Chapter 32
Chapter thirty-two
Mandie
Iexhaled through my nose, rolling my shoulders back. The airlock hissed shut, and the silence that followed was absolute. The team was gone. The Keystone was ours.
And Cassie was out there, trapped in a nightmare, her face flashing across every news feed like a distress signal. My chest ached with the weight of it.
I turned slowly toward Johnny. He was still on the couch, watching the door where the others had exited, spinning the stress ball in his hand. Thud. Catch.
I let my hips sway just enough as I walked toward him. His eyes flicked down, then back up, pupils dilating. Good. He was already half-gone.
"Yeah," I said, stepping closer. The heels of my boots clicked rhythmically against the floor. "Something."
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "You okay?"
A laugh bubbled up, dry and humorless. "Do I look okay?"
His smirk faltered. For a second, genuine concern cracked his mask. "You look like you’re about to set something on fire."
"Close." I stopped just out of arm’s reach. Close enough to see the stubble shadowing his jaw, the way his pulse jumped in his throat. "I look like someone who’s going to ask you for a favor."
That got his guard up. The smirk returned, sharper now. Defensive. "Oh, yeah? What kind of favor?"
I let my fingers trail along the back of the couch, tracing the sleek leather until I was standing right beside him. "The kind that involves you breaking about a dozen protocols."
Johnny barked a laugh, but it was forced. "Weaver, you know I’m not supposed to—"
"Take me to see Cassie."
His body went still. The humor drained from his face, leaving something harder behind. "No."
I didn’t flinch. I just took another step, my knee brushing his. The heat of him seeped through my jeans. "Yes."
"Mandie." His voice was a warning, but his hands flexed against the couch leather like he was fighting the urge to reach for me. "You heard Roger. We stay put. No unauthorized excursions. Especially not to her."
"Especially not to her," I echoed, leaning in. My breath ghosted over his jaw. "Because you’re all so worried about me."
Johnny’s chest rose and fell rapidly. "Damn right we are."
"Then prove it." I let my hand drop to his thigh, fingers spreading over the worn denim. His muscles turned to stone beneath my touch. "Take me to her. Let me see for myself that she’s alright. Or are you just going to sit here like a good little soldier while she—"
"Don’t." His hand shot out, gripping my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to stop the slide of my hand. His thumb pressed against the inside of my arm, right over the serpent tattoo. "You don’t get to play me like this."
From our past encounters, I know he enjoyed it when I acted in a more dominant role, even when he enjoyed resisting. It was perfect that he was the one that stayed behind.
I tilted my head, letting my lips graze the shell of his ear. "Who said I’m playing?"
A shudder ran through him. His grip tightened, then loosened, fingers sliding down to twine with mine. "You’re dangerous, you know that?"
"So are you." I pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, holding it. "But you already know that."
Johnny’s free hand came up, knuckles brushing my cheekbone. His touch was rougher than the others’—less polished, more desperate. "This isn’t a game, Mandie. If we get caught—"
"We won’t." I turned my face into his palm, pressing a kiss to the center. His breath hitched. "You’re Pulsewave. You’re the fastest thing on the planet. Who’s going to catch us?"
His thumb dragged over my lower lip, pulling it down just enough to expose my teeth. "You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you?"
"Not everything." I nipped at the pad of his thumb, hard enough to make him hiss. "But I know how to make you say yes."
Johnny’s eyes darkened. For a second, I thought he’d push me away.
Then his hand was in my hair, fingers tangling in the strands as he yanked me forward.
Our mouths crashed together. He kissed like he did everything else, fast, reckless, trying to outrun the consequences. I kissed him back just as hard, hands fisting in his leather jacket, pulling him closer. He tasted like mint and static electricity.
"Fuck," he groaned against my lips, hips jerking up involuntarily. "You’re trying to kill me."
I rocked against him, slow and deliberate. "No. I’m trying to convince you."
Johnny’s hands slid under my shirt, calloused fingers skimming my ribs. "You’re a terrible influence."
"And you love it." I caught his lower lip between my teeth, biting down.
"Goddamn it, Mandie." His voice was rough, wrecked. "You don’t play fair."
"I don’t play." I pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, breathless. "I win."
Johnny’s eyes searched mine, conflict warring behind the lust. Then, with a growl, he flipped us.
