Pity bled through his hard expression. “It was obvious, Sophia. I’m sure Scott has been expecting you to attack since your first encounter.”
“If he expects we’ll double-cross him, why would he do this at all?”
He finally settled into his chair, his shoulders dipping in a rare display of exhaustion. “That’s what I’ve been asking from the start. The catch is coming. I just hope Williams gives the go-ahead to end him before that happens. We’re getting closer. A few more strategic wins and the NAO will be in our hands, and you’ll never have to deal with Lucas Scott ever again.”
“Because you’ll order me to kill him?” I said, not bothering to hide the weighted despair in my tone.
Theo dipped his chin in a stiff nod, and a fresh wave of tears thickened my throat. I spun to hide it, and he didn’t order me to stay.
When I made it to my bed, flares of panic stole my breath, too great for even my forest to disband. I wouldn’t do it. I refused to take his life. They couldn’t make me do it.
…Could they?
21
Three Points
I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.
—DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
You’re the weapon Williams will choose to end him.
The words haunted me for days. When I wasn’t reliving those moments of foolish ecstasy in Lucas’s arms, I was imagining how I’d tell him they planned to kill him.
ShouldI tell him?
He deserved a head start, at least, but I could already imagine his response.
I wouldn’t stop you, Sophia…
Despite his perpetual mystery, I was certain of that. If I attacked, he wouldn’t defend himself, just like that day he killed the kid. I’d set my blade to his skin, and he’d raise his hands in surrender.
Every time I imagined plunging a knife into his throat, I was assaulted by the serrated agony in his voice when he said,You make me want to live.
There was something ironic in dying at the hand of the only person who sparked the will to survive.
I wouldn’t do it.
They couldn’t make me do it.
I was so distracted that I leapt in surprise when someone touched my shoulder in the hospital wing. Hand pressed to my chest, I ignored my racing heart to turn.
Dr. Grayson shot me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you.”
I set aside the supplies I’d been organizing and tried to smile. “No, it’s my fault. I was deep in thought.”
He nodded. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You’ve seemed…a bit out of sorts recently.”
My mouth opened, but I had no response.
“Zara says you’ve pulled away?”
Heat seeped into my face. She’d asked me to chat several times, and I always found an excuse not to.
He raised a hasty hand. “Not that I’m prying. I really just want to make sure you’re all right.” His sincere smile plucked at emotions that lived far too close to the surface. I swallowed down the ridiculous urge to cry. Why couldn’t Theo be more like Dr. Grayson or Zara? Iwantedto talk. I wanted to spill it all the way I used to with Tekqua, yet the only people available were my judgmental fake uncle and a Hunter who’d fucked me and walked away without a word.
No matter how much I wanted to talk, Lucas’s role was still top secret.
