Page 92 of Sloth
He leaned toward his reflection on the black monitor and shifted a strand of pale hair from his temple. “You’re not included in the deal.”
Because she was his most cherished? His most loved?
Seeing her silence, he straightened. “You’re the first, my darling. The practice run. Gloria trialed and tested her theories on you, then she replicated them in the rest.”
For some reason, a tightness in her chest constricted. “I thought I was perfection. That was what you’ve always told me.”
“I would never sell you to the wolves, my darling. It’s you and me against the world.” He frowned, noting her stiff posture. His voice softened. “They left you for dead. They knew you ran back into that fire to save your mother, but instead of saving you, they left. They could have come back, but they didn’t. Never forget that. I came back. They didn’t. It’s you and me against the world, my darling.”
He’d said that already. He always said it. She wasn’t up to scratch—she was the display model—except, she was beginning to wonder… perhaps that was only his thinking.
They set a plate for her at their table.
When he gripped her shoulder in his version of affection, she stiffened more.
“We have a demonstration to prepare, one that needs to marvel our investors. You have work to do. Put away the monitors and, while you’re at it, throw out that plant. You know I like an uncluttered desk. Then meet me down in the basement.”
He walked out without another word.
Throw out that plant.
You have work to do.
She blinked, hands trembling as she lifted the small, fragile pot of Freesias.
If it was the two of them against the world, then why was she the only one getting her hands dirty?
Twenty-Eight
It was Go Time.
Having just slipped on her Deadly Seven combat uniform, Sloan hit the form-fitting button with trembling fingers. She hadn’t worn the suit for a while, and her body shape had changed from all the extra training sessions. Air whooshed out and the special fabric sucked in, molding to her body. She tried to swallow and produce moisture in her mouth. Nope. Dry as dirt.
She collected her crossbow and synced it between her shoulder blades. Testing the grip, she tugged until she was sure the weapon was secured. Then she attached her quiver to her thigh. For good measure, she also included a few daggers, throwing stars and grappling hooks around her midsection belt. Nothing was going to stop her from getting to Max.
The inauspicious mood stifled the air in the room—and most of that came from her looming two brothers, Parker and Evan. Griffin and Wyatt were on their way. Tony had been notified, but hadn’t responded and, to be honest, she didn’t expect him to. After they’d trained earlier, she’d left him at Heaven, well on his way to be inebriated. It was better he didn’t come. Liza, as usual, preferred to contribute officially from the precinct.
“Are you sure this is the location?” Parker stood near the central strategy table, frowning down at her iPad and the digital map she had displayed. He hit the form-fitting button on his own suit, triggering the whoosh. Fabric sucked tight against his musculature, showing Sloan his massive strength. She used to be intimated, but not anymore.
She walked up to stand next to him. “As sure as I can be.”
“It’s the best lead we have, right?” Evan strode in from the weapon’s room, the handles of twin katanas peeking out from over his shoulders. He picked up the broken cell Sloan had recently salvaged and looked at it with a frown. “Can’t believe it took me this long to remember Sara had made a call from Wyatt’s cell.”
She sighed. “Well, we’ve all kinda been busy.”
Evan looked sheepish. “But if I’d remembered earlier, perhaps we’d have been able to track the location of the call recipient sooner. If it’s a Syndicate base of operations, then we could have destroyed it, and maybe none of this would have happened.”
Maybe Max would be safe.
“The road to insanity is paved with what-ifs, Evan,” Parker muttered, still inspecting the iPad like he owned it. Stabbing the screen with his big brute fingers.
Sloan took her device from him, shooting him a chagrinned frown. “It’s not a piece of meat in need of pulverizing. Be gentle with her.”Jeez.
Parker grunted, pushed Sloan to the side and cleared the strategy table. Made from glossy mirrored glass, it also doubled as a flat computer screen.
“AIMI,” Parker said. “Bring up the blueprints for the building mapped on Sloan’s iPad.”
She steadied her temper, and ignored the fact he wanted to take point. She knew more about this mission but, whatever, the dude had control issues and Max’s safety was the important thing here.
