Page 65 of Breakaway
I grab the comm, not caring at all about whatever he thinks I might be upset about. The message is one that was sent to one ofEmpress's social media accounts, and the sender is one of those generic, randomized names if someone can't think of one.
'You're a fucking dead bitch! All of that fucking money and you think you're so much better than us! FUCK YOU! Send the fucking money or you'll regret it!'
"She wasn't sending money to anyone but her family," I say, confused about what this person wanted from Reese. If she were being blackmailed by someone, my shadows would've already figured that out since they've been in her mind, learning everything there is to know about her.
"No, that's why I stopped on it," Kolos says. He motions for me to give the comm back and changes the screen to a different site. "The thing is, the person who sent this was stupid enough to use an account they'd had before. They changed the name to something basic and the profile picture to something they probably downloaded. What they should've done is made a whole new account, but again, they were an idiot."
As Kolos talks, he's typing on his comm, pulling up something else. I'm trying really hard not to get my hopes up. But it's difficult when we've spent all day sitting here, looking for anything to work with.
"Here," Kolos says, turning the comm back around to face me. "And I think we should pay him a visit before we tell Reese about this."
My shadows tighten around me as I look down at the comm screen. I'm not surprised by the old profile name or the previous profile pictures. No, it's one of the least surprising things, but it doesn't make the roiling in my stomach settle. If anything, I'm even more upset because Reese truly deserves to have a better family.
I set the comm back on the table. The old profile belongs to Jeremy.Martin10, and the profile picture depicts a younger version of Reese's brother. I'd been giving him the smallestbenefit of the doubt because Reese so badly didn't want to believe that her family despises her as much as they do. Whatever small amount of goodwill I was willing to offer the other man is gone. If he's lucky, I'll be gentle when sifting through his thoughts.
CHAPTER 23
REESE
Breaking News! Empress and new alien lover not attached at the hip? We spotted the Sombran out and about without his pop star earlier today.
"Has Zill let you back into his mind yet?" Isha asks me as I pull on my sundress.
There are only the two of us in the dressing room now that the photoshoot is over. I'm more than ready to head out and go back up to the ship. Now that we've gotten this out of the way, there's nothing else for me to do here on Earth other than wait for the interview to go live so everyone knows I'm done.
Mauve's already been teasing the official launch of the new album covers, using the photos I've already taken as promotional material. They'll net me a nice little chunk of credits, but by the time they actually release, I'll be out of Earth's orbit and exploring space at Zill's side.
"Not yet," I tell Isha. She's looking at her comm, her boot tapping against the dressing room floor. "Is something wrong?"
"No, he's just not responding to my messages," Isha says, shrugging as she slides the comm into one of the oversized pockets on her pants.
"Are they still at Mauve's office?" I ask, worry prickling in the back of my mind. Surely if Zill was in any kind of danger, he would've told someone.
I'm fine.Zill's voice cuts through my worried thoughts like a hot knife, and my whole body relaxes. I hadn't realized how much tension I was carrying just from those few small seconds of thinking he might be hurt or worse.
Where are you? What's going on?I ask.
My thoughts are probably too loud. Zill's told me a few times now that I don't have to force the words to him, that if they're directed at him in any sort of way, his shadows will pluck them up and deliver them straight to him. I'm still struggling with that part of it, and I usually think a little too loudly and too directly, as if I'm yelling right into his head. At least that's how he's described it. I feel bad about that, but it's something I'm actively working on fixing. Right now, it's a little hard to control since I was thinking he was in danger.
Kolos and I are following a lead. I didn't want to bother you with it if it turns out to be nothing.Zill answers.
"Zill and Kolos are following a lead," I tell Isha. Her brows tug together, but she doesn't say anything else before pulling out her comm tablet.
When will you be done?I ask, hoping this time my thoughts aren't too loud, but also knowing that I just said it very pointedly with the intention of forcing it over into Zill's mind. I need to remember to be softer about it before I think about anything.
Zill is quiet for a long moment, and I'm about to push more thoughts toward him when his voice finally comes through.We're just about done, but it's best if you both head up to the ship, and we'll meet you there.
I frown at that, but then again, I'd much rather be back up on the ship where there are fewer people to worry about than down here on Earth. There are all the people on the port stationwho could be dangerous, but once we're inside the ship, no one's getting in unless one of us lets them in or they're willing to use explosives.
Are you sure everything's okay?I ask.
It will be, I promise.Zill's thought is genuine, but he hasn't asked me yet if I want to hear the rest of his thoughts. Or if I'm ready to deal with the never-ending stream of thoughts that he has.
I'm learning to let them drift through my mind without fixating on any one in particular or attempting to listen to them all. I want him to ask me if I want him to open his mind again. It'll make me feel like he isn't keeping secrets. The thought of that blares loud in my head, and I know he has to hear it even if it's not directed to him. His silence is as much an answer as if he had spoken one into my head. I try not to be hurt that he's keeping secrets, especially since there's no way for me to do the same.
"You ready to go?" I ask Isha, forcing myself not to be stuck on wondering what could be so bad that Zill wants to keep me out of the loop. "Zill says we should just head up without them."
Isha looks about as happy as I am, but she doesn't even know about Zill keeping secrets from me. Her head cocks to the side, eyes narrowing. "Something's happening."