I hit the couch with a gasp, his body covering mine. "You’re insane," he muttered between kisses, lips trailing down my throat. "You know that?"
I tilted my head back, giving him access. "Yeah. And you’re obsessed with me."
He bit down on the sensitive skin just below my ear. "Maybe I am."
"Johnny," I gasped, fingers tangling in his hair. "It is lunch time. She is probably at her favorite sushi place. Please. I'll do all those things you like."
Johnny let out a groan. "Fuck, I am going to get so much heat for this."
Just like that, the world blurred in front of me. One moment I was in the Keystone, the next, I was sitting across from my best friend.
For a second, neither of us moved. The air around me was still settling, displaced by the teleport, leaving a faint crackle that only I could hear.
Then, Cassie’s chopsticks hit her plate with a sharp clack. "Holy shit," she breathed. Her hand shook, knocking her soy sauce dish. Dark liquid sloshed onto the wood. "Mandie? What the hell—?"
I didn’t let her finish. I slid into the booth across from her, thighs sticking to the cool vinyl. The restaurant’s AC was blasting, but I was burning up, the adrenaline from the jump, from Johnny’s hands on my waist.
Focus.
Cassie looked like she’d seen a ghost. Her ponytail was loose, strands of blonde hair sticking to her glossed lips.
"Hey," I said. My voice was rough, like I’d been screaming. Maybe I had, internally.
Cassie’s hand flew to her chest, pressing over her heart. "You—you just appeared. Out of nowhere." Her gaze darted to the space beside me. "Where the fuck have you been?"
I exhaled, forcing my shoulders down. The shirt I was wearing, Johnny’s, was too big. It smelled like cedar and electric static.
Cassie leaned forward suddenly, eyes scanning me, my face, my arms, the oversized shirt. Her anger flickered, replaced by frantic concern. "Are you hurt? Mandie, are you okay?"
"I’m fine," I started.
Cassie made a sharp, wounded sound. "Fine? Fine?" Her voice pitched up. Two businessmen in the next booth frowned at us. "You’ve been gone for forty-five days, Mandie. I filed a missing person’s report. I called every hospital in the state. I thought…" Her voice cracked. "I thought you were dead."
The silence that followed was heavy. I reached across the table, fingers brushing the back of her hand. Her skin was freezing.
"I know. And I’m sorry."
Her eyes burned. "Sorry, doesn’t—where were you?"
I leaned in, dropping my voice to a whisper. "The day I disappeared, I was attacked."
Cassie’s face went pale. "Attacked? By who?"
"Supervillains."
She blinked. Once. Twice. Then she let out a short, hysterical laugh. "Okay. No. What the hell are you—"
"I’m serious." I held her gaze, unflinching. "I was on my way home. Brickslayer, Conductor, and Soulflame came out from the sky and the alley. They were going to kill me, Cas. But then other people showed up. Heroes."
Saying it out loud felt ridiculous. But Cassie’s expression shifted from disbelief to horror.
"Heroes," she repeated flatly.
"Yeah." I wet my lips. "They saved me. Took me somewhere safe."
Her fingers twitched under mine. "And you’ve been with them this whole time?"
"Pretty much."
"Why didn’t they—why didn’t you call me?"
"I couldn’t." I squeezed her hand. "They had to keep me off the grid. The people who attacked me… they were still looking. If I’d reached out, it could’ve put you in danger too."
Cassie’s breath came fast and shallow. "That doesn’t—you could’ve sent a letter.
A smoke signal. Something." Her free hand curled into a fist on the table. "I’ve been losing my mind. Tabitha put me on administrative leave. Victor’s been using your face to push his anti-vigilante crusade.
I had to stand there at that press conference and beg for information like some helpless victim. "
She yanked her hand back, pressing her palms to her eyes. "God, I hate crying in public."
I didn’t move. I didn’t reach for her again. Cassie hated pity.
"Hey," I said, keeping my voice firm. "Look at me."
She didn’t.
"I’m here," I said, harder this time. "I’m alive. I’m not hurt. And I am so damn sorry I scared you."
Finally, she lowered her hands. Mascara smudged, dark shadows bruising the skin beneath her eyes. She looked exhausted.
"You’re sorry?"
"Yeah."
"That’s it?"
I held her gaze. "What do you want me to say, Cas? That I wish it happened differently? That I didn’t spend every day wanting to call you? I couldn’t. But I’m here now."
