Page 88 of Spooked

Was that better or worse? Better, I decided. At least she hadn’t suffered quite as much as she might have done.

“I’m so sorry that happened to her. And that you lost a friend.”

“Two friends. I considered Levi a friend too.”

It just went to show that no matter how well you thought you knew a person, they could still surprise you. Look at Meera and Alfie—they were together for years, and he’d still hurt her badly.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was after Ruby’s death that I changed my name. Not only because of the bad press, but out of solidarity with my mom after my parents’ divorce. Vale is her maiden name.”

Which was why Brax understood my identity switch. Our situations weren’t the same, not at all, and we were very different people, but we had these thin threads in common. And love. So much love. This man was it for me.

We’d reached cruising height now, and the plane levelled out. Priest emerged from the cockpit to get himself a drink and say a few words to Ari. His presence made me twitchy. Although he wasn’t looking in our direction, I knew he saw everything. Heard everything. I took Brax’s hand, and he brought mine to his lips.

“Get some rest, Indi. It’s going to be a challenging week.”

CHAPTER32

BRAX

Another delay.

The plane touched down in Nevada, not at Harry Reid International as Brax had assumed it would, but at what looked like a military airfield. The other planes were grey, the vehicles were green or desert camouflage, and the hangars were beige.

“Where are we?” he asked as their plane taxied across the vast expanse of tarmac.

Priest reappeared from the cockpit. He didn’t quite have to duck in the cabin the way Dawson did, but it was a close thing.

“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. Just sit tight.”

A convoy of jeeps appeared, three of them, and the third had more surfboards sticking out of the back.

“Any ideas?” he whispered to Dawson.

“I think we’re at Creech Air Force Base.”

The vehicles parked in a semicircle around the door, and Chase climbed out of the nearest, carrying a leather messenger bag. What the hell? Obviously Alexa was involved with this, but why was Chase on a military base?

A stunning redhead exited the second vehicle, followed by… It took Brax a second, but holy fuck.Jerry?It helped that he’d seen her recently, if only on film. She moved with catlike grace, the sun highlighting muscles in her back that hadn’t been quite so evident in Alexa’s home movie. She’d dressed for…what exactly? Today, she wore tailored shorts in a mushroom colour, a black tank top, and combat boots.

“Do you see who I see?”

Dawson’s reaction was the same. “Holy fuck.”

Jerry said something to the redhead, and they began unloading bags from the second jeep. Several men in fatigues rushed to help them as Priest strolled to the back of the plane once more.

“Who is it?” Ari asked.

“Jerry.”

She pressed her nose to the window. “Which one?”

“The brunette.”

Jerry had worn her hair long during the Blackstone days, but today’s graduated bob suited her. When she pushed her aviators on top of her head and began climbing the steps, Brax rose to greet her. He owed her a debt of gratitude that he had no idea how to repay.

“Long time, no see.”

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