“Oh no, not again,” Marty said. “Mom said that there’d been some problems because they’d been sniffing around there. As if Mom was ever going to give them your address. Is it all over now? Can you breathe easy for another year?”
“Yes,” Sage said. “I don’t think I’ll have to worry about my parents anymore. I’ve had a few things put in place in the past few days – it means someone else will be taking care of them for me, which is really appreciated. What about you? How was your holiday?” He glanced at the clock. It was five to eleven. “Aren’t you due to start work shortly?”
“Yes, I am. I loved being on holiday, but coming back means I’m making money, not spending it.” Marty laughed. “Millicent found her mate, so you know Piper immediately thought the man who was interested in her was a mate as well. But Mom, you know what Mom’s like. She says if they know, they know.”
“Make sure you send my congratulations to Millicent. Did you get much to eat?”
“How can you even ask that?” Marty’s cackle rang through the air. “There was so much food even I had to admit defeat. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d want to go to something like that again for another couple of years, and more than a few of my brothers agreed. But it was really awesome to see them all together in one place. I hope working for me didn’t cause you too many problems.”
“No, not at all,” Sage said. “I met a couple of interesting people, and it really wasn’t bad once I got the hang of it. As you said, even a monkey could do it. So, yep, I think I did all right.”
“I truly appreciate it, I really do. Hi there, George. You’re looking as sexy as ever. Have a lovely night.” Sage realized his friend had just walked into the Regis. “Okay, so look. I’ve got to go. Barry’s already heading for the door. But I got a whole stack of presents here for you from Mom and a couple of the other siblings. I went around to your house this afternoon so we could have a good catch-up, and your neighbor said that you’d moved out.”
Oops.“Yes, I moved out the other day.” Or rather, the moving company Luc had contacts with had moved Sage out of his apartment two days before. His few precious items were now integrated into the penthouse.
“Damn it. Was it your parents? Did they find out where you lived? I promise you, Mom didn’t tell them. Are you safe where you are? Is everything all right?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” Sage said, looking at the two krakens who were listening in and not even trying to hide it. Nic blew him a kiss, and Sage blushed. “I’m very safe where I am. I doubt anyone will find me here.”
“Well, where are you? Give me your address. I can’t come now obviously, because I’ve just started work, but I can always come around and see you after I’ve had a nap tomorrow.”
“That won’t be a problem. As for my address…” Sage paused for a moment and then said, “I’m upstairs.”
There was that beat - a moment of silence, where Sage could tell that Marty was trying to work out what it was he was saying.
“You’re upstairs? You’re staying in a room at the hotel?” Sage heard a couple of key clicks. “There’s no booking for you in here.”
“No, I know.”
“Are you staying with another guest? Oh, I do hope the bosses know about that. You know how they take the security of their hotel very seriously. We’re supposed to have the ID for all the paying guests and their visitors.”
“I know that,” Sage said happily. “I don’t think there’ll be a problem. Your bosses know I’m here.”
There was that second of silence again. And then Marty said, “What room number are you in?”
Sage started to chuckle. He rarely had the chance to tease his best friend.
“No, no, no. You can’t put me off with the chuckle business,” Marty said urgently. “That’s what I do to you. What room number are you in? Has one of the paranormals here tried to convince you that you are their mate? You know you’re supposed to run any prospective mate by me first so that I can check to make sure they’re telling you the truth. Sage, you can’t smell it when people tell you lies.”
“No, I know,” Sage said. “That’s how I got roped into working at the Regis for five nights.” But he chuckled again because therewas no way Sage was unhappy about it. “I’m okay. Everything is okay. I’m up in the penthouse suite.”
There was a sudden clunk as if Marty had dropped his phone. Sure enough, a second later, Marty’s voice came back on the line. “I’m sorry, I must have misheard you. Did you say you were in the penthouse suite? Sage, reception staff are never allowed in the penthouse suite, especially not to stay.”
“I know. But I don’t work for the Regis anymore. My contract was only for five nights. And both you and Barry made it very clear the penthouse was off limits.”
Marty’s voice dropped as if he were worried he might be overheard. He was being overheard, but Sage didn’t have any secrets from his mates. “Look, there’s been a bit of chatter around here when I got back on New Year’s Day. Apparently our bosses came back from their holidays early, and some of the staff said they were questioning every department head about any humans on the payroll. Did they find one?”
“Yes, they did.”
“Sage, why were my bosses looking for a human?”
“Because they had been told that a human was their mate - their third - the one who will stay with them forever,” Sage said slowly.
“And that’s you? Oh, my gods, Sage, have you been claimed by my bosses?” Marty’s shriek was so loud, Sage had to pull the phone away from his ear.
“Yes, it’s me, and yes, I’ve been claimed, and yes, Luc and Nic said that if you’ve got enough energy when your shift is finished at seven, you can come up and visit. We can catch up over breakfast. Okay?”
“That’s wicked cool, but why can’t you come down? I know I can’t come up right now because I’ve got work to do, but why can’t you come down? Sage, I need details, every single detail. What happened?”
