Page 6 of Crush & Byte
Crush
I was fucked.Completely and utterly fucked.
I stared at the blank screen where River’s face had been seconds before, a face that had no business crawling under my skin the way it had.Those wide, honest eyes.That nervous little half smile when she’d tried to act brave.The way she tucked her hair behind her ear without even realizing she was doing it.
“You look like someone just punched you in the dick,” Byte said, leaning back in his chair with a knowing smirk.“She’s cute.”
I grunted, refusing to give him the satisfaction.“She’s a complication we don’t need.”
“Bullshit.You were practically drooling through the screen.”
“Focus, Byte.”I pulled up the secure messaging app on my laptop and started typing to Wylde at the Iron Tzars.“We need to make sure Wylde gets someone from the Tzars in Castle Rock to that diner on time.I don’t want her sitting there alone any longer than necessary.”
“Because you’re worried about her safety,” Byte said, his voice dripping with mock sincerity.“Not because you’re already feeling possessive.”
“Why the fuck would I feel possessive?”I was totally feeling possessive.Which was going to be a problem if I couldn’t get myself under control.
As always, my brother could read me like a fucking book.“Uh-huh.I’ll remind you of this conversation later.”
I sat in my office, staring at the screen where River’s face had been just moments before.The space was more than our command center.It was home.Our apartment was on the interior of our office and consisted of two bedrooms, two baths, and a combo living/kitchen area.Pretty standard for all the apartments in the warehouses.Two bedrooms so the occupant had an office if he wanted it, but me and Byte lived together.I worked the four years Byte was in high school, then we both headed to the military.Together.So, we used both our bedrooms as bedrooms and our office as, well, our office.
I ran a hand through my hair and kept replaying her voice.Byte would have this call archived, already marked and filed.I considered calling the video back up, but if Byte caught me I’d never hear the end of it.
Instead, I thumbed through the notepad where I kept Maggie’s phrases.My grandmother had a code for everything and a code for the code.She’d prepped us for this shit since we were old enough to tie our shoes.It was a game when we were younger, but when we’d been in the military, her lessons had been invaluable.
“We need to arrange transportation,” I muttered to Byte.“I’m not driving all the way to fucking Washington state.”
Byte shrugged.“We can get her a plane ticket and bring her here.”
I shot my brother an annoyed look.“You know better than that.Maggie wants us out there with this girl.She’s meddlin’ with River’s life.The least we can do is go along to make sure this girl stays out of trouble.”
“Meddlin’ in our lives as much as she is that girl’s.”
I turned to my brother, scrubbing a hand over my face and down my short beard.“How many fuckin’ times is she gonna throw a woman at us?”
“My guess is until she gets some great-grandbabies, but what do I know?”Byte crossed to the mini fridge, grabbed two bottles of beer, and tossed me one.“She’s definitely up to her old tricks.”
“River.”I tested the name, and it felt strange in my mouth.“She’s greener than spring grass, but she didn’t flinch.”I paused.“Not much, anyway.”
“Yeah.”Byte nodded, spinning the bottle on his knee.“She was definitely wired on adrenaline.”My brother smiled.“You could practically see the excitement vibrating off her.She was unnerved but going along for the ride.”He fiddled with the keyboard at his desk.“Looks like she’s at home, according to the phone she’s carrying.”
I sipped my beer and watched the screens.Main gate was clear.Only sign of life was Lemon and Rocket out by the garages, deep in conversation.
“OK, according to the Book of Maggie, the code words River gave us is she’s putting into play Operation Cross Country.”Byte thumbed through the tattered notebook, following graphs and cyphers andphhhhhtt… I always hated trying to decipher Maggie’s code words.Not because it was difficult or time consuming.Because I could never fucking read her handwriting.“Did Maggie send us a file on River?I’d like to at least know if the poor girl’s leaving a job she desperately needs.If so, we can’t take her away from that.”
There was a soft chime and Byte sat up, opening the message alarm from the corner of the screen.“Wylde says the Tzars in Castle Rock will pick her up.Guy named Timber.”Byte typed out a message to Wylde before continuing.“He’ll be bringin’ a cage so she doesn’t have to ride on the back of a bike.”
“He better fuckin’ bring a cage,” I muttered before realizing I’d spoken out loud.I glanced up at Byte to see my brother’s face split in a huge grin.
“Why’s that?It’s just a bike ride.”
“Shut up.”
Byte laughed but didn’t say anything else.
I tossed back the rest of my beer and set the empty bottle on the desk with more force than necessary.My brother’s knowing smirk was getting under my skin.I needed to redirect his attention before he continued digging at my nerves.“We need to get to Castle Rock.Tonight.”
Byte raised an eyebrow.“Tonight?You realize it’s over a seven-hour flight, right?”