She stared at me for a long, suffocating second. Then she grabbed her napkin and dabbed at her face. "You look like shit," she muttered.
I barked out a laugh. "Thanks."
"I’m serious." She dropped the napkin, eyes narrowing as they dropped to my chest. "Whose shirt is that?"
Shit.
I glanced down. Johnny’s band tee hung loose on my frame. My face heated.
"A friend’s," I said quickly.
Cassie’s eyebrows shot up. "A friend."
"Yeah."
"A male friend?"
I exhaled through my nose. "Yes, Cassie."
"One of the superheroes?"
"Yes."
She leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms. The fear was replaced by a sharp, dangerous glint. "Oh, this is rich. So you vanish for forty-five days, reappear looking like you’ve been thoroughly ravaged, and now you’re telling me you’ve been shacking up with a superhero?"
"I didn’t say—"
"Mandie." She gave me a Look. Capital L. "I know that face. That’s your 'I made a bad decision, and I liked it' face."
I rubbed my temples. "It’s not like that."
"Then what is it like?"
"There are six of them," I said under my breath.
"What?!" Cassie’s voice pitched up. "Six of them?!"
"Well, I’m only sleeping with five," I said, shrugging.
Cassie stared at me, blinking rapidly. "You are sleeping with five superheroes? Which ones?"
I counted them off on my fingers. "Well, there’s Liquen.
Psychology professor. As hot as he is smart.
Then Riven—drop-dead gorgeous jock, former football star.
Gorath is… well, he’s a truck driver who looks Viking.
Seven feet tall, huge muscles. Then Flexel.
He’s sweet, sensitive, and an artist." I paused on the thumb.
"And let’s not forget Pulsewave. Sarcastic little bugger, but I love him for it. "
Cassie stared at me. "And all these men are okay with this?"
"Oh, yeah. They rationalized the whole thing."
"Mandie. This is crazy."
"No, it’s not," I insisted, leaning in. "Remember our last phone call? I told you what I wanted. I wanted smart but rugged. I wanted banter but sweet. I wanted the hot alpha jock. I couldn’t get all that in one guy, Cas. It’s impossible. So… I found it in five."
She shook her head slowly. "You are insane. Certifiable."
Before I could answer, a shadow fell over the table.
“Excuse me, can I interest you ladies in any dessert?” the waitress said.
“No, we are fine,” Cassie replied.
“Wow, Jawbreaker.” She felt my shirt as she stared at it. “I never see another fan in the wild. What’s your favorite song?”
“We are fine,” Cassie said firmly and gave the waitress a look.
She held her hands up in surrender and walked away. I started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
I smiled. “I never see you get angry with anyone, ever.”
“Well, there is a lot going on. And who grabs at a stranger’s shirt like that?”
Then we had another interruption.
"We have to go."
Cassie jumped. Johnny was standing right beside the booth, appearing out of nowhere, posture rigid. He wasn’t looking at her; his eyes were darting around the restaurant.
"Just five more minutes," I pleaded.
"Who is this?" Cassie asked.
Johnny turned to her, expression tight. "Pulsewave." He looked back at me. "Mandie, seriously. We have to go. Now."
"Wait," Cassie interrupted, face pale. "Mandie, I don’t know if this has anything to do with why those villains are after you, but… Project Titan is a lie."
Johnny’s hand clamped onto my arm. "Time's up."
"What?" I resisted his pull. "What do you mean?"
"It isn’t what it seems," Cassie said, words rushing out. "I’ve been looking into it. We aren’t building an anti-crime system—"
She never finished the sentence.
The world dissolved into a blur of motion and nausea. The sushi restaurant, the smell of soy sauce, Cassie’s terrified face—it all vanished.
My feet hit concrete hard.
I stumbled, blinking against the sudden change in light. The cool, recycled air of the Keystone hit my skin.
"What the hell, Johnny?" I snapped, spinning around. "She was trying to tell me—"
The words died in my throat.
We weren't alone.
Matt stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, looking like a thunderhead about to break. Roger was beside him, jaw set. Sebastian and Donovan stood slightly behind, neither meeting my eyes.
And in front of them all stood Quantum Knight.
He was wearing his helmet, but even then, I could sense the disappointment in him. The silence in the room wasn't quiet. It was deafening.
And none of them looked happy.