Page 36

MARA

I t wasn’t long after that when Wes called the room to attention.

Javier’s platoon consisted of forty troops.

Them, along with our twenty Northern and Dissenter soldiers, were all handed out assignments.

With the extra reinforcements, leadership was able to create three shifts with two squads per shift.

This gave our troops more time off to rest while still fortifying the security at the estate.

Northern and Dissenter soldiers were mixed in with Libertarians.

Edith was assigned to her sister’s squad, while Matias was assigned to Williams, and Chelsea to Quills.

Rincon, being a sergeant himself, had several Libertarians placed on his team, as did Jay. Calista was reassigned to Dails’s team.

It didn’t get past me that Wes made sure someone he knew personally and trusted unconditionally was placed in each one of Javier’s squads. It was smart, and his way of extending his control across the Libertarians. Each squad now consisted of ten individuals, including its corresponding sergeant.

“Listen up,” Wes ordered .

I wonder if he realizes he sounds less like a president and more like a soldier.

“First shift will consist of Quills and Le’s teams,” he said, voice deep and echoing in the ballroom.

“That’ll be us,” Liddy said as she clasped Edith’s shoulder.

Wes continued, “Second shift will be Williams and Evans. Third shift is Jackson and Dails.”

Javier stepped forward, drawing my attention. “Calvernon Estate has received several threats. Their origin has been confirmed as Telvian. Nuestro objetivo es simple…our objective is simple,” he added in English. “Provide security to the estate and protect the primary assets.”

Quills spoke up. “What are the assets, Lieutenant?”

Wes took the reins. “Raúl will try to take out primary leadership in order to cripple the Northern government, as well as Dissenter forces. If you take off the head, then you don’t have to worry about the claws, right?

” Several people nodded. “The assets are President Sasha De’vor and First Commander Marissa Calvernon. ”

I cocked a brow as Edith leaned over her sister to whisper at me. “He realizes he’s the president, right? Like, if they’re threatening the estate, he’s the big bad wolf they want to take out?”

She was right, but I wasn’t surprised that Wes would keep his name off the list of assets. He either didn’t believe he needed protection or had a secret death wish he hadn’t told me about. Both were going to be a problem for me.

“General Nora Pierce is also an asset,” Javier added.

“She will be located here at the estate and will also be under our protection.” A cocky grin took control of his mouth as he slapped Wes on the back like they were old drinking buddies.

“Y este también,” he declared. “This guy, too. Senor Calvernon es el presidente del Norte, the President of the North.”

Liddy snort-laughed, tipping her chin to her chest and trying to hide her face. Wes, on the other hand, looked like he was about to eat Javi for breakfast .

“I don’t need them to watch me,” he growled as he shrugged off Javier’s hand.

Javi nodded and winked as though he was totally on board with Wes. But the gestures were mocking. “Of course, Senor Presidente. Whatever you say.”

Liddy giggled under her breath. “Oh, I bet Wes is just loving this.”

“Yeah, except that Rico Suave is going to get his ass handed to him if he pisses Wessy off too much,” Edith whispered back.

A sly smile, coupled with a twinkle in her eye, made Liddy sensuous and conniving. “I wouldn’t bet on it. There’s a reason why Javier managed to earn his rank in less than two years.” She leaned back in her chair. “Let’s just say he’s very talented.”

Edith didn’t skip a freaking beat. “In bed, right? Please tell me he’s talented in bed.”

“Back off, lil’ sis. He’s taken .”

“Did you know Wes before today?” I asked, changing the topic ASAP. I seriously did not need to hear about my cousin in the sack.

Liddy turned to face me. “A little bit. I mostly knew Chase. We both ran undercover ops in Telvia, and we were in the same class at the Academy.” I saw it.

Saw as her brows dropped, how the lines of her face turned soft and pained when the frown consumed her pretty lips.

“I’m sorry about what happened to him, by the way.

Chase was a good man. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here right now.

It’s because of him and Javi that I survived the reeducation camp. ”

My breath hitched. Liddy placed a gentle hand on my shoulder as I pressed my lips together. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

She nodded.

I blew out a breath before moving the conversation forward. “Hey, by chance, did you know my brother?” If she was at the Academy with Javi and Chase, then…

“I did. I didn’t know him well, but he seemed like he was a decent enough guy,” she responded. “Javi speaks highly of him. He’s convinced that if Jacob discovers the truth about the rest of the world, he’ll help us.”

Edith stiffened at my side, and I felt my intestines twist into a painful knot. Liddy thought my brother was alive. And if she thought my brother was living and breathing, that meant Javier did, too.

The look on my face must have given me away, because Liddy narrowed her gaze on me. “What? Is there something about him I should know? You look like you’re about to be sick.”

Out of the corner of my eye, Edith looked at me like I was a ticking bomb.

She wasn’t wrong.

I was barely hanging on to my sanity, dangling from a rope over an abyss of black and tar and claws and fangs that were threatening to tear me apart. And the desperation to preserve myself, to keep hanging on to my measly frayed rope, jackknifed within me, taking over.

“No,” I said. “There’s nothing.” Edith gave me a reproachful look, the corners of her mouth curling into a hidden frown, but she stayed quiet. And I was grateful.

***

Shortly after that, break time was over.

