Canvas & Keys

1. Don't Mess With Me When I'm Pissed

"No."

"She hasn't sent you an email or anything since those phone numbers had been disconnected?"

"No."

"And that's not sending up hundreds of red flags for you?"

Drake shook his head. "I trust her and trust her reasons for not contacting us," he stated plainly. "If it's not safe for her to, she doesn't. I thought you would understand that."

"Well, I don't."

This time, he nodded. "You've been waiting for something like this to happen, haven't you? You've waited for something to change your mind about her."

"Because I knew something would. She's Order, after all."

"And so is Cruz."

"But he's here, isn't he?"

He raised an eyebrow, challenging. "Is he?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Are you trying to make me mad?"

For some crazy reason, he grinned. "Is it working?"

Leaning forward, I shoved his shoulder, but that only made him chuckle as he grabbed my hand.

"Let go," I growled, trying to tug away from him.

"No," he said, shaking his head as he held on tighter. "Not until you calm your stubborn ass down and stop trying to turn everyone against you. Because they're not. Cruz and Flannery are not the bad guys."

"Cruz, no. But Flannery? There have been too many times I've questioned her loyalty to the cause. This is the tipping point for me."

"And how many times have I told you that I trust her and why she hasn't contacted us."

"Well, you've put your trust into the wrong person."

Anger flashed in his eyes, something I caught on to almost immediately.

"Oh, now you're mad, huh?"

"Hell, yeah, I am," he growled. "Don't talk about her like that."

"And why not? It's true! She's been more that sketchy over the past few weeks. Maybe you're used to it, but real friends don't do that. They tell each other everything. But maybe you're just used to being lied to..."

Drake snorted, dropping my hand as he pushed himself from floor and headed toward the doorway. "You better watch it, Hattie. That smartass mouth of yours is going to get you into serious trouble someday."

"And maybe you should watch yourself. You've obviously picked a person to trust who's shady and secretive and against you..."

He spun back around and stalked toward me before I was even finished, stopping just inches away. He was so close I had to lean my head back just to look into his eyes.

"Never talk about one of my friends that way, Hattie Leanne Devereaux. You don't know Flannery the way I do. You don't know some of the things we – meaning me, her, and Cruz – have been through, what we have had to do to keep our secret from Vince. She is one of the few people who have been there for me over the past few years before I decided to come to you.

"And don't tell me that was my choice, because I know. It was my choice to keep secrets before I decided to tell you. It was my choice to trust Flannery and Cruz, because I could. And I still do, Hattie. I just wish you'd respect me enough to trust my decisions in who I call friend and who I trust."