Page 48 of Sink With Me

“Hey, I–” my head snaps back at the voice, catching the moment Jasmine freezes in place with another cup of coffee in her hands. I have to cover my mouth with the one I stole so Sam can’t read everything on my face.

“I’m busy.” Sam grinds out without even looking back.

She continues to just stand there with her lips between her teeth. Thankfully, her uniform looks in place for once. Sam’s head snaps back towards her and then at me. Fuck this, I didn’t sign up to be in the middle of some soap opera.

“Just let me know what you can come up with or hear. We’ll hold a meeting if necessary.” I stand as I speak and toss my cup in the trash, stepping to the door and bringing the tips of my boots into contact with Jasmine.

“Oh, and Sharkie will stay, so you might want to make a few amends.”

My shoulders are already squaring as I look down at her over the bridge of my nose. It’s a battle anytime I threaten to kick Jasmine out since the day Sam brought her to us with nothing but her callsign. If she and Cordelia are going to coexist, then I need her to not push buttons to the point her nose ends up broken and I end up in an argument with Sam because his precious flower was hurt. Jasmine’s face visibly turns red.

“She’s the–”

“She understands.” My head turns over my shoulder to look at Sam, but he’s already staring at Jasmine. Like I said, I always know what’s happening in my base, well at least eighty-nine percent of the time. If only walls could talk.

Her head dips down, and I step around her. She’s one less problem now. Now my only problem is that I have a temptress inside my base, but I have to work. Until this is over, I can’t enjoy her like I want to, even then I might not get to, but that just makes the reward all that much sweeter. I’m sure she’s busy watching that awful show and eating some junk, so she’ll be okay. I need to prepare. It’s never a good idea to slow down just because you think you’ve won.

The rest of the day feels like a blur, but so natural at the same time. Everyone continues their duties as they should. Sam told me earlier he needed scouts, which was ridiculous considering he could easily get some recruits to walk the grounds to which he agreed. Moe stayed on my heels all during lunch, begging to let me allow Sharkie to train him. Something about learning different styles? I’m still debating about that, so I didn't give him a proper response even though it was good to see him and know he was just as enthusiastic as always. The worst part of my day? I haven’t seen her once, which is making me feel like I’m going insane.

I swear, sometimes I feel like I have the world on my shoulders, relying on me to fix everything that’s gone wrong or has broken. It’s not even my responsibility to fix it, I didn’t choose this life. I never claimed to be a good man, so I can’t say I regret my choices or actions, but each time I get close just for it to slip away, I feel my sanity slipping with it.

What are the chances I can convince my little shark to give me a back rub without biting me? I crack open the door with one foot on the heel of my opposite shoe, fully prepared to kick them off, but something’s off.

It’s quiet.

“Sharkie?” I call out, deciding it’s best to keep my boots on. I know I have a spacious room, but I’m still able to see most everything from the entryway. It’s picked up in an oddly unsettling way, not a dish in the sink or wrapper in sight.

“You better not jump out with a knife, little siren. You won't like the outcome.”

My heart hammers in my chest as I round the space into the bathroom. Like the living area, there’s not a single thing out of place. Everything is just oddly clean. No clothes are on the ground, instead, they are placed in the hamper, the toilet paper is replaced, and the counters look like they’ve been wiped down.

“Cordelia, this isn’t funny.”

Just as before, there’s no response. I can’t explain the feeling other than how I felt when her life was being pulled under the water. I continue to search the room as if she’ll pop out from under the bed or I’ll at least find a note. Anything, but it’s just irritatingly clean. My hand runs through my hair. It’s late, she wouldn’t be in the mess hall. She knows they don’t have what she wants. She tends to wander, but where the bloody hell else would she go?

Taking large steps, I slam the door behind me. I have no destination in sight, but I have to do something. She has no reason to come back to me, but I have every reason to chase her.

Each hall I storm, the more I feel her slipping through my fingers like sand. Did I push her too far? Surely not. I may have been rough, but I know her like I know my body. I always knew there was a possibility of losing her, but it wasn't supposed to happen yet. I’m not prepared. I don’t know what to do with these emotions, but I can feel them bubbling to the point I think I might punch someone if they come into my line of sight.

Just as I accept the fact, I’m about to have to watch hours’ worth of security footage to find her, I hear it. I’d know the sound of her laugh anywhere, not the forced sarcastic one, the one where it's contagious enough you want to laugh with her.

My steps are quiet, terrified to overpower the sound as it echoes through the cracked exit door that leads to the training ground. Pushing my palm against the bulletproof barrier I see tied up unruly hair bobbing as one body tumbles to the mat on top of another. Moe lunges at the side of the padding balling and relaxing his fist. I can tell he's itching to join in on the action.

I tap my fingers to my chest, calming the anxiety that has caused my heart to pound, sticking to the shadows as I step out into the area. I can’t tell if I was holding my breath that long or if I was just breathing so fast my lungs burned, but it doesn’t matter.

She’s still here.

Date: 5-15-2024

Time: 1821

I roll to my side, taking in Moe’s shocked appearance from the sidelines. He looks like a kid who just got the last damn chocolate bar in a candy shop with a smile beaming ear to ear.

“That wasn’t fair. You cheated.” Jasmine bites out and I roll my eyes. I can’t stand her, or the odd tension between her and Caspian, but I knew Sam wouldn’t help me and she’s the only other person I could think of. I haven't met many people besides them. I tried today but every soldier I came across acted like a stuck-up prick. Go figures, they're Depth members after all.

I guess Jasmine isn’t too bad if you can get past the fact, she’s a bitch. She works hard as far as I can see and oddly enough; she seems more put together today than she has in the past. I let out a huff and stand. It makes me wonder if she's just been a disorganized soldier because no one genuinely worked with her.

“I haven’t learned that move yet. Can I… uh— can I try?” Moe asks, he almost steps on the mat but backs away as if he already expects me to say not yet. It’s one thing showing him things he can learn, but it’s not my place to let him practice them. From what he’s told me, he only trains with Tide and I’d rather not overstep those boundaries. Who have I become? I’ve never cared about boundaries before.

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