Invaded (Alienated, #2)(29)

They let the echo of their boots fill the silence, Elle deflecting each of Cara’s glances in a message that she didn’t want to talk. Cara recognized that avoidance tactic. She’d used it years ago, when Mom had begun her second round of chemo and Dad stopped coming home from his hospital visits. Then Troy had snuck off to join the Marines, snapping Cara’s last tether to normalcy. Her friends had known better than to ask if she was okay.

But when they reached their hallway, it was Cara’s turn to fight for composure. Sitting in the middle of the floor was Troy’s luggage: two military-issue duffel bags and a black trunk with SWEENEY, USMC stenciled on the lid.

Cara’s boot soles clung to the floor. Until now, she’d managed to block out Troy’s departure date in hopes that he wouldn’t abandon her this time.

Troy’s door hissed aside and he hauled another bag into the hallway. Then the real blow came—a cold shot to Cara’s chest that made it hard to breathe.

He’d cut his hair.

Troy’s loose black curls were gone, replaced by the standard military “high and tight.” She remembered his words to Dad on Christmas morning, When in Rome….In Troy’s camouflage uniform and buzz cut, dog tags clinking together against his chest, not a trace of L’eihr remained on him.

Troy’s eyes widened when they met hers. He stood stock-still without saying a word.

“What’s the matter?” Elle asked.

Of course Elle wouldn’t understand. L’eihrs didn’t form family bonds. Genetics only tied them together as strongly as whatever friendship they formed, if any. She and Aelyx were more like buddies than brother and sister.

“It’s fine,” Cara said, keeping her gaze fixed on Troy. “Go ahead. I’ll meet you in a minute.”

Troy took abrupt interest in his bootlaces, crouching to retie the left one. “Hey,” he finally said. “Glad I caught you.”

Glad I caught you. That implied he would have left without saying good-bye if their paths hadn’t crossed.

“Aw, come on, Pepper.” Still bent low, he scrubbed a palm over his fuzzy head. “Don’t look at me like that.”

How should she look at him? With a smile and an easy wave good-bye?

At her silence, he pushed to standing. “I don’t have a choice. Sooner or later I have to go.” His blue eyes bored into hers. “Because I don’t belong here. Neither of us does.”

“I can make a life on the colony,” she insisted. It tasted like a lie, but she had to keep believing.

“Come home with me,” Troy said. “There’s nothing for you to pack. You know everyone misses you, especially Mom.”

His offer tempted her more than she wanted to admit, but she shook her head. “I can’t.” The L’eihrs had almost called off the alliance after Eron died. She was the one who’d convinced them to try again. “The alliance is too important.”

“Plus, you’re in love, right?” Troy mocked her with his tone. “You’re staying here because you’ve found The One.”

“That, too.” She wrapped both arms around herself and tried to blink away the moisture blurring her vision. “Either way, I can’t go.”

Troy turned his face aside and swore loudly. He splayed his hands. “The Marines issue orders, not suggestions. What do you expect me to do, just tell them no?”

A lump formed in Cara’s throat, but she swallowed it and refused to make a sound. He’d leave, no matter what she said. There was no use begging.

“What?” he pressed. “What am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know,” she choked out. She’d made the decision to join this fledgling colony, but Troy hadn’t. She had no right to ask him to stay.

Troy cursed again and braced himself against the wall, letting his forehead thunk against the stucco. For several seconds, he fell silent. Then he made a sudden move for one of his duffel bags. Cara sniffled, preparing to watch him grab his luggage and bolt for the lobby.

But he didn’t.

Troy unzipped his bag and rummaged inside until he found his com-sphere. He mumbled his passkey and connected with his unit on Earth. When his commander picked up the line, Troy heaved an aggravated sigh. “Sorry, sir. I missed my transport. I’ll have to catch the next one in a couple weeks.”

While Cara listened to her brother mutter excuses and apologies, hot tears leaked down her cheeks and made her blind. A few of her classmates passed in a sodden blur, but she didn’t care whether they shook their heads and called her an emotional fool. Let them think what they wanted. She wasn’t alone—at least for now—and that was all that mattered.

Troy shoved his sphere into his duffel and stood, gripping his hips. “I hope you’re happy. He’ll have my ass when I get back.”

Cara didn’t wait another second to lock both arms around his neck. She buried her wet face in his shoulder and took in his scent of cinnamon Altoids and shaving cream. Knowing he’d push away soon, she filled her lungs with him and held it in.

“All right, all right.” He gave her a few token pats on the back and made a show of glancing at the clones passing them in the hallway. “The ladies are going to get the wrong idea. If I’m stuck here for two more weeks, I might as well make the best of it.”