ONE
KENNEDY
I peered out of my office as Ice walked past, humming off-key, a large box in his hands.
A couple of moments later, he walked the other way.
I didn't think much of it until I realised he did that three times already. Each box getting progressively bigger.
"What are you doing?" I called out after him.
He stopped and peered through the doorway. "Nothing."
He drew the word out, his eyes shifting to either side, deliberate, playful.
Something was definitely going on right now.
What was new? This was Isaac 'Ice' Miller. He was always up to something.
"Uh-uh, I said in disbelief. "Do I need to come and see what's going on?"
"No," he said quickly, raising his hands in front of him. "Stay in there. Nothing is happening, I… No, I don't promise. Somethingisgoing on. Nothing you need to worry about."
"In other words, I should worry about it," I said dryly. I cocked my head at him and gave him an 'admit you're up to something' gesture with my fingers.
He looked back at me, blue eyes full of perfectly feigned innocence.
"You didn't kill someone and bring their body parts here for me, did you?" I wrinkled my nose.
"Would I do that?" he asked.
I fixed him with a look, which only made him grin.
"How do I put this?" I asked slowly. "Yes. Yes, you would."
"What would he do?" Ares appeared from the other end of the corridor, face full of suspicion as he regarded Ice. He'd known him longer than I had. He knew exactly what the other guy was like.
"What wouldn't I do?" Ice asked, the sweet as honey mask never slipping.
Ares gave him the side eye. "What is it this time?" He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Ice. As long as I'd known him, he never had a problem giving his opinion and calling Ice out when he thought he needed it. Ares Turner was blunt as a hammer at the best of times.
"It’s supposed to be a surprise," Ice said, his brow creased at both of us like he was frustrated with our persistence.
I almost felt bad.
Almost.
I knew him too well for that. He wasn't going to tell us anything, but he wasn't really irritated.
Yet.
"I hate surprises," Ares growled. "You know who also hates surprises? Mannix. If he knew you were up to some shit, he'd tear you a new one."
"No, he wouldn't," Ice said easily. "Mannix loves me too much to hurt a hair on my head," he patted his dark man-bun for emphasis.
"Always knew there was something wrong with him,” Ares muttered.
"Did you need to talk to either of us?" I asked, directing the question to Ares. Might as well try to steer the subject in a different direction, for everyone's sake.
