The Fortunates (Unfortunate #2) - Skyla Madi Page 0,73

her arm, sliding the palm of his hand up her bicep. He was being irrational, but he didn’t realise how deep his fear of Vince ran until tonight. He was psychotic. Plain and simple. If, touch-fucking-wood, there was a baby and it was Vincent’s…there’s no telling the lengths he would go to take it.

“Stop thinking so much,” Anna said, pulling him from his thoughts. She pressed his glass of whiskey against his chest, her eyebrows pulling into a scowl. “We have work to do.”

∞

The group decided to launch their initial attack in three weeks’ time. The way Oliver described it was less like a rebellion and more like a fun run in case anyone was eavesdropping. He was honest, at least, letting everyone know that some wouldn’t make it. Anna chimed in at the end, informing those present that not everyone would get their hands on “refreshments” (a.k.a. guns) and that there would be a few undisclosed “checkpoints” between the town and the camp. With a long, slender finger she silently pointed out the three weapon stashes on the map along the way.

“Remember,” she announced. “If you’re going to share this information with anyone else, be sure to include the date, time, and the oh-so-important checkpoint locations. One last thing, our event is discreet.” She lowered her voice. “If you’re stupid enough to get caught talking about it, keep your mouth shut. If you’re lucky, we’ll come back for you.”

As she turned her back, the room erupted with murmurs and whispers. All Kade could do was stare at her squared shoulders as she tugged down the map and folded it in her hands. What she said was extremely out of character.

He waited until the room had gone back to its previous mode before he approached her. Unfortunates circulated with refreshments and John continued with his game of Empire against Oliver while another handful of male Fortunates watched. With a hearty laugh, John moved his large gold Fortunate piece in the direction of Oliver’s small silver Unfortunate. Oliver cursed, raking his finger through his blond hair as John pushed the crouching Unfortunate over, taking its square.

Empire was an expanded version of the Old World’s chess. When the world ended, the original families took over a lot of Old World pastimes and reworked them so they fitted in to a New World society. No one really knew what chess was…but Kade did. In fact, his father had an original set in his bedroom, encased in glass. The king was his favourite piece, followed closely by the rook. His father laughed when Kade confessed the king was his favourite. Michael saw the King as weak and, in retrospect, Kade guessed he was. There was beauty in the battle as each piece fought to protect their king. He couldn’t move as many spaces as the other pieces and the moment he was cornered it was game over, but there was a certain desperation about the king, how he’d carry the game long after every piece was captured. That appealed to Kade.

Kade approached Anna from behind. When he was within arm’s reach, he swept her hair off the back of her neck. Her body stiffened at his touch. He planted a kiss on the part of her neck that sloped into her shoulder.

“I’m ready for bed, if you are,” he whispered, setting his glass of whiskey on a tray as an Unfortunate swooped by.

Anna lowered her head and folded the rest of the map. Exhaling, she turned around and looked him in the eye. She was mad and he knew why.

“I’m not ready for bed,” she stated, handing him the map.

He took it from her hands and slipped it into his deep, jacket pocket with a shrug. “All right. So we stay.”

Her violet eyes thinned out and she pinned him with a scowl. “Why don’t you go to bed. You don’t need me to tuck you in.”

Sassy. There was no way he’d leave without her. He’d sooner part with his legs. Kade extended his elbow. “On the contrary. I sleep better when you tuck me in.”

Anna’s eyes softened, a twitch pulling at the corners of her lips. Progressively, she slipped her hand around his elbow and when he smiled at her, she bit hers back and a beautiful flare of pink erupted in her cheeks.

She shook her head, looking away from him. “Stop it. I’m mad at you.”

“Be mad at me tomorrow. Tonight we’re happy.”

BANG!

His heart leaped into his throat. He moved without thought, wrapping