59. Scarlett
Scarlett
I couldn’t sit still.
The cabin felt too quiet. Not peaceful—uneasy. My skin itched with restlessness, the leather of the seat suddenly too stiff, the hum of the jet too loud. I unbuckled and stood, ignoring Trace’s glance as I stepped into the aisle.
Alden was half-asleep across from us, mouth parted slightly like he was dreaming of something wicked.
Rhett had headphones in, bobbing his head to whatever song he wasn’t going to share.
Kane looked up from a deck of cards he’d been shuffling for no one, eyebrows raised as he was waiting to see what I’d do next.
I moved toward the back of the cabin. The lighting shifted here—cooler, dimmer. Shadows hugged the corners, and every step I took felt like it echoed.
Zeke sat near the far end, arms crossed, a file open on the tray in front of him. His posture was too relaxed as he was looking out the window.
I hesitated. Then dropped into the seat across from him.
He didn’t flinch.
“You planning to stare at clouds the whole flight?” I asked, voice low.
His lips curved—barely. “Better than staring at you.”
I scoffed. “Charming.”
He looked at me then. Fully. As if he was dissecting something he hadn’t finished labeling yet. “You’re restless.”
“No shit.”
Silence fell between us. It didn’t settle. It sharpened.
With hesitation, I broke the silence. “I’m not asking to read the classified files. But where are we going? Why does everyone keep acting like this is some final act?”
Zeke's mouth thinned. “It’s an island. Private. Locked down. Nobody gets in or out unless we say so. You’ll be trained. Watched. Protected.”
“Watched,” I repeated. “You all keep saying that like it’s a good thing.”
“Because in this case, it is.” His voice was low. “There are things coming you don’t understand. And when they do, you won’t have time to catch up.”
I stepped back, my hands falling to my sides. “Then tell me. Help me catch up.”
His gaze softened—just a fraction. “Not yet. You’re not ready.”
My mouth parted, a dozen arguments burning the edge of my tongue, but none of them made it out. Instead, I stared at him, willing myself to understand something in his expression. Some hint. Some truth.
I rolled my eyes. “Why do I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know what’s really happening?”
“Because you are.” He didn’t say it unkindly. Just... plainly. “But that won’t last much longer.”
I leaned back, arms crossed. “You planning to clue me in, or is cryptic asshole your permanent job?”
Zeke’s mouth twitched again. Almost a smile. “You’re stronger than you think, Scarlett.”
“And you’re more annoying than you look.”
He laughed under his breath, then sobered. “It’s not about strength. It’s about what you’ll do when the truth finds you.”
I stared at him.
“Is that supposed to scare me?” I asked.
“No,” he said quietly. “It’s supposed to prepare you.”
The jet shifted, descending slightly. I felt it in my stomach.
Zeke looked back toward the window. “We’ll be landing soon.”
I stood up without a word and walked back towards my seat. Trace was in the same spot, eyes narrowed as he tracked me down the aisle. Alden still asleep, sprawled across two seats. Rhett had kicked his boots up and was texting with one hand, sipping whiskey with the other.
Whatever game we were flying into, I wasn’t playing catch-up anymore.
I was watching now too.
And I’d be ready.
Even if I wasn’t.