Page 116 of Ordinary Secrets

“Weakening her immune system. Invoking trauma, then a near-death experience. Since you’re taking so long to get results, I thought we’d do some testing in the meantime. Our team thought lowering her natural defenses or raising an extreme emotion in her would do the trick. If we can get you to sense her when she’s most vulnerable or when her emotions are at their highest, maybe we can find out the source of her im?—”

“Why wasn’t I informed of this?” I can barely contain myself through gritted teeth. “You could have killed her.”

“Are you questioning my methods? Everything was highly controlled. The flu was a minor one, those spiders weren’t poisonous, and the accident was thoroughly organized. I wouldn’t risk her life without having our best agents on it. Also, I made sure she was sent to a hospital where one of our ZIRDA doctors is stationed. He’s already sent me the reports from her MRI scan, and we’ll cross-reference it with the others. She’s completely safe.”

Safe?Is he fucking kidding? I just saw her in a neck brace. It takes everything in me not to curse at him. I need to get off this call before I say something I shouldn’t.

“Do you have any other tests planned?” I ask, trying my hardest to keep my tone stable.

“Yes, actually, and they involve you, but they need to be performed here. When can you bring her in?”

Never!He’s insane if he thinks I’m going to allow him to breathe around Arella after he killed the last two Immunes.Over my dead body.“I can’t convince her into a road trip now that she’s in a neck brace.”

“Why not?”

“Trust me. I know this woman. She’s gonna wanna rest up. If I push her into it, she’ll be more hesitant to do it. How about we wait until she’s fully healed first?”

In the background, a spoon clinks against a mug. Victor takes a sip of the liquid. “When will she be out of the neck brace? A week?”

“At least two.” I have no idea how long it’ll be. I just need to buy some time. “Also, it’ll be important for me to meet her grandparents first. They could give me some insight into something that may have happened to her when she was young that she doesn’t remember.”

“Fine. Meet them within the week and report back.”Click.

Pulling at my hair, I collapse to the dusty floor.

This can’t be happening.

35

ARELLA

The doctor saidmy lip would heal within a week. After two days, my lip was fully healed without even a scar to show for it.

The doctor said my body would be sore for two weeks. It’s been a week now, and my body feels like it’s functioning at one hundred percent again.

I’m not wearing the neck brace anymore, despite what Trey wants. He thinks I should follow the doctor’s orders and wear it for the full fourteen days, but why wear something that’s awkward and itchy when I don’t need to?

Ever since the accident, Trey’s been intense. Even when we’re home, not really doing anything, he insists on being next to me at all times. If I leave the room, he comes with. I understand that I was injured, and that’s been hard on him, but nothing is going to happen to me in the safety of his house. The more I remind him of that, the more protective he gets.

Lately, his eyes have been swimming with anxiety. I wish he’d open up to me and explain what’s bothering him. Despite what he says, it’s not only the car accident that’s eating at him. However, the more I ask about it, the more he shuts down, so I let it go.

Something hewon’tlet go is the Paris thing. He brings it up every day—sometimes multiple times a day. He’s shown me housing options and talked my ear off about the wonderful sights. He even looked up storefronts where I can start my dream bakery. It’s enticing, but at the end of the day, I’m not willing to move to Paris on the promise that he’ll tell me why once we get there. No way. Whenever I urge him to tell me the reason, he refuses.

I’m climbing into bed when I ask, “Are you trying to get away from the feds?”

It’s the only thing I can think of as to why he wants to flee the country. While I’m flattered that he’s so into me that he won’t move without me, I’m not trying to live a life on the run. He mentioned that he’s got lots of investments. Maybe some are illegal and it’s finally catching up to him.

“No, baby,” he says somberly, sliding under the covers with me. “I’m not running from the feds.”

The sincere look on his face makes me believe him, so I throw out other guesses. “Did you mess with the wrong mob boss? Is someone after your money? Did you find out you have a child somewhere, and you don’t want me to find out about it?”

He pulls my back against his front. “No, baby. It’s none of those.”

I’m out of guesses. “And this is something that might make me break up with you?”

“Maybe, but I hope not. I’m one hundred percent sure you’ll be freaked out at first, but I also have faith that you’ll understand and forgive me.”

I am a forgiving person—sometimes too forgiving. “Can you give me a hint?”

---