36. Fae #2
I stay where I am as my fingers twist anxiously together.
Felix stands silently beside me. Eventually Roman moves.
His shoulders rise with a heavy breath before he drags a hand over his soaked face and starts walking back toward us through the rain.
Mud clings to the bottom of his trousers and water drips steadily from his shaved hair.
The second he reaches me I immediately step into him, and his arms wrap around me.
“I’m not going to ask if you’re okay,” I whisper against his chest because the answer is obvious. “But I just want you to know I love you.”
He lowers his head enough for his forehead to rest against mine. “I love you too, Tink.”
His mouth presses against mine and the kiss tastes like rainwater and grief. A throat clears nearby and I glance up to find the priest standing awkwardly near us. His expression is sympathetic.
“There are a few Founder documents that need signing in the office before everybody leaves,” the priest says carefully.
Roman’s jaw flexes once before he nods. “I’ll come now.”
I squeeze his hand gently. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”
“Okay,” he murmurs.
The priest leads us towards the church and as we step inside Roman turns toward the church offices whilst I head down the quieter side corridor near the back of the building.
The sounds of the funeral grow fainter the further I walk until eventually the only thing left is the rain hammering against stained-glass windows.
My heels click against the stone floor as I wring water from my hair.
Then another pair of footsteps echoes behind me.
I turn to find Harding stepping out from the shadows near one of the alcoves and his cold, dead eyes look at me.
I take a step backwards but my spine hits stone and I grit my teeth.
How many more times do I need to get cornered in this fucking place?
“Well,” he says, almost amused. “Would you look at that. The little assassin all dressed in black. It suits you. It does make me wonder when I will next see you wearing it.”
Fear crawls down my spine, but I force my face blank as I straighten against the wall instead of shrinking into it. His eyes drift slowly down toward my stomach before lifting back to my face.
“Fuck off, Harding, your fragile ego is bleeding all over this church.”
“Hmm,” he taps his lips with two fingers, “not the first time someone’s bled here, is it?”
“Fuck you,” I spit.
He tips his head back and forces out a booming laugh before stepping closer to me. His face turns to stone as his nostrils flare.
“You’ve caused this Company a lot of issues, little swallow.”
I look past him, trying to search for the exits.
I’m completely boxed in and I swallow a sigh.
My only hope is that Roman won’t be too long and he will come and look for me.
I refuse to answer as my gaze flicks back to Harding.
I raise my chin and plant my feet firmly on the floor to make sure I’m balanced in case the worst happens.
“You really thought killing Longstaff would end this?”
My pulse starts thudding harder in my throat. Rain lashes violently against the stained-glass windows beside us whilst Harding takes another slow step forward. My fingers twitch automatically at my sides like my body is searching for weapons that aren’t there.
“The Company was rotten long before Bradley,” he murmurs. “And it’ll stay rotten long after him too.”
An uneasy feeling twists in my stomach. Part of me feared this was the case but with everything else going on we haven’t even attempted to see if anything has continued since Longstaff died.
“There are men inside this organisation far more dangerous than Bradley ever was,” he continues. “Men who don’t care that he’s dead because they were never loyal to him in the first place. They were loyal to the machine.”
“What machine?” I demand as every hair on the back of my neck stands upright.
“You should be careful, little swallow,” his eyes flick meaningfully toward my stomach. “Especially now you’ve given yourself something to lose.”
Rage slices straight through the fear. I shove myself away from the wall instantly and step directly into his space.
“Listen to me carefully,” I hiss. “I survived Fisher. I survived being hunted. I survived your precious Founders and every disgusting man hiding behind this organisation. So, if you think I’m about to cower because you cornered me in a hallway then you’re even more delusional than I thought.”
Approval flashes in Harding’s eyes. “You’ve got fire. That’s why they’ll come for those you love first.”
My stomach drops.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” A voice cuts through the silence.
Harding’s body jolts as he steps back and turns around.
Robyn appears at the end of the hallway like a storm.
Her mascara is ruined from crying and her chest heaves violently beneath her black dress as she marches toward us.
She reaches inside her clutch before pulling out a gun and I gasp at the sight of my friend holding it unwavering towards Harding’s head.
“Get the fuck away from her before it’s your blood spilt here,” she barks.
Harding straightens his coat calmly before looking back at me one final time.
“This isn’t over,” he says softly as he walks away.
The silence Harding leaves behind feels almost as heavy as the funeral itself. I stare after him whilst my heart slams violently against my ribs and questions spiral endlessly through my head. What machine? Who else? How deep does this actually go?
Beside me Robyn’s breathing stays uneven as her finger remains steady on the trigger until Harding finally disappears around the corner.
Only then does some of the tension leave her body and the safety clicks back on.
Robyn lowers the gun slowly before stuffing it back into her clutch bag with shaky hands.
The second she looks back at me the anger drains from her face completely.
There’s a heavy awkwardness sitting in the air.
It’s the first time we’ve been alone together since the fight and it feels like a chasm the size of the Sahara Desert has opened up between us.
I offer her a polite smile, not really knowing what else to do as we end up staring at each other in silence.
Fuck this. Roman will probably be wondering where I got to.
Swallowing my pride, I mumble a, “Thank you,” before turning away.
I don’t get very far before Robyn launches herself at me. I stumble backwards slightly from the force of it as her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me down to meet her halfway.
“I’m sorry,” she sobs against me instantly. “I’m so fucking sorry, Fae.”
Shock roots me to the spot before my arms wrap around her. Her whole body shakes violently against mine whilst months’ worth of hurt seems to pour out of her.
“It’s okay,” I choke out. “It’s all going to be okay.”