First shift was on duty, and the twenty soldiers met with Liddy before breaking up to patrol the estate.

Second shift was on deck and would take over in eight hours.

They were on PTO. Third shift would take over eight hours after that.

Everyone was provided with a map of the estate, as well as the location of the pool and adjacent weight room.

Soldiers currently on PTO were going to be shown the location to their rooms, all in the East Wing.

First shift would have to wait until it was their turn for a break.

Wes stepped up to me, placing a hand on the small of my back. “Hey, the estate is going to be a little packed. ”

I smiled, loving how the warmth of his hand caused my skin to tingle. “I can see that. Are there enough rooms?”

He smirked. “There are plenty of rooms, but Mom and I both think it’s best if they stay in the guest wing.” He dropped his head lower and whispered, “I know she’s your mom and he’s your cousin, but…” he faltered.

I looked into his eyes—cool, crisp greens and sunlight. “I thought you trusted them?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Not entirely.”

“But you know Liddy, right?”

He shook his head, glancing at the rest of the soldiers filing out. “Not well.” He looked back at me. “And in the end, she deserted her duties as a Northern soldier to join an unknown military force. I should have her arrested for dereliction of duty.”

“You wouldn’t…” I understood Wes completely, but this was Edith’s sister. And I may not have known her for long, but something about her felt genuine and good.

I liked her.

The hard look in his eyes softened. “No, I wouldn’t,” he agreed.

I smiled, stepping a little closer as his head came down to rest against mine, noses skimming each other. “So, what happens now?”

He nuzzled gently, voice low and deliciously deep. “I have to work, unfortunately. Krous and my mother have already messaged me twice.”

I offered a half-felt smile. “I’ll miss you.”

His lips brushed mine. “Please stay out of trouble. Don’t leave the estate, and don’t go outside unless someone else is with you.”

“ Wes ,” I complained. “I’m not helpless, you know. I don’t need a babysitter.”

He closed his eyes, folding his arms around my lower back and drawing me even closer.

“Mara, I’m stressed out enough as it is.

” His eyes opened, locking on with mine.

“I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself, but it would make my day a shit ton easier if I knew you were safe. Please …for me?”

I sighed. If he was going to ask me like that, how was I going to refuse? After everything he’d done for me, I’d be a crappy person to deny such a simple request. “All right,” I drawled.

A weak smile took his lips before he drew them down and pressed them against mine. “Dinner?”

I smiled, still feeling the brush of his cheek, the touch of his nose along my face.

God, he could be so tender, so gentle and totally disarming.

“Dinner,” I confirmed. He kissed me again, and then pulled away.

I instantly missed the heat of him against me, and I hated watching him walk away.

He was across the ballroom in seconds and then out the door.

Is this what life would be like with him when everything settled down?

He’d go off to work and I’d stay here, left alone all day in the castle?

My lips pressed together. I wasn’t sure if I liked that idea.

“So, primita,” that familiar, silky voice called. Slowly, I turned to face Javier. “Te encontraste otro Calvernon . ”

I smirked. Because even though I hadn’t spoken a lick to my cousin since he disappeared and was pronounced dead two years ago—minus our brief interaction the day before—I felt the old relationship slipping back into place like it was only yesterday that we were playing hide-and-seek at the Presidential Palace.

“English, Javi. My Spanish is a little rusty.”

He smiled then. A grin that consumed his whole face. And god, I couldn’t blame the Le sisters for finding him attractive. He had all of the de la Puente charm and Latin good looks.

“We’ll have to work on that then,” he said as he stepped up to me, hands in the pockets of his black uniform. “I said ‘you found yourself another Calvernon.’ But if I remember correctly, he was ‘Beckham’ in Telvia.”

My smile dropped. Chase would have been in Javi’s class at the Academy, too. “You’re right. You knew Chase as Beckham. ”

He nodded. “Imagínate mi sorpresa cuando me di cuenta de que habían dos.”

I cocked a brow, and all he did was laugh before clarifying, “Imagine my surprise when I found out there were two of them.”

I gave a half-hearted smile. Memories of the first time I saw Wes at the river caused an ache in my chest. It seemed like so long ago, but in truth, it had only been seven months since then. “Yeah, I was quite surprised myself.”

He stayed a few feet from me as he folded his arms across his chest, black eyes evaluating me. “You look good, prima.”

I tipped my head to the side. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

He smirked, tipping his chin to chest. “Gracias.”

Then it was silent. Several seconds passed, and I knew we needed to get this over with.

I didn’t want things to be awkward. Javi was my cousin, but he was more than that.

He was always like a second brother to me.

Except for my mother—who was a whole other ball of wax—and father, Javier was the only family I had left.

“Primo,” I said, trying the familiar word on my tongue. “What happened to you?”

He looked at me under hooded eyes, and I watched as regret and sorrow and pain took their turn across the soft features of his sophisticatedly handsome face.

“Es un cuento largo, mi prima. It’s a long story.

” He lifted his head then, taking in a deep breath.

“But I’ll share it with you. I’ll tell you everything you want to know. ”

Good. I was tired of all the lies and half-truths everyone was always spinning.

I was constantly feeling as though the rug was being pulled out from underneath me over and over again.

It was getting old, and I was growing weary from it.

I didn’t want any more secrets, and I was praying that this was the last one.