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“Look at me.”
I stared at his chest, which rose and fell with his breathing.
“Why can’t you look me in the eye?”
I raised my hand and pushed against his sternum, but he was immovable.
I heard someone’s footsteps heading in our direction. “Please let me go,” I implored. “Do not make me suffer any further humiliation.”
That appeared to do the trick. Ares moved his arms and returned to the other side of the island. “This conversation isn’t over.”
Just before the kettle started to whistle, I turned off the heat, then poured the hot water into the cup where I’d already placed a teabag. At the same time, the footsteps grew fainter.
“Where are you going?” he asked when I walked in the direction of the library.
“There are things I need to check on.”
“Are you going to brief me on the status of Operation Purfleet?”
“Perhaps later.” I realized partway to the other room that I’d left my things in the bedroom. Rather than return to the kitchen, I walked the long way around and into the room. I briefly considered working in here, but I refused to hide. I had no reason to.
I picked up my computer and some of the things I’d removed from the dining table last night and walked out. As I rounded a corner, Cayman greeted me on his way down the stairs.
“Good morning, Nem.”
“Hello. Welcome back, and congratulations on the rescue op.”
He shrugged. “Thanks, although it doesn’t feel like much of a victory.”
“You’ll get there.”
“How goes Purfleet?”
“Part good, part bad. Um, do you mind if I set this down?”
“Here, let me help.”
I handed him one of the two bags I’d grabbed. “Thanks.” I turned to continue to the library, and from the corner of my eye, saw Ares standing just outside the kitchen. He was holding two cups in his hands.
“You forgot this,” he said, raising one.
“I’ll, um, come back in a minute.”
“No need.” He followed Cayman and me into the library.
“Did you get any rest?” I heard Cayman ask.
“None. You?”
“A couple of hours at the most.”
I set down my laptop, motioned to Cayman to set the bag on one of the tables, and took the cup from Ares. “As I said, there are things I need to check on. I’ll catch up with the two of you later.”
“Sounds good,” said Cayman, exiting the room. Ares, though, lingered.
“What do you need to catch up on?”
While my first inclination was to tell him it was none of his concern, that would make me less professional than he was behaving.
