The way he looked at me made me feel like he knew everything that had just gone down in my mind, and how conflicted I’d become about everything having to do with him. For both our sake’s, he didn’t call me on it.
“I don’t want Esteban in my head. But, if Sol is doing the sending, and your sister is now a mage, how are you going to handle that?”
He shifted his shoulders and flexed his fingers, but his face remained neutral. I envied him that trick. “I’ll cross that bridge when I reach it, as you humans say.”
“Why do fae say?”
His eyes darkened, and it was his turn to reach for the distance there, use it as a shield between us. “They say, watch out for the trolls underneath.”
Well, fuck.
“I need a drink,” I said, dropping into the armchair again.
He stripped off his suit jacket and carefully hung it on a coat rack by the door. Then I supervised while he poured us a couple drinks and sat opposite me. If we really were friends, I would sling my feet up onto his lap and sip my drink in peace. But, no, I would never be friends with this man. Not after everything we’d been through and how much more we had to get done together.
“Are you okay, Zoey?” he asked.
I huffed and tucked my head back against the chair, staring at the crown molding while I drank. “Fuck no, I’m not. But when I put Esteban’s balls in a jar, I will be.”
Esteban had killed my parents and tried to kill us. He had to pay for everything he’d done. Or my life simply wouldn’t be worth living.
Chapter Five
After I’d drank a couple of glasses of whiskey, I stood. Ever the gentleman, Fin stood as well, questions in his eyes.
I smoothed the wrinkles from my dress but jerked my hands down when I caught the soft smile on his lips. “It’s getting late. I should get home so I can do some of my client work before bed tonight.”
“I thought you were staying here.”
That was a hard pass on so many levels. “I’m fine, really. If someone could take me home that would be great. No way I can get a taxi all the way back to my apartment.”
The crinkle in his forehead stacked up, but he remained silent a beat too long.
“Well, this was fun.” I headed toward the office door.
He caught the crook of my elbow in his fingers. “Wait, please. I’m supposed to help you if you have another dream. We’re working together again.”
Carefully, I extracted my arm from his grip. “We are working together, but that doesn’t mean I can’t work with you from my home. I can’t be comfortable here. The guards might not like it if I wandered around in my underwear.”
His lips tightened and folded in, and I dragged my eyes up to clash with his.
“I won’t comment on that statement,” he said, “but we are far more prepared here than at your home. I have weapons, training equipment, everything you could possibly need to do your job.”
I shifted to face him, hands on my hips. “And what about your work? Is it transportable? Why can’t you come to me for a change?”
“I believe I spent the last two days wooing you into a new partnership, at your apartment.”
I snorted. “Okay, big guy, you survived about four hours total at my place. If you want to keep us together, you’ll have to pack yourself up and bring your things to my house.”
I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. The light in his eyes shifted as he stared at me. It was almost disconcerting to watch him conclude I wasn’t going to do things his way from now on.
“Can we sit and discuss this for a moment?” he asked.
I shrugged and resumed my seat in front of the desk. “We can talk all you like, but tonight I’m going home to sleep in my own bed.”
Fin threaded his fingers together and walked around his desk. “I understand you want to have some autonomy in our working relationship. And I want you to be comfortable working with me again. I can’t guarantee things will be easier this time, but I promise to be more open, and work together to make plans.”
I sat up, pressing my shoulders back, which started a dull ache in my ribs. His tone pissed me off. Placating, acquiescing, but only as far as what it would gain him.