Chapter 98
Wake’s mouth moves over me with an urgency I’ve never felt before. My back arches against the cold metal of the balcony railing, but the chill of it barely registers. All I can feel is him—his lips, his hands, the heat of his skin against mine. The city stretches out below us, but the world narrows until it’s just the two of us, alone in this moment.
His grip tightens around my hips, and I let out a breathless gasp, my fingers threading through his hair as I try to hold on to something solid. The night air is cool against my skin, but with Wake kneeling between my legs, it feels like a distant memory. I can’t think, can’t speak, can’t do anything except feel.
"Wake," I whisper, my voice barely more than a breath. I don’t know what I’m trying to say—whether it’s a plea for him to stop or for him to never stop—but it doesn’t matter. He knows. He always knows.
His mouth moves lower, and my whole body shudders in response. The city lights blur, a kaleidoscope of colors beyond the edges of my vision. I feel like I’m falling, but Wake is there, grounding me, pulling me back into myself with every touch. My head tilts back, lips parting as a low moan escapes me.
He rises, towering over me, his breath hot against my ear as he pulls me closer, pressing his lips to mine. The kiss is hard, desperate, like we’re stealing time that doesn’t belong to us. And maybe we are. Who knows how long we have before everything crashes down around us?
“I need you,” Wake murmurs, his voice raw.
“I’m yours,” I manage to breathe between kisses, feeling the truth of it in every fiber of my being. We’ve been through so much—more than anyone should have to endure—and yet here we are, still fighting. Still together.
As the stars twinkle above and the city buzzes far below, I let myself get lost in him. His body is a fortress, solid and unyielding, and right now, it’s the only place I feel safe. For just a moment, I let myself forget about Enigma, about the war, about everything except this.
His hands are on me again, and I’m helpless to resist. I don’t want to resist. Not tonight.
***
By the time the sun peeks over the horizon, we’re both spent, bodies tangled together on the balcony, wrapped in the blanket of the night. I blink groggily, trying to shake off the haze of sleep as Wake stirs beside me. He pulls me closer, his hand resting on my hip, and I snuggle into his warmth, unwilling to face the reality waiting for us.
“Morning,” he says, his voice rough with sleep.
“Morning,” I murmur, my cheek pressed against his chest. For a moment, I wish we could stay here, suspended in this moment forever. But then the knock at the door shatters the stillness.
Hiro.
I groan softly, pulling away from Wake as I sit up, the cool morning air prickling my skin. “I guess that’s our wake-up call.”
Wake grunts in response, not seeming particularly thrilled about it either. He rises, stretches, and then heads for the door. I quickly throw on a robe, tightening it around me as I follow.
Hiro’s standing in the doorway, looking uncharacteristically serious. He glances at me, then at Wake, and I can tell immediately that something’s up.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my heart already racing.
“I found something,” Hiro says, his voice grim. He steps inside, laptop in hand, and sets it on the table. “Both the company and the account—Nereid Limited and the one paying for Felix’s care—they both originate from Big Island, Hawaii.”
I blink, sure I must've misheard. “Hawaii?”
Hiro nods. “It makes sense, right? Enigma has facilities all over the world. Hawaii’s isolated, well-guarded, and it's one of the most active geothermal locations on earth.”
Wake crosses his arms, a deep frown settling on his face. “And this Nereid Limited company? It’s definitely linked to Anthozoa?”
Hiro shrugs, his expression uncertain. “I can’t say for sure, but it’s a hell of a coincidence if it’s not. Geophysics, a private company with ties to an old soldier who may have been involved with sirens? I think it’s worth looking into.”
My mind races, connecting the dots as best I can. “So, if my grandmother’s involved in all of this—if she’s been keeping tabs on Felix this whole time—what does that mean for us?”
Wake’s frown deepens, and for a moment, he’s silent, lost in thought. Then he speaks, his voice low and resolute. “It means we go to Hawaii. Find the answers. Confront her.”
I swallow hard, my pulse quickening. Hawaii. It feels like everything is starting to come full circle, like we’re standing on the edge of something big. Something dangerous.
“Are you sure about this?” I ask, looking between them.
Hiro offers me a small smile, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “We’ve come this far, haven’t we? What’s another thousand miles?”
Wake’s hand finds mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll find her, Phoebe. And we’ll make her talk.”
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