Chapter Thirty-Four Hollis
Chapter Thirty-Four
Hollis
The elevator doors sighed open with a light groan, releasing us into a corridor. I was trembling on the inside. It never got easier, learning pieces of my past like they were secondhand gifts no one wanted.
My sweaty palm slipped against Jason’s grip, and he gave my hand a squeeze, anchoring me back to the moment as we walked into the bar. Dark wood, amber lighting, and a wall of windows framed the Alps off in the distance.
The low murmur of voices, the clink of a glass, and muffled wind against the windows hit me as we walked in—right along with the smell of roasted meats, the tang of olives, and sweetness from baked goods.
Two men were posted up at a table near the glass, with Gwen and Easton standing by them. I wasn’t exactly itching to chat with Easton after that awkward talk we’d had in the suite. He shot me a subtle glance over his shoulder and turned away. Same boat of discomfort as me, clearly.
Ryder and Alex had also beat us here, and Alex was snacking on some of the food set out.
Jason murmured as we walked, “You okay?”
I looked up at him and nodded. “You good?” I mouthed. “Not going to take out Easton, are ya?” I did my best to lighten the mood, only partially joking.
He gave me a wicked grin. “The thought may have crossed my mind.”
“Mm-hmm,” I said as we finally joined the others.
The introductions with Carter and Sebastian went by quick. They not only gave off the same vibes, but they also resembled one another. If it wasn’t for Sebastian’s Irish accent compared to Carter’s American one (Texas, maybe?), I’d swear they were brothers.
Carter gave a hesitant smile and politely gestured for everyone to have a seat at a ten-person table, where a massive spread of food had been set out. Steam curled off a platter of bacon and sausage, the scent of oil thick, but it only churned my stomach.
The two hotel owners took their seats at each end of the rectangular table, and the rest of us filled in the seats between.
“Is it just us? Are any of your other people here on standby to help if need be for a last-minute op?” Ryder asked.
“Two men from Falcon Falls are here in the hotel now. They’re ready if we need them,” Carter confirmed, then Sebastian shared that he had men from The League there. “If we have more time and need additional reinforcements, we can call in POTUS’s SEAL teams as well. Or the rest of Falcon.”
That was something.
Sebastian leaned back in his chair, the lazy stance not diminishing the air of authority he wielded. “Your brother declined a security escort. He should be arriving at the gates any minute, though.”
Of course he did. “Julian with him?”
Sebastian quietly nodded before Gwen jumped right into things, announcing, “I was able to locate where Gideon was when he called you yesterday.” She focused on me. “Any idea why he’d have gone to Peru after he’d been in Rome interrogating the Putcheski kid who threw the rave?”
“South America? Not that I—” Ohhh. I held the underside of my chair and sat taller.
I couldn’t remember whether this conversation had happened in front of Delta Shield or not, but yeah, I did know why.
Full-body chills slammed into me. “My family’s protectors are there, doing some type of training.
My brothers thought I chose to go to Rome when I did because my personal protector wouldn’t know what I was up to, since he’d be off-grid. ”
The room fell quiet as everyone processed, as I processed what my brother’s trip there might mean.
Gwen tucked her wavy blonde hair behind her ears.
She looked to be in her mid to late twenties.
Smart, young, British, and beautiful. “What if your protector learned what you planned to do in Rome, and he didn’t go to South America as planned?
” she suggested. “What if he was the one with you in Rome? People assumed you were together intimately at the rave, but instead, he was just having your back. Your protector had to be the one who helped you escape, but then . . .”
“Then I was captured somewhere on the street level after I left that crypt.” I peered at Jason, knowing exactly what this meant.
“What if he died so I could live?” Oh God.
I let go of the chair, fisting my hands on my lap.
“I went there in secret. I was reckless for doing that, and someone may have died because of me.”
Yesterday, I’d known there was a possibility that whoever I was with at the rave could be in danger, or even worse off . . . but I’d been so focused on my feelings for Jason I’d put blinders on.
I stood, and the chair legs screeched against the polished stone, the sound sharp as nausea climbed my throat. The room tilted like the ground had given away beneath me.
“You don’t know that for sure,” Jason said in a firm voice, rising when I did. “And if it was him, he could still be alive. You are. We don’t know anything yet.” The edge of tension in his shoulders moved up his neck and into his face.
“Well, your brothers are pulling in now,” Carter announced. “We can ask Gideon ourselves.”
If my pulse wasn’t skyrocketing before, it was through the roof now.
Over the phone, Sebastian instructed, “Escort them up.” He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders back as if preparing for a possible fight.
Jeez, I hope not.
“What’s the play?” Carter asked, eyes on Ryder. “How do you want to do this? This is your op.”
Ryder remained seated alongside Alex, resting his hand on his jaw as he stared at his plate.
“He needs us, or he wouldn’t be here. The fact he hopped on a flight to Peru after showing that photo .
. . he’s not our guy. He’s not behind this.
