The Traitor ✓ (Book Six)

Chapter Thirty Nine

  One time, Emily and I went to the zoo. It was just a few days before they got her- a few days before my life would change forever. I'd managed to get a Tuesday off, something that never happened in the White House. She decided she would do her work that night.

  On the drive there, the streets were nearly empty- another rarity for D.C. She blasted imagine dragons as loud as my car's radio would allow. We were happy, peaceful.

  I remember seeing a macaw, thinking it was dead because it was frozen. The zookeeper told me she was terrified of humans, and that her boss wouldn't let her take it out of the main enclosure because they only had one scarlet.

  That's how I feel now, terrified and frozen. Beside me, Maria's staring, eyes wide, waiting for my delayed reaction.

  As my mouth hangs open, my mind wanders back to the last conversation Lauren and I had. Maybe he'll get lucky because of how influential and rich he is.... But then again she threatened his daughter. Lauren wouldn't really kill him..... would she?

  2023 changed her, and watching President Miller get shot changed her too.....

  I wonder if they're watching me right now, monitoring me to make sure I say the right thing. I realize now just how important my words are. So when he leans forward, I do not interrupt. I do not say anything that would incriminate us, and I let him speak.

"I knew you sounded familiar from the second I heard your voice." He says. "I watched the trial just like every one else in the world with access to a tv.... I just didn't want to believe that governments would lie to us like that. Then when you showed up for the interview without any cosmetic alterations, it was undeniable that I knew you somehow, I just couldn't place it. Then I took a picture of you, ran it through a  system and bingo. There you were- James García. I was angry at first.... I thought about sending one of my guys to do a hit on you but then I also thought.... Ya know, he has more experience with dangerous situations than anybody else. Who am I to judge his past? So I started researching the case more- my memory'd gotten fuzzy because it was so long ago and I read  the only article I could find about Emily..." he pauses to take a sip of water. "She seemed like such a nice woman. Do you still think about her?"

  That is not a conversation I want to be having with you, I think to myself.

  But I hold back. I force myself to be polite, simply because Maria said they're close.

  "Every.... Single day." I admit. "She was.... The first person I was ever truly in love with. When they killed her right in front of me.... Well, it was a while before I felt like life was worth living again."

  "I assume she had something to do with it?" He gestures to his daughter.

  "Dad-"

  "Yeah, she did. Even.... Just having a job again filled up my time, gave me less to think about my mental state." I nod.

  "Well... I can recommend you to one of my business partners if you want. The higher ups are always looking for better security since they.... Get plenty of death threats from environmentalists."

  "That doesn't make any sense-" I shake my head. "You own a one hundred percent green company-"

  "They don't care." He interrupts. "Because we have a past. We used to be as bad about it as Coco-Cola.... So that's what most remember about us. Anyways, you want another job?"

  I glance around the room.

  "Nah. I think I'm just gonna.... Take a few months off of working.... Since I still have someone to bother about her safety all day long. I just won't be getting paid for it-"

  Maria playfully slaps my arm. Her eyes glow when I look into them.

  "So.... When's the wedding?" He jokes.

  "Uh...we....uhm.... Haven't thought that far ahead yet. Maybe one day." Maria replies. She leans on my shoulder, comfortable enough with both of us to do so.

God, The first time Emily brought it up I nearly had a stroke.

We'd just had sex and got so deep in conversation the topic came up. At the time, we'd only been dating for a month so it freaked me out. I immediately sat up, cleared my throat- and told her we'd have to wait a while. She agreed, and agreed not to bring it up again( even though it did just a week later).

I got out of bed, walked across it to my bathroom, and stared myself down in the mirror. My parents were assholes(mostly my dad), but they loved each other. I didn't see a future for myself with that Same type of love, and I still have a problem with it now. For half an hour I hid there, staring at the wall until she let herself in.

Even though she kept promising it wouldn't happen until both of us were ready- I had a hard time believing her. During that time- when Kyle was still the Governor and his relationships were being pulled into the public eye, people got engaged faster. They saw the love in he and Lauren's eyes when they looked at each other and thought "Hey, I deserve that too". and rushed it.

It's not that I thought Emily would pressure me into doing the same- I was afraid I would. And now.... I guess I still am.

Because when I slightly shift, my legs falling asleep- Maria moves with me.

"So-" her dad starts. "Where will you two be living?"

"We don't know yet." Maria smiles.

God, that fucking smile makes me melt every time.

  Here's what I do know:

  Her and I are meant to be together. I don't know how long, and I don't know if that involves marriage...... but if it does I won't  mind.