Because something’s happened. Something’s… wrong.
I stay suspended for a long time as I try to figure it out. Try to remember what the looks of the guards mean, and where I might’ve seen them before.
By the time Reuben appears in the doorway, I’ve remembered. I’ve pinpointed them in my memories to the first few months I spent trying to blend in with humans the first time.
Those are expressions people use when I’m not welcome.
There are two knocks on the door, even now that it’s open, and my gaze is pulled out of the space I was staring into to meet Reuben’s eyes.
He looks like he rushed here to come see me, but there’s a worry there that confirms my suspicions—that says he’s hiding something.
“I should’ve known you wouldn’t keep still for a whole six weeks.”
I tuck away all the unpleasantness from the last few minutes to raise a brow and give him a small smile, “Yes, you should’ve known better.”
“I can’t convince you to rest a little longer?”
“You don’t have to send me on missions,” I compromise, “but Icando some grunt work until the full six weeks are up. Something easy.” I pause for a moment, speaking softly, “You know I can’t afford to stay out of the loop too long.”
Reuben’s eyes soften, “I know. Fine. But if I see you overexerting yourself, I’m pulling you out.”
“Yes, sir.”
He blinks for a moment, as if finally taking me in—my long coat, my sweater and scarf—and for a moment, I swear, displeasure flickers across his face.
It’s gone before I can know for sure, replaced by a familiar smirk, “Lucia deserves a raise.”
“Fuck off, Reuben.”
He chuckles, but he doesn’t stay, though I know he wants to. I can tell from the way he lingers. But before I know it he’s gone like a whirlwind. They all are, over the next few days. Xavier and Tobias drop by to see me, but they’re gone before I can get a good word out. Even Gabriel does his check-in to give me a once-over,then he leaves, as though he’s ticked off the box on visitation. I appreciate the effort at least.
The only other strange thing is the box of strawberries I find outside my door every morning. The first one came with a ‘Get Better Soon’ note, so I’d accepted, thinking it was from one of the guys on the team. But when I asked, none of them knew about it.
The strawberries themselves were sweet, packed into a small black box with a pink bow. In hindsight, none of the guys would have bothered with that, they’d have thrown it at me whenever they saw me before running off to do whatever. The box was cute too, so I didn’t have the heart to keep it, I put it back on the floor outside my door with a ‘thank you’ note—after considerable practice, since I didn’t exactly have much time practicing my handwriting between now and Christian’s death.
Mystery strawberries aside, there are at least four warehouses on the estate, all holding weapons and supplies deep below ground. Until my recovery period is up, Reuben posts me at the first warehouse closest to the lake to help haul and pack cargo. Of course, I don’t bother to tell Reuben about the doctor’s order to stay away from hard labour, I feel like that’d only complicate things.
The unwelcome-ness from the other men also eases over the next few days. I don’t talk much to anyone or give trouble, and I barely take breaks, so they become more relaxed around me, naturally. It’s the men in the house that are… not so much. I’m holding an empty crate to gather some bottled water for the labourers outside when I hear their voices, right before I enter the kitchen.
“I hear Reuben’s got a new recruit. A military veteran.”
“The Don must have paid him out like crazy to get him.”
“He had to, after that Drayton fiasco. Reuben has no idea what he’s doing, losing the Diamond like that. And to jump into the ocean for some new recruit?”
“Some survivor. The guy you see coming in and out of here. The pretty one. Apparently he led and lost his whole team.”
“Must only be useful now for keeping Reuben’s dick wet.”
“With pretty eyes like that he doesn’t need to be good.”
A hand on my shoulder jumps me out of my thoughts and when I look up I’m surprised to see Gabriel dressed casually in black. His eyes are narrowed on the doorway, and his expression is stormy before he looks back down at me.
“You’re looking for water, right? For the warehouse guys?”
I nod once, keeping my face blank, as though I’ve heard nothing at all and he nods further down the corridor, “First living room on the left. There are some drinks in the cooler. On me.” He rolls his sleeves up with a scary expression on his face, “I’ll deal with these bastards. Everyone seems to be losing their mind recently.”
I can barely hold back my surprise as I blink, and Gabriel scowls at me, “Don’t let people mouth off whenever they want. Fuck them up once, and they’ll learn not to do it again.”
