Chapter 20
Ettie screams, too, jumping back from her crouched position on the other side of the bed.
“Ettie? What are you doing?” I whisper, watching her wide eyes dip from me back to Hux. In the time it’s taken her to look at us, he has pulled his knife
out, his other arm snaking protectively around my waist to pull me behind him.
“I-I . . . was. . . .” she stutters, and Hux steps closer.
“Answer the question,” he growls.
Ettie holds her hands up, relenting. “I was looking for more books!”
Hux and I both freeze in surprise.
“Books?” I ask.
Ettie looks sheepish, and a little scared. “I was in here a couple of nights ago, snooping because I was bored. I flopped
on your bed and felt something under the pillow. The Lord of the Rings.”
A disbelieving laugh bubbles up inside of me. “You were the one who broke in here?”
Ettie slaps her hands over her face. “I’m sorry. It’s just . . . you know my dad. I can’t risk asking for books around him.
I’d get a lecture, and . . .”
I sit on the bed across from Ettie. I reach into my bag—the one that has miraculously survived everything with barely a scratch—and
pull out my copy of Dracula.
“Here,” I say, sliding it over to her. Her eyes light up as she grabs it. “But don’t sneak in here again, okay?”
Ettie nods, slinking to the door.
“I won’t tell, by the way,” she says, her eyes nervously darting over her shoulder.
“Tell what?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light and failing miserably.
Ettie rolls her eyes. “Tell what. Nice pants, Ripley.”
She opens the door, stopping short.
Ettie jumps, putting her book behind her back. From my perspective, I can see her expertly slide it into her waistband, so
smoothly that I almost miss it. Perhaps Ettie missed her calling due to being the president’s daughter. She could have been
a professional thief.
Only once she’s gone can I see who stands in the doorway.
“Callum,” I say. His eyes are ringed purple with exhaustion. Next to me, Hux tenses, and Callum’s eyes lock on him immediately.
“What are you doing here?” Hux asks.
Callum curls his lip at Hux, apparently wanting to ask him the same thing. “I heard a shriek,” he says.
This looks bad. I know that. Probably because it is bad.
When Callum steps into the room, the door clicks shut behind us. Just the three of us: Callum, Hux, and me.
“What is this?” Callum asks, motioning between Hux and me.
I go to answer, but Hux starts for me. “This is me bringing Ripley back to her room to get her things,” Hux says breezily.
A little too breezily, almost like he’s enjoying the way Callum’s expression tightens at the familiar tone Hux is using.
“You mean you were bringing my fiancée home?” Callum corrects, and I step forward, putting myself between them at the foot of the bed.
“Is she your fiancée?” Hux bites out, and I close my eyes tight before opening them and flashing Hux a chill out look.
Callum crosses his arms and widens his stance. “Whether or not she still wants to marry me is Ripley’s decision. I won’t make
that for her. Even though I’d kill anyone who made a move on the girl I love without her consent. But I know she sure as hell
doesn’t need anyone else to speak for her.”
Callum has a point, as much as I hate to admit it. Hux seems to agree, because he steps back.
“So,” Callum says. “Do you? Still want to marry me?”
I don’t chance a glance at Hux, because I don’t know what his face will betray. I don’t know what mine will betray.
“Ripley,” he says, his voice low.
Unbidden, my eyes shoot up, and a handful of emotions flit across his face as he waits for me to answer. And I don’t. I can’t.
Whatever he sees there, though, seems to be an answer. He nods, smiling humorlessly as he looks down, tonguing his cheek.
“So that’s it. You’re done?”
“I’m hurt,” I answer truthfully.
I swallow hard as I look at Callum. I’m trying to be measured. Be smart. I don’t want to lie to him. But there is so much
more at stake here than our relationship.
“Look. My father just left for the Senate. They’re moving the vote up. To today. I just found out, and was on my way to wake
you and tell you when I heard Ettie scream.”
My mind races, and this time I do look to Hux. His face tightens, and I know he’s thinking the same thing: We have to stop
it. Callum is still talking, thankfully, and hasn’t realized how Hux and I are sharing a look of panic and doom.
