“Sure thing, little devil. What for?” He asks, sounding a little eager.
“We are going to ship them to the holding house Darren told you about. We are no longer playing this game with them. It’s time for the Cambions to learn who is writing the rules.”
I leave them to handle the cleanup and whatever is left to do with our hostages. I don’t care to see Darren again. Originally, I wanted to be the one who dealt with his fate, but my brain is too occupied now, and if I’m going to be part of this team it’s time I delegate and use my talents elsewhere.
I know who followed me out before I even turned around, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of my attention, so I continue to make my way to the kitchen.
“You got some good information out of him.” The leader compliments.
“I’m good at what I do.” I say, half-heartedly as I look in the kitchen for something to take the edge off.
It’s just after noon, so I allow myself a beer. I deserve it. I keep my numb in place when Max grabs my shoulders to spin me.
“You are good at what you do. And I think I have an idea.” Max fixes his gaze onto mine and I can feel my body wanting to thaw, but I refuse to let go of my newest cold exterior.
“And that’s that, boss?”
My new name for him seems to sting him, bruise him in some way, because every time the word slips from my lips he winces. The movement is small, but still there all the same. He quickly corrects his features, wiping away the insult as if it was never there in the first place. “I think this leader is definitely the mystery man that you never saw. I think he’s after you. If he worked closely with your father, then he must have some sort of obsession with you, and I think that’s why they want you delivered alive.” He explains.
I nod along, already coming to that conclusion myself, but I don’t tell him that. Max continues, “We need to go on with our normal job then. Proceed with our normal activities as if nothing has changed. I think that we can draw him out if he sees you with us.”
“Okay.” Is all I respond with, taking another swig of my beer before setting it on the counter with a loud thud.
“Harpy,” Max sighs, I see the ice in his eyes defrost a little, but I ignore it to the best of my abilities. “If this is about last night, I-.” I hold my hand up to stop him right there, refusing to have this conversation.
“Don’t worry about it, boss. No hard feelings, this is a business relationship after all.” And with that I leave him in the kitchen and exit to the back patio.
Nobody follows me out, but I know they are watching me. They are always watching me.
That note has rattled me, and I don’t like feeling rattled. I also refuse to let whoever this invisible leader see that I’ve been rattled. I keep thinking back to how that note got in my journal in the first place. I know it wasn't there the last time I used my journal, which was the same night Karma's ‘kidnapped’ me. Which means someone would have needed to break into that apartment and hoped I’d stumble across it. If that’s the case, we can definitely not have my apartment as a potential last-resort safe house like the brothers intended. I put a pin in that thought, to remind myself that I need to ask Brandon to pull any local cameras for the nights that followed me joining the Karma’s, so we can see who it was that entered the apartment to leave that little note.
I know I’m probably acting irrationally, but I don’t want to feel the panic that is coursing through me. I refuse to feel it. I don't have time to feel it.
I have never even had the time to feel happy, because I was always busy trying to be strong. Cursed are those who feel the ocean but can express just a drop.
30
Law of Thermodynamics
Teddy
I don’t like this. I don’t like how empty my little devil is right now. I enjoy how brutal it is, and how her dark and twisty brain works. I hate to see when she goes all numb and becomes a robot. It’s like she is hiding from her reality when the numbness takes over. I’d rather her be just as volatile when she is in the present. I saw the way her walls went up, and I know it’s because of something Max did.
“Max.” I growl from behind him, when he faces me, I can see his own walls have gone up.
“Not now Teddy.” He sighs as he pours himself a glass of whiskey.
“Yes now. What did you do to my little devil?” My voice raises and I can feel every hair on my body stand on end. I don’t want to hurt my brother, I love him, and I have always protected him… But I swear if he did something to hurt her… I try to pause my mind from following that path because I don’t exactly know what I’ll do.
“Teddy,” Brandon whispers, “Try to breathe. She’s okay, but the note is bothering her, we just need to give her some space to process.”
I spin to turn my attention to him, “No! You saw the switch. TheNumbtook over after Max spoke to her.” I jab my thumb over my shoulder to point at him. “He did this!” Approaching Max, I stand in his face to go toe to toe with him, “You did something to make her shut down like this!”
Max rakes his fingers through his hair and pulls on the strands at the nape of his neck, “I ordered her to go to bed last night, that’s it.” He mumbles. “I think she wanted me to fuck her, but she was exhausted.”
I snort, “You fucking idiot.”
“Excuse me?” Max gawks with his eyebrows pinched together.
