When yet another curveball puts Andy and Lex's relationship into serious jeopardy, the stakes become higher than they've ever been, forcing the couple to fight not only for their love but also for their lives.
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Life see...
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In absolute disbelief, I stared at the woman before us. How was that even possible? Never, not even in a million years, would I have expected Deathbringer to be a cute-looking, early twenties, unicorn-loving woman.
She exhibited the bold confidence she'd always shown online, so at least this part I'd been right about. But nothing else matched my expectations. The insane skills she'd displayed had led me to believe she was closer to Lex's age, and the alias implied someone less... pink and doe-eyed. How could she be so entirely different from what I'd envisioned?
Still unperturbed, she scooped the last of her yogurt and finished it with an appreciative humming. "You need to go back home," Lex told her as she was opening a few cabinets, finally finding where she was supposed to throw her empty cup.
"It took me almost twenty-four hours to get here. And that's not even counting all the shit I had to do to forge myself a new identity and a green card. I've been wanting to come to America since I was a little girl, so you better believe I'm staying for a bit," she countered, opening the fridge to look into it. A pout pursed her plump lips together when its content wasn't to her likings. "Aren't you Americans supposed to have donuts everywhere?"
"I'm serious, Pari. You need to leave. Now."
"You know I don't go by that name anymore," she declared, sending him a darkened glance. "I'm done being someone's little fairy. Haven't been one for a while."
He sighed, walking toward her as I remained there, wondering how we'd gotten here. "We have it all sorted, Meera. We don't need you."
"From what I've heard, you two are planning on fleeing, right? That sounds like the cowardly way, Nam. What happened to the man who wanted to fight the entire world?"
I watched as they did some sort of glare battle, exchanging a silent argument that I wasn't sure who would win. Their behavior toward one another was very familiar, but something told me it was the first time they were meeting in the flesh. Lex had never mentioned visiting India, and she'd apparently never been in the States before.
"His life changed, and now he has too much to lose to take such risks," Lex eventually explained, briefly turning to me.
Something softened in her eyes, and she turned to me as well. "I get it. You almost lost Andy. But she's just as fierce as you are, if not more. She won't shy away from a fight. Right, girlita?"
Dazed by my meds and still in shock by her unexpected presence, I wasn't ready to be pulled into the conversation. But Death was right. If we could fight for our freedom and survival, I was ready to do it. Maybe not ready right now, but as soon as my wound was properly healed, and I was back to my former glory, I'd be willing to head into battle. I nodded, confirming Meera's words. It annoyed Lex, whose jaw clenched before he returned his attention to the intruder.
"We're not doing this. She's been too close to danger already. Now, we are going as far away from it as possible."
With a sassy eye roll, she blew her cheeks out and let her shoulders fall. It made her look so young, like a child about to throw a tantrum, and I wondered how old she was again. She couldn't be over twenty-four, but had to be more than eighteen. How young exactly had she been when Lex had first met her? She'd been a literal child, already making a name for herself in the hacking community.
