Page 120 of Wallflower

“I understand. Will you wait just a minute? I’d like to speak with you.”

Reid nods, stepping aside as Rip addresses his team. “Move out, any survivors you find are to be detained until they can be questioned. Workers and prisoners.”

I tug on his shirt, grabbing his attention.

“Will you be patient, flower?” he murmurs over his shoulder and I huff dramatically.

Rip pulls his phone from his pocket, swiping to a picture of my sister which I can’t even fathom how he has. He holds up his phone. “This is who you’re looking for. Her name is Chelsea. If found, she is to be brought to me immediately.”

I tap him in the arm again, and he looks over his shoulder to me. I grab his arm, dragging my finger across his skin. B-R-O-W-N.

“Brown?”

I nod, grabbing a curl of my hair and shaking it.

“Her hair’s brown now?”

I nod again.

He turns back to the team, relaying the information as I slap his arm, grabbing his attention. Once again, I scrawl letters on his skin. L-I-L-A-C.

“Lilac? What’s that mean?”

“Miss Chelsea was held in the lilac room,” Reid’s voice pipes up, closer than he was standing mere moments ago.

“Was?”

“She hasn’t been seen in quite some time.”

My fingers curl into Ripley’s skin, nails biting into flesh.

“Where did she go?”

“I don’t know.”

I release Rip’s arm. Pointing to myself, I make a walking gesture with my fingers, driving my finger into my chest over and over as I walk my fingers across my palm.Take me there, I beg,eyes stinging from the emotional onslaught.

“Flower…”

I slam my palms into his pecs, shoving him, punching him. His arms band around me, crushing my body to his. “Fine. Though I’m going on the record saying this is a bad idea.”

A broken sob gets lodged in my throat as my adoration for him grows.

“Reid, will you show us to Chelsea’s room?”

“Of course.”

“The rest of you, move out. Don’t touch the security system until Bucky gives us the all clear.”

Ripley’s fingers fly across the screen of his phone, presumably notifying the rest of his team.

Looking to Reid, he says, “Lead the way.”

The hallway is lit with soft purple light, though not a sound is to be heard. The white marble floor is cold beneath my feet as we pass door after door.

Lavender.

Orchid.