Dangerous Lovers

by Becca Vincenza

Roman stood outside by the front door. Dinah had known him long enough to see the tension in every line of his face and body. He did not like leaving her alone like that. His eyes flew to her as soon as she came into view. She sensed the guy behind her stop where his friends were as she continued through the room to where Roman stood.

  “I have a migraine,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll explain in the car, but right now I think we should leave. There’s nothing going on here.”

  “Can you prove any of them are rebels?” he asked.

  She shook her head once.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “In the car,” she repeated.

  He looked down at her for a moment before slowly nodding. It killed her that he trusted her and she wasn’t being one hundred percent honest with him. He called out orders to the men and they began filing out. Dinah walked through the front door, not bothering to look back.

  Pete watched her leave without a backward glance. He didn’t know why that bothered him, but it did. Everyone breathed a little easier as soon as the last solider was gone.

  “What the hell happened in there?” Trent asked, spinning around to glare at him.

  “Nothing,” Pete said.

  “Nothing,” he echoed disbelievingly.

  “That’s what I said.” Pete stepped closer to his brother. Trent might be the older one, but Pete was the General’s second. He worked his ass off to get there too, and he didn’t need anyone questioning him. Trent ground his teeth together but kept silent.

  “So what now?” Seamus asked, eyeing the two.

  “Now, boys,” Pete said, taking a step away from his brother to turn toward the front. “We go to church.”

  Chapter Six

  Michelle dropped down into the chair beside her. Bridgette looked over in surprise, noting the bags under her eyes.

  “You’re late,” she said.

  Michelle sighed. “I know, sorry. It’s been…a long day.”

  Bridgette cocked an eyebrow. “Why? Where did you – ” she stopped, looking at her. “You didn’t…” Michelle’s face scrunched up.

  “Don’t ask,” she said, shaking her head. “Trust me, you do not want to know. Let’s just say, I’m happy I came out of that place alive. I literally thought he was going to wear me out – permanently.”

  “Ew,” Bridgette flinched. “Please, don’t say another word. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

  Michelle giggled, standing up to walk over to her station. Bridgette followed, noting the time. They were both expected to be on in ten minutes. “I got to see Roman Adamson again this morning,” Michelle was saying as she sat down to put her make-up on. Bridgette stood behind her, feeling suddenly uncomfortable at the mention of him.

  “Oh?” she said in her most uninterested voice.

  Michelle looked at her in the mirror, a mischievous look in her eyes. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how the two of you watched each other last night. I’m mildly nearsighted, Bridge, not blind.”

  Bridgette pursed her lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Uh huh, sure you don’t. We can play this game if you want, so long as you know that I know that you have the hots for Roman Adamson.”

  “You’re also mildly delusional apparently,” she said dryly.

  Michelle laughed, dabbing on her lip gloss. “I also saw Weapon X,” she said with a shudder. “He was standing with Roman. I seriously thought I was going to pee myself, I was so scared.” She dropped her hand, her eyes wide in the mirror. “Oh God, you don’t think he could hear me thinking that, do you?”

  Bridgette snorted. “I doubt he was bothering to listen to your thoughts, considering where you were just coming from.” Michelle stuck her tongue out before going back to what she was doing. Everyone was scared of Ludwig’s Weapon X because it was rumoured that he could read minds. Bridgette could understand why this would frighten most people, but it didn’t scare her a bit. Her sister Charlotte had been able to do the same thing. No one understood why, but one day she started complaining about hearing voices. At first her mother thought Charlotte was schizophrenic. Their father had been adamant there was nothing wrong with her, but she continued to insist she could hear voices.

  It wasn’t until the next day that they finally put two and two together. She wasn’t hearing voices, she was hearing their thoughts. It had been strange at first, and a little annoying not to have privacy, but after a while their father had figured out a way to block her out. He would make Bridgette and Charlotte practice every night with each other until finally, one night, Charlotte clapped happily that she couldn’t hear any of her thoughts. Bridgette suspected if she ever did meet this Weapon X, she’d have no problem blocking him out the same way.

  “You girls are up in five,” Sebastian called out.

  Bridgette snapped out of her memories, waving at him so he knew she heard.

  “What are your plans after work?” Michelle asked. “You’re getting off earlier, no?”

  “Yeah,” Bridgette replied. “Donna said I can leave at one. I’m meeting up with McKay.”

  Michelle sighed dreamily. “Have I told you lately how hot your best friend is?”

  “Yes. I’m pretty sure you say it every time his name comes up.”

  “That man is something else.” She hummed. “Definitely knows how to show a girl a good time, if you know what I mean,” she added with a wink.

  “Ew, no I don’t know what you mean,” Bridgette wrinkled her nose in disgust.

  Michelle shook her head, giving Bridgette her patent ‘Bridgette’s nuts when it comes to Pete McKay’ face. “You are best friends with the juiciest piece of meat in the city, and you two are completely platonic. It’s insane, you do realize that right? Any other girl would be all over that like white on rice.”

  “Every girl pretty much has,” Bridgette pointed out.

