The Gender Game 2 by Bella Forrest (audio ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“Without it, what?”

“He’ll die.”

I sat down heavily in the chair sitting right next to the bed, a hard rock forming in my stomach.

“Violet?”

“Go away,” I said, shutting my eyes. I heard him hesitate for a second, but after a moment, he left, leaving me alone with Viggo.

I sat there for a long time, holding Viggo’s hand, silently willing him to wake up and tell me that Owen was wrong. Yet he never did.

I hated seeing him like this, so helpless and vulnerable. How was I going to get him out of here if I didn’t accept Desmond’s offer? I was in no position to carry him and Tim out of here. Where could we even go?

My mind drifted to Desmond, and I sighed, leaning back in the chair. She seemed so in control. Everything about her threw me off. I knew I couldn’t trust her—not completely—but a small part of me wanted to.

Truth be told, I admired her. She was so calm, so collected, so rational. My emotions felt like a stone tied around my neck. I had no idea what to do, where to go, while she seemed to have plan after plan ready to go. And there was a small nagging voice inside me reminding me that I was all alone, and I needed help.

She was offering me a hand up. I felt torn and conflicted. I wished Viggo were awake—he would have an opinion on what to do.

“You stupid idiot,” I whispered to him, stroking my hand over his. “We were almost even.”

“Even with what?” came Desmond’s voice from the door.

I glanced at her, turning around to face her. “It doesn’t matter. What do you want?”

“You’ve been in here for hours, Violet. I came to check on you.”

I stared at her and she sighed. She moved into the room and sat down on the desk. “Ask your question.”

“Is it that obvious?”

There was a flash of a smile. “I was a pretty good spy, once upon a time.”

“Fine. Did you do this to Viggo? Is this your way of trying to control me?”

She shook her head, her mouth tightening. “No, Violet. I can understand why you would think that, though.”

“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”

Leaning back, she sighed. “You don’t. I can only try to earn your trust from here on out. Step one of doing that is to do everything in my power to help Mr. Croft here get better.”

I watched her closely. “What’s step two?”

She didn’t say anything. Instead, she stood up and went back to the door. Reaching down, she picked something up and carried it in.

It was my backpack, the one I had left with Tim. She held it out to me, and I took it. Opening it up, I saw all of my belongings and the false egg inside. She had even returned my gun.

“I leave control of the egg to you, although I do ask if you will allow my scientists to study it. However, it is up to you. Keep it, throw it away, destroy it—whatever you want.”

I stared at her for a long moment, baffled by the woman in front of me. “I don’t understand you,” I whispered, clutching the bag to my chest.

Desmond gave me a look of sympathy. “I bet. Lots of people have tried to use you, Violet, so your distrust is perfectly understandable. But I don’t want to use you. I want to help you and I want you to help me.”

“How can you help me?”

She ran a hand through her hair. “Well, for starters, I can help you get what you need to save Mr. Croft’s life.”

I scoffed. “For my help?”

“I would like your help—your willingness to help—but I won’t blackmail you into it. That doesn’t bode well for any continued relationship.”

I frowned, not anticipating her reaction. Every time I thought I could predict how she wanted to use me, she proved me wrong. It was weird, but I was beginning to like her. I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do though.

“So even if I don’t help you, you’ll still help me? Free of charge?”

She laughed, and the sound reminded me of wind chimes—bright and beautiful. “Nothing is ever free, Violet. I would, of course, ask you to accompany Owen on any expedition to steal the equipment needed, but I assume you would want to go along anyway.”

I frowned. Again, that blunt information, freely given with an intense sincerity. For good or for bad, she didn’t pull a punch.

“Why are you so…” I waved my hand, trying to pick a good word that wouldn’t insult her.

“Blunt?” she offered, a small smile playing at her lips. I nodded and she shrugged. “Honesty is an undervalued commodity. Keeping secrets is the cancer that is slowly killing Matrus and Patrus. Given enough time, and lies, both places would fail, and the last vestiges of humanity would disappear from this earth. I don’t have time for it. And also, I have found that honesty can inspire people. I won’t let my people go into any situation against their will, and I won’t lie to spare them uncomfortable truths about what they are getting into. It builds trust, and separates me from Matrus and Patrus. I don’t have time to be anything but honest.”

I stared back at her for a long time, wrestling with my indecision. Everything she said struck a chord in me. I wanted to believe her. I chose to believe her.

“Okay,” I said. “So, if I helped you, what would you want me to do?”

She shot me a beatific smile, her face lighting up from within as she replied, “I’d want you to help me win a war.”

Ready for the next part of Violet and Viggo’s story?

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