His expression turned suddenly serious as he focused his dark gaze on me. “What is it?”
“Remember what happened with Jeremiah and Brother Larry?” I asked. He’d brought up the topic of Promised Land and why we left and I’d helped him fill in the gaps in his memory. We were out by the garden and he’d hugged me so fiercely while I told him what went down. His anger felt fresh, perhaps because for him it was.
“Yes, I remember,” he said cautiously.
“Well, when we showed up here in Jeremiah’s Humvee, Captain Crenshaw had questions. And I ended up telling her what happened.”
“The truth?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“And that wasn’t the story we agreed on,” he said with a hint of uncertainty.
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Are you in trouble?” He reached for my hand.
“No, not exactly. They’re not going to send me to a labor camp or execute me, thank God, but I agreed to do something that you’re not going to like.”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion, a look that I knew all too well. “What did you do, Kitten?” he asked sternly, bringing back fond memories of House Dad.
“I enlisted with the United Forces.” I winced, waiting for his reaction. His eyes widened and his breath caught. He opened his mouth, then shut it again as if he didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry that it comes as such a shock. I know you hate surprises,” I said.
“Did they force you into it? To help me?” he asked.
“Captain Crenshaw said it might look better to the disciplinary board, to prove my commitment to law and order.”
“That’s bullshit. She coerced you,” he said, temper flaring.
“It’s fair, Cipher. I deserve worse punishment. When I signed those papers, it felt like a weight had been lifted. I can do something to give back.”
“You give back every day. You don’t owe them shit,” he said with venom.
“I murdered a man,” I said, trying to keep my voice down. “And they saved your life. We do owe them something. I’m sorry I broke my promise to you.”
“What promise?” he asked.
“To never leave you.”
He sighed, exhaling slowly while studying my hand. He flipped it over and drew his elegant fingers along my palm, tickling a little. “You’re right, I’m not happy about this, but I have a solution.”
“I’m not going to back out,” I said. I’d signed the papers already and given Crenshaw my word.
“Then I’ll enlist too,” he said as if he were deciding between the peach or apple cobbler.
“No,” I said immediately.
“Yes. You’re mine, and I’m sticking with you. It’s not awful here.” He glanced around. “Management seems to know what’s up. Security could use some upgrades, but the food’s not too bad. And if we end up hating it, we’ll just say ‘fuck it’ and peace out.”
I didn’t want to take advantage while he was still relearning himself. I didn’t want him to be mad at me later or feel as if I’d tricked him. “Cipher, this goes against everything you stand for, everything you believe in. You hate following orders. It’s the reason we left Promised Land. And you might have to do things you don’t agree with.”
“All of that sounds terrible, but I wouldn’t hate it if I was with you.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I’m not ditching you, Kitten.”
“You wouldn’t be ditching me. I could visit you in Assburbia whenever they give me leave.”