  Michelle snickered. “Not every girl, Bridge. He’s not nearly as bad as you think. He’s just no angel, which me likey – a lot.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Bridgette whined. “He’s the closest thing I have to family. Please don’t ruin it by giving me anything that can be transformed into a mental picture. I don’t think I can handle that.”

  She laughed wickedly. “Fine. Where are you two going? Can I tag along?”

  “Girls! You’re up,” Sebastian yelled.

  “Come on, we got to get up there. And no, you can’t come.”

  “Boo.” She pouted. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

  Bridgette started over to the lift, calling over her shoulder, “because I say the same thing every other time you ask.”

  Sebastian held out a towel as she came off stage. Bridgette took it with a smile in thanks, faltering when she saw the serious look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just got a call from Garrett,” he said in a hushed voice.

  “A call?” She must have heard that wrong.

  “That doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that the New World army busted the Bull’s Eye tonight. And not just soldiers this time.” He looked around before leaning in closer. Bridgette could smell cigar off his breath and clothes. She wondered, fleetingly, where he would possibly get cigars. She didn’t give it much further thought after his next words. “Roman and Weapon X were there too.”

  “Shit,” she breathed. “McKay?”

  “He was the first up and talking, of course.”

  “Of course,” Bridgette sighed. Could that man ever keep his mouth shut?

  “Roman and Weapon X took him into a washroom alone for interrogation.”

  Bridgette gripped her chest, feeling sick to her stomach. What the hell had he gotten himself into now?

  “Bridgette, listen to me,” Sebastian was saying. She met his eyes, trying desperately to focus over the panic rising inside. If anything happened to McKay…she couldn’t even go there. He was all she had that was family. There was
no way she’d lose him too. “I need you to go to St. Anne’s. Now.”

  She took a step back. “You want me to go to church at one in the morning?” she said incredulously.

  “I don’t want you to, I need you too. Please,” he said. “Things are happening a lot faster than we expected, and right now I need you where I know you’re safe. Everything will be explained there.”

  Bridgette shook her head, looking at the man who had been helping to keep her safe since she started working here. It was funny how no matter how much time you spent with a person, there was still a million things you didn’t know about them. “We,” she said with a tired laugh. “And who would this ‘we’ be, Sebastian? Or should I even bother asking?”

  He gave her an apologetic look. “I know how you feel about – things. And I respect your opinion, but right now I can’t argue with you about it. I need you at St. Anne’s, tonight.”

  “I guess I should just be used to the men in my life dragging me into this shit.” She stomped around him, heading to her station so she could grab her regular clothes. There was no way she was going to church is fishnets and a corset, even if Tommy Boy did just say she looked like an angel.

  “Bridgette,” Sebastian called beseechingly. “Don’t do that, please. Don’t make me the enemy.”

  She spun around, hands fisted at her side. “I don’t make anyone anything. You are the ones who do this to yourselves. And somehow I just keep getting caught up in the mess.”

  “Fighting for a better life, and to save lives is not a bad thing, Bridge. Can’t you see that?”

  She stepped closer, her voice lowered so no one else would know what they were arguing about. The last thing she needed was someone reporting them. “All I see is a bunch of men fighting an impossible fight, and while doing so, putting innocents in danger. What the hell makes you any better than Ludwig Tenebris? ‘Cause from where I’m standing, there’s not much.”

  “Your mother would have given her life willingly for our cause.”

  “Oh yeah? And my sister, Sebastian? What about her? Do you think she was so willing to give her life at sixteen?” Sebastian looked away silently. Bridgette turned without waiting for him to speak again. She grabbed her clothes and headed to the change rooms at the back of the building. She had decided a long time ago that some things were just not worth it. She’d listen to whatever McKay and the others had to say, but she wasn’t getting involved. She lost everyone to this war, she wasn’t losing herself too.

  Roman was exhausted. Often it felt as if his days never ended. It was a wonder he didn’t collapse from lack of sleep. Walking through the halls of the New World army’s main headquarters, he thought about what Lottey had told him in the car and wondered what it could mean for them. How strong was the resistance getting?

  “Ah, there you are.” Roman looked up to see Ludwig walking toward him.

  “I’ve been looking for you,” Roman said.

  “And I you,” Ludwig replied. “We need to talk – now. Get Dinah and come to my private rooms.”

  Roman cocked a brow. “Will there be any more dancers hiding in there?”

  Ludwig laughed. “Not tonight, I’m afraid.”

  “I’m just glad you didn’t take home the other one.”

  Ludwig screwed up his face in disgust. “I would never bag Dinah’s sister. For one, I wouldn’t want her here should they happen to see each other. And for another, I care too much for Di to do that behind her back.”

  Guilt and shame slammed into Roman. Had he not been thinking about Bridgette constantly since last night? What did that say about him?

  “Well, well, well,” Ludwig said slowly, grinning from ear to ear. “Does someone have a crush on someone’s sister?”

  “What? No,” Roman denied instantly.

  “Don’t lie to me. I can see it written all over your face.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Roman held, pushing past him. “I’ll go get Lottey and we’ll meet you in your rooms in five.” Ludwig’s laughter followed him down the hall.

  “Better make sure she doesn’t read your mind,” Ludwig yelled. Roman ignored him.