It’d make no sense for him to be.” He surveyed everyone at the table before shooting Jason, then me, a questioning look.
“I’m in agreement,” Jason said steadily.
“And I need Julian’s help if we’re going to pull off the impossible and undo what’s not supposed to be undoable with his source code.” Gwen stood. “I need to see what the bloody hell happened in Rome that night.”
“What do you think?” Jason circled my wrist, not caring who witnessed this side of him.
“I think we have to work together like we probably should have done from the beginning.” I swallowed. “I’m so sorry.”
Jason brought his free hand beneath my chin; his calloused fingers were a steady force against my skin, his thumb grazing just enough to make my pulse trip. “Don’t be. Everything happens for a reason.” Gone was any sign of pessimism from this man, and I needed that. “We’ll get through this.”
At the throat clears by a few someones from the table, signaling we weren’t alone, Jason let go of me, and we turned toward the entranceway.
Julian met my eyes first, a million apologies written in his expression, like he was devastated he hadn’t fought harder to keep me in his orbit with what was going on. His fingers were restless, like he was still half in the digital world.
For the first time since last week, I wanted to hug him.
Even the broody brother, too.
I slowly lifted my eyes to Gideon, and I’d swear the man looked like he’d been to hell and back. His suit was rumpled, and he had shadows carved under his eyes.
Unable to stop myself, I slowly approached them, and they met me halfway.
“Hi,” I whispered, fighting back tears.
Gideon stopped in front of me and set his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said in a hoarse voice, shaking his head. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
“Me too.” An ache built in my throat as I hugged him.
Julian gathered me in his arms next. “Don’t you leave me again, got it?” he said into my ear before pulling away.
I blinked back tears and turned toward the room.
“Carter,” Gideon greeted with a slight bite to his voice. “Sebastian,” he said next.
“Gideon,” both Carter and Sebastian responded in unison, and whether they knew each other from the past or not didn’t change the fact they didn’t seem ready to lower their guards this morning.
Carter’s index finger skimmed his fork handle, as if a utensil was as good as a 9mm. Across from him, Sebastian’s chair creaked as he leaned back, watching my brothers like a patient predator.
“Was my protector with me in Rome?” I didn’t even know the name of my protector yet. “Was he the guy I was with before I went missing?” I faced my brothers again.
“He was. Kylo told his family he found out at the last minute you were going on a trip, and he was worried about you. They had no idea he’s been missing since they’ve been in Peru off-grid,” Gideon explained in a somber voice.
Kylo? I let the name roll around, searching for familiarity. Nothing came, like usual. Just a roadblock to my past.
“I found a flight manifest. He arrived in Rome a day after you did. I never thought to check . . .” Gideon grimaced, clearly upset with himself for missing that.
In his defense, he’d assumed my protector was in Peru.
“Where Kylo went after, I don’t know, since we can’t track him outside the airport because of the corrupted CCTV footage in the city.
And as to where he was taken after you went missing .
. . ? All we know is, his phone was shut off when yours was before the blackout, and it hasn’t pinged since. ”
Julian stepped forward, his gaze laser focused on the table, and I twisted around to see who he was staring at. Gwen, of course. “Looks like it’s time for us to finally meet in person,” he said to her.
I couldn’t help but notice Easton carefully watching Gwen’s every movement as she approached my brother.
“Julian.” He offered her his hand. “Nice to officially meet you.”
“You know, Central Intelligence has you listed as deceased.” She slipped her hand into his.
A wolfish smirk crossed my brother’s lips. “Slight misunderstanding.”
She smiled back. “You don’t say?” I noticed a twitch of her fingers against his, and the room’s hum dulled to a silence so sharp I swore I could hear the catch of her breath before she asked, “You’re him, aren’t you?”
“Him who?” He let go of her hand and dragged his knuckles along his jawline.
Why’d I get the feeling we were invading their privacy right now?
“You’re the anonymous hacker, the one who’s been . . . the one who saved Falcon Falls from dying on that plane when we were up against The Collective. The one who saved us over and over again with your tips,” she sputtered, eyes going wide. “I can just feel it.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but based on the uneasy way my brother was standing and avoiding eye contact with her, he did.
Easton abruptly stood from the table. “You’re him?” A hint of jealousy boomed through his voice. So, not just a shadow, huh? Also, I clearly didn’t need to worry that the guy had any kind of lingering feelings for me based on how he was looking at Gwen. That was something.
“Well?” Gwen folded her arms, waiting for my brother to talk.
From the sounds of it, Julian was a pretty damn-good guy if he’d helped her and Falcon Falls out so many times without taking credit for it.
Julian side-eyed Gideon, and Gideon gave him a slight nod of what I read as permission.
“You’ve been bugging me over DMs for a while now to know who I really am.
” He let go of a deep breath. “Looks like now’s the time.
And I need a favor returned . . . Help me find who the hell did this to my sister so we can find an antidote to get her memories back. ”