The Fortunates (Unfortunates #2) (19 page)

“Don’t look so sad, Unfortunate. It could have been so much worse and you know it.”

Rolling over, I turn my back to him. My tears dried up ten minutes ago. My sobbing stopped. He turned my regret into rage with every painful thrust of his hips. My body trembles for a different reason now.

Anger.

It swirls in my blood, filling me with a burning desire to spill his. I glance over my shoulder as he pulls his pants up and reaches for the zipper. Without a second thought, I leap from the bed and rush the bar. I grimace as I grab the heavy gun and feel the slippery remnants between my thighs left by Vince. With two hands, I hold the gun up, pointing it directly at his head. Adrenaline flows through my body at the weight of the metal in my hands. It flows up my arms and gathers in my chest. For once, I have the power.

Vince peers over his shoulder and his eyes thin out when he sees the gun. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“You think you win?” I rub my face against my arm and take a shaky step forward. “You don’t win. I win!”

He has the audacity to smirk at me. “And how do you figure that?”

“Because despite everything you just did I will still have your brother’s love. Your efforts will be wasted.”

Isn’t he afraid? Isn’t he scared that I’ll shoot him dead? Tears try to seep out of my ducts and I bite my lip as they tremble. I don’t want to be scared. I want to kill him.

He moves forward and kneels on the bed. “You don’t sound so sure.”

“I am.”

Vince shuffles forward and I pull the trigger. The gun kicks back, shooting vibrations up my arms, and I almost drop it.

Unfortunately, I miss him. The bullet enters the wall somewhere behind him. Still, he ducks, pushing his fingers through his hair. “Are you crazy?” he shouts, staying low.

“You think I’m pathetic and I’m going to prove you wrong.” I walk cautiously toward the door, uncaring that my breast is exposed or that my dress is ripped and covered in God only knows what.

I should plant a bullet between his eyes, but I don’t. I want him to see the world as I pull it out from underneath his feet and turn it against him. I want him to be alive long enough to be crushed underneath the heel of the people he’s hurt.

“Take a long, hard look at me, Vincent Sario. This is last time you’ll see me so weak.” When I reach the door, I turn the key and then the handle. “And by the way, Kade and I married yesterday.”

I open the door and run. He shouts after me, but I can’t hear him over the pounding headache between my ears. Clasping the gun to my chest, I pump my legs as hard as I can and I don’t stop. Not until I’m back in my room.

Safe.

Chapter Seventeen

Kade

He swiped the palm of his hands down the front of his shirt as he re-entered Freeport. The job was done. The mine that had caused him so much grief no longer existed. He went in, he planted the bombs…and he told the Unfortunates to grab what they could and to stick it out for seven sunsets. After the seventh sunset, they were to trek east and regroup in the cave by the seaside cliff where Kade would meet them and, hopefully, offer them better living arrangements. He wasn’t sure how, but if everyone thought them dead, no one would search for them.

Nine was going to be happy to hear that and he hoped it made up for abandoning her in bed and not telling her about the mine. It was a terrible way to start their first day of marriage, but he didn’t have a choice. He knew she would never let him leave otherwise.

Kade shut his eyes as he stalked along the footpath lining the manors. He was tired and his muscles ached from all of the hiking he’d done. As he pushed through shrub after shrub, he wondered why the town was still locked behind a barbaric fence. Everything outside it seemed to be in order.

He ran his dirty fingers through his hair and opened his eyes. All he wanted to do was soak in a deep, hot bath and sleep away the rest of the day. Exhaling, he lifted his gaze from his filthy, mud-packed shoes and onto—Nine?

He froze as his heart clenched and dropped into his shoes. She tucked a lock of lovely auburn hair behind her ear with nervous fingers. How long had she been standing there? Was she mad? Kade frowned as she chewed on the inside of her lip and moved her fingers anxiously at her sides. Was she mad? He couldn’t tell. She both furrowed and smoothed her brow and that made analysing her mood impossible. Whatever she was feeling, it wasn’t good. That much was clear.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Kade called out, letting his bag slide off of his shoulder and drop to the ground.

He wanted to say he was sorry, but that was hardly honest. He saved the lives of those Unfortunates by leaving unannounced and he couldn’t apologise for that.

Nine started forward, her bare feet slapping the pavement as she walked. He stayed put, buying himself some more time for his explanation. Truth was, he hadn’t thought it out as extensively as he would have liked.

