“Don’t worry about it. Things had to come to a head eventually. This just pushed it to sooner than later. I’ll let you rest and see you later for dinner. I’m glad you’re home sweet pea.”
“Sweet pea? You haven’t called me that in years.”
“I guess I’m feeling a bit nostalgic,” Kaia said and left.
Rafe was waiting for her outside Aimee’s door. “What the hell was that?”
“Not here,” Kaia said and led him into their room before shutting the door. “She asked me why you weren’t with me when I went to get her. What was I supposed to tell her, Rafe? I made a promise on day one to never lie to her, I wasn’t about to start today to save your hide.”
“You could have just told her what I told you,” he countered.
“Which we both know was a bald face lie, and I won’t lie to her. I don’t know what’s going on between us. I don’t know why you’ve suddenly gone cold and distant with me. I don’t know what I’ve done to cause this rift between us, but I can’t fix it if you won’t talk to me, damn it!”
“You haven’t done anything, Kaia, it has nothing to do with you, so there’s nothing for you to fix! Fuck! I can’t explain it right now, okay. But I will soon. I promise.”
“That’s twice today I’ve been told that,” she whispered.
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s back, Rafe. Baz is back. And he’s working for SIlas. When I got into town, Aimee, Goddess love her, had given into her urge to gamble with Silas. I went to intervene and someone grabbed me.”
“What?”
“I handled it. That’s not the point. The point is, when I told them to let go, I found out it was Baz. I have to meet Silas tonight at The Denizen at ten to find out what he wants me to do to pay off Aimee’s debt of five thousand Recha. When I went to leave, Baz stopped me and gave me some bullshit excuse that he had to leave two years ago for our protection and that he couldn’t explain right now but he promised he would soon. I told him to save his promises because he’d proven just how much they were worth, absolutely nothing.”
“He’s working with Silas? Where the fuck has he been all this time?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask and we really didn’t take the time to sit down and chat,” Kaia replied. “I was a little preoccupied with not gutting him for ripping our world apart by leaving in the first place, and by getting Aimee back here before she could find any more trouble to get herself into.”
“Right, right. Fuck.” He paced the room. “We’ll talk more later. I’ve got some shit I gotta take care of but I’m coming with you tonight to The Denizen. You’re not going to that shithole alone. I think we should take Tuck, too. The man’s a beast. If we run into trouble, he’s good to have at our backs.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She watched him leave their room and wondered, not for the first time, just what was going on with him.
Chapter Two
Baz
Two years. It had been two years since he’d touched her last, and her skin still set him ablaze. Fuck he missed her. When he’d seen Aimee with Silas he knew Kaia wouldn’t be far behind. He had to make it look like he attempted to intervene with his partner. Partner. What a joke. The fucker had blackmailed him into their ‘partnership’ two years ago but it was almost up. Then he could go crawling back to Kaia and Rafe and beg for forgiveness. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, Kaia’s reaction was proof of that, but he was nothing if not determined.
“What the fuck’s got you in such a funk?” Silas asked from across the table where they sat.
They were preparing for their meeting with Kaia later.
“Nothing that is of any concern of yours.”
“Ah, yeah, you saw lover girl earlier. How’d that go for you,” Silas snickered.
“Shut the fuck up, asshole. Let’s just get this job done so I can be done with you,” he snarled. He got up and stalked to the bar. From the corner of his eye he saw Rafe enter and cocked a brow. What the hell was he doing in the Jaded Lyre? He watched as Rafe scanned the room and then zeroed in on him.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
“I got that feeling when you headed my way,” Baz countered.
“We need to talk. In private.”
“We can use the back room. Come on.” Baz led him through the rowdy crowd to the room and closed the door behind them. He wasn’t expecting the fist that came flying at him. “What the fuck!?”
“That’s for breaking Kaia’s heart two years ago,” Rafe growled.
