Page 4 of Tainted Gifts
Jase frowns a little while looking at a remote in his hand, and then his eyes look up to catch mine for a brief second before looking to a screen that is dropping from the ceiling.
I have to stop thinking. Puppies, cats, puppy breath… ew.
Jase lets a small smile free, and I huff while slinking down in my chair. How is it he is hearing my every thought when there are thousands of other minds in overdrive right now? If he’s that good, then why didn’t he just read Kellan’s mind in the interrogation room when we had him?
“This is the most recent picture we have of Kellan Maverick, and unfortunately, it’s the only one we have on file. Our server crashed a few years ago, and we lost numerous photos and files,” Jase murmurs while pointing to the enormous screen.
I stare at the picture I’ve already seen. I block out the other photo of this man I’ve seen, and Jase’s head turns curiously to me. I ignore him as I analyze the scruffy, dirty man who is stained with dried blood.
His unkempt beard strays across his face, and his hybrid blues hold secrets I know. His lips are almost covered completely by the facial hair that was never groomed while he was in Stringham. His dirty, grungy, dark hair falls to almost touch his shoulders in a shaggy, clumpy sort of way.
This photo is damn near useless. A simple bath would change his appearance immensely.
“I know it’s not much to go on, but it’s all we have for the time being,” Jase murmurs as though he’s answering my inner thoughts, and with that, everyone is dismissed to get to work.
I dart out, leaving Simone behind in my attempt to escape Jase before he tries to continue our conversation as he promised. My head is pounding so hard that it’s difficult to keep my guard up with my thoughts.
Suddenly, my retreat is halted as dark brown hair and false blue eyes stand in front of me. I glare at the woman I rarely see falter, but today, her eyes show the guilt she deserves to feel.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now. I sure as hell don’t want to do it here,” I grumble while barging by her hands-on-hips stance.
“Aralia, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t think you’d get this mad. He’s just the commander. It’s not like I kept something harmful from you,” she whispers while following me up the stairs.
“Just the commander?” I scoff too loudly, and I tighten my lips when I see all the eyes of the adjourned meeting staring at me after my little outburst.
I sprint up the stairs to escape the curious assholes, and I hear the swishing wind as my mother follows my vicious pace.
“I don’t see why you’re so mad,” she huffs, condescension in her tone.
“Of course you don’t. You never do,” I grumble, my eyes deliberately steering away from her penetrating ones.
“Damn it, Aralia, just tell me why you’re so mad.”
I stop retreating and turn to face her, my tears finally burning through the resistant contacts.
“Because I fell in love with a man willing to lie to me just to keep his secret. He trusted you more than he did me. Obviously, I was a fool to think he ever gave a damn, and I hate you for not telling me before I fell so hard. It hurts - physically hurts, - to get up and walk around right now.”
She exhales loudly, her eyes cloaking with tears and her contacts dissolving. Uncle Brazen comes up to usher us into my room before everyone sees our exposed violet eyes.
As soon as the door shuts, my mother sighs out. “I do understand not wanting to be lied to by someone who says they love you.”
Uncle Brazen grumbles under his breath, and then he flops down in a chair while scolding my mother with his eyes. He goes on the defense, speaking to me, but seeming to be focusing his words on my mother.
“He might have been lying to spare you the burden of his position. He has a lot going on at all times. He might have liked how carefree he could feel with you,” he adds insightfully, and we both turn to scowl at him. He slumps down in his chair before mumbling, “Just pretend I’m not here.”
Mom stifles a grin, but I turn to walk away from the both of them, heading to the bed just across from us in the tiny room. I don’t feel like speaking to her right now, and I wish she’d just leave me alone.
“How long do you plan to stay mad at me?” she asks somewhat pitifully.
“I don’t know. It’s still fresh,” I grouse while flopping down on my bed and covering my head with the pillow.
The door to my room opens without so much as a buzz, and I pull back the pillow, expecting to see Simone. My heart leaps into my throat when I see it’s Jase, and I scramble up to sit up and pull my pillow to my chest while crossing my legs Indian style.
“Oh,” he murmurs as his eyes fall on my mother and stepfather. “I’m sorry. I was hoping to speak to Aria alone.”
My mother tightens her lips, and then her eyes shift back over to me.
“I’ll see you after while,” she reluctantly releases, and I just scowl at her back as she and Uncle Brazen leave me alone with the man who broke me.
