Page 40 of Being Bold
Gripping the handle in her fist, she brought it down hard, smashing the microchip until it was unrecognizable.
He didn’t see any wood splinters, but there was bound to be a dent in the table after that. Somehow, he didn’t care. The table was nothing compared to Selene, and with that thing destroyed, she was one step safer.
The constriction that had settled around his chest since he’d heard the words ‘weaponized AI’ loosened a fraction. Knowing no one else would get their hands on the information about the weapon the chip had contained, he breathed a little easier.
Staring at the broken pieces, Yumi spoke softly, “It got damaged after retrieval. That’s what I’ll report.”
With a grunt of acknowledgement, Bo returned the poker to its spot beside the fireplace. One problem down, but how many more to go? “So, how do we find the servers?”
Yumi tucked the ruined chip back into her pocket and sat on the edge of the couch. “I keep looking. I’ve been running covert searches at Saber Tech for nearly six months. My cover’s intact. I’ll return to work tomorrow as if nothing has changed.”
Except so much had. Bo glanced toward the bathroom as he heard the shower cut off. In the span of two days, he’d gone from wishing for death to living with a purpose. All because of Selene.
The pit in his chest was still there, but maybe this mission—protecting her—was a bridge spreading across it. The dark hole lingered, but he wasn’t drowning in it anymore. Something like hope swelled around his heart.
Wary of the feeling, he stomped toward the door. “I’m going to get more firewood.”
???
Selene
Selene looked like crap. Staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, she sighed. Her complexion was off, her skin washed out, highlighting the dark circles around her eyes. If she had more energy, she would’ve used some of the cosmetics Yumi had grabbed for her. But every bone in her body ached. Despite the scalding shower she’d given herself, she still suppressed shivers. It felt like the cold had seeped into her very marrow, making her tired and sore.
Will I ever be warm again?
When she’d fallen into the pond . . .
Selene closed her eyes on the memory, shaking her head against the reminder. She could’ve died—again. Twice in as many days was just too much. This whole situation was getting old. She wanted the freedom to go back to her life. To stop looking over her shoulder.
God, when will I be able to do that?
Her eyes flooded with tears at the possibility she’d never be able to forget all this like a bad dream. She blinked furiously to keep them from falling. As she stared at her reflection, something harsh burned in her gut, the fumes poisoning her with a sickening mix of frustration and anger.
This is stupid.
Feeling sorry for herself wouldn’t help.
Irritated without an outlet, she pushed away from the sink and stalked into the living room to confront Bo and Yumi. “So, what do we do now?”
Bo had been stacking firewood but jumped to his feet at her abrupt entrance. He looked ready to spring into action as if she had run from a threat. But the only threat on her heels now was the thought of forever being on the run.
She crossed her arms with a scowl and waited for one of them to answer her. “Well?”
“Are you all right?” At Bo’s question, she glanced over at him. A line wrinkled his forehead as he studied her.
No. She was most definitelynotall right. Didn’t know if she ever would be again. But she needed answers if she wasn’t going to let that send her into a spiral of self-pity. Ignoring the concern etched on his face, she said, “What’s our next move?”
“Sleep,” Yumi answered, but Selene didn’t care for it.
She glared at her friend. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Bo cleared his throat, as if hoping to break the tension. “You two can have the loft. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Yumi grinned but with a bite. “Or you two”—she pointed a finger at Bo, then Selene—“can sleep in the loft and I’ll take the couch.”
“Yumi!” She couldn’t believe her friend had said that. She tried to give her the evil eye, but Bo’s words broke through her pointed stare.
“That’s not going to happen,” he grumbled in response, and it felt like a sucker punch. Her stomach fell along with her ego.
