Unravel Me: The Juliette Chronicles Book 2

person.
    And I’m curious enough to ask.
    “Adam?”
    He lifts his head to look up and freezes. Blinks, eyebrows up, lips parted. His eyes travel down every inch of my body, pausing to study the harness framing my chest, the guns slung close to my waist.
    He says nothing. He runs a hand through his hair, presses the heel of his palm to his forehead and says something about being right back. He leaves the room.
    I feel sick.
    Kenji clears his throat, loud. Shakes his head. Says, “Wow. I mean, really, are you trying to kill the guy?”
    “What?”
    Kenji is looking at me like I’m an idiot. “You can’t just go around all ‘Oh, Adam, look at me, look at how sexy I am in my new outfit’ and bat your eyelashes—”
    “Bat my eyelashes?” I balk at him. “What are you talking about? I’m not batting my eyelashes at him! And this is the same outfit I’ve worn every day—”
    Kenji grunts. Shrugs and says, “Yeah, well, it looks different.”
    “You’re crazy.”
    “I am just saying ,” he says, hands up in mock surrender, “that if I were him? And you were my girl? And you were walking around looking like that, and I couldn’t touch you?” He looks away. Shrugs again. “I am just saying I do not envy the poor bastard.”
    “I don’t know what to do,” I whisper. “I’m not trying to hurt him—”
    “Oh hell. Forget I said anything,” he says, waving his hands around. “Seriously. It is none of my business.” He shoots me a look. “And do not consider this an invitation for you to start telling me all of your secret feelings now.”
    I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m not going to tell you anything about my feelings.”
    “Good. Because I don’t want to know.”
    “Have you ever had a girlfriend, Kenji?”
    “What?” He looks mortally offended. “Do I look like the kind of guy who’s never had a girlfriend? Have you even met me?”
    I roll my eyes. “Forget I asked.”
    “I can’t even believe you just said that.”
    “You’re the one who’s always going on about not wanting to talk about your feelings,” I snap.
    “No,” he says. “I said I don’t want to talk about your feelings.” He points at me. “I have zero problem talking about my own.”
    “So do you want to talk about your feelings?”
    “Hell no.”
    “Bu—”
    “No.”
    “Fine.” I look away. Pull at the straps tugging at my back. “So what’s up with your suit?” I ask him.
    “What do you mean, what’s up with it ?” He frowns. He runs his hands down his outfit. “This suit is badass.”
    I bite back a smile. “I just meant, why are you wearing a suit? Why do you get one and Adam doesn’t?”
    He shrugs. “Adam doesn’t need one. Few people do—it all depends on what kind of gift we have. For me, this suit makes my life a hell of a lot easier. I don’t always use it, but when I need to get serious about a mission, it really helps. Like, when I need to blend into a background,” he explains, “it’s less complicated if I’m shifting one solid color—hence, the black. And if I have too many layers and too many extra pieces floating around my body, I have to focus that much more on making sure I blend all the details. If I’m one solid piece and one solid color, I’m a much better chameleon. Besides,” he adds, stretching out the muscles in his arms, “I look sexy as hell in this outfit.”
    It takes all the self-control I have not to burst into laughter.
    “So, but what about Adam?” I ask him. “Adam doesn’t need a suit or guns? That doesn’t seem right.”
    “I do have guns,” Adam says as he walks back into the room. His eyes are focused on the fists he’s clenching and unclenching in front of him. “You just can’t see them.”
    I can’t stop looking at him, can’t stop staring.
    “Invisible guns, huh?” Kenji smirks. “That’s cute. I don’t think I ever went through that phase.”
    Adam glares at Kenji. “I have nine different weapons concealed on my body right now. Would you like to choose the one I use to shoot you in the face? Or should I?”
    “It was a joke , Kent. Damn. I was joking —”
    “All right, everyone.”
    We all spin around at the sound of Castle’s voice.
    He examines the 3 of us. “Are you ready?”
    I say, “Yes.”
    Adam nods.
    Kenji says, “Let’s do this shit.”
    Castle says, “Follow me.”

THIRTY-ONE
    It’s 10:32 a.m.
    We have exactly 1 hour and 28 minutes before we’re supposed to meet the supreme commander.
    This is