Saven Deception (9 page)

LC: Fine, Sadie, you win. I’m at a total loss. I don’t know
what I did to upset you, and you won’t speak to me so I’ve no clue how to fix
this. Or if I want to now. You seemed like a nice girl, and I felt a
connection, but maybe I picked things up wrong. I’m not going to contact you
again. If you want to sort this out, you can message me. Or don’t. Whatever.
Logan.

Well, that’s that.
I don’t want to talk to him
.
But
I do! What’s the point? It was never leading anywhere anyway, so I might as
well get out now before I get seriously hurt. Love cannot grow without risk,
and nothing is worth risking without love.
My brain hurts from all my toing
and froing, and I wish I could remove it, clean it up, and put it back in minus
all this newfound confusion that I’m not overly fond of.

“So?” Jenna asks.

She’s been so quiet I’d actually forgotten
she was here. My inner coward is all for walking away from this, but Vin’s
words from last night come back to me. There’s much I can’t control in my life,
but there are certain things I can accept responsibility for. I need to start facing
up to things and not shutting everyone out or locking everything up inside.

I draw a calming breath. “I’m going to
message him and tell him the truth.”

“Atta girl,” Jenna says proudly. “I’ll
leave you to it.”

She is already walking toward the door.

“Wait up.” I climb off the bed. “I need to
talk to you about something else.” I’ve been so engrossed in my own woes that
I’d forgotten all about The Hulk. She slouches against the doorjamb as I
approach. “How well do you know that guy you were talking to in the kitchen
last night?”

Her expression shows her surprise. “Not
well. Last night was the first time I spoke to him. Why?”

 “This is going to sound odd, but I’ve run
into him too, and I don’t like him or the vibes he gives off. I don’t think
he’s a good guy, Jen. I think you should steer clear of him.”

Thick lines furrow her brow. “How come? I
thought he was charming and super-hot. He was really nice.”

I arrange my features into a neutral line
though I feel like knocking some sense into her. “But what about that incident
with Odie? Didn’t you think that was strange?”

She holds her chin between her thumb and
forefinger while she thinks. “Honestly, Sadie? I don’t know what you mean. Odie
was a little pissed because I was laughing with Dante, but he’s cool now. We’re
cool.”

Dante, huh? That’s far too nice of a name
for a creep like him. Jenna’s words throw me out of sync, and at once, I start
questioning myself. Did I make a big deal of the incident without just cause?
Besides my innate instinct, which tells me the guy is trouble, I have no
concrete evidence to back up my claims.

And now I’m doubting myself. Wonderful.

“Maybe I read more into it, but I don’t
have a good feeling about the guy. Be careful around him.” I don’t say exactly
what I want to say because it would come over all weirdly parental, and I’ve no
right to demand stuff like that of her.

***

SO: Logan, I shouldn’t have stormed out last night, and I’m
sorry for not replying to your messages sooner. I don’t have much experience
with this stuff, and sometimes I overanalyze things and jump to the wrong
conclusion. You said I was beautiful, and in the next second you all but took
that back. It felt like you were playing me, and I’m not cool with that. So, if
you’re genuinely interested in getting to know me, then perhaps we can wipe the
slate clean and start over? If not, I’d rather you didn’t contact me anymore.
Best, Sadie.

I’m proud that I had the guts to send a message like that.
I’m not expecting to receive the type of reply I desire when an answering ping
emits five minutes later.

LC: Contrary to what you might
think, all of this is new to me too. I sincerely meant everything I said, and
the last thing I wanted to do was upset you. Can we start over?

Goddammit, now I’m confused all over again.
He seems genuine, but what does he mean this is all new to him? Unless Logan’s
been living under a rock, there’s no way that boy is inexperienced in the game
of love.

Pressing my knuckles to my temples, I wish
I could go to the gym and release all this frustration, but I’m much too afraid
of bumping into Dante to risk returning.

See? This is why I don’t get involved with
boys. All they do is consume you until there’s nothing left of the person you
were.

Tapping out a response to Logan, I suggest
meeting at midnight tonight. I’m determined that our four a.m. chats are a
thing of the past, because sleep deprivation isn’t helping me keep a clear head
at all. The library isn’t that popular at night, so we should still have
privacy to talk.

