Audrey
In the air
From inside my private suite on Hollis’s plane, I stared at the little dot on my phone as it blinked steadily, tracking Chase and Trevor’s movement. They were en route to Buckley, the military base in Aurora. ETA thirty minutes.
Echo Team had already landed in Colorado and were now on their way to pick up Eden and Rhett as well.
So far, all good. Everyone was safe. I just needed to convince my nervous stomach of that.
As if reading my mind, a text popped up from Trevor.
Trevor:We’re getting closer. Stop watching the tracker. I can feel your anxiety from here, and you’re up in the air.
Trevor:Talked to Hollis yet? You should ... But I know you’re still pissed at me for not telling you the truth after I learned who she was last year, so you probably won’t take my advice.
Me:I was a chicken and told Ryder not to let her near me yet, which is probably a jerk move since we’re on her plane, and she’s helping us. But am I a magnet for liars?
I palmed my forehead as if he could see me.
Me:Do I have “Gullible” stamped somewhere?
My hand plopped back into my lap.
Trevor:You’re trusting. Not gullible.
Me:Not trusting anymore
Trevor:Don’t blame you after the last few days. Also, I’m sorry for not telling you about her. She said it’d be safer if you didn’t know.
I was in the middle of responding when someone knocked on the door of my closed-off suite, which was three times the size of one of those business pods on a commercial plane.
“I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I’m not above begging.”
At hearing Hollis’s voice, I deleted what I’d planned to say and let Trevor know I was going to confront Hollis.
He wished me luck; then I set aside my phone and gave her the all clear to come in.
Hollis’s look today was nothing like I was used to. Black combat boots, dark skinny jeans tucked into them. A leather jacket open to a white tee. Her dark-brown hair was in one long ponytail-like braid.
Badass vibes, not Barbie on a Beach like she’d tried to get me to believe.
“Hi.” She sat in the seat next to me. “On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate me?”
I frowned. “I don’t hate anyone. Well, I take that back.” I twirled a finger in the air. “There are a few people on that list.”Like Mitch.“Present company not included,” I added in a small voice. “I’m hurt, not mad.”
“Rather you be mad than sad.”
I lifted one shoulder as my response. “Is Hollis even your real name?”
She shifted her braid around to her back, sitting up taller. “Lady Celeste Hollis Avery Wyndham d’Aragon, daughter of the Duke of Rothvale.”
I only caught half that. Was she kidding?
“D’Aragon is tied to my old Iberian and Vatican bloodlines. Last time anyone called me by my full name, they were either trying to knight me, arrest me, or marry me.” She gave a nervous laugh, suggesting she was kidding—but heck, maybe not? “I picked Hollis Avery to go by on an assignment in DC, and she became what felt like the real me. Maybe that’s because you were the first real friend I felt I had outside my family?”
“I’m sorry, butwhat?” Something told me we’d barely scratched the surface, and I was already in over my head. “This is a lot.” I blinked and pointed up. “Normal people don’t just own planes like this. Governments do. Whole-ass countries, sure.” I pulled the covers up tighter like a shield. “And they aren’t knighted or have names that sound like they belong in a fantasy movie.”
“I know.” She nodded. “I’m not remotely normal.” She faked another laugh, this one more nervous sounding than before.
