Page 154 of Blue Arrow Island
“I’ll be ready within an hour,” I say, not even looking at Marcus.
He groans. “Fine. We’ll meet in the Sub.”
“I didn’t invite you.” I give him a sharp look.
His brows fly up to his hairline. “Are you fucking for real?”
“Do I sit in on every conversation you have?”
Amira backs away and the two gate guards suddenly need to check something out of earshot, leaving just me, Marcus and McClain.
Marcus is about to unload when McClain speaks up instead. “I think it should be all of us. I left Marcus in a bad position whenI went to search for the flower and never returned. I understand his reluctance to let us speak alone.”
I shrug, my aggravation with Marcus flaring. He holds my gaze, his eyes narrowed. Then he gestures to one of the gate guards, who comes over.
“Take McClain to get some food. Then bring him to his old office.”
The two men leave, Marcus and I still locked in a stare-down. I’m not flinching this time. I cowered inside a hive of vines at his command and came to his rescue when he stupidly offered himself up to Ray yesterday. If he doesn’t see how capable I am, that’s his problem, not mine.
“I’m staying with Amira,” I say.
He scoffs, his gaze darkening. “The fuck you are.”
“Either I’m staying with Amira, or you can put me in a cell. Your choice.”
He rubs the scruff on his jaw, looking away. “Look, I know I’ve been a dick?—”
“You mean even more of a dick than usual. A massive dick instead of a regular one.”
Something flares in his gold-flecked eyes. “Yeah, fine. But we’re still ... it doesn’t change anything between us. You stay inourroom. With me.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s been going on with you?” I fire the question at him like a bullet. “Why you’re so distant?”
“I’m getting there. Give me time.”
I shake my head, holding back angry tears. “Take all the time you want, but I’ll be staying with Amira while you do.”
I turn and leave, the tears spilling over. I let them trail all the way down my cheeks to my chin, because I’m not letting him see me raise my hand to wipe them away.
“It’s bare in here,” McClain says as he walks into the office where we talked to Olin yesterday.
“I burned most of your shit,” Marcus says tightly.
McClain doesn’t react. He just takes a seat in one of the chairs facing the desk, leaving the one behind it open for Marcus. When I sit down next to McClain instead of Marcus, I get a low-key scowl from the man who brought me to tears a few minutes ago.
I’m hoping to ignore him for the entirety of this conversation.
“Did you eat?” I ask McClain.
His eyes brighten a notch. “I did. It’s been ages since I had pancakes and bacon.”
“Thank you for fixing the solar panels. That was dangerous for you, but now we don’t have to worry about the shield going down.”
He nods. “It was the least I could do.”
“That’s a fucking fact,” Marcus mutters.
I shoot him a glare before saying, “Dr. McClain, we have to get back to searching, but there’s something I need to understand. Can you tell me more about the different strains of aromium?”
