Free Unstoppable: Truth is Unstoppable (Truth and Love Series) by Bethany Hensel

friends.
    “Robin,” I say as I envelop her in a hug. When we step back, she wipes her eyes with a handkerchief.
    “I'm sorry,” she says. Her eyes are beet red, and she is wiping at her face. “I can't quit crying.”
    “It's perfectly okay. Don't apologize.”
    “I just can't stand that Victoria isn't here. She should be here. The doctors aren't letting her go.”
    “The doctors?” I ask with a frown.
    “Yeah. You'd think they'd understand since this is her father's funeral, but they don't care. It's all about insurance for them.”
    I'm about to ask what the hell she means but then William leans in and whispers in her ear. I can't make out what he says, but she nods and then leaves. I look at William quizzically but then it hits me. 
    “You haven't told her.”
    “I haven't told anyone.” He adds quietly, “I hope you haven't either.”
    “No. I've kept it to myself, except my parents. They won't say anything.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Positive.” Then I ask, “What excuse did you tell Robin about Victoria?”
    William's iBullet goes off. He quickly silences it. “She has malaria.”
    I blink. “Malaria?” Even though the disease made a comeback in 2043 (I studied it, as well as small pox and polio and a bunch of others, during sophomore year) it still sounds ridiculous. But I guess all lies sound ridiculous when you know the truth.
    Finally losing some of his composure, he says, “Robin is my wife. I'll tell her when I want and how I want.” He steps close to me and angles his body so we're shoulder to shoulder. He turns his head. “No one needs to know my sister is being charged for my father's murder. No one. Do I make myself clear?”
    “Why isn't she here, really?”
    “Take a wild guess.”
    “She should be allowed to say goodbye.”
    He steps away from me then and joins Robin, who is talking with my parents. I shake my head; I can't help it. Just when I'm feeling the most empathetic towards the guy, he goes and does something like this and I'm pissed at him all over again.
    I'm about to turn away, but that's when I see someone approach William. He looks vaguely familiar. I move closer. (Yeah, call me nebby.) William and the man head through the glass double-doors leading out onto the side lawn. I can't hear what they're saying, but judging by their body language, it's not about ice skating. I've never seen William look so tense—and that’s saying something. He shakes his head over and over. He runs his hand through his hair. Finally, he steps back. He raises his arms as if in defeat and walks away. The man turns back toward the glass doors. As he opens them, he meets my gaze. Like a deer in headlights, I can't look away, I can't move. I can only stand stock-still as he approaches me.
    Captain Pearce.

 
     
    DEREK
     
    “Derek, don't say my name, don't talk.”
    I do a double-take. The accent is gone. He sounds just like everyone else. He's practically unrecognizable in his civilian clothes. It’s weird, like when I saw my o-chem teacher at the mall and out of his natural habitat. But that air of authority still lingers around Captain Pearce and he’s still got that posture. Now, he just looks a bit more, uh, non-threatening. That is, until I get a close up look at his face. Dark circles are under his blood shot eyes. There’s a bit of a five o’clock shadow on his jaw. I believe the word I’m looking for here is: turbulent. Whatever is going on with him, it’s not anything easy. Considering he’s the captain of one of the world’s most controversial armies, I guess that’s par for the course though.
    “Walk with me,” he says, already heading back outside. I follow him to the edge of the lawn. Finally, he turns to me and, in his real accent, says, “Yes, she's here.”
    Relief rushes through me and just as quickly, excitement fills me up. I practically sag to the floor. “Can I see her?”
    “Derek, let me stress that no one here knows what happened. Mr. King has been