Page 73 of Marked for Execution

“She’s back with Samuel. Reed saw her run towards his home without you in tow. I was so pissed I could have strangled her, but I wanted to make sure I got to you first.”

“She…”What should I say?It would break Samuel’s heart that she was blackmailed into doing something because he was threatened. Dammit! I needed to think this through. I needed to figure this out before making a rash move. “Never mind.”

The guys checked me over, and when they were finally satisfied I was alright, let me leave with Eliseo back home. Once we entered the house, Eliseo broke the silence with his pent-up emotions.

“I’m following your ass wherever you go now. That’s final. Can’t deal with that shit again,” he growled, falling onto the couch, pulling me with him.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face against his skin, trying not to feel guilty over the fact that I couldn’t tell them the truth. It might break our team apart. Our mission together would have me think we were stronger than that, but I had never run into something like this before.What should I do?

Eliseo rubbed my back, and I could hear his heartbeat slowing down. Training with his new leg took a lot of energy out of him. Pulling my head back, I kissed him until he fell to the side of the couch, getting comfortable. I hadn’t gone back to my home since we returned, Eliseo needing help during his recovery. Ending the kiss, I quietly laid on top of him, my mind in chaos.

Exhaustion pulled him into sleep quickly, his quiet snores filling the room with a soft buzz. I closed my eyes, trying to lull myself to sleep, but the sound of Hannah’s voice telling me she had no choice burned under my skin.

Gently climbing off Eliseo, I grabbed some weapons and headed out the back door to get my energy out. If the doctor knew my secret, why hadn’t he said anything to Sergio or the community? Everyone continued to stare at me the same, with curiosity about the girl who hid herself as a boy until she was forced to come out.

The cool breeze outside chilled my skin. My forehead perspired from thinking about the prisoner Crazy Otis has underground. Who was she? He mentioned she was a bloodsucker. Was he using her to find the cure he was always talking about? Images of his dick half-mast with a blow torch came to my mind, and I cringed. The doctor had eclectic carnal tastes.

Pulling a blade, I cut through the air with some training moves.

Wasn’t Hannah with the doctor before we left?

My left arm came up as I twisted into a turn to drive the blade down onto the grass.

It sounded like they had a past relationship before. Or was it a relationship while she was with Samuel? How long has she been with Samuel?

Throwing the blade up, I caught the hilt and jabbed it sideways.

Does Samuel know anything about this? Why hasn’t he come to check up on us?

“Fitri…”

I startled, turned and threw my blade in the air, lodging it into a tree trunk. Hannah gasped behind said tree, peering around at me.

“I’m so sorry!”

Anger overtook my senses, the sweat coating my skin increased. “Get the fuck out of here. I don’t want to see you right now.”

“You have to understand! I love him!”

“Love who?” At this point, I was not even sure anymore.

“Samuel! God, I’m so stupid. You have to believe me. Please! I-I had an affair with Otis a long time ago, but I swear it’s been over for years! He would tell Samuel. I couldn’t let him! He threatened that he’d get Samuel killed if I didn’t come back to him in his bunker. I didn’t know what to do!”

Fuck. This was all too much info at once.

“Just get out. I-I need to think.”

She nodded her head frantically as tears shone in her eyes. She didn’t move, and my anger came full force.I could have died. Where would that leave Eliseo?He needed me. He was the air I fucking breathed these days, and she threatened to take that away all because of something she did in the past. How selfish was that? Baring my teeth at her, she whimpered and ran back to wherever she came from.

Growling under my breath at the stupidity of friendships, I walked forward and pulled the blade from the tree trunk.

Damn her.Damn her for making me care and damn her for her betrayal of not only me, but one of the guys on the team. We had become so close, that if I were to have an actual brother, he would be Samuel.I couldn’t believe her! And she dared to say she loved him?

What the fuck kind of love was that?

My father’s face came to my mind. Images of his hugs and kisses, to images of his disdain and rejection, while acting like we were a happy family in front of the community.

Screaming in my mind, I fell to my knees and hit the side of my head. It shouldn’t be this complicated? Why couldn’t we all just live peacefully without the cloak of so many lies?