Leo’s irritated grumble further coils the fury in my gut. “Some equipment is just inadequate,” I say. At his exasperated sigh, a smirk tips the corner of my mouth.
I sense him drawing near the window, and my annoyance flares. Leo’s the only one allowed in this part of the observatory, and that’s only because he’s the president—and I haven’t figured out a way to do away with him.
Yet.
I lower the monocular, but not before he catches on to what I’m observing below.
“You know, a little professional rivalry is typically healthy,” he remarks from over my shoulder. “But this is not, my friend.”
Hit with the fierce desire to strangle him with Prescott’s entrails, I drop the instrument onto the metal table with a resoundingclangand step away. “The magnets were misaligned and the timing of the beam was off,” I say, offering some explanation. “It wasn’t safe.”
“Then you should’ve simply overwritten the program for beam alignment and magnet currents,” he says with infuriating logic, “correct any anomalies.Notkill the unveiling.”
Correct any anomalies.
I scrub the back of my head, blinking hard to force the swelling pressure to recede. “When the system detects an anomaly, it calls for a complete shutdown,” I say, but I’m no longer talking to him.
My gaze snaps to the screen in the corner. I tap my fingers against my thigh in time with its continuous flicker—one, one, two, three, five—my thoughts drifting as the algorithm continues its search.
Leo watches me closely, a concerned draw to his brows. “Rye…” He says my name questioningly.
“Yeah,