Page 87 of Oath
Making a mental note to pick him up some clothes the next time I went shopping, I let the guys laugh. It wasn’t long before we split up. Voodoo and Legend left in one vehicle, while Bones, AB, Goblin, and I took the other. As usual, Goblin and I had the back seat and he was sprawled with his head in my lap while I gave him good firm scritches under his chin.
The action helped with my jangling nerves. Head back against the seat, I stared out the window though I wasn’t really looking at the white painted landscape as they headed east—well, pretty sure it was east.
“Did you guys figure out why Bones’ tracker didn’t work?” It was a random thought, floating up to the top as I tried to focus on anything else.
“Electrical overload,” AB said, shooting a glance at me over his shoulder. “They also had jamming equipment in that place. Not ideal, but we’ll work out something that isn’t so easily fried.”
“It wasn’t easily fried,” Bones commented. “They used a lot of electricity.”
I grimaced, hating the idea of his torture. Another mile drifted past and the quaky feeling in my gut grew more intense. “What made you guys decide to turn mercenary?” Where that question came from, I couldn’t really say. “I mean, I know you were military. But now you’re not. You take jobs like getting stolen people home, sourcing intelligence and…”
What else did they do? Assassinations? Takedowns? What exactly did you call a mercenary’s various tasks? Their “services”?
For some reason that conjured the image of a website where you could scroll through the various job offerings and optional add-ons.
When neither one answered me immediately, I sighed. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that. My thoughts are kind of all over the place.”
“I don’t mind answering, Gracie,” AB said, glancing over his shoulder again. “But I don’t think it’s the same reason for each of us and it’s kind of a team thing…”
“So, let’s put a pin in it for now and we’ll sit down to a full team debrief after this is done.” Bones cut a look at me in the rearview mirror. “There’s a lot we should all sit and discuss.”
Like what happened later? Or what was happening now? Or…
Instead of settling my disquiet, the idea of a full team meeting regarding their past, our relationship, and what the potential future held just made it so much worse. A chill seemed to settle deep into my bones and I shivered, despite the warmth of Goblin on my lap and my own jacket.
“Have I ever mentioned how much I struggle with patience?” It came out a grumble, a complaint, andalmostbut not quite a whine.
“I would never have noticed,” AB said with absolute sincerity. “You are the absolute personification of stoicism.”
Another snort escaped, and a smile broke out of the nervous cage closing in on me. “No one has ever called mestoicbefore.”
“He’s not calling you stoic now,” Bones said in dry observation. “He’s saying you are the picture of stoicism. Not exactly the same thing.”
“You have a point,” I conceded. “You are far more stoic than I am.”
He grunted, but the faint curve of his lips gave him away. For some reason, the banter helped. Goblin helped where he sprawled against me so I could pet him. AB’s playful looks and easy winks helped. Bones’ terse demeanor and gruff comments helped.
At the same time, I swore I had an entire hive of bees buzzing under my skin. Every mile we traveled away from the airport, the more intense the feeling. My breathing grew shallower, and my pulse seemed to race.
By the time we turned onto a quiet residential street, the houses spaced just far enough apart to give the illusion of privacy, the buzzing in my chest had become a roar. Not bees anymore—this was a swarm. A living, crawling, stinging thing that filled every inch of me.
I couldn’t breathe.
I didn’t realize it at first, not fully. I thought maybe it was just nerves, the anticipation of getting closer, of being backhere, so near Amorette’s life, her work, her world. But when Bones slowed the SUV and AB reached for the garage remote clipped to the visor, the tightness in my throat became unbearable.
My hands started to tingle. Then they went numb.
Goblin shifted in my lap with a little concerned whine, and I barely noticed. The pressure in my chest was getting worse, like a boulder had been dropped on me and I was being crushed slowly beneath it. I couldn’t pull in enough air. My vision blurred at the edges, white blooming in the corners like someone had turned on a too-bright light.
I was dying.
Oh God—was I having a heart attack?
I curled forward instinctively, wrapping my arms around Goblin and pressing my face into his fur. My breath came inshallow, gasping pulls that weren’t helping. The cold air in the car felt too sharp. Like I was breathing in ice.
“I—I can’t—I can’t—” The words barely came out. I felt like I was underwater.
“Grace?” Bones’ voice cut through the roaring in my ears. It wasn’t calm. Not like usual. There was an edge to it.
