The Order: Hit and Run by Emma Cole Page 0,41

done and am about to demand to be released when he says something I haven’t heard since Kael said it to me last. “Proud of you for not backing down.” I swear the lightest of kisses grazes the shell of my ear as his arm finally loosens.

Uncertainty fills me when I’ve scooted far enough back to be out of arm's reach before I get to my feet, shaking the odd tingling out of my hands left over from the burning sensation before I’d spaced out. Riggs’ eyes narrow on the move before his expression smooths into that same indifferent aloofness he’s carried for most of the time I’ve been here. He knows what’s going on with the tingles, but he isn’t sharing. My nostrils flare as my ire mounts. I’ll figure it out for my damn self. The others seem oblivious to our little exchange, or maybe they’re just used to our antics by now and are turning them out. With their myriad of reactions they have at any given time, it’s hard to decide if they’re trying to rekindle our friendship or if they’re using me for their own agenda. Unfortunately for me, it’s probably a mix of the two.

“I’ll just clean up and meet you all back out here. Ten minutes, promise.” I retreat to my room and rinse off as quickly as possible. There’s no way I want to give them the opportunity to leave me behind.

Chapter Fifteen

Riggs

As soon as Cora closes her door, I turn on my two friends. “Whose genius idea was it to let her touch me? And how the fuck did she do this?” I wave an arm at myself. Even without a mirror, I know my injuries are superficial at most. “There was no healing what they did without possibly draining all four of you, let alone just you three and Cora. And where is Drake? He should have beat me back here.” I’m pissed off and stunned that Cora healed me without killing everyone in the process-- and worried about where Drake has gotten off to. It’s not like him to stray far from Cora if he can help it. The guy badly wants to make amends for his brother and earn her trust back. If I had the balls to believe everything will work out in the end, I'd be right there with him.

"Back up," Jag says, confused. "Where did you go with Tony and Todd? And Drake— he was supposed to be with his uncle, something about a family meeting. If it had to do with us or Cora, I should have at least been notified."

While Jaeger is worried, Blaise is downright pissed, a muscle ticking on his clenched jaw. Injuries happen in the pursuit of the Order's agenda, but today was over the top for a straightforward mission. Or at least it should have been straightforward. Knowing I have to come clean and there isn't much time before Cora comes back out, I sum up the situation as quickly as possible.

"Drake called me as he was leaving his uncle's office. We were supposed to meet up with a couple guys from the Oregon chapter to pick up a packet of information. We were glorified couriers, and Tony and Todd were supposed to follow us, just in case. You know things are still tense with them since their chairman and ours got into it at the last big regional meeting we had?" Jaeger nods, motioning me to continue.

"Anyway, Drake pulls over halfway there and tells me to go on with the others, that he just got information and wants the chance to check it out while we already have a pass to be off school grounds. I agree to cover for him and tell the guys that he’s needed back here. No one fucks with Damien Sr., so they didn't question it. We split ways and continued on to the meeting point— a dumpy ass motel of the freeway. The instructions were simple-- go to a room, meet up with the dudes, and get the packet.

“Except when we get there, it’s one of those places you have to go inside for the rooms. All three of us headed in, but something made me turn right before we did, and there was this man with a camera. I’d have let it go, but when he saw me notice him, he took off around the side of the building. I told Tony and Todd to go ahead because I sure as