Cameron kisses me and steals the words from my lips. “No more apologies. Let’s get some sleep, okay? You’ll feel much better in the morning and can go back to being your cheeky self.” His grin with that light British accent is impossibly contagious.
I smile and snuggle into his neck. “Cam?”
“Yeah?” His woodsy scent curls with his graveled tone.
“Do you think we’ll live short lives because of the death pills? You know, considering we actually pull off escaping.”
He hums with thought. “I don’t know. But you know what?”
“What?” My eyes are shut, drowsy and lulled by his perfect voice.
His chuckle rumbles through my chest. “Even if our lives are shorter, I’m going to live every single one of them with you, Em. I love you. I yearn for you even in my dreams.” He kisses my forehead, holding me tightly. I’ve never fallen into a deeper sleep.
35
CAMERON
Thomas dragsa cumbersome hand over his jaw and stares at his reflection for a few moments in his hand mirror.
I wonder what he sees. Do all my squad mates see themselves as the monsters we’ve become? Following orders like savage, mindless beasts?
In my heart, I know I can’t even entertain the order Nolan has given me. Execute my own squad? Emery? There’s no reality in which I would do that. My hands clench furiously at my sides.
Being a sergeant could never bethatimportant to me. It may have been my main objective once, but life has a way of showing you what really matters, doesn’t it?
I let my gaze warm on Emery’s hand, resting on my thigh.
Nothing could shake my will on this. My eyes drift closed with the decision.
I’d choose her over the world if I had to.
The plane rattles as we enter the higher elevation and pass through thick clouds. Gage has his headphones on and is hyping himself up to get his adrenaline going.
I made sure that Wraith and Damian understood their part in protecting our comrades if we can. We need to execute this perfectly, although Gage’s and Thomas’s trackers are still going to be a pain in the ass. We need to have the covers placed on them as soon as we start our counterplan.
None of us will be dying today, I repeat in my head as I look at all of them. Even Lieutenant Erik if I can convince him. Otherwise…
My fists close over my lap and I shake the thoughts from my head. I don’t know if I could bring myself to kill him.
We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Emery’s leg bounces beside me. I know she’s anxious. Hell,I’manxious.
I set my hand on her thigh and give her a little reassuring squeeze. She takes a deep breath and threads her arm through mine.
The small comforting motions make all the difference.
“Mori, as in to conquer,” she murmurs in my ear as she runs her hand through my messy, wind-blown hair. I grin and let my head fall against hers. I almost miss her taunting me with“Mori, as in to die,”but I find this much more endearing that she’s relented to what Mori means to me. My chest warms.
“Morphine, as in a goddess of dreams,” I shoot back.
She giggles and I wish I could hear it on repeat for the rest of my life. It’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.
“Is that really what it means?” Her brow lifts skeptically.
“In Latinized Greek it does. Came across it in one of my books recently.” I wink at her. She shakes her head, but the smile stays on her lips.
Erik move to stand in the center of the aircraft cabin as one of the pilots unlocks the exit door and slides it open. “Twenty thousand feet. Prepare to drop, Fury Squad. Keep tight and remember your mission is to terminate Greg Mavestelli.Notbring him in alive.”The lieutenant walks by each of us with a picture of Emery’s father to remind everyone of his face.
