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I snort. “Seeing as I’m in charge around here, plenty.” We’re patrolling the edges of the town tonight, trying to keep an eye out for Serpent run-ins, but it’s none of Sienna’s business.
She shakes her head and frowns. “Maybe I’ll just go over to the local church then. I’m sure the people there are the kind who might be interested in a project to improve the community.”
“Good luck with that,” I say, grinning as I flick the knife blade open and shut. “The pastor there is a regular at our pool nights atthe bar. He owes us enough money that he’d probably turn you away from the church himself.”
Sienna throws her hands up. “I don’t get you. I don’t get any of you guys. What do you have against Dr. Thornton? He’s a brilliant researcher, and his research has revitalized several small communities in our area. Don’t you understand that Caspian Springs could start to prosper and thrive?”
“This place is doing fine,” I say, my voice taking on an edge as my frustration rises. “Sure, we may not be as flashy as some of the bigger cities, but we’re not some pit either.”
Sienna sighs and shakes her head. “I’m not going to give up.”
I shrug. “You’ll have to give up eventually. Now hurry up and get in the car because I’m done with you for today.”
“Yeah, well I’m done with you too,” she says, sticking out her tongue.
"Want me to show you where you can put that, sweetheart?" I offer, but she doesn't back down, meeting my gaze.
“No,” she says, her voice steady despite how she’s trembling. “Just drop me off at the diner.”
“Your wish is my command, Princess,” I say, waving my arms at the car like a footman in front of a carriage. “Climb inside.”
She nods, her posture straightening, though she makes a point not to hurry.
Despite having no car and being rejected at every turn, Sienna still makes us drive her around Caspian Springs every day, trying to find people who will participate in her study. It would almost be kind of adorable, if not for the fact that she’s working for the good doctor, and probably sleeping with him too.
Remembering that sends a cold chill down my spine, so I ignore her when she attempts to make small talk and drop her in front of the diner without another word. I’m not interested in getting to know anything more about the girl.
After dropping her off, I take a second to clear my mind before heading to the bike shop to meet up with Caleb and Dominic.
“How was business?” I ask.
“Slow,” Caleb snaps. “Like always.”
“It was fine,” Dominic interjects, giving Caleb a look. “We had a couple of people come in for some custom stuff and one guy needed us to look at his combustion chamber.”
I blow out a breath, considering our options. “Maybe we can host some kind of event to drum up business,” I suggest. “Like a charity ride.”
“Let’s just figure out how we’re going to keep the lights on,” Caleb says, shoulders tense. “I can’t keep redesigning our gear over and over, hoping it might sell.”
“Shouldn’t we focus on—” Dominic starts, but I cut him off.
“We’ll figure it out,” I say. “For now, let’s focus on patrolling tonight.”
Once everything is cleaned up, we head out for patrol, starting from the north side of town. It’s quiet, but tension from earlier still lingers.
Fortunately, there aren’t any sightings of Serpent slime, so we’re able to call it a night early and head home.
The next day, Caleb is supposed to be on babysitting duty, but he backs out when Joe asks for his help with the computer at the hardware store.
“I’ll go,” I tell Dominic. “You run the shop today. I think Caleb needs to get out anyway.”
He gives me a quick nod. “I’ve got it.”
Taking off, I make my way over to see what the princess is up to today. She’s standing outside the diner when I arrive and I amble over, enjoying the flush on her cheeks that rises when she sees me.
“Sorry, Princess,” I say, crowding her against the wall of the building. “You’re stuck with me today. I know you were looking forward to spending more one-on-one time with Caleb but it’s you and me.”
“God. What would it take for you guys to back off?” she asks, reaching out to push me away from her. “I’m sick of this. I don’t need to be watched like a hawk. Stop breathing down my neck!”