  Dinah pulled on her boots with a sigh. Just as she had lay down on her bed for the night, Roman appeared at her door insisting she join them for a meeting. Who meets at two in the morning? She needed sleep. Trying to push into a bunch of heavily guarded minds had wiped her out. If she didn’t get rest soon, she really was going to have a migraine.

  She closed and locked her door, heading down the hall, her steps muted by the plush carpet. There were other soldiers milling about, but most of them ignored her. All except one, who sped up to fall into step with her. Dinah looked over questioningly.

  “Hey, Dinah,” he said easily.

  She knew this one. What was his name again? She stared at him, trying to remember. Bobby? Christian? Jacob?

  “Xavier,” he offered.

  Way off. “I know that,” she lied. “What’s up, Xavier?”

  “Just wondered if you wanted to join me and some of the other guys tomorrow night? We’re going to celebrate Ludwig’s birthday.”

  Shit. It was Ludwig’s birthday tomorrow. Also now a national holiday. There was no end to that man’s vanity. She stopped abruptly, Xavier tripping to follow suit. “You’re asking me to go out with you and a group of people?” she asked, clarifying.

  “Yeah,” he nodded.

  How strange, she thought. This was the first time any of the men had invited her along. She literally had no idea what to say. They stared at each other awkwardly, until he cleared his throat, offering her a weak smile.

  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he said. “Just know the invitation is out there.” She nodded. He turned and headed back the way they had come. Dinah looked at the red carpet beneath her feet, realizing how remarkably strange her life really was. Someone asks her to hang out one night and she’s shocked into silence. When she was younger she was always going out with her friends. Now she did absolutely nothing. It was sad really, if she let herself dwell on it, but she didn’t. Shaking off those thoughts, she started walking again, deciding there was no way she was going out with Bobby and his friends.

  “Come in,” Ludwig called out after she knocked. Dinah stepped into the room to find him and Roman sitting before a blazing fire. She had no idea what this building was used for before the war, but whatever it was, she found this room very strange. She didn’t think Ludwig had changed it at all. The walls were a dark burgundy with white paneled trim. Massive windows looked down on the street, draped in curtains of forest green. The floors were a deep brown hardwood, as were the floor-to-ceiling bookcases lining one wall. Everything was dark and manly, right down to the large, wingback leather chairs they sat in. Through the door to her right was his bedroom, but she had never been in there and didn’t ever plan to.

  “Sit down, dearest.” Ludwig motioned to a seat across from him.

  “Did Roman tell you?” she asked as she took the seat.

  “Not yet, he was waiting for you. What happened tonight?”

  “I was blocked out,” she told him.

  “Blocked out? By all of them?” he said, disbelievingly.

  She nodded. “I don’t know how, but I couldn’t get in. One let a name slip, the General, but that’s about it.”

  Ludwig sat back, looking at her closely. “How?” was all he said, but she knew what he meant. How could a group of people manage to guard themselves against her abilities? She really didn’t have an answer for him, unfortunately.

  “We’ll need to look into it,” Roman said. “They knew she wouldn’t be able to break their walls. Someone must be teaching them how to do it.”

  Ludwig looked thoughtful. “This ‘General’, perhaps?”

  Roman shrugged. “It’s possible.”

  “We’ll need to find out more. But how?” He stared into the fire pensively. “There’s one more thing,” he said without looking at either of them. “
It’s why I wanted to meet with you. One of our arms trucks was hijacked on the way to the city tonight.”

  Roman sat forward. “Hijacked how?”

  “The driver was found dead on the side of the road, so we couldn’t exactly ask. The truck is gone.”

  Roman cursed, standing up to pace behind the chair he had just been seated in. “What do we do now?”

  “We figure out what these rebels are up to, and then we make an example of them. Somehow they’ve figured out our delivery schedules, and successfully stole what is mine. This happens again, and there will be a lot of trouble for the people in this city.”

  “It’s not like we’re short on weapons,” Dinah said dryly. They both looked to her.

  “These are our enemies, hiding in our midst. Any advantage to them is a disadvantage to us. It’s unacceptable.”

  “I know.” She hated when he lectured her like she was a child. Like she didn’t know they were in deep shit if the rebels had more weapons in their hands. She wasn’t an idiot.

  “This needs to be stopped,” Ludwig said. He rubbed his chin. “What if you spent more time with them?”

  She and Roman exchanged confused looks.

  “Spent more time with whom?” Roman asked.

  “Not you, her,” he pointed at Dinah. “What if you spent time with these lowers? Do you think you could slowly break down their walls after increased exposure?”

  “I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

  “What are you going to do, just arrest them all and keep them here until she can find her way in? They’ll never break that way,” Roman argued.

  “Not exactly,” Ludwig said. “I’m talking about spending time in a familiar environment, not here.”

  “Wait,” Dinah sat up straighter. “You want me to go hang out in the ghettos, so I can be exposed to them longer?”

  Ludwig smiled at her like she was a child who finally got the right answer. “Make friends, Di,” he said. “Surely you can manage that. Go down there and pretend you’re just one of them. Sit amongst them, laugh, talk, do whatever it is they do. All the while, work away at their walls.”