nod my head to her.

"Flores."

"Sinclair." I snap back at him.

We keep our eyes locked for a moment before he breaks the silence, "Did you find something?"

"I was able to break through some of their systems. I think you’re going to want to see it." I flicker my gaze to Elliott, "She should stay here."

"Why?" They say in unison.

I shot him a stern look, "Trust me on this."

He sees the seriousness my words hold and agrees with a slight nod of his head. "Show me. "

"Wait, are you seriously not going to let me go?" Elliott says standing from the couch.

"Go back to your book, princess."

"Stop calling me a fucking princess. It was my home. My family. I deserve to know what the hell is going on." She steps up to me.

"Not when it involves your past. You are too fragile to see this." I mean it, she doesn't need to hurt all over again but it comes out harsher than I mean it to.

"I am not fragile."

"Sit. Down. Elliott."

"No."

"Hunter, I suggest you talk to her because you aren't going to like how I handle this situation.

" I turn to walk away but she grabs my arm and I yank it out of her grip.

"You don't get to touch me like Kam and Hunter.

I'm not going to crumble just because you have a pretty face and fuckable lips, princess. It won't work on me."

Her mouth drops open and her eyes widen at my words.

"Get her in check."

"I think we should listen to Marcus on this one."

"Are you serious, Hunter?" She crosses her arms, annoyed.

"Hey, look at me." His words are softer now as he grabs her face between his hands and turns her to look at him. She has a scowl on her face still and I can see the slightest curve in his lips, like he’s holding back a smile at how fucking cute she looks angry right now.

"I wouldn't say this if I didn't think it was going to hurt you.

Trust me?" She hesitates, looking at me from the corner of her eyes.

"I will look at it first, see what he found.

If I think it's not too much, I will come back and grab you.

If not, I need you to know it's not because you're fragil e as in weak—" He gives me a pointed look—"it's because you went through something traumatic.

" His face goes stone-like and she looks away from him.

"Look at me." She obeys him, redirecting her eyes to him and I let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, listen to your master, princess."

She doesn't give me a reaction, not even a glare, which has my skin itching.

"I'll be back." Hunter gives her one more look and then he turns on his heels towards me, shoving my shoulder so I turn towards the door with him.