Beneath the Fire (A Guardians Novella) Read Online Free Page A

waiting for me the next morning.”
    Nathan just grinned.
    “Stalker.”
    Lucy had wondered how he knew what time she left for her classes. And was kind of weirded out for a while until Nathan admitted he had caught her name on her school badge that was dangling off her purse. He knew someone at admissions and had gotten her schedule. Lucy replied that what he had done was illegal, but of course he just shrugged it off. And this bothered Lucy about her relationship with him. He was obviously used to things going easily for him and judging from his motorbike and his apartment, he looked pretty well-off. All he had to worry about was going to school and playing sports.
    Lucy herself had money. The settlement from her parent’s divorce had been huge. She had a trust fund, which she had come into when she turned twenty-one. She was funneling the money to help Leo finance his operations with ryker569 covering her money trail. But she doubted if Nathan would understand her cause. When it came down to it, they were really from different worlds. Maybe that was why she enjoyed his playfulness, it was an escape from the reality of what she was about to do.
    “Babe, where did you go?” Nathan murmured, frowning.
    “Nowhere. I was just wondering...” Lucy trailed off.  
    Nathan pushed up from her lap and sat cross-legged in front of her. He took hold of both her hands. “What are you wondering about?”
    “We’re so different, Nathan,” Lucy said sadly.
    “Where is this sentiment coming from?” Nathan asked sharply.
    “There are just things you might not accept about me.”
    “What the fuck are you talking about?” he growled this time. Nathan’s jaw had clenched. Suddenly the carefree boy she thought she knew had disappeared. In his place was a different Nathan. Not a boy, a man. Not an easy-going boy, someone who looked dangerous.
    “Never mind,” Lucy said slowly, puzzled by this change in his demeanor.
    “Talk to me, Lucy, don’t shut me out.”
    “Why did you take up economics?”
    Taken off-guard by her question, Nathan frowned in confusion. “What?”
    “Why did you take up economics?” Lucy repeated, a tad irritated. It was a simple question.
    “Well, so I could be an investment banker or a venture capitalist I suppose,” Nathan replied cautiously.
    “In short, you want to make money.”
    “Isn’t that why people work?” Nathan asked.
    “Not everyone. Eva wants to be a nurse because she wants to help people.”
    Nathan sighed. “And how about you?”
    “I want to help governments make the right decisions when thinking about the global economy, not about the good of one nation. That’s the only way we can avoid strife and war and oppression.”
    “That’s a very idealistic way of looking at things, Lucy,” Nathan said softly. “But I’m proud of you.”
    Lucy expected Nathan to laugh at her declaration, but she actually saw understanding in his eyes. Could she be wrong about him?
    “Illiteracy and poverty is what’s driving terrorism,” Nathan said. “If we give everyone a better education, a better life, we can avoid another 9/11.” He narrowed his sapphire eyes at her mockingly. “What? You think I’m some jock with no clue about what’s happening in the world?”
    “I’m sorry, Nathan,” Lucy said. How wrong she was about him!
    Nathan grinned. “I forgive you, Lucy babe. I forgive you if you give me a big one right now.”
    She smiled, leaned forward and gave him a big kiss.

    ***
    “I’ll be sad to lose you. You’ve been blending well with the team. They like you,” Coach Bates told him. Nathan had pulled his coach aside after evening practice to tell him that his work here was nearly done.
    “So you got what you came for?” Bates asked.
    “Pretty much. Miss Pierce says she owes you,” Nathan said. He wondered how Bates and Pierce knew each other. His coach was in his fifties, stocky but well-built with solid muscles. Had he been a Guardian at some point?
    “Marker.