Page 57 of A Whisper in the Dark

“Figure out what you want from him,” Wren suggested.

He sighed. “And then?”

Wren grinned, plucking the glass from Odin’s fingers. He swallowed the remaining contents, a devilish look still in place when he brought it down to the table with a clink. “Then take it.”

Chapter 16:

“Where is he?” Hunter sat on the edge of the bed, right hand out as Corbi attached something around his wrist.

“If you are referring to the Dominus,” she replied coolly, “he is busy.”

He’d been busy for over a week.

Hunter hadn’t seen Odin since the night of the gala. It was obvious that he was being avoided, but while that should make him happy, instead, he felt this sick, twisted feeling of disappointment in his gut.

It wasn’t his fault that Isa wasn’t the person Odin had always believed him to be. He should have figured out as much already, considering he’d been the whole reason Hunter had shot him in the woods that day at all.

And now he sounded like a broken record even in his head.

Hunter let out a frustrated sound that Corbi misinterpreted.

“You should be pleased,” she told him, doing something to the band of metal she’d placed around his wrist a moment ago. “This is a gift.”

One she didn’t entirely think he deserved, which was apparent by her tone.

“What is it again?” he asked.

“An ompt bracelet,” she explained. “It’ll allow you to wander about the club as you please. You’ve been given access to all of the rooms—except play rooms currently in use by customers—and can move about from now as you wish.”

“Around the club,” he repeated dully.

She paused and glanced up at him, making eye contact for the first time. “All exits are restricted. If you do try to leave through one, the censor will go off and alert any nearby staff members. Then, Mr. Snow will be informed and—”

Hunter yanked his arm free since she was done attaching the bracelet. “Yeah, yeah. I get it.”

“You are—”

“Ungrateful?” He quirked a brow. “Are you forgetting I almost died a week ago thanks to your boss?”

She straightened, her expression remaining dark. She didn’t like him very much. “And my boss almost died ten years ago thanks to you,” she reminded tightly. “If he’d died, my sister and I would have as well two years later since he wouldn’t have been around to save us. Our actions have consequences.”

“I don’t think I need a Brumal member telling me that.” He cocked his head and, before he could help it asked, “Are you sleeping with him?”

For once, Corbi seemed to lose her composure, blinking at him, entirely caught off guard before she got a hold of herself and cleared her throat almost awkwardly. “We don’t have that kind of relationship. There’s nothing to worry about there.”

“I wasn’t worried.” Hunter got off the bed, fully aware that he was now acting awkward. He motioned with his chin toward the door. “So, does that mean I’m free to go?”

“You’re free to wander the—”

He held up a hand to stop her and went to the door. They didn’t need a rehash of the conversation they’d just had, and he was feeling claustrophobic, specifically locked in this room with her. “It’s obvious he raised you.”

“We were nearing adulthood when Odin found us,” she corrected, but then, “however, yes. We wouldn’t be who we are today without him.”

Hunter paused at the door and turned back. “He trained you and your sister?”

He’d heard rumors, but that was all. No one knew exactly what went on between Odin and the twins or what had transpired between them in the past. By the time Odin had remade his appearance in Ovid, they’d already been a permanent fixture in his life. Up until that point, he’d been piecing Liaand Norra together bit by bit, hidden in the shadows.

That was his specialty, patience. Always had been. Even when they’d been kids, Isa would always lose his cool first. Odin could wait things out for as long as he needed to without batting an eyelash. It’d been admirable when Hunter had been working for him.

---