Forced Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #4)(13)

Chapter Four





Oli



I stay with North in his office until long after dark. Instead of watching him work or distracting him in some deliciously tempting way, I get myself set up with one of his many spare laptops. I work my way through the information that Sawyer is slowly feeding me. Sawyer is keen to see if I recognize anyone or if there is anything about the Resistance that raises flags with me, and I’m more than happy to help out however I can.

It's slow and frustrating work, mostly because there isn't much that I find, but it's still better than sitting around doing nothing, and I’m the first to admit that I need the distraction.

There’s a nervous energy radiating through me now that I know that I will be leaving the Sanctuary tomorrow to hunt down and recover Giovanna and Riley. I'm not worried about being hurt or captured, my bond has grown and come into its own so much in the last few weeks that I’m not really scared of anything like that happening anymore, but it’s more the fear of failure that is freaking me the hell out.

Sage’s life depends on this.

I’m not stupid, I know that proving her innocence without a shred of doubt is the only thing that I can do right now to save her life. If there’s even the smallest chance that she’s involved with the Resistance, then she’ll be locked up forever.

If they don’t just kill her instead.

Neither of those things are options here.

I also don’t want to disappoint my Bonds or prove myself to be a liability to any of them. I want them to all know that I can protect myself and any of them if the time comes. Even after clearing out the Resistance from the Sanctuary this morning, I still feel as though I have a long way to go.

Maybe I have some weird-ass praise fetish or something, who knows?

I keep the live video footage of Sage’s cell playing in the corner of my screen the entire time I’m working, just to make absolutely sure that she’s safe there. Just because I can trust my Bonds and my friends with my life and hers, doesn't mean I can trust everyone. There are a lot of TacTeam personnel, council members, and other members of the community living here. While I have no doubt that security will be tight, stranger things have clearly been happening around here. I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to her on my watch.

When North finally calls it a night and closes his computer down, shutting his laptop with a quiet snap, he groans and leans back in his chair until his back makes a satisfying crunching noise.

I startle back into myself and glance over at him, blinking owlishly as my eyes adjust away from the harsh lights of the screen. I hadn't really noticed how much time was passing while I was working. When I glance out towards the window and see that it's dark outside, it’s a little bit of a shock to me.

I open my mouth to make some smart comment about it when my stomach growls, and North shoots a scowl my way.

“Why didn't you say something sooner? We could have headed home an hour ago, or more,” he grumps, and I roll my eyes in his direction.

“I wasn't hungry before. I didn't really even notice that it was dark. Besides, I'm sure it's been much longer since you’ve eaten anything. I’m not so delicate that I can’t handle a late dinner.”

He huffs at me quietly and then stands, packing his laptop away in its bag and then slinging it over his shoulder. It seems like such a mundane and normal thing to do that I almost want to laugh at him. He looks like the calm and collected businessman that I'm sure he wishes he could be. Instead, he is the stressed and overworked councilman making too many big decisions for the entire community. He’s too good at it for his own damn good.

I shut my own laptop and move to put it away in his desk, back where he’d pulled it out from. He catches my hand as I shut the drawer and pulls me into his body, wrapping me up until I’m pressed tightly against his chest.

“We can stop at the dining hall and grab something to eat on the way back.”

I shake my head, my nose rubbing against his chest as I do. “I don't really want to be around everyone right now and be the spectacle for the entire community like I was this morning. I'm sure everybody's heard about Sage, and I don’t want to be fake right now.”

One of his hands runs down my spine in a soothing gesture and he murmurs back to me, “You don’t even have to make nice. That’s my job. You just have to stay alive, happy, stress-free, and, most importantly, mine.”

Possessive Bonded.

“I’m sure it would make your life easier if I was at least civil to them all though. Can we— is there food at home? I’m sure I could throw together something for myself… and you, if you’re willing to eat normal food like a sandwich or eggs or something.”

He scoffs at me and moves me around to tuck me under his arm, leading me over to the elevator and getting us both in there without much help from me. “I can do one better and make us dinner myself.

The streets are quiet as we make our way back to the house. The dining hall is the only real sign of life with its lights on and a small crowd of people still waiting to get in.

North raises a hand to wave at someone who calls out to us, but I duck my head and tuck myself into his side a little closer. I wasn't lying when I said I didn't want to make nice. Today started off as a nightmare and only got worse as time went on.