Page 9 of Bound
Chapter 3
Gage
The heat pouring from the dark sidewalk is still fucking sweltering despite the blackness of the sky. I shift under the steel overhang of the hotel, hoping for a breeze to cool my always heated skin.
The massive structure is all glass and shiny beams from the pavement to the illuminated peak, and I can only shake my head.
Tanner walks next to me as we enter and head straight for the elevator. The Fae rented the penthouse for their stay, and I have no idea how they are fucking surviving that.
As a people, our kind don’t do well around iron or steel. I have had years to adjust to the taint of the human world. But the visiting Folk? Not so much.
T leans against the elevator wall next to me, his arms crossed over the solid black shirt covering the thick muscle of his torso. “How much of a shit show are you expecting?” he asks.
“Why do you believe there will be one?”
He just looks at me.
I press my boot against the smooth metal of the elevator and frown. “A trial is still a Council sanctioned process, T,” I tell him. “No matter who is overseeing.”
“It’s not the Fae that’s fucking bothering me.”
“It’s Ruin,” we say in unison, and I sigh.
“Ruin knew what he was doing when he demanded Markus change Lilah. Just as he knew killing Vlad was ruining our only lead.”
Tanner waves that off. “Fuck the Brightex angle,” he says, referencing the dangerous drug that seems to crop up in the oddest places.
Weeks ago it was on pack land near Fallen Ridge. Weeks before that, here at Lock Lake. Even killing Vlad—the main dealer—didn’t stop the drug completely, and now we can’t even shake him for his distributors or the manufacturer.
“They will crucify Ruin for changing Lilah. We both know that. The Brightex shit is just fucking icing, true?” He runs a hand through his tousled dark locks, and the silver ring in his nose glitters. “It’s a shame the Fae don’t get consorts or mates, at least then we could try a sympathy angle.”
“Well, we don’t,” I tell him honestly, and he glances at me with a small wince.
“Gage—”
The elevator grinds to a stop with a dull hum, negating any further need for me to have this damn conversation.
The doors open with a chime.
Tanner and I push from the small box into a short, warm hallway, and large twin doors wait across from us.
Our boots are silent over the tile and I rap my knuckles over the frame.
The door opens on a familiar man, with long plaited dark hair. His silver eyes are bright in the warm glow. Something moves through his expression. Not quite surprise. But close. “Yes?” he asks, tone weary.
I blink. “Jarrah?”
His lips quirk, the motion tight and far from happy to fucking see me. “Yes?”
I can feel Tanner’s gaze on the side of my face, but I can only stare at the familiar Captain from the Sith. “Sorry. We are here on behalf of the Lock Lake colony,” I find myself saying. Then clamp my lips closed.Fuck. “May we come in?” My voice comes out cool despite the fire simmering in my veins.
“Of course,” Jarrah says, taking in my reaction with an empty countenance of his own. He slips deeper into the penthouse, leaving us to get the door behind ourselves.
I enter and T grabs my arm. “You know him?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He doesn’t react to my clipped response. “This going to be a problem for you?”