The rest of the day passes by in
predictable normalcy, and I’m grateful for small mercies.

I’m hanging with Neve, Odie, and Jenna in
the living room after dinner when Dante shows up. I shudder uncontrollably. I
absolutely loathe the effect he has on me. He literally makes me want to unzip
my skin and withdraw into myself.

He’s hot
.
The thought pops into my mind, unwanted and entirely unbelievable. Any
attractiveness on the outside is more than negated by the ugliness on the
inside. I furtively glance sideways, certain someone is whispering nasty
untruths in my ear, but the only people positioned anywhere near me are my
friends.

Neve surveys me curiously and I mouth,
“What?” She shakes her head dismissively. Jenna is sloped against Odie, and
they are half-seated, half-lying on the front end of the couch. They’re
immersed in their own little romantic bubble, not paying any attention to
anyone or anything in the room.

Dante stares intrusively at me, and I
squirm in my seat. He smirks before switching his attention to Jenna. Shucking
out of Odie’s embrace, she saunters toward Dante, her wide grin expanding with
each step. Odie calls after her, but she’s oblivious. Dante drapes his arm
around her waist before escorting her swiftly out of the room. I sit ramrod
straight on the couch, shock written all over my face.

I knew it! I wasn’t imagining things,
which means Jenna blew me off earlier on purpose. The only logical explanation
is she intends to date both guys, but I don’t understand how she has the
audacity to be so transparent. It’s more than brazen. Odie’s fists clench and
unclench at his side, and his look is murderous.

“Are you okay?” I slide down the couch
alongside him.

“Am I going crazy or something?” He scrubs
a hand over his jaw. “I don’t understand what happened.”

“That makes two of us. What are you going
to do about it?”

His eyes flare momentarily, and then the
fire dies out. “Nothing. Plenty more fish in the sea.” He shoots me a blank
look before walking out of the room.

I glance at Neve, bewilderment written all
over my face. She gives me a one-shouldered shrug and buries her head back in
her book.

The more I think about it, the more I
conclude the environment down here is messing with all our heads. At least when
we reach Thalassic City, we’ll have a vast city to explore and more people to
meet, instead of being imprisoned in a bunch of claustrophobic rooms with a butt
load of apparent whackos.

***

I arrive before Logan and log into our live chat link. A
heady warmth courses through me and I lift my head. Logan’s tall frame is
pressed against the window across the way. He tentatively waves and I do the
same. My D-pad pings.

LC: I’m sorry.

Recalling Jenna’s advice, I look straight
at him. Genuine sincerity is evident on his face.

SO: So am I.

LC: So, I’m intrigued. What’s
with this tarot card obsession?

I look across the water and shrug shyly.
He motions to the screen.

SO: My grandma was a gifted
soothsayer. All the locals went to her for tarot readings. I was fascinated
from an early age, and she taught me how to read the cards, although I only do
it for myself.

LC: That sounds really cool.
What do the cards say about me?

I look over into his teasing eyes.

SO: I don’t know. I haven’t
read my cards since I arrived here. My grandma always cautioned against reading
them too regularly. Some people obsess over it and won’t do anything without
consulting the cards. I tend to only check when there’s something big looming
or when something big has happened.

LC: What do you think the
cards would say about me?

I answer without thinking.

SO: That you’re a distraction
I don’t need.

LC: Wow. Way to let a guy down
gently.

SO: I don’t expect you to
understand, but this opportunity is my only lifeline. I can’t let anything or
anyone detract from my goals.

LC: I understand that more
than you realize, and I’d never get in the way.

Our eyes meet in a serious expression. I’m
shocked to see my hope and fear, longing and desperation, mirrored in his gaze.
While I don’t understand what’s driving his emotions, one thing is becoming
clear. We seem to have more in common than a pure physical attraction.

***

The following morning, I’m in the training room when I get
the shock of my life. My dad has sent me a video request for five p.m. today.
While Vin had confirmed we were permitted one weekly video chat with the
outside world, never in a million lifetimes had I expected to hear from any
member of my family.

Profoundly intrigued, I spend the rest of
the day clock-watching until the allocated time arrives.

