Page 66 of Seduced By the Mermen
Alexei points to the basket on the counter on the way out the door. “You’re not giving Blair the tea anymore?”
“Turns out it’s as bad an idea as you helping in the kitchen.”
The six of us are waiting in the lounge when the elevator doors open. We all scramble to stand, but it’s Sterling, and while most of the others sink back to their sofa and chairs, I head straight for him.
“Stop, Forrest. Not now.” He’s grimacing like he’s in pain.
“Yes. Now.” Because I’m not taking his normal nonsense. Not today.
“I said I’d be here for things. I’ll fulfill my promise.” He thunders to the pod room and steps into his walk-in closet. Our room is as large as some apartments in the city. There are eight doors around the room, a bathroom and six closet doors. He doesn’t pull the door shut behind himself, and I take that as an opportunity to continue our discussion.
“Are you limping?”
“No.” He pulls off his trousers, and there’s a large bruise on the side of his hip.
“Then what’s that?”
“None of your fucking business.”
I blink at him. Because there are no secrets in a pod.
“Really, Forrest, there are things I can’t tell you.” But it sounds like a lie.
“Last I checked, I’m one of your bosses.” I’m a governor in the security council. And as such, I help run the network ofenforcers who act as bounty hunters, jurors, and punishers of criminals in the Veiled City.
“King Atlas would disagree.”
“Yes, I bet he would.” The king has taken what are normally solo agents and given a team to Sterling. It’s a team of killers. “How is your team? Are they enjoying their new assignment? Rather easy compared to what they normally do.” Though the bruise on Sterling’s hip makes me want to retract my statement.
“That... that depends on who you ask. And not the color on my leg, which will be gone by morning. It didn’t come from my assignment with Blair. Celeste was at the school.”
“Your sister?”
“Yes, my sister. How many Celestes do you know? Forget it. I’m sure you know every Celeste in the Veiled City.”
I give him a light shrug. I actually don’t know any other Celestes, but that’s not the point here. “Celeste did that?”
“Yes.” He nods once and pulls on a clean tunic.
“Why?” I’m trying not to laugh. But the thought of his wiry, petite sister inflicting enough force to cause that much damage to one of the toughest enforcers in the city? Yeah, it’s mildly humorous.
“I told her she could have one free shot.”
“And she took it.” I stand and crouch next to his leg. “What did she do? Hit you with an anchor?”
“The how isn’t important.”
“I suppose you’re right. The why is much more interesting.” Though I’m definitely intrigued by the how. And I’m most definitely going to see if Delmar can find some camera footage of this mysterious how. I need a copy of it for the days I want to kick him myself.
“Right. She thought I was there to see Lyra, my niece. When I told her I was there for work, she jumped to conclusions?—”
“That you were there to haul someone away?”
“Yes. She got mad that I’d be ruining someone’s holiday.”
“And you let her continue to think?—”
“She’s allowed to think anything she wants of me.”
