Olivia blinked at her rapidly, clearly still processing.
Riot turned her head toward Calix. “Anything else?”
Calix looked like he wanted to argue anyway, but his eyes flicked over Olivia first, quickly checking her out, before he exhaled sharply through his nose.
“No.” He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “We can finish the remaining prototypes tonight and head out tomorrow at dusk.”
Riot nodded once.
“I’ll scout the location beforehand.” Her attention shifted between the two of us. “Should I meet you at the house before we finalize the plan?”
“Yes,” Calix answered, already drifting closer to Olivia again like he physically couldn’t help it. “That works.”
Riot unstrapped the device from her arm and carefully set it onto the table before turning toward Olivia again.
Then, unexpectedly, she held out her hand.
“Riot Devil.” Olivia straightened. “I oversee assassinations, covert operations, and clean-up for the Syndicate.” Riot’s eyes stayed fixed on Olivia’s face. “I look forward to working with you, Olivia Savin.”
The use of her last name visibly startled Olivia. Her eyes widened slightly before she reached out and carefully shook Riot’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she answered, her voice softer now. “And… thank you.”
Riot gave a single short nod, then turned and walked toward the exit with the same eerie silence she’d entered with. No wasted movement. No sound. Like death simply gliding out of the room.
“Sooo…” Calix dragged the word out once the elevator doors began closing around Riot. “That was my sister.”
Olivia kept staring toward the elevator even after the doors sealed shut. Then she slowly turned back toward us.
“Are all your sisters like that?”
The nervous shake in her voice nearly made me laugh. Her gaze rapidly bounced between me and Calix like she genuinely feared the answer.
Calix winced visibly before hissing out a long breath through his teeth. “I mean…” He gestured vaguely. “They’re all… unique.”
Then the bastard looked directly at me. “Wouldn’t you say, Rack?”Coward.
I stepped beside Olivia and smiled calmly. “They’re all insane.” Her eyes widened further. “And Riot isn’t even the scary one.”
Her head snapped toward Calix so fast her hair whipped over her shoulder, but he didn't help. He just helplessly lifted both shoulders while offering the most awkward smile I’d ever seen on him.
Olivia stared at us for a long moment before closing her eyes and inhaling deeply through her nose.
Then she picked up the prototype from the table.
“Well, we don't have much time.” She scooped the prototype off the table and walked out the door. “We need to make three more of these before tomorrow, so let's go.”
When she stopped at the door and turned around to smirk at us, I knew it was only going to get worse. “You heard her. She’s looking forward to working with me, which means I’m going.”
Both of us opened our mouths to argue, but she raised one finger before we could speak.
“Youreallydon’t want me looking like a coward in front of your sister, do you?” Her crimson eyes blinked at us innocently. “Especially after officially joining the Syndicate.”
Calix visibly faltered, and she began to press harder once she caught it.
“And if Riot tells your other sisters that I stayed behind while everyone else handled danger…” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “What do you think they’ll assume about me?”
I looked at Calix, and he looked at me. We both realized at the exact same moment that we were trapped. Completely and utterly trapped by the women in our lives.