“Hello, Sadie,” Dad says as his habitual
worn face looks out at me from the screen.

“Hi, Dad. I wasn’t expecting this.”

His pained expression wounds me more than
I’d like to admit. “No, I don’t expect you were.”

He pauses, apparently struggling to find
the right words. I watch a myriad of emotions wash over his crinkled face.
Flecks of pain shimmer in his blue eyes, and tiny hairs rise all over my body.

He coughs, reclaiming my attention. “I
wish I could’ve said all this to you in person, but I left it too late. I’m so
sorry, Sadie. None of this was your fault, and I shouldn’t have allowed things
to develop as they did. Your mother … she’s just scared. We all were, but
you’ve always been you. Only you. Such a sweet girl.”

I’m horrified when tears start tumbling
down his cheeks. I’ve never seen my father cry before.

“I didn’t know about Thalassic City. Maybe
…” He wipes his jacket sleeve across his face. “It’s time I stepped up and
acted as the man of this household. It’s long overdue. I wanted to set things
right with you first. I hope you can forgive me. For everything. I may not have
shown it, or ever said it, but I love you, sweet girl. Always have and always
will.”

He terminates the call, leaving me a sobbing mess at the
desk. I try to reconnect, but they are strict about the one contact rule. I
don’t know how I should feel, and the muddled nature of my emotions and
thoughts at this precise moment makes it difficult to identify exactly what I’m
experiencing.

Neve kindly helps me back to the dorm. She
leaves under protest, but this is definitely one of those times where I need to
be by myself.

He loves me?
My heart swells with foreign emotion. How many times have I longed to hear
those words, and how often have I been let down? Too many times to count. But
he meant it. I heard it in his tone. I saw it written clearly on his face. My
father loves me.

Wow. I can’t process the strength of the
emotion developing inside me. I need to hear it again, and again, and again.

But something was off and I’m worried.
There was a finality to his words that I don’t like. I hope he hasn’t done
anything stupid. Logging into the scheduler, I submit a request for a Videocon
for next week. I can’t leave things like this.

Although his apology was genuine, the
reason for it is less clear. Was it simply an apology for all the ways in which
I’ve been wronged? Or something specific? And when he said my mother was
scared, what did he mean? I rest my head in my hands, confusion and
exasperation getting the better of me. Until I speak to him again, I’ll just
have to locate some patience from somewhere.

The next ten days fly by in a flurry of
activity. Logan occupies most of my conscious and unconscious mind. We spend
hours chatting in and out of the library. There’s been no more talk of kissing
or me being beautiful, and I’m not entirely sure what the nature of our “relationship”
is, but I’m trying to enjoy his company and not read too much into it.

Vin has started to apply subtle pressure,
so I dedicate a few hours each day to researching Thalassic City and my study
options.

Jenna flits in and out of my life in
between juggling Odie and Dante. I can’t pretend to understand—because I
don’t—but they’ve settled into some kind of informal arrangement. She seems
happy, so I decide it’s none of my business.

Neve and I are spending more and more time
together, and we’re slowly getting to know one another on a meaningful level.
We’re in the library—which Neve has taken to calling “our spot”—both engrossed
in a book when a hankering sigh escapes her lips. I throw a questioning look
her way.

“I’d trade places with Juliet in the
morning.” There’s a wistful look in her eyes as she flips the final page on
Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
.

“But they die, and they never got to fully
enjoy their love. That’s why it’s so tragic.” Marking my page, I close my book
over.

“They experienced the most exhilarating
form of love, and despite the fact it was brief, it’s more than many experience
in a lifetime.” A radiant glow lights her up from inside.

“So, is it better to have
epically
loved and lost than to nurture a different type of slow-burning love that spans
decades?” I pose the question though I’m in need of the answer as much as the
next girl.

“Epically loved and lost,” Neve admits in
a heartbeat, pushing blonde bangs off her forehead. “Have you ever been in
love?”

“No. You?”

“Nope.”

“Seriously?” I’m surprised because Neve is
stunningly beautiful and a bullion. The world is her oyster, so I find it
bizarre she’s never even believed she was in love, at least one time. “How
come?”

