Keeping the North

Chapter 4

My heart pounds against my chest. Fear clutches at my lungs, squeezing them dry as I glance around the table at the others. I must not be hearing them correctly...

Zac blinks at Kieran before clearing his throat and holding up his hand. "So, you're saying..." He trails off, shaking his head.

Jordan clears his throat before finishing his friend's question, "We can go South tonight?"

Kieran nods. "Yeah. We aren't going to be able to get any more information, so it's do or die time."

I choke on oxygen, spine straightening in the chair. My entire body goes rigid.

"Shit," Riley exclaims, sinking onto the seat beside me. Even he looks unsure.

I draw in a short, shaky breath before placing my hands on the table and winding them together tightly. Riley's gaze drops towards them before he shifts forwards in his chair. A small, barely there touch grazes my thigh before his hand settles firmer atop the muscle. He squeezes once, before his finger begins trailing calming circles, pleading with me to relax.

He thinks I can do this. He's not worried about the state of North being left in my hands. He wants me to relax.

"Plus," Kieran adds, "with what Anna told us about the Enforcer patterns, they should have less down at the wall tonight."

I clench my jaw at the words. I'm not convinced that we can trust Anna's so-called relationship with one of the Enforcers. She hasn't exactly got the best track record. And nor do they.

"As long as your so-called friendly Enforcer wasn't tricking you back when you worked for Germain," I pipe up, shooting an uncertain glance to brunette who's standing by the door. 

Anna rolls her eyes. "I'm fairly certain he trusted me."

Fairly certain?

"That's good enough for me," Zac says bluntly, tapping his fingers against the surface of the table. I frown.

"Me too," Jordan comments before smirking at the girl. "Anna has a way with men."

"Don't we know it," I exclaim before a scoff slips out of me. Anna straightens against the doorframe, focusing a glare towards me.

"Alright." Riley's hand slips from my thigh. I instantly miss the warmth, the way it rooted me here. Instead, he lifts both hands into the air, an amused expression on his face. "As much as I'd love to watch you two roll around on the floor and have a cat fight, I think we have bigger fish to fry."

"Agreed," Zac says.

I'm glowering at Riley, not listening to what else is said. A freaking cat fight? Is he serious? He's distracted by what else is being said, staring intently at the group, his jaw tensed, but not in same way mine was a few minutes ago.

His expression isn't nervous. It's determined. He's ready for this. Not letting anything distract him. Or anyone.

My focus snaps down to the table, eyes narrowing in on a knot in the wood. How much dirt has sunk into it. The rot that line the edges.