Page 107 of Echoes of War

I shook my head remorsefully. “It’s not safe anywhere, Hal.”

His feet found the floor again as he forced me to glance up to meet his heavy gaze. “It’s not. But they’re safest here. If you won’t have me, please, at least have them.”

He must’ve thought me the monster he’d sent packing. Assumed I held a grudge. I inspected my study, finding the few belongings they had strewn about. They’d been sleeping out here, the clutter I’d had leaned up against the door to my bedroom still in place. I didn’t belong here anymore, it was too painful.

“No, stay.” I offered. “Make yourself at home. I can’t promise you it will stay that way with what’s coming, but my place is yours. I’ll be … I’ll be back. I need to take care of something.”

I pried Emma off me, giving her a quick squeeze before closing the door, not giving him time to respond. My hand rested on the door handle as I stood there for a few moments trying to collect myself. I wasn’t sure where I was going, just knew I was suffocating in there.

Reina

Everybody stared at me like I was the devil as I walked through The Compound. Riley glared at them, diverting their watchful gazes but it was no use. I kept my head low, eyes on the ground, not wanting to stir up any trouble. Shame filled me and I found myself searching for the confident, strong woman I’d been out on the road.

Was it fair to blame them for their mistrust? I would blame me too if I were walkin’ in their shoes. That’s what Momma had always told me to do, and I tried my best to keep it front of mind. My brother had betrayed them; as far as they were concerned, I was a snake in the grass too.

Only thing I could do was prove them wrong.

“I guess everyone knows,” I mumbled. Riley’s confirmation wasn’t even needed—itwas apparent.

He sighed, peering at me from the side of his eye. “It came out after Prescott died. I’m sorry.”

I nodded. There was nothing else to say.Take it to the chin, girl, take it to the chin.

“Screw them, I know where your loyalty lies,” Riley said, hand rubbing the top of my back.

I leaned into the touch. “They don’t know what it’s like out there. What Seth’s choices made us do, what’s coming our way.”

He turned his head to look me over for a moment before glancing away. “They don’t, but they’re about to find out.”

There weren’t enough words to express the gratitude I had for Riley at this moment. He didn’t have to be here, walking me through The Compound, yet here he was. Part of me wanted to go to my room, bury myself there, yet the other half of me wanted to remind myself what I was fighting for first.

If I went back to my room, I feared I’d be faced with memories of my life before Seth had torn it apart. The flashes of Jax dying on my bed, the clothes I’d bought for Seth that I’d forgotten to give to him, pictures of all of us gathered as a family. I’d have to walk through Unit A in The Infirmary to get there. Having to walk past the injured soldiers or my previous mentor was something I’d need to build up to.

“Did he go quick?” I found myself asking.

The answer wasn’t going to make any of this better, but I had to know. Riley’s sadness rolled off him and I watched as he tried to rein it back in for my sake. His mouth twisted while he struggled to land on the right words.

He shook his head, his locs brushing against my cheek, arm pulling me tighter as our steps fell into sync. “Not quick enough,” Riley whispered.

It didn’t take a genius to know that meant he had suffered.

Everything around here had changed in my absence. The plants that lined our beautiful cobbled streets were wilted. Therewere no flowers or greenery resting against the front stoops of the homes. Any children we saw were focused on a mission to be anywhere but playing on the streets as they should be.

“Reina?”

I stumbled to a halt. Fluttering surging through my stomach at the softly spoken question. Riley glanced behind us, shaking me as if I had glitched. Honestly, I think I did at that moment. Most nights on the journey back, my mind fell into thoughts of the woman back home who’d played with my heart. Now, as fate would have it, life had taken its toll on me. I wasn’t sure any of that mattered to me anymore or if I even mattered to her. I mean, if she really cared for me, would she have left things the way that she did?

“Jessa,” I said, swiveling around. “Hi.”

Hi? That’s all you have to say you bumbling idiot?

Jessa was as beautiful as ever. Her long blonde hair dangled past her waist, having grown since I last saw her. Her shimmering blue eyes matched the bright smile she gave me and I went weak in the dang knees.

She took a step toward me, a movement so subtle, so natural, yet my subconscious forced me to take a step back. Her energy was … off, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Jessa frowned, deciding to stop her advance. “I heard you were back.”

“She just got here, how did you hear anything?” Riley asked, suspicion lacing his gravelly voice.

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