Standing in front of Erik, I let him insert the comms device into my ear. “I know you’re worried about me, but this isn’t New Orleans. Promise.”
He scrunches his nose, handing me the tiny gift bag filled with simple black masks and pieces of paper that have incredibly entertaining—for me—things written on them. “Fine.”
“Erik…”
Touching his comms device, he whispers, “Testing, testing—can you hear me?”
“Loud and clear.” I reach up and tap his nose. “Erik, talk to me.”
He looks off, and I know the only thing that’ll convince him is a successful op. In the meantime, he needs something to do, so I remove the black leather cuff Charlie gave me. “Here, take care of this for me. It’s important.”
Shifting his jaw to the side, he accepts the cuff. “I’ll keep it safe for you,” he promises, sliding it onto his wrist, barely able to buckle it through the first hole. He eyeballs me closely. “I’ll be listening in, and if I hear something even slightly off, I’m fucking breaking land speed records to get to you.”
I grin and hug his middle. “I’ll be fine. You taught me well.”
He grunts an acknowledgment and wraps his long arms around me. I rest the side of my face against his chest for a few breaths, not wanting to admit how nervous I am.
Killing is the easy part. Having to interact with Park Avenue is what I’m afraid of. I pat Erik’s chest, and after another few seconds, he finally lets me go.
I stand next to Hopper, who looks up at Erik as he inserts and tests his comms device. “If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to do this right. Which means I’m about to put my arm around your man’s waist. Is that going to get me killed?”
“He’s not my man,” Erik says a little too quickly.
Ouch.
“Okay.” Hopper snorts. “I believe you.”
Liam elbows him, and Hopper straightens. “Sorry.”
“Fine,” Erik says. “I won’t try to take your head off for putting your hands on him, but make it respectful. I’m keeping you on a short leash.”
Hopper makes a snarling sound, then barks in Erik’s face.
“You’re fucking insane, you know that?”
Hopper tweaks his bow tie. “And proud of it. Don’t worry. We’ll take care of these guys and have your man back to you in no time.”
“He’s not—” Erik starts, then shuts his mouth. “Thank you. Ant is important to me.”
I look down, frustrated as fuck.Say it to me, asshole.
Thankfully, Hopper isn’t in the mood to pull punches. “No shit, Erik. Fuckin’ aliens on the planet Zoltan can see that.”
Hopper then possessively puts an arm around my waist, walking me out of Luca’s bar and over to the elevator.
“I don’t like this,” Erik grumbles through the comms.
I turn back, catching his eye. “Yes, Erik. I know you don’t like this. Weallknow you don’t like this. Unfortunately, it’s not your call to make,” I say as we wait for the elevator. “Thank you for bringing it up, though, right before I head into a dangerous situation.”
Ignoring my snark, he whines, “Why isn’t it my call to make? I’m lead on this operation.”
“That’s not a thing,” I shoot back. “We don’t have a lead. This is my bloody swath to cut across the country. You’re just here to make sure I don’t die.”
“Which I can’t do because you’re not letting me into the secret penthouse with all your fucking ra—” Erik bites off the word. His eyes squeeze shut. “Sorry. All the gross, terrible billionaires.”
I rub my forehead, grateful that he’s trying but annoyed that he’s bitching at me over comms from ten feet away. Fucking ridiculous. Hopper, seeing my annoyance, winks at me.Watch this, he mouths.
“Hey! Who’s got two thumbs and is the best guy to help Ant kill these motherfuckers?” Hopper asks, sending Erik a conspiratorial grin. Pointing his thumbs at himself, he answers, “Me.”
