Page 6 of Fury

Anxiety soon shoved thoughts of a certain six-foot-three hunk from her mind as they were greeted by guests and thrown into full-on mingling. Hollyn had never been good at small talk. Once, at a banquet, she’d asked an Italian delegate if he and his mother were having a good time sightseeing. It’d been the guy’s wife. Cue her wishing she could melt into the floor.

Blessedly, tonight she was spared most of the chitchat, as her good friends Leila Pierce and Archie Durand found her soon after she stepped into the Grand Ballroom.

“So proud of you, Hollyn!” Leila wrapped her up in a tight embrace before pulling away and brushing back her dark hair with a lace-gloved hand. Flawless, tanned skin from countless beach days, wide green eyes, and a figure that said she spent hours in the gym—which was absolutely untrue—set the woman apart as probably the most stunning person Hollyn knew. She always felt like a nun in comparison.

Tonight was no exception. Leila wore a black evening gown that brushed the carpeted floor and sparkled under the ballroom chandeliers. It hugged curves Hollyn could only wish for. Her friend looked like a princess . . . if you ignored the dress’s side slit, which ran dangerously high up her toned thigh. That was Leila, though. Always pushing the limits.

It was a wonder Leila had even befriended her a year ago.

Archie slid his hands in his pockets. “You really deserve this, Hol.”

He and Hollyn worked closely in the lab, and he was one of her biggest supporters. Always encouraging her. Always ready to step in when she was stumped. He flashed a wide grin, the black glasses he wore tonight matching equally dark hair that somehow managed to simultaneously be long and curly yet perfectly styled atop his head. Hollyn also noted that, while he’d donned a tux, he hadn’t abandoned his trademark Converse. What she wouldn’t give for a pair those now.

“Thanks, guys. I feel like such a fraud, though.”

“Okay, well, we’re not listening to talk like that.” Leila winked at a passing waiter even as she spoke to Hollyn.

“Tonight, everyone finds out what we’ve known for a long time,” Archie interjected, gaze locked on her. “You’re incredible.”

Hollyn didn’t deserve friends like them. Though she’d suspected for a little while that Archie’s intentions leaned more toward the romantic side of the aisle, he hadn’t made a move yet. Which was okay. Very okay. She didn’t feel that way about him.

“Come on. I need a drink.” Leila took Hollyn’s hand and sashayed toward the bar, catching just about every male eye in the place.

Caught up in conversation with her friends, Hollyn lost track of time. Before she knew it, she was standing offstage as Dad introduced her—with not a little bragging—to the crowd. Once he swung an arm her way, Hollyn strode forward. Shaking like a leaf, she couldn’t bring herself to look at the clapping people at dozens of cocktail-style tables, so she focused on Dad.

Just get to the podium and you’ll have something to hang on to.

Forget the podium. Once she was near enough, he gathered her in a firm hug she wished she could stay in. “Knock ’em dead, kiddo.”

“Thanks,” she whispered.

When he pulled back, he knuckled away a tear.

That single thing sparked her own. She wiped at the rogue drop as he bypassed the gold plaque she was very familiar with in favor of a small, velvet box also on the glass stand.

Hollyn’s curiosity was officially piqued. “What . . . ”

“First things first.” Dad’s voice was amplified by the mic as everyone settled. “I know tonight is about the Polaris my daughter has earned with her incredible research and advancement in the field of artificial intelligence, but a dad can’t pass up an opportunity to do something special for his Sparrow.”

The use of the nickname only he used for her nearly sent Hollyn’s tears over the edge. Already it was hard to see him through watery eyes. The crowd’s collective “aww” didn’t help things.

Hollyn opened the box. An elegant gold necklace rested inside. She lifted it out. At the middle of the delicate chain, there was a small gold globe, and slightly off-center from it was the silhouette of a flying sparrow. Like the bird was flying to the world. Oraroundthe world.

These had been her dreams for the longest time—make a serious advancement in the world of tech and see as many countries as she could. She was up to a whopping four so far.

“I’m so proud of you.” Dad’s steady gaze was fixed on her like she was the only one in the room. “The hard work and countless hours you’ve spent honing your craft and making leaps and bounds in your area of expertise are wonderful, of course. No one can deny that you’re a prodigy. But more, I’m proud of the woman you’ve become and the daughter that your mother and I got”—he looked at his watch, and she caught a glimpse of the number tattoo the three of them shared—“eighteen years, five months, and three days—almost four—ago.”

He’d been counting that, exactly? Hollyn couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. They fell hot along her cheeks. Her makeup was as good as wrecked, but she didn’t care.

“You have a strong moral character. You know what you want and you go after it. You’re kind, loving, and you’re beautiful, not only on the outside but more importantly”—he placed a hand on his heart—“here. Never forget how proud your mother and I are ofwhoyou are. And never forget, theworldis at your fingertips.”

The crowd erupted into applause once more as Dad secured the necklace around her neck. He placed his hands on the sides of her face momentarily before picking up the plaque.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur.

When she strode into the cool evening air with her parents a couple hours later, Hollyn couldn’t remember a word of what she’d said in her speech. Could only hope she’d made some kind of sense up on the stage. But the feel of the evening, the slightest breeze in the air—she never wanted to forget. Hollyn was happier than ever that it was February. She loved the chillier months here, even though they were still technically warm. But they were better than August, when she wanted to melt into the ground.

She fanned herself with her hand. The Grand Ballroom had been at capacity tonight, and the heat that came with so many bodies in one room was no joke.

---