Page 56 of Brightness

Recognition registers on Atomic’s face as he picks up the picture, shining a light with a magnifying glass down over the top of it. “Can’t find a tracking ID. Could try to check for fingerprints, but ours are all over it now. What about the envelope?”

“Came from around the Tampa area, which means nothing to anyone.”

Atomic hums under his breath. “Leave it with me to check into it further, but as you said, we don’t have much to go on. Looks like a dead end. Are you going to talk to Nycto about this?”

I think it through for a moment, then say, “I’ll let it play out for now.” I don’t want this to blow out of proportion, but I do have to admit I feel fucking weird.

Like someone’s watching me.

First someone taking pictures of me and Ivy, now this? That fact is really damn unsettling.

Chapter Fourteen

IVY

A Week Later

It’s been a weird freaking week. With Dash mysteriously gone and Void acting all weird, I know something’s up.

Void’s been jumpy, agitated—almost like he’s afraid of his own shadow. Sure, we’ve been carrying on with our daily routines. He’s even taken me for professional riding lessons. It’s the first time I’ve had to use my fake ID, and I have to say, I got a kick out of that. You’d think doing something illegal would scare me, but all it did was ignite a fire inside me. Made me burn to be this badass woman I’m positive I could be if only Void would let me free in this world.

He’s scared.

I get that.

Of me blossoming.

Of people hunting me down.

But this past week, there’s been a shift in him, since the morning after his fight with Dash. I have no clue what happened, or where Dash has gone. No one will tell me. The thought has crossed my mind that someone killed him for beating up Void. Dash took it too far, I understand that, but surely he didn’t deserve to die for it.

The man was drunk!

But I can’t think like that.

I know these guys. Yes, they’re killers. Yes, they’re what Americans call “1%ers.” But I don’t believe Nycto would do anything to Dash like that. I have to believe he wouldn’t.

In the meantime, I have Void to worry about, and why he’s so bent out of shape. He’s put his walls back up, and they’re firmly in place. He’s hardly talking, hardly touching me. He’s kissed me twice since the fight. I’m not sure if it’s me. Have I done something, or did a problem occur I don’t know about? So, I’ve decided to try and make him feel better. Whatever’s troubling him, whether he wants to tell me or not is up to him, but I want to help him unwind and relax.

When I place the last candle out in my room, the Cell comes across as more of a calming meditation suite than a place Defiance uses to lock people up in. The scented lavender, ylang-ylang, and chamomile candles make light flicker off the walls, and the place smells amazing. I want Void to relax, let him know this is a safe space for him to let go.

I take a last peek around, liking the ambiance of the room, then head upstairs to find Void, who’s slouched on the sofa, sipping on a whiskey. I sigh as I walk over to him. He eyes me up and down, and a brief light gleams on his face before it’s all but extinguished.

I reach down, grab his arm, and yank. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

He doesn’t budge. “I’m comfortable.”

“Don’t be a cunt. Come with me.”

“Ivy! I’ve never heard you say that word.” A small smirk touches his lips as he stands and starts walking with me.

I loop my arm with his. “Well, if you’d stop acting like one, then I wouldn’t need to say it.”

He exhales as we traipse down the stairs to the Cell. Void stops, his eyes focusing on the flickering lights of the candles sporadically placed around the room. His muscles tense as he side-eyes me. “What’s this?”

I let go of him as we walk inside, then turn back to him. “Surprise!”

Drinking down the rest of his whiskey in one swallow, he narrows his eyes in on me. “You tryin’ to be romantic?”

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