“I’ve never felt anything even close to
it. It’s kinda frowned upon in my family.” She whips a hair tie off her wrist
and pulls her hair into a messy tail.

I cock my head to the side. “Relationships
or love?”

Her gaze drifts to the window and she
stares at nothing. “Both, unless there’s something tangible in it. My family is
…” She pauses, striving to find the right words. “They have powerful
connections and set ideas on who we should marry. I don’t get that much of a
say.”

“I don’t understand.” I scoot forward
until we’re knee to knee. “I thought all bullions were free to choose?”

“Um, yes, in theory. But ultimately, my
dad will decide who I’ll marry.” She flaunts a weak smile.

You could knock me over with a feather.
I’ve always envied the bullions their freedom to marry and have children, and I
never considered there was any downside. I’m not sure which is worse: Being
banned from marrying altogether or being forced into marrying someone you don’t
love.

“Are all bullions like that?”

“Oh.” Her head flips around and she looks confused.
“Um, no. Of course not.”

I can’t decide if she’s being evasive on
purpose, but I’m way too invested in this conversation to let it drop. “So, how
come your family is?”

“It’s pretty complicated.” She absentmindedly
runs her fingers over a small mole on the outside of her elbow.

“Try me.” I smile encouragingly.

“My family has ties to eh … government,
and it’s important that we foster strong relationships with other
well-connected families. Marrying the kids off to each other is one away of
achieving that.”

She looks sad and I ache for her. I’m
struggling to find an appropriate response when the sounds of scuffling
distract us both. “What’s going on?” I wonder aloud. An incongruous thud shakes
the outer wall, causing it to vibrate and shudder violently.

Neve’s on her feet in a jiffy, racing
toward the door. “Stars! You’ve got to be kidding me,” she says, the minute she
opens the door.

Darting out behind her, I screech to a
halt and gawk open-mouthed at the scene in front of me. Dante has Odie in a headlock,
and he’s swinging his body from side to side as if it’s some new sport he’s
invented. Odie’s tall, lanky frame slams against the wall, the impact sending
tremors along the entire corridor. Odie swings a punch to Dante’s gut, but it
barely registers, and he continues to slap Odie from wall to wall.

“Stop it!” Jenna shrieks from behind them.
“You’ll kill him!”

Dante persists, swinging Odie around like
a ragdoll, completely ignoring Jenna’s frantic plea.

“Stop right there, Dante,” Vin’s voice
resonates clearly. He runs toward the boys. “Release him.”

Dante flouts his command and proceeds to
pommel Odie on all sides.

Vin places a firm hand on Dante’s
oversized arm. “Let him go.”

He drops Odie to the floor like discarded
rubbish. Twisting around, Dante drives his elbow into Vin’s stomach and propels
him backward. I suck in a shocked gasp as Vin semi-flies through the air,
landing on his back with a heavy thump.

Holy hell. This is bad. Suddenly my Hulk
assessment doesn’t seem erroneous. Dante is pumped to erupt, veins bulging in
his arms, and naked aggression has replaced the caramel color of his eyes.

Neve chuckles beside me, and I stare at
her incredulously. She’s propped against the doorframe, watching the fight with
zealous eyes. “Neve!” I pin her with a WTF look.

Raising her palms, she looks at me
innocently. “What? They’re idiots.” She’s so glib; her tone is reminiscent of a
mother heedlessly explaining away her child’s unsportsmanlike play. I don’t
know who I’m more shocked at—Dante for his violent behavior or Neve for her
obvious lack of empathy.

Vin hauls himself up with a soft moan. He
strides toward Dante who is standing in the center of the corridor as if he
owns it, legs wide apart and arms folded across his impressive chest. Vin is
remarkably calm as he approaches him. While Dante is at least half a foot
taller, Vin refuses to cower down, standing confidently in front of him.

“That behavior is completely unacceptable,
Dante. Go back to your dorm and stay there while I attend to Odie. I will
report your actions to my Supervisor, and he will decide on the necessary form
of punishment. Go now.” A muscle flexes in his jaw, and I’m in awe of how
tightly he’s keeping a rein on his control.

Dante snarls and puts his face right up in
Vin’s. Tension bleeds into the air. “You do that. Not that it’ll get you
anywhere. You should be kissing my ass, you tool.”

