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I give him a small smile, and just as I’m about to open my mouth, we hear a creak on the steps below.
I look down to see Jace making his way up the stairs from the basement floor.
Isaac stirs beside me.“I’ll check the spells and security around the building….” He turns back to me, a stiff look on his face.
“Just be careful,” he whispers as he passes me, heading toward the first floor.
Jace reaches me, an anxious look in his eyes. “Can we talk…in private?”
I nod and point to the small staff room on the second floor, nearest us. An uneasy look in his eyes as he heads to the room.
Great, more things to worry about.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The staff roomis a small room on the second floor, so Mirin can take her breaks away from the Library and relax. One side of the room is a small side kitchen and dining area, and on the other is a larger table we use for small meetings.Not that we have many.
Jace heads over toward the large table. He turns around toward me as I enter the room.
My thoughts wander as I watch him fidget nervously, his eyes flickering between me and the floor. What could he possibly be so worried over? I knew from the mate bond how he felt about me. So affectionate and warm, I couldn’t question those feelings, so what was it?
And then a dark thought hits me. What if he’s married or already in a relationship? What if he already has a family? And just as my mind begins to spiral, he speaks, pulling me from my darkening thoughts.
“Rhys, about earlier, downstairs…” He sighs, dragging a shaky hand down his neck.
“About what Aileen and the others said, about me trying to take the protection artifact from Sector Three…” He hesitates for a brief moment, glancing toward me.
“Ididtry to take it, but not for myself,” he rushes out all at once. “It was for my sister. She got in with a bad crowd because of some asshole. The dick racked up a debt and ran off and left her with it.” He shakes his head, anger seeping through his voice.
“And they came afterher,telling her she had to pay the debt or they’d take her as collateral.” His face scrunches up, his brows furrowed, as he turns to me. “She’s only twenty-three.”
“After our parents passed, I raised her as best I could. At the start, we had a pack behind us, but…she’s made a few mistakes, and we had to leave. She’s the only family I have left.” His eyes look to me, a deep sadness to them. And that’s when I realized I didn’t know any of this about him. But I wanted to learn, to know more about him and his life, his likes and dislikes,everything,and I would when everything was done here with the Interitus.
I step toward him. “So this is everything that you needed to tell me?”
His brows pull together in question as he looks at me. “Of course. I just didn’t want you thinking I do this regularly. I’m no thief or criminal.”
A small smirk spreads across my lips before I school it. “Pity,thieves are kind of hot.”
He narrows his eyes toward me, his hands reaching for me. “I’m not saying Icouldn’t.”
I dodge his hand, stepping to the side and raising a brow. “I wouldn’t quit my day job if I were you…youdidget caught.”
A small chuckle leaves his lips before it falters. He takes a deep breath, his eyes on the floor before he looks back toward me. “It doesn’t bother you? What I did?Triedto do?”
I guess hedidtry to steal something, and in a Sector Library, no less. But it was to help his family, and he didn’tactuallytake it.
I shake my head. “Not really. You were trying to help your family. I get it.” I would do the same for my family and then some.
His eyes widen a fraction, a slow smile spreading on his lips as he releases the breath he was holding.
“But,” I continue, stepping closer to him, “I need more information.”
His eyes scrunch together cutely, a confused look on his face.
“Okay. What do you want to know? How I got into the Library, or why I was caught?”
I give him a playful glare. “Any wife?” His eyes widen. “Or girlfriend?”
