Relentless (Book 3)

Chapter 29: Cory - The Ninth Day

Rose's head was laying on my shoulder when I woke up. She was snoring softly in my ear. I turned my head to see if Meredith was awake. She was, and she looked like she hadn't slept much at all.

I was sitting in the middle of the two girls because there was more room in the backseat to sleep. At one point in the night, I remember both of their heads resting on my shoulder. And I remember laying my own head on top of Meredith's. It was the only time during the night that I felt comfortable. I wondered when she moved.

"Morning." I whispered quietly, setting my hand palm up next to her's. She gave me a half grin and took my hand, interlacing our fingers. Her smile and her touch were infectious and despite the circumstances in which we had come to be together this morning, I couldn't help but smile myself. Things felt right when I was with her. 

"How'd you sleep?" I asked her.

"Fine, I guess. You?"

"Better when you were leaning on me and I could use your head as a pillow."

She blushed, and the color that flooded her cheeks showed me that she felt similarly. "Yeah. Sorry for moving. I just couldn't stay asleep any longer."

"Any particular reason why?"

Her hand shook slightly in mine and I held it tighter. "Just a bit nervous is all."

"You? You're admitting to being afraid?" I teased.

"I didn't say afraid. I said nervous. There is a lot riding on us. Benjamin and Bethany's lives. The lives of our team. The fate of the whole country for God's sake. If we fail..." she paused there, not wanting to speak about what would happen if we didn't succeed. "And my uncle, he's a snake, slippery and venomous. We can't underestimate him."

"We won't underestimate him." I promised. I couldn't underestimate him even I tried. He killed my family, destroyed the last year of my childhood, killed Meredith's parents. He and his evil laws are the reason Benjamin's family and Bethany's father, and Rose and Raven's father, and Sophie and Alexis' father were able to get away with abusing their own children. No. I would never underestimate him.

"You know, Richardson is my last living family member. When he dies I'll have no one left. Not that I've ever really considered him family, of course." She spat out at the end. But her tone of voice at the beginning of her sentence was pained.

"I know what it's like." I whispered. "Having no one left. No one blood related that is. You're not alone in that."

A tear spilled from her eye and she quickly wiped it away, embarrassed, always wanting to be tough and never show any vulnerability. "Being related to him, Cory, it makes me feel guilty, every single day of my life. My family, my own flesh and blood, is a murderous monster. He destroyed our country, destroyed lives, families, he's a killer. I'm ashamed to be related to him."

"We can't choose the family we are born into, Mer. You can't place any guilt on yourself, no one blames you for what your uncle is, what he's done. I'm just glad that we are able to choose the friends that become our family."

"Me too." She whispered, leaning her head back on my shoulder. "And Mer?" She asked with a soft giggle.

"I'm sorry. You don't like the nickname?"

"I never have before." she said quietly, "But I like how it sounds when you say it." I felt myself blush.

"Oh, would you two get a room?" Rose complained groggily. "Meredith, you hate it when people call you Mer. You really must be smitten. I can't decide if it's adorable or disgusting." She said with an exaggerated gag.