Nine’s light pink dress swayed around her knees and tightened around her waist. He enjoyed seeing her in different colours. They brought her to life.

As she swallowed the distance, her steps quickening in pace, he noticed the panic she tried to suppress. His mind raced with all of the terrible things that could have happened overnight while he was gone, but he convinced himself that he left her while she was sleeping. Nothing would have happened to her if she stayed in her room.

…but what if she left her room? What if she was stupid enough to try and find me?
His stomach twisted at the thought.

When she was within arm’s reach, she dived at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He was covered in dust and dirt and it would transfer onto her clean dress, but she didn’t care. She squeezed him tightly, so tight that ruining her own dress would be inevitable.

“Are you all right?” he asked her, draping his arms over her shoulders.

He remained still, allowing her to hold him for as long as she needed to.

She held him for a long time—so long his calf muscle began to ache. Again, he asked her if she was all right and, after hesitating, she finally lifted her head to look up at him. She didn’t make eye contact. All she did was stare at his lips. He tightened his jaw at the sight of her swimming, violet eyes.

“I’m fine. I’m—”

Her fingers twitched against his back and her voice was anything but stable. Dread swirled in his stomach and tightened his muscles. Something happened while he was gone. That much he knew.

“You’re shaking,” he pointed out, trying hard to quell the frustration bubbling in his blood.

It was a hard habit to rectify, but he tried every day.
Patience,
he told himself, but of course it was easier said than done. All he wanted to do was shake her until she opened up.

Nine pulled away and hugged herself. She glanced sideways at the looming Sario manor and shuddered. “Can we go somewhere? Can we talk?”

He frowned and took her tiny elbow in his hand. “Of course. Come inside. I’ll shower and then we—”

Shrugging from his grip, Nine dug her heels in and refused to climb the first step. Something was seriously wrong. Tears welled in her eyes as she lifted her stare to his. “I’ll be in my room. Come and get me when you’re ready.”

She whirled on her heel and jogged down the path.

“Nine?” he called after her, but she didn’t turn around.

What happened while he was gone? Was it the rebellion? Was it Vince? His heart sank. Did she not want to be married to him anymore? Was that it? Did she wake up and decide saying
I do
and consummating the marriage at the same time wasn’t the romantic event she wanted? Or perhaps news of what he did at the mine was the straw that broke the camel’s back?

Bending low, Kade scooped up his backpack and trotted up the steps and into Sario manor. He was tired—the tiredest he’d ever been—but Nine wanted to talk so sleep would have to wait.

∞ Nine ∞

Oliver leans against the wall, his leg bent at the knee as I scan over the map of Freeport. I’ve poured over this map since the sun rose this morning, plotting the second stage of the rebellion. I needed something to keep me busy until Kade came back and now that he’s here…I wish I had more time. I don’t know how to tell him what happened…I don’t know where to begin. I have this irrational fear that Kade will blame me for what happened. He’ll tell me I should have stayed in bed…and he’s right. I should have.

“It’s unrealistic to assume we’ll have weapons for everybody. We’re at one hundred and seventy-four recruits already. We can’t possibly smuggle that many guns. It’s too obvious.”

I shake my head. “No, it isn’t. I’ve devised the perfect plan.”

There’s a knock at the door and my heart drops into my intestines. I know it’s Kade. He’s here for the talk I’ve been dreading for hours. In the off chance it isn’t him, I fold the map and put it on my lap as Oliver pushes off the wall and crosses the room. Sure enough, when Oliver unlocks the door and tugs it open, I’m met with Kaden’s black eyes.

He is devastatingly handsome in his casual black tee and loose slacks. I don’t think I’ve seen him so relaxed, so…tired. Kade glances between Oliver and me before entering without a greeting. Closing the door, Oliver rolls his eyes.

Kade strolls across the room, grazing his palm over whatever objects are in his reach.

The couch. A lamp. The bar.

He doesn’t drop his hand until he’s at my desk. With a tight jaw, he sits on the edge and folds his arms over his thick chest. He’s clean, much cleaner than he was when I met him outside the Sario manor a little over an hour ago. The smells of soap and whiskey blow over me, turning my stomach. He smells like Vince did…exactly like Vince did.

“Your plan?” Oliver prompts, coming back to his wall. “Let’s hear it.”

