Page 16 of Wreaking Havoc on my Heart

Feeling vulnerable but oddly safe, I let my words tumble out while keeping my eyes closed.

“I don’t feel powerful. I feel like all I am is a pretty face. A very controlled, pretty face.”

An oddly soft but calloused hand cups my face as a rough thumb slides over my cheek.

“Even the most breathtaking creatures are fierce. How else would they protect their beauty?”

My eyes open, and I gaze into a haze of green that reminds me of the vineyards I grew up in. I swear I can smell the fresh basil as my mother cooks, and hear my sister running through the fields as my brother chases her. Tears spring to my eyes all too quickly at the thought, the memory of when things were good.

“Sometimes people wear a mask for so long, even they forget who they are underneath it.”

“I see you, and you’re so much more than just a beautiful face.”

My hand holds his as we sit there with each other in silence, the world slowly fading away. For once, the rapid thoughts stop. The posture, the need to control, finally stops. We sit there, suspended in time, and nothing else matters. Right now, all I see is him.

Chapter 6

It’s fucking cold on this island at night. I understand why we have to do these searches in the dark, but it’s really getting on my last damn nerve.Who else could hide here? Where could they even be hiding at this point?

Unless someone is living underground, there is no way anyone is left. I haphazardly look through the trees while trying to listen to anything other than my chattering teeth. Nessa flanks me, watching from behind while covering my back. We’ve been at this for almost a week now.

“I don’t fucking see anything.” My voice shakes as the cold starts to get to me. As much as I joke with Laney about going up to Russia, I would really rather never be in those cold winters ever again. The island is bad enough.

“Oh quit your complaining. We’ve been out here for an hour, you eejit.” Shaking her head, she walks past me.

“You know, for someone who tries to hide their lineage, you sure do use a lot of Irish insults.” I smirk when I get a reaction from her.

She scoffs and marches ahead of me, not sticking to our protocol at all. Not that I was following protocol with how little I seem to be scanning the surroundings. My mind is still stuck on my girl.

“Alright,lad,” she emphasizes the word to make a point, “let’s keep moving.”

We continue on for another hour. In that hour, I debate tossing the leather gloves because they are essentially useless. I throw two more fits about the weather all while my teeth chatter louder than a woodchipper.

“For fecks sake, Arrow.” Nessa throws her hands in the air, clearly irritated by my antics.

“Let’s just go, no one is here. I want to get back and talk to my girl.”

I really have enjoyed my time with Nessa. She’s come to feel like a sister. We are always on each other’s case, but as I’ve gotten to know her, I’m starting to see who she really is. It’s what makes me feel comfortable to be myself and not a teacher with her.

It’s also how I found that she’s a talented driver and even more skilled at shooting moving objects. I plan to have her help teach the advanced driving skills course with Damien and give tips to those working on their long-range shooting skills. We have the instructor there, but it’s easier when we can have other students who know what they are doing to be in the car with the ones learning or up in the trees with those shooting.

“You’re a disgusting, hopeless romantic. You know that, right?” she says with a smirk and I nod, knowing it’s fully true. “Go talk to your girl, Arrow. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

I nearly skip back to the teacher housing while calling Boris and Alexi to update them on the sweep and let them know that if nothing comes up by Christmas, we should redirect our resources elsewhere. Alexi hangs up and when it’s just Boris and me, I linger on the phone.

“Something you want to say, son?” I equally love and hate when he calls me that. I love to feel like I belong, but I’mnothis son.

“I want to tell her.”

He lets out a sigh. One that closely mimics the sound of a disappointed parent. I bite my tongue, holding back my words.

“It hasn’t been long enough yet. I’m coming to trust her, but I need to see a little more before we are there.”

I hang up the phone then, not having anything left to say to him. If he wants to dismiss me and the people I care about, I’m going to dismiss him.

Wow, I really am a child.

I shoot Laney a text, telling her to call me. It’s early for her, but I want to hear her morning voice. It’s so cute.

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