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“Maybe she and I can come to an understanding. Putting a knife to her throat every time she goes too far will get old fast.”
She eyed me. “I had a vision last night.”
“Good or bad?” I smiled lopsidedly. “Do you have good ones these days?”
“Last night’s was kind of both. You, me, and Sunny were in the woods. We were searching for something, and excited because we were close. I turned to tell you it was just up ahead, and you were gone. Vanished like you were never there. I spun to Sunny and he was gone too. I searched for both of you... until I disappeared.”
“What do you think it means?”
She tilted her head, thinking—the move was all Mom. “I think it means the answers we’re looking for are within reach, but if we don’t figure it out fast, we never will.” Sienna blew out a breath. “Again, not very helpful. What’s the point of this gift if it isn’t useful when it matters?”
“At least you’re not getting visions of my death.”
“Nope, just visions of you fighting a war you’re not winning.”
“They’re warnings, Si, and those are far from useless. Without the sign saying danger: sharp curve ahead, we’d fly off the cliff.” I laughed mirthlessly. “You warned me about Damien—said there was an edge to his smile and lies in his eyes. Did I listen?”
“The only thing that rotted shithead did right in his life was Laurel. I hope he’s sitting in that New York mansion drinking himself to death toasting his loveless marriage.”
I hugged her arm, resting my head on her shoulder. “Your insults are always so much better than mine. Did you hear about Luca?”
“Bane told me this morning.”
“Bane did?”
Her head bobbed against my forehead. “He’s training me to fight, Kenzie. You should see his place. Bane keeps an apartment here too, and he turned one of the bedrooms into a dojo, and the other into a workshop. Plus, his rare-weapons collection is insane.”
I tried for casual. “Sounds like you two are getting close. Did he tell you that he doesn’t date and hookups are all he’s looking for?”
“What?” She cracked up. “Oh my gosh, no. He’s pushing thirty, Kenzie, and I’m not legal—his words. The guy basically dubbed me his little sister, and real talk, older men are your thing, not mine.”
“They’re not my thing,” I cried.
“Admit it. You love all that experience and that they know their way around an orgasm. Although, I bet Sunny is teaching you the wonders of men your age.”
“It’s official: we’re too close.”
She threw her arms around me. “Yes, and I love it.”
The arcade loomed ahead, signaling the return of my tough-boss mask. “Almost there.”
“One more thing,” Sienna said, chewing her lip. I wasn’t the only one with that habit. “What do you think about visiting Mom this week or next? She’s asking for you.”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I’d like to see her. Finally, I get to tell her good news.”
“We’ll have a million pictures of Laurel to show her.”
“Two million. I can’t stop myself. My girl could be a baby model. Every face she makes is adorable.”
Gushing over Laurel shifted me out of bitch-boss mode. I re-summoned the persona as I marched past the forgotten games, slamming into headquarters.
Sunny’s people were machines. Eight o’clock in the morning and they were loading, unloading, cataloging, and counting bills without a hitch. They were also surprised to see me.
“Boss.” Trinity ran up, shooting in front of me as I made for my office. She grabbed my arm. “Boss, wait—”
I snatched her hand off, bending the wrist back. “No.”
Sienna burst into the office, swinging the door into the wall. I came in as they jumped up—their chairs tipping and crashing to the floor.
“Athena. Makai,” I drawled, voice calm. “I didn’t know we had a meeting. Hope I’m not late.”
The two glanced at each other, then ping-ponged to the chair in front of me. Slowly, it swiveled.
“Right on time. I was just... leaving...”
Our eyes bugged in unison.
“Kenzie?”
“River.”
Chapter Nine
“River, what the hell are you doing here?” I blurted.
“You’re asking me that?” He sprang up, circling me and Sienna like he was confirming we weren’t holograms. “What are you doing here?”
“You two know each other.” Makai pulled his gun. “How?”
“Put that away before you hurt yourself,” I snapped.
He bounded across the distance, training his gun on my face. Athena’s set River and Sienna in its sights.
“How?” Makai hissed.
“What’s going on in here?”
Ah yes, because this is what the situation needed: Ryker.
Sunny’s right hand coolly surveyed the situation as though early morning standoffs were as common as Saturday morning cartoons. “Makai?”
“These two know each other,” the enforcer replied. “They’re hiding something.”
“That’s fucking rich,” I said. “You didn’t walk in on me having a secret meeting in your office.”
Ryker cocked a brow. “What meeting?”
“How do you know her?” Athena barked.