Right. I clear my throat. “I need you to go to the Milano blacksmith sheds after hours. John will give you, and a handful of helpers, access every night after eight for exactly five hours. Pack every second weapon into bags of grain and send them to the Unfortunate camp up on the hill. They’ll store them in the silos for later use.”

“Why the camp on the hill?” Kade asks and I all but flinch at the familiar sound of his voice. “It’s the furthest camp from the town.”

“Exactly,” I say, avoiding his gaze. “I admit it’s a fair way to run on the day, but it’s the ideal safe house once the war starts.”

“And the fence surrounding the town?”

“John promises it will be open when it’s time to run.”

Oliver bends his leg at the knee again. “And this…camp. You’re sure it’s a good place?”

I nod. “It’s on a hill opposite Freeport. We’ll see any hostile approaches long before they arrive. Another plus are the cliffs behind us. They’re steep, so there’s no chance of an ambush while we sleep.”

“You mentioned bags of grain,” Kade says and I look at him. “Where are you going to get those?”

I swallow. “I, uh, I spent the morning negotiating with Frances Miller. As you know, the Millers are in charge of agriculture and they do the bulk of the farming. She’s offered us twelve bags of grain a night for three weeks. She can’t keep them off the books and turn a blind eye for longer than that.”

“Frances Miller has no authority,” he points out.

“Lucky for us, her aunt gave birth three days ago and she’s put Frances in charge for the next three weeks. As for the Unfortunate camp, Frances assures me that the moderators on the other end will take care of everything.”

“And you trust her?”

I shrug. “It’s all I’ve got.”

His lips curve. “Well done.”

I turn to Oliver. “I saw the bags. I was only taught the basics of mathematics, but by my calculations, she’ll give us two hundred and fifty-two bags over the three week period. If we pull it off, it’ll be one thousand, five hundred and twelve guns we manage to smuggle.”

Oliver cracks a smile. The first of its kind. “Well, when you put it that way.”

He chuckles and claps his hands together. I smile at him. I’m glad I’ve finally been able to contribute to the cause.

“I have to meet John now anyway,” Oliver says, pushing off the wall and smoothing his palms down the front of his white tee. “After that, I’ll pick a few trustworthy people to help me in the sheds tonight.”

I nod. “Sounds good—oh! Before I forget. When you pack the guns into the sacks, be sure to bag them in plastic first. We don’t want the grains to jam them.”

Without a word to Kade, without even a glance in his direction, Oliver leaves the room.

And we’re alone.

“Did he seem more pissed at me than usual?”

I frown at him. Is he serious right now? “Both Oliver and John are pissed at you.”

Kaden lifts his eyebrows. “Really?”

I grab the map from my lap and stash it in my bottom drawer. “You seem surprised.”

“I am. I had Portia give Oliver the letter I received in the morning. They knew where I was going.”

“That’s no excuse. You murdered people,” I snap, slamming the drawer. “Again.”

Kade tilts his head and his eyes darken. “You seem so sure.”

I haven’t been a Fortunate for long, but I wasn’t born yesterday. “I’m not an idiot.”

“I never said you were.”

I sit forward, resting my arms on the table. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that you went out of your way to spare the lives of a handful of Unfortunates you don’t even know?”

“I did.” He nods proudly, a cute little smirk tugging at his lips. “And I can prove it. They’re going to meet me next week. You can come see them if you don’t believe me.”

Maybe he
is
telling the truth…I exhale, defeated. I don’t know what has gotten into me. He isn’t Vince. He isn’t my enemy. He’s husband and I should trust him. He’s the only one with my best interest at heart, after all.

“I’m sorry. I believe you. I do.” I tuck my hair behind my ears. “When you get a moment, can you please work on setting up that communication system you were talking about? We’re going to need it in order for phase two to operate smoothly. I’ve already organised for John Milano to…” I trail off when my stare meets Kade’s.

He’s watching me with this…look. And I know it all too well. He glances at my lips.

“You’re sexy when you’re in charge, you know,” he teases, leaning toward me from his position.

I try so very hard to acknowledge his playfulness. I want nothing more than to reciprocate his teasing, but I can’t. It’s like that part of my brain isn’t working. All I can do is frown.

“What, not even a smile?”

Not even a smile. I slump in my seat. “I’m not really in the mood to play, Kaden.”