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“What about them?”
“You need to stop, pack up your stuff, and leave.”
“Why?”
“Property is going to be sold. This place will be knocked down. No need to do the work. You’re wasting your time and the old lady’s money.”
“Well, we have a lot of time right now and we’re not getting paid.”
The two men exchanged looks.
“We done? Good.” Luca started to turn.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re getting paid to work or not. You need to leave.” The guy drew up his shoulders. His body language reminded Luca so much of the cop who’d bullied him at the hospital, then later wound up torn apart by what he knew now was a Sarvari.
“Look, you can quit with all the mafia theatrics. We’re going to make the repairs, so you might as well go.”
“Theatrics. Is that what you think this is?”
“What else is there?”
The man flicked the corner of his jacket back far enough there was no missing the threat of using the gun. Luca had been killed by one of a similar model. Yet he wasn’t afraid. He hadn’t been afraid when Paul Dekker pulled the trigger. Just grateful he’d had the chance to experience a slice of life with Nox and sad he’d never get to again.
Luca waved the man off. “I bet you’re one of those guys who sends dick pics to impress someone.”
The blond man’s partner laughed.
“I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding your way back to the road.” Luca put his foot on the step.
A shadow eased past him on his left. The man’s cologne burned Luca’s nose.
“This isn’t a game.” The blond man’s blue eyes were as frigid as his expression. “You will leave, either on your own in that piece of shit you drove here or by ambulance. Your choice.”
“Whatever.”
Luca made it two steps before a hand snagged his sweatshirt.
Anger rushed through Luca, but it wasn’t his. Nox made his way down the steps, his body stiff as if he fought against the involuntary movement of his limbs.
“I’m fine.” Luca caught Nox’s gaze, surprised to see him and not the creature he housed. To the blond, Luca said. “Let go of me, or you’ll wish you had.”
The man grinned, but when he shifted his attention to Nox, his expression fell.
The blond let Luca go and said, “Like I said, this isn’t a game.”
“Trust me, I know.” Luca stepped out of range and headed back up the stairs. He stopped next to Nox. “C’mon, we need to finish the roof before it rains.”
But Nox didn’t move until the sedan left the parking lot.
* * *
Reese rubbed his eyes. Staring at his laptop all day, struggling to piece together the nightmare born at the Utah Facility, left them feeling like raisins.
Reese thought working from home would make things easier; no rush hour, no risk of breaking his schedule of feeding his fish, no having to do laundry before he went to bed and find the time to make dinner while his clothes washed.
Because chores could be done throughout the day during five-minute breaks, leaving him time to relax before he went to bed.
But instead of enjoying those extra hours to decompress, read or watch TV, he wound up working longer.
