‘What if he—?’
Riley leaves the Watch, doesn’t look back.
Kade shakes himself and follows.The boss leads him two corridors away to Kade’s own bedroom.Only High Command sleep on this floor.Kade is still seeing the outline of the intruder.
The look on his face and the name he uttered.
Jules.
‘Kade.’Riley walks into Kade’s bedroom.‘Kade.Eyes on me.’
He blinks hard but can’t process anything.‘Um.’
‘Sit down.’
‘Right.Yeah.Sorry, what?’
Riley turns Kade’s face side to side with a rough, knowing touch, examining him.‘Little bit of shock,’ he says gently.‘Not surprising.How are you feeling?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Answer me, Kade.’
‘Idid.’
Riley has worked for years to uphold the Varrow City Accords.He’s smart,ruthless and pragmatic but he’s also quiet, withdrawn and composed.Kade has never once seen him fight, but he’s always reasoned that bosses don’t have to when you havethe bestto guard them.
He’s Kade’s best friend, the only person he’s known all his life.
All seven years of what he remembers, at least.
And alone, they can beRileyandKade.
Not boss and bodyguard.
Not Head and First Captain.
Best friends.
Riley lets go as he steps away, rubbing his temples.The migraines have been getting worse lately.Kade would never say it because Riley is the person he respects most in the world, but there’s a reason he needs a bodyguard.‘Sorry.’
‘I’m fine,’ Kade tells him.‘Really.’
‘You’re pale as fuck.’
‘After what I just saw—’
‘You should sit down.’
‘I don’t need to.’
‘Indulge me.’
Kade sits on his bed and catches sight of himself in the nearby mirror.
His hair is cut shorter than Riley’s, dark auburn kept close around the sides, longer on top, light catching the deep copper tones.Amber eyes stare with sullen insecurity, having just witnessed something horriblynew.
‘You don’t have to coddle me, I’m not a baby.’
