Chapter 2

"Put this on." Jared tossed me a black choker, its metal pendant catching the light with a cold gleam.

He explained, "It can mask your bio-signature. The scanners in the Safe Zone won't be able to detect you."

I ran my fingers over the device around my neck. Its icy chill instantly brought back the unreadable look in his eyes last night.

It had been three days since Jared took me to this house. He was polite and proper by day, but every night, he'd lock the door right on schedule. I just couldn't figure him out.

"We're hitting the black market today," he said while fastening his cufflinks, his white shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar. "Gotta restock some lab supplies."

The black market was hidden deep within the subway tunnels of the underground city. We passed through layer after layer of security and finally reached there. The damp air was filled with the sharp tang of metal and the exotic aroma of spices.

The stalls sold everything imaginable—from mutant beast meat to precision instruments, and even young vergins.

Jared maintained a firm yet measured grip on my hand throughout the journey, leaving me no chance to break free.

As we passed the weapons stall, my gaze lingered on a new pulse gun. Ten minutes later, Jared placed it in my hands.

"It's a sample." With a fluid swipe of his card, he said, "If it suits you, I'll have the full ammo loadout ready when we get back."

My fingers clenched around the gun's grip. Just then, the sound of that all-too-familiar laugh reached my ears.

About 50 feet away, Vanessa was trying on a ruby necklace while Andrew stood behind her to swipe his card for the necklace. The engagement ring on her ring finger shone brightly in the dim space, burning into my eyes.

"Ugh, what rotten luck." I spun around to leave, only to collide straight into Jared's arms.

He pulled me close by my waist and asked, "Why are you hiding?" Following my gaze, he saw them too. A dangerous smirk curled at his lips as he muttered, "Oh, turns out some old acquaintances."

Vanessa was the first to spot us. Her eyes widened in surprise, then a triumphant smile bloomed on her face as she dragged Andrew toward us.

"Manda." Vanessa's voice dripped with sugary sweetness. "Oh my, you're actually alive." Her eyes flicked over the choker around my neck and Jared's possessive hand at my waist, and her smile froze for a split second.

Andrew put on a long face. "You... Why are you here?"

I swallowed hard. There stood the man I'd once been willing to take a bullet for. Now, he wore a high-ranking officer's uniform with the pen I gave him still pinned to his chest pocket.

"It's all thanks to you." I lifted my left arm, revealing the scabbed bite mark. "I nearly turned into one of the zombies."

Andrew turned deathly pale, stammering, "I-I thought..."

"Thought I was a goner, huh?" I sneered, "Well, you would've been right if Jare hadn't shown up."

That way I addressed him so affectionately made Jared arch his eyebrows, and his hand at my waist traced gentle circles.

Vanessa suddenly flashed her diamond ring with a syrupy smile. "Manda, Andrew and I are getting married next month." She leaned coyly against Andrew, adding, "You'll wish us happiness, won't you?"

My nails dug deep into my palm. Honestly, I was itching to claw that hypocritical smile right off her face. But before I could explode, Jared's soft chuckle cut through my rage.

Jared suddenly leaned in and whispered just loud enough for the others to hear, "Babe, what day should we choose for our wedding?"

I whipped my head around in shock to look at him, and he seized the moment to brush a kiss on my lips. Then, with deliberate calm, he looked up at Andrew and said, "Would you do us the honor, Commander Harris?"

Veins bulged at Andrew's temples as he barked, "Jared Stevens, what the hell have you done to her?"

"I've done more for her than you ever did," Jared said, adjusting his cuffs with deliberate slowness. "By the way, I have the NTX antiserum you want. The price just doubled. Consider it our... wedding gift. What do you say?"

I remained dead silent on the ride back. Jared didn't say a word either—not until we pulled into the garage. Then, he finally broke the silence. "Feel any better now?"

I whipped around to face him and snapped, "Did I ask you to butt in? What wedding? Why did you call me 'babe'? You—"

He unfastened his seatbelt with one hand and suddenly leaned toward me. Instinctively, my eyes fluttered shut. I heard a soft click and knew he released my seatbelt.

"Ms. Miller," he whispered, his breath fanned across my nose. "The best way to get back at your ex is to be happier than he ever will be." With that, he pulled away, leaving me frozen in my seat.

That night, I tossed and turned restlessly, unable to sleep. At 2 a.m., I got up and came to the study, only to find the room was still bright. When I pushed the door open, I saw Jared wiping down a silver handgun—his movements were as natural as breathing.

"Can't sleep, huh?" Without looking up, he ran his fingers over a scratch on the gun barrel and said to me, "This is my souvenir from the Safe Zone."

Then, I noticed the faint scar on his left shoulder, just beneath his shirt.

"Did Andrew shoot you?" I asked.

"His man did." Jared suddenly raised his gun, aiming out the window with hawk-like sharp eyes. "Three years ago, during the slum raid. That day, my younger sister died."

My heart clenched. That was the day the Safe Zone ordered riot suppression and the same day I secretly brought medicine to the slum dwellers.

"So you're doing all this just to get back at Andrew? I asked.

"Not entirely." He put the gun down, that familiar devil-may-care smirk sliding back into place. "Wanna learn how to use it?"

I found myself nodding, almost against my will.

Jared stepped up behind me, his right hand closing over mine on the gun. His chest pressed firmly against my back, the steady thrum of his heartbeat resonating through me.

"Slow your breathing," he murmured, his lips almost grazing my earlobe. "Hold your breath when you aim and pull the trigger decisively."

To my surprise, the bullet hit the dead center of the target on the wall.

"Good shot." He stepped back two paces and casually tossed me the gun. "It's yours now."

I caught the weighty gun in my palm, his warmth still lingering on it.

"Why do you help me?" I stared straight into his eyes and asked.

Jared tilted his head in thought. "Maybe because... you looked absolutely irresistible when you slapped Andrew across the face."

I said, "I never slapped him."

"You totally should have," Jared replied. He headed for the door, then glanced back with a playful wink. "Do you need me to hold him down for you?"

As the door clicked shut, I looked down at the gun in my hand. My fingers traced the letters "J&A" engraved at the base of the gun, which was identical to the very one I'd lost in the Safe Zone.