Page 61 of Taken By the Convicts
“An outing on the surface. Except for the two days you and Reece were gone, you’ve been down here non-stop.”
“Has it only been three weeks since you took me?” she asked, the shock on her face clear. “It feels like months. I hate not seeing daylight.”
He’d known it, and he should have found a way to give her time above sooner, but he couldn’t risk it. “You need fresh air, sun, a change of scenery, but we can’t go as far as the med-center. We need to stick close to the bunker and we’ll go as a unit, to ensure your safety,” he said, holding back his frustration. She needed to accept that this was her life now and focusing on the negatives wasn’t going to help her.
She sighed but nodded. She understood. Good. That would make this easier if she understood the risk he was taking. Thatshewas taking. He didn’t give a fuck about himself, but losing her would destroy him.
Jayce and Zev are already above, checking out the area to make sure no one was nearby.
“And Reece?” she asked.
Always Reece. He was the one who made her feel safe. Not that she was wrong. That leather ring on her finger said everything when it came to Reece. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. It’s the reason Ivan sent him to the ridge with the sonic gun Jayce had procured. Crusher would watch over all of them and shoot anyone who came within a mile of them. Melina would have a much-needed break from the drab confines of the bunker.
She remained silent as they left the bunker, as if speaking would cause him to change his mind. It might. He didn’t like taking her above, exposing her to whatever factions could be lying in wait. But she needed a chance to feel the sun and wind on her face. He’d kept her caged below ground for her safety, and he hated doing that to her. Caged. That bunker was little more than a huge concrete cage, and he’d become her keeper.
The fact that she blinked several times on a snowy day told him he’d kept her underground in artificial light for too long. Ivan scanned the horizon, checking for intruders as Melina ran into the snow, twirling with her tongue out, trying to catch snowflakes.
“I haven’t done this since I was a little girl,” she squeaked with such joy, Ivan couldn’t help but watch her for a few seconds. She looked ridiculous and fucking adorable at the same time. He was tempted to join her, but he had a job to do.
Ivan walked a perimeter while Jayce, Zev, and Melina started a snowball fight. He tuned out their laughter, so he could focus on the landscape. He’d be able to spot anyone approaching with enough time to get everyone down to the bunker. He squinted, barely able to make out Crusher on the rock ledge in the distance. Ivan had had to give up one of his prized knives and accept two additional shifts to mine extra serilium as part of Jayce’s trade for the temporary use of the rifle, but seeing Melina laughing and running around trying to avoid being hit by snowballs was worth it.
Without warning, a snowball struck Ivan in the back of the head. He whipped around. Melina pointed toward Jayce who pointed toward Zev, who pointed toward Melina.
Ivan raised a brow. “And you think I won’t take my revenge out on all of you just to ensure I get the guilty person?”
“You’re outnumbered, soldier boy,” his sweet Melina said, with one hand behind her back. He wasn’t a fool. He could see right through her, though he had to admit he liked that she tried to tempt him. It meant she wasn’t mad at him still.
“I’m on guard duty,” he said, schooling his features. He wanted to see her next move, especially as Jayce and Zev slowly inched away from her, expecting Ivan to nail her with a snowball. Or several.
Ivan continued his patrol, only to get smacked in the back this time. The woman had good aim, he’d give her that. But she needed to learnnomeantno.
“Enough, Melina,” he said, ignoring her until she finally resumed throwing snowballs at Jayce and Zev. Ivan crouched down, pretending to adjust his boot. The snow was wet and perfect for packing. Quickly, he molded five snowballs. Then he smooshed them together in one massive snowball. Asnow boulder seemed more descriptive.
“And there you go,” Jayce said, packing another snowball. “Ivan’s got such terrible aim he needs to make a monster snowball. Is that why you can’t keep Melina in your bed, Ivan? Can’t find the target?”
That did it. Jayce wasn’t getting out of there alive.
“Oh, fuck,” Jayce said when Ivan lifted the enormous snowball above his head, ready to launch it at him.
Ivan was going to enjoy this. With all that had been going on these past few months, with Matthews out to kill Jayce and coming close twice, Jayce needed to be knocked down, so he’d come up swinging harder than ever. Jayce needed to remember he wasn’t easily defeated.
As Ivan bent his legs to throw the massive snowball, a pop from a sonic rifle sounded. As pain shot through Ivan’s body, Jayce tackled Melina to the ground, saving her from an explosion of snow that would have drenched her as it had Ivan.
Crusher had fucking shot the snow boulder, making it explode over Ivan. Being close to a sonic blast set off the chain reaction of pain in Ivan’s body. Crusher hadn’t known that would happen; he couldn’t. Even now, as Ivan stood there covered in snow, his hands still in the air as he focused on the pain, Melina, Jayce, and Zev were laughing, having a good time. Ivan refused to let himself double over or show any sign of pain. He wouldn’t spoil their fun, but he needed to start thinking like a leader again, pull this team together, which meant also trusting them with his secrets. Letting them know his vulnerability could mean the difference between surviving or dying on a mission.
Jayce rolled on the ground. “He abso-fucking-lutely crushed you, Ivan!”
Melina bit her lips, trying—and failing—to contain her laughter as she brushed most of the snow off of his shoulders.
“So glad you’re having—” The snow on his head fell into his face. This time, Melina burst out laughing.
Ivan didn’t contain his smile. He couldn’t get over how free, how simply glowing, she was out here. Her laughter alone was worth getting soaked. Nothing, not even the pain, could take away from how carefree she looked. He wanted her to always look like that, to feel safe, loved, and without worries. He’d gladly take that burden from her if he could.
“I’m going to get that fucker if it’s the last thing I do,” Ivan cursed.
Melina stopped laughing, her face filling with worry. Did she think he’d meant his threat against Crusher?
“At least he’s not up there sleeping,” Ivan groused, as he let a brief grin slide onto his face.
