The Traitor ✓ (Book Six)

Chapter Forty Seven

  "You ever had Tim Hortons?" I ask Maria early in the morning. "I mean, it's been over a decade since I have but from what I remember it's good."

She presses herself further against my bare chest. We've been like this for the past ten hours, only shifting when our limbs went numb a few hours ago.

I never thought I'd find that person I could talk to for hours- because I didn't believe I deserved someone like her. I still don't, obviously- with why we're here.

"Once, but it's been almost a decade for me too." She replies.

I sit up. Yep, that's it.

So here's my story:

I'd just graduated from the academy. Me and Ella( who wasn't a graduate yet, but I'd ran into her in the hallways a few times) bumped into each other again as we were leaving. She was there for her sister(who died later that year protecting the Governor).

"You wanna go... get food?" She suggested. She was so much younger than me, even then. If my memory serves me correct, I was 22 and she was nineteen by just a month. It was a miracle she got through the first stage.

  But back then, I didn't really have standards.

"Sure." I replied. "I've had worse ideas."

  So we did.

  And then we did it again.

  An again until she decided she was done with me. After than, as creepy as this sounds- she was more like a sister to me.... And I can't help but think her death is my fault too. As narcissistic as this sounds, I seriously doubt Lauren ever would have gotten the Vice Presidential nomination if the 2023 incident hadn't happened. Which means Ella never would have had to protect Mina if there was no campaign stop.

  The last day we.... Did what we did, I was assigned to a security detail for a New York senator(not Kyle) on his trip to Canada. He was born there, so he pretty much forced me to try all of the good Canadian trains. Tim Hortons was at the very top of the list, so much so that I got sick of it in the week we were there.

  "Come on-" I lightly pull on Maria'a arm.

  "What are you doing-"

  "We're going to tim hortons. Right now."

  "Alright, let me get dressed first." She laughs.

  Now that I think about it, putting on some underwear would be a good idea. I picture walking in there with no pants.... And getting arrested in a country that knows my face.

  I pick up the ones I was wearing yesterday from the floor. After slipping those on, I pull a random shirt out of my bag. My hair's so short nowadays that I don't have to pay attention to it.

It takes Maria about five minutes longer to get dressed, and then we're finally heading down to the lobby. We're immediately bombarded by staff.

  "Was your sleep satisfactory?"

"Do you have any extra requests?"

  "What would you like for breakfast?"

  "We're going to Tim Hortons but.... Thank you. Our stay has been amazing so far. We'll be here one more night." Maria says. Instantly, relief washes over them. I get the sense that they're struggling for money, just from how expensive they are.

  It's another minute before we get out the door. We look around for any rental bikes outside, but instead are greeted by the hotel's driver- in a limo.

  I could get used to this.

  "Two people? Are you waiting on anyone?" He says, a heavy French accent.

  "Just us." I say. "Thank you."

  He holds the door open for both of us despite my protests.

  "You two paid for the most expensive hotel in Nova Scotia. Use all of the amenities while you can."

  "Oh... it was... just her that paid for it." I say as he starts driving away.

  From the rear view mirror, he side eyes me.

  "Forgive me..... I'm just not used to such a thing in my culture."

  I open my mouth to speak- but Maria physically places a hand over it.

  "Cultures are different. There's nothing wrong with that." She shrugs. " I have been..... particularly blessed with money in my profession and who my parent is. Without him I wouldn't be able to afford this- I might have had to stay at the $10k a night down the street."

  He smiles. "Well good for you then. I am raising my daughters to be able to.... Not rely on a man like my mother did with my father. It takes so long to unlearn the toxic behavior from when we were growing up, don't you think?"

  "Oh god yes-" She replies. "I grew up with only rich people. I thought that was the norm until I was ten and went to public school for a single year. And.... Money isn't everything. I mean it's nice to have but... the connections you make with other people are better."

  I feel her eyes dart to me with the last sentence, and I try to suppress a smile.

  Ten minutes later, we're standing in front of Tim Hortons.

  God it looks so different.

  But this is just a normal part of the modern era,  I guess.

  They've veganized the entire menu because of how small Nova Scotia's flesh eating population is. In some parts of the world( not very many) flesh eating is still the norm, but even there veganism is slowly working it's way in.

  We order three donuts to share and take a seat near the window.

  "Ya know, if we're gonna be spending a lot of time together, I think we should know all of the bad things the other has done."

  "Oh?"

  "Well I told you about my father hit- maning the valedictorian so I could get the spot in both high school and college. I know everything there is to know about the 2023 incident. Is there anything you haven't told me yet?"