Free Dissever (Unbinding Fate Book One) by Colee Firman Page B

how you moved
that house there overnight?”
    Addy slid her sandals off and dipped her toes in the water
next to him. She was surprised the sand still felt slightly warm under her feet.
    “I don’t know why you feel like you need to be near us.”
She picked up a shell and fiddled with it nervously. “And I can’t tell you
about our estate.”
    “I’m gonna roll with my own theory then,” he said,
raising his eyebrows at her. “You’re aliens and that giant house is your mother
ship, which forces me to assume that I’m some type of alien hunter . Eventually
I’m afraid I’ll have to turn on you.”
     “That’s ridiculous.” Addy rolled her eyes. “You’re an
alien like us. We’re just here to claim you because you were left here as a
baby—kinda like a Changeling.”
    “Finally, the truth.”
    “You forced it out of me.”
    Tanner lightly splashed her with his foot and she
watched him shake his head, smiling at her.
    She tossed the shell into the water feeling bad about
his situation. “I’m sorry you’re stuck here and I can’t give you answers,
Tanner.”
    His smile faded. “Who can then?” He turned his palms
up in frustration. “Should I just go up to your house and knock on the door? Hell,
I doubt I even could , between the guy who watches your place and—“
    “Wait, what guy?” She was alarmed at the thought
of being watched and immediately thought of the humans who’d killed her parents.
“What does he look like?”
    “I saw him by the fire the first night we met, tall,
blond.”
    “You saw him outside my villa? When was this?”
    Tanner said he’d been trying to catch her or just
knock on her door for the last couple of nights, but couldn’t because the guy
was around.
    “I gotta go,” she said. “I promise I’ll try harder to
find out what’s wrong with you. I’ll see you soon.”
    Without giving him a chance to respond, Addy took off
for the path leading back to Tremain. When she got to the top of the path, just
down from her villa, she stopped.
    “I know you’re out here—you may as well come
out.” There was no response at first, but then she heard someone behind her. She
turned her head and saw Gage standing there. “What are you doing?”
    “You said come out,” he said as he jammed his phone in
his back pocket.
    “You know what I mean.”
    “Like I said last week, Bernard told me to keep an eye
on you. I’m not thrilled about sitting out here in the dark, but it’s what they
want. Malcolm’s stuck out here during the day.” Gage looked around. “I thought
you were home already—what’re you doing out so late?”
    She really wanted to call him out on not even knowing
she was gone, but since she didn’t wanna have to explain where she’d been, she
let it go.
     “I was told at breakfast four days ago that they
weren’t concerned about the guy from the beach anymore. And regardless of what
Bernard says, I don’t wanna be watched. I’ll talk to Fate tomorrow and have you
relieved of stalker duty .”
    Gage smiled, tilting his head.
    Addy was annoyed and started to walk away.
    “When did you become like this?”
    “Like what?” she asked over her shoulder,
continuing to walk.
    She heard his footsteps behind her and he caught her
by the shoulders, stopping her.
    “Damn, Addy—just wait a minute.”
    “What?” She didn’t turn around.
    Gage didn’t say anything, but she heard him take a
deep breath over the sound of the ocean. His hands were still on her shoulders;
he slowly ran them down her arms and laced his fingers through hers. Pulling
her arms with his, he wrapped them around her.
    Her first thought was that she must have mistakenly
put on a shirt that said Free Hugs because just like last time, she
found herself wrapped up in his arms through no fault of her own.
    Without thinking, she leaned her head back against him
as she contemplated breaking free of his arms. Gage pulled her closer, making
her feel dizzy. He shifted to rest his chin