Page 14 of Harmless
“Maybe, but we don’t have any other collateral to give him. I’m Devin, by the way. You might as well know too.”
“Fuck.” He grabbed at his hair and turned around, looking at all the gladiators in the distance.
“I’m waiting,” the Saint mused, testing the sharp edge of his spearhead.
The Hunter turned back to face him. “We need your name too. It’s only fair.”
“You’re getting my fighters to organize and prepare for an uprising with no other details, and that is it.” The Saint glowered at the Hunter. “No other extras. Your given name, Hunter. Or you get nothing from me.”
The Hunter’s eyes shifted to me, and I gave a slight nod. I hated to put him in this position, but we had literally nothing else to give.
“It’s Levi,” he said quietly. “My name is Levi Cooke.”
* * *
I should have expectedit when, hours later after a quick shower and returning to my room, Nella requested me in her office. Tezca did not seem interested in coming along, and promptly jumped onto the bunk bed the moment I vacated it. At least the pitmaster escorting me went pale as a sheet the moment he saw the big cat. Tezca enjoyed taking bites and swipes of those who fucked with Santos and me.
My mood soured the instant I stepped into the guest services manager’s office. It was a luxurious room, with Nella’s long, polished wood desk at the far end and a bank of windows overlooking the canyon behind her. There were bookshelves and a sitting area with two chairs to the left, a loveseat with a coffee table to the right. The floor was covered in a plush, patterned rug, and the ceiling vaulted high above my head, making the room feel like a cathedral. A perfect place for my sins to be judged.
“Thank you for coming, Ghost,” Nella said with her fake pleasantness. Like I had the choice not to come. “Please have a seat.”
She gestured toward one of the chairs in front of her desk, and I obediently walked forward while the pitmaster stayed by the door. I dropped unceremoniously into the chair and waited.
There were papers on her desk. My file, perhaps. Although why anyone bothered to keep paperwork on the gladiators was beyond me. We came in and got out all in the same ways.
“How are you, Ghost?” she asked, flipping through the papers like she was my accountant or something, catching up with me before getting down to business.
If I hadn’t been patted down and stripped of my weapons, I’d have driven my blade through her neck already.
“Why am I here?” I responded instead.
She actually had the balls to look offended that I didn’t want to waste time bullshitting with her. “We’ve noticed you spending more time socializing with one of the newest fighters lately, the Hunter. Is there anything you’d like to tell me about that?”
I shrugged with a shake of my head. “He needs guidance and fighting tips. When I kill him in the pit, I don’t want it to be too easy.”
“So you’re training him?”
“Just passing the time, but sure, I guess.”
“Would you say you’ve gotten attached to him in any way?”
“No.” Any other answer or deflection would have looked suspicious.
“We also noticed you talking to the Saint earlier today. Anything you’d like to share about that conversation?”
“He’s the new shot-caller, so I was just paying my respects.”
“Really? You never did that with the Animal.”
“I didn’t respect the Animal. I do respect the Saint.” At least that was the truth. And from this line of questioning, it didn’t seem that Nella knew the Hunter and I had shared our real names, which was a relief. She wouldn’t have bothered with all the fake pleasantries if that were the case. She was just being a nosy bitch.
“Are you feeling more social now that your roommate is gone?” Nella sent an evil smile my way.
In an instant, I could have jumped from the chair, leaned across the desk, squeezed the air from her throat, and demanded to know where Santos was. But if he was still alive, her knowing of our friendship could not only put me in danger but him as well.
So I shrugged again. “It’s whatever. At least I’ve got his jaguar to keep me company.”
Nella frowned, and I mentally snickered.Yeah, and don’t you forget it, bitch.