My jaw slackens as I stare at him
open-mouthed.

“Come, on, Jenna.” Dante takes her hand as
he prepares to walk away.

“I …” She opens her mouth to protest but
her argument dies on her tongue.

I watch in utter amazement as she
obediently walks with him back to his dorm. Blinking several times does nothing
to clear my vision or my head.

It’s official.

Things are definitely getting stranger.

***

The whole facility oozes anxiety for the rest of the
evening into the night as the aftermath of the incident has far-reaching
impact. You can practically feel the trepidation in the air. Thankfully, Dante
stays holed up in his dorm, but it doesn’t do much to quell my nervousness,
especially considering Jenna is the one keeping him company.

Knowing Dante is in close proximity causes
chills of the worst kind to sweep the length of my body. The dramatic part of
me is fearful he’ll turn axe murder during the night and slaughter us in our
sleep. A powerful shudder grips me, and I try to force all thoughts of Dante
from my mind.

My current fretfulness, however, has zilch
to do with that.

LC: Please, Sadie. I want to
see your face properly.

Logan has spent the last five minutes
coaxing me into giving video chat a go. Anxiety of the worst kind has hijacked
my body and mind, and I’m terrified beyond what is reasonable and normal. It is
ridiculous really, but I can’t help how I feel.

I glance across the water at his pleading
face. The minute he blows me a kiss, I know I’m done for.

SO: ‘Kay.

My hand is quaking oh-so badly as I click
the video icon and wait for his image to load. And then he’s in front of me on
the screen in all his hypnotic hotness. My heart jumps weirdly as he grins at
me, showcasing a perfect set of straight, pearly white teeth.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” My voice comes out raspy, and a
faint stain paints my cheeks.

His face lures me to him like a magnet,
and I melt into the invite emanating from his soulful blue eyes. Long, thick
lashes flicker seductively as he angles closer to the screen. My entire being
strains toward him, my fingers itching to stroke his face, to know if his skin
feels as smooth as it looks. His lips part slightly and my eyes latch onto his
mouth, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him. He thrusts silky strands
of hair out of his eyes with a subtle movement, and I’m transfixed.

We stare wordlessly at each other and
electricity zings through the air. To feel such a strong spark, when we’re not
even sharing the same air, is insane beyond comprehension.

The longer I look at him, the deeper I
fall.

He’s too beautiful to put into words.

“Sadie.” He speaks my name reverentially,
as if it’s too precious to verbalize.

I glimpse him through hooded eyes.

“I know you feel it too.” His eyes betray
nothing but the truth.

“This can’t be real,” I murmur, twirling a
lock of hair around my finger.

He zones in on my mouth and his lips part.
In a split second, my whole body ignites, and I genuinely worry I’m losing
control of myself.

This is crazy insanity and I don’t know
how to deal with it.

“Do you believe in soul mates? A
connection so sacred and profound that one soul instantly recognizes it’s other
half?” he asks.

“Absolutely. But the government doesn’t.”
What
the hell, Sadie? Way to ruin the moment.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
he continues, as if I hadn’t tried to inadvertently quench the scorching flames
sparking between us.

I think of my parents, Romeo and Juliet,
Anthony and Cleopatra, Tristan and Isolde, and the countless other love stories
I’ve read. “Absolutely.” I say it with biting conviction.

“Me, too.” He fixes me with a loaded look
and my insides melt into a liquefied puddle of goo.

Is that …? Does he believe …? I squeeze my
eyes shut. I’m so out of my comfort zone with this guy, but surely nothing that
feels so right can be wrong?

“I can’t wait to feel this up close. Do
you want that with me?”

I pinch myself. Hard. Because I’m majorly
struggling to keep a grip on reality. My head is swimming, brimming, drowning
in his words, his face, and a thousand different emotions he incites in me.
Expectation simmers in his eyes as he patiently waits for my reply.

“I want that with you.”

He tilts back in the chair, smiling
broadly. Two small indents appear in his cheeks. Just when I believe he can’t
get any cuter—any hotter—dimples happen. Yeah, I’m sucker-punched. He has me
and there isn’t a damn thing I could do to stop this crazy train, even if I
wanted to.