“. . . about that, by the way. She’s kind of a total snoop. I should have warned you,” he says, and my heart aches at his ramblings. How it reminds me of the boy I used to know. I hate how easy it is to feel at ease around him. My Callum.
My Callum, who was never really real. Who was built on lies, pretending to believe in a truth that never actually existed.
I force myself to focus on what actually matters. “The Senate vote is today?” I ask.
Callum nods. “At ten. The explosion . . . the copter, my dad thinks it’s proof someone is trying to kill him. Which makes
him think that he must have the votes. And no one argued when he assembled the Senate last minute.”
An idea sparks in the back of my mind. I don’t have time to run it by Hux, so I hope he goes with it.
“I can’t lie anymore, Hux,” I say. Hux doesn’t move, but his eyes narrow almost imperceptibly. I take a deep breath. Here
it goes. “Callum, Hux is a Mach.”
Hux goes stock-still as Callum steps closer to me, moving like he’s going to pull me to safety behind him.
“A Mach?” Callum asks, real fear in his voice. “Like . . . a terrorist?”
I twist, threading myself between Callum and Hux. With one hand, I caress Callum’s chest, worrying his gold camera button
that he wears like a lucky talisman. With the other, I hold up what could be its twin behind my back.
When I feel Hux’s fingers brush mine, and he takes what I was holding, I know he’s understood, or at least is playing along.
Because I’ve handed him the poker chip.
“He was,” I say darkly. “But he’s turned on them, Callum.
That’s why he’s here. He’s defected. He’s not with them anymore.
I . . . convinced him, last night. He’s seen the error of his ways.
He’ll do anything for me. He told me that.
” I swallow thickly. “And I’ll do anything for you, Callum. This was all for you.”
Callum’s eyes dart from my face to Hux’s. He’s a liar. Can he believe that I’m a liar, too? Maybe it’s broken him, these eight
years in the White House.
Because he takes the bait.
“Hux,” I say, laying it on thick. “Tell him what you told me. Right after we kissed.”
“You’re selling me out?” Hux asks, his voice raw, and I can’t turn, because if I see the hurt on his face, I might ruin this
whole thing.
Callum’s face goes tight with a cold sort of victory. He almost grins. “The Machs won’t take you back now. You’re burned.
You might as well tell us, and hope that it’s enough to save your neck.”
Hux takes a breath, like he’s steeling himself for the next sentence. “There’s an attack planned on the vote today. On your
father.”
I pivot, backing up closer to Callum. I look at Hux, widening my eyes slightly.
Play along.
Callum pulls me beside him, and I see Hux’s fists clench at his side. “So you’re not in love with her?” Callum presses.
“No,” I say easily just as Hux replies, “Oh, no. I am.”
My eyes widen even more as I stand next to Callum, who has his hand wrapped around mine. Hux cocks his jaw as Callum tilts
his head, rage mounting in his expression.
“What was that?” he seethes.
Hux doesn’t back down. “I’m done with lying. I’m in love with her. I did turn to your side—but only for her. Because I’d do
anything for her.” His teeth grit. “Even this.”
Callum huffs out a cough that masks his building anger.
What are you doing? I mouth.
Hux gives a wry grin. “But,” he adds, “now I know she clearly doesn’t return those feelings. She chose you.”
Callum relaxes, snaking an arm protectively around my waist. I’m crushed to his side as he presses a rough kiss to my lips.
When we draw back, he laughs and turns to Hux.
“And if we don’t act, my father will die?” Callum asks.
I reach up, brushing a cornsilk curl from his forehead. “Cal,” I say, “think of how grateful your father will be. When you
save him. He’ll owe you his life.” Something sparks in his blue eyes.
“They’ll try and kill him at the vote?” Callum asks. “The Senate?”
Hux nods darkly.
“Then we have to move the location,” Callum says. “Tell the team now.”
Hux nods, moving toward us and then past us, going for the door. Callum puts a hand on Hux’s chest, stopping him. Callum turns his head, his voice low and deadly.
“You might be saving my father. And you protected her. But if I see you near her again, I’ll kill you myself. Do you understand?”
Hux nods tightly, pretending to be chastened. But he winks at me behind Callum’s back before disappearing out the door.
I bite my lip. I have no idea what the plan is now, but I’ve got—I check my watch—an hour to figure one out.