Keeping Me (Spy Chronicles Book 2)(3)

My voice breaks.

“I trusted him, Gage,” I say, with tears running down my face. “How can I ever trust anybody again after what he’s done?”

I feel a hand on my back, so I lean back a little into Sander. Despite what happened with Nolan, I still trust the guys. They’re not bad. What happened was all on Nolan.

“We all trusted Nolan,” Sander tells me. “Gage and I have known him since we were twelve. He was like a big brother to us. I never once suspected that he... you know. But you can’t let what he did stop you from trusting people. One of the best things about you is how much you love everybody. I like that you’re trusting. Don’t let Nolan take that from you.”

“How can I trust my own judgment, though?” I ask.

“Nolan was a good manipulator,” he says. “But most of the time, you’ll be able to tell who you can trust and who you can’t. Continue to trust your judgment.”

“Bass didn’t trust Nolan,” I say. “How did he know?”

“Bass doesn’t trust anybody,” Sander says. “Not even me, and I’m his cousin.”

“You’re cousins?” I ask, my mouth hanging open as I look at him.

He nods. “His dad and my mom are brother and sister.”

Now that I think about it, Sebastian and Sander do look a little bit alike. Sander has light blond hair and Sebastian has dark blond hair, but they have the same color of bright blue eyes. They’re so blue they almost look turquoise.

Plus, they kind of act alike. They've got the whole sarcasm thing down to an art. Difference is Sander is always joking. Bass isn't. But I should’ve seen it sooner.

“But he hates you,” I say.

“He doesn’t hate me,” Sander says. “Sebastian doesn’t really hate anybody... except maybe Nolan. He just doesn’t like or trust anybody. He likes me, he just didn’t like that I was on a team with Nolan. I suppose he was right, though.”

I look over at Gage. He’s pale white, and he’s hooked up to all kinds of machines. I say a quick prayer that he will pull through this. He has to.

“He’s going to pull through this,” Sander tells me, as if reading my thoughts. “Gage is strong. He’s a fighter. That’s probably why Nolan shot him. If anybody in our group could go up against Nolan, it’s Gage. He really is a ninja, but don’t tell him I said that.”

I laugh.

Then cry.

Poor Gage.

I need him to come through this. I’ve already lost Nolan and I can’t lose Gage too.

“Gage, fight. For me. You’re one of my best friends and I can’t bear the thought of losing you,” I tell him, squeezing his hand. I hope that he can hear me.





Thursday, August 24





Protective.





My dad picks me up from the hospital the next day. All the guys are busy doing something that I am not allowed to know anything about, and even my dad is too busy to hang out. Which seems to be the normal lately. So instead, he’s sending somebody to babysit me.

“This is Jasmine French,” my dad introduces me later that morning, when we get home from the hospital.

My physical education teacher. She is the one who paired me up with Sebastian.

Jasmine French is tall. I’d say about 5’9”. She has blonde hair and light blue eyes. She’s also not that much older than I am, maybe four years older. To be a teacher here, she must be really awesome. Actually, the fact that my dad got her to babysit me says a lot. She must be one of the best of the best.

“She’s my teacher,” I say.

Dad nods. “She’s the best.”

So predictable.

“Why can’t you just bring one of the guys back?” I ask, then look at Jasmine. “No offense. I am just really tired of being babysat and I’d rather be babysat by people I know and trust.”

“They can’t be here because I need them out looking for Nolan,” Dad tells me. “The guys know Nolan best. They’ve spent the last few years with him. Who better to find him?”

“What about Bass?” I ask. “Why can’t he babysit me?”

“I didn’t think you liked him,” he says, smiling at me.

“He’s the one who dislikes me,” I say. “I personally don’t think he’s so bad.”

“Bass doesn’t like anybody,” Jasmine says. “Don’t be too put off by his attitude.”

“It’s okay,” I say. “I kind of like that he doesn’t like me. I’ve never had an enemy before. It’s exciting. But I kind of like him. It’s going to be a fun challenge to get him to like me.”

“I see why you asked me to come here,” Jasmine says, now looking at my dad. “It’s obvious that she needs me.”

“Be good and listen to her,” Dad tells me.

I roll my eyes. “I’m seventeen. I don’t need a babysitter.”

He doesn’t respond. He just walks out the front door, leaving me standing in the living room with Jasmine.

“Want to go shopping?” Jasmine asks.

I look at her, my eyes wide. “Seriously? Like at the mall?”

She nods, and pulls something from her back pocket. She holds it up and I see that it’s a credit card. “Your dad gave me this so I could take you. You obviously need some clothes that fit.”