Page 38 of Citadel

He probably wants a woman, and I’m young and available. But even if I was in the mood for a new relationship, I wouldn’t go for a man who tried it with Breanna before me.

I want someone who chooses me first. I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I might not be as beautiful as my sister, but I’m not nothing. And I don’t want someone who’d prefer to be with her.

As I walk, I let the thoughts about men filter out of my mind. I worked in the garden all morning, so I have the afternoon free. Our roof has started to leak again, so I need to get up there and try to patch it better. The sun is out today, so I’m planning to tackle that now.

Everyone who lives in Monument has regular duties—whatever they’re physically or mentally capable of. Unless people have specialized skills like medicine or construction, they’ll either work in the garden, hunt, fish, or do guard duty.

I’m no good with guns—mostly because of my poor distance vision—so I rotate between gardening and fishing. Breanna likes doing message or supply runs best and guard duty after that, and she can shoot as well as most of the men in town. She had an early shift today guarding the perimeter, so soon she’ll be picking up her ration pack and returning to the cottage.

I’m on the roof, inspecting the patch job I cobbled together a few months ago, when Breanna calls out to me from down the road.

I climb back down the ladder, being careful not to look down.

I’ll do what I have to do, but heights still make me a bit shaky—ever since the incident hanging from the cliff on our journey from the coast.

“Hey,” Breanna calls as she approaches the cottage. “You shouldn’t be up there when no one else is around.”

“I was fine. The roof isn’t that high off the ground.”

It’s not. It’s a small one-story cottage. A fall wouldn’t be fun, but it would only kill me if I landed very badly.

“Couldn’t you wait until I got back?” Breanna scowls up at the roof like it had offended her.

I roll my eyes. “I was fine.”

She shrugs away an argument and gives her head a little shake. “It doesn’t matter right now. I wanted to warn you.”

“Warn me about what?”

I have absolutely no idea what to expect, but goose bumps break out on my arms and on the back of my neck.

“Cole is here.”

I blink. But the rest of me is frozen.

“He’s here,” Breanna murmurs. Soft. Serious. As if she thinks someone else might overhear.

“Wh-what is he doing here?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t talk to him. I was finishing up my shift when I saw him at the gate. They were putting him through the normal interview, but I’m sure they’ll let him in.”

“Why would he come back?” My voice is more controlled than I would have expected, considering how shaky I feel.

Cole hasn’t made an appearance since he walked out without a word after fucking me two years ago.

I always assumed I’d never see him again.

“I have no idea. Just to be an asshole probably.” Breanna makes a face. She’s always been openly hostile about Cole walking out without saying goodbye. She doesn’t know he fucked me, but she knows he hurt me, and she’s never forgiven him for that. “I guess maybe he’s passing through.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

It’s a lie. Of course I want to see him. I’m dying to lay my eyes on him again—to see if he’s still the same man from my memories. But I have no idea what I would say to him. How I should act. So it will be easier to avoid the encounter.

“You don’t have to see him. We can take off if you want. Go on a long hike or something.”

I almost,almostaccept the offer because it seems so much easier than the alternative. But I finally shake my head. “No. I don’t want to run away. He’s not important enough to do that. Thanks for letting me know.” I shake myself off and turn back toward the ladder. “I’m going back on the roof.”

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