“That a challenge, Flame?”
In response, she turns her back on me, storms into the bathroom, and slams the door behind her. I hear the sound of the shower turning on and release a sigh, staring at the ceiling for a beat. After a while, I grab my phone from the locked nightstand and start going through texts.
The most glaring one is from Cain, demanding Ember and I meet him in his office in an hour. That gives us enough time for breakfast.
I call up an order, not wanting to take Flame out with the guys when she’sthispissed off at me—even if her anger is unwarranted and ridiculous. It feels like every step forward with her results in five or six steps back—she gets a memory, only to adamantly say she doesn’t want anymore. We have mind-blowing,life-changingsex, only for her to turn her back on me.
When is there going to be forward movement?Realforward movement?
I try to remind myself that all of this is completely normal. That Flameshouldbe fighting against me—I’d be more concerned if she were docile and agreeable, because that’d mean I’d either broken her, or she was planning something.
But, still, by the time she gets out of the shower, I’m well and truly irritated. I direct her to the section of the closet that I’ve filled with clothes for her, take a shower myself, and then join her out in the living room.
To my pleasant surprise, she’s standing over Greg, letting him sniff her hand. His paws hit the floor in excited tip-taps, and as soon as he hears me come in, he stiffens, straightens, and his ears turn forward. It hits me that he’sprotectiveof her—if I were a threat or someone he didn’t recognize, he would’ve attacked.
He must recognize that, beneath Ember’s reinforced-steel armor, she’s vulnerable. Notweakby any means, but traumatized and vulnerable.
I survey the breakfast cart standing in the corner. “Someone brought breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“And you let them in?” She shouldn’t be able to; the door’s protected with a keycodeanda biometrics scanner.
“No, it was Greyson. He let himself in.” She glances at me. “I’m not going to run, you know. I can’t. I have nowhere to go,andI’ve given you my word that I’ll stay.”
“I remember you not trusting me whenItried to giveyoumy word on something,” I point out.
“An assassin’s word is usually worth jack shit, but that isn’t the case with me. I’m no ordinary assassin.”
“You’re not,” I agree quietly. “Let’s eat.”
Greyson must’ve delivered the cart straight from the dining room as a favor—if he wanted to talk to me, he would’ve stuck around.
After I set the table, Ember falls on her overloaded plate like a ravenous beast. I blink as I watch her go for sausage, then bacon, then eggs… then, she takes a pause, inhales a few deep breaths as if to steel herself, and resumes.
“Food’s not going anywhere, Flame,” I say mildly. “You don’t have to go at it like you’ll never eat again.”
She pauses, cheeks brightening with embarrassment, and suddenly pushes away her plate.
“I’m not telling you to stop—just don’t make yourself sick,” I say, amused. “Was your eating schedule as sporadic as your sleeping schedule with Dagon?”
She pauses, considering this. Nods. “Yes.”
“It never will be with me. The next meal will always be just a few hours away, and if you ever want a snack, just let me know. Now, drink some coffee; we have a meeting to get to with Cain.”
Cain and Greyson are already waiting for us in his office. Toby is conspicuously absent—probably for the best, considering that he’s the one who ratted about our plan to Cain. I’m sure Ember will want a pound of flesh when the time is right.
“Kind of you to join us, even if it is late,” Cain says with a wolfish grin.
I glance at the clock behind him. “We’retwo minuteslate.”
“Unless you’re two minutesearly,you’re already late.” He gestures to the empty seats across from him. “Sit.”
Instead of letting Ember sit in her own chair, I pull her down on my lap. She casts me an annoyed glance, advertising that she’s still irritated from our argument this morning, but doesn’t budge. I let myself hope that’s because sheenjoystouching me rather than her being indebted to me.
“Ember, has Max told you about our deal?” Cain asks.
Ember cocks her head to the side, I wrap my arms around her waist and possessively rest my hands on her belly, watching Cain carefully. If he pulls some shit, I’ll forget that he outranks me and punch him in the face. Greyson’s certainly done it enough times.
