Page 28 of Bound By Her

“This wasn’t part of our deal, Callen,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

“If the other two don’t suit your particular…needs, then drop them off at the nearest homeless shelter. I could care less.”

Adria ignored the scuffling sounds that went on behind her.

“Dear me, sounds like you already have your hands full. Perhaps three is a little too ambitious, even for you.”

“The number isn’t the problem, Callen.”

“Oh?”

Adria loosened her grip on the phone, urging herself to remain calm. The three of them were hurt. Something had happened to them.

“They are damaged.”

“I do not recall that being a deal breaker.”

She sighed. He was fucking with her. Adria tried a different tactic.

“Bryson is not in the condition I last saw him in.”

“I can assure you no permanent damage was done. You are new to this, so let me give you a bit of advice. Next time you have a particular set of requirements, might I suggest you get them in writing?”

The line went dead.

Motherfucker

She kept her back to the boys, inhaling a steady breath before pivoting to absorb the scene.

The smallest one, with the swollen right eye, was blond with a slight frame. His freckles gave him a boyish look.

His colors marked him as property of the Winters.

The next interloper she recognized as Kaydon Baciu, Bryson’s Right Hand. He had a muscular build that rivaled Eric’s, and his trimmed facial hair made him look older than the others.

Standing in front of the smaller one, she asked him his name. When he didn’t respond, she repeated the question in Romanian. No answer.

This would not work. She didn’t understand why Callen did this, but whatever he was fishing for, she wasn’t biting.

“Little prince charming can stay. Take the other two when you leave.”

As they were pulled away, she heard Bryson say, “You can get more money for all three of us.”

Adria could feel Bryson’s gaze on her back. She turned, crouching down to his eye level. The right side of his neck had the letters ‘BJR’. Below that was ‘GVR’ with a string tied to a snowflake. It was code. The first meant he didn’t owe anyone, and the second showed that he had no other family ties. Rarely, if ever, did a family tie themselves to another of the Nine.

Speaking in a low tone just for him, she said, “Untrained boys have little value to me.”

He spoke back in Romanian, “They’re more trained than any of the trash you’ve had.”

She laughed.

“Is something funny?” he asked, eyes cold.

“Your arrogance amuses me, little prince.”

He glared at her.

She stood. Still speaking in Romanian, she said,“If your pets are so trainable, prove it to me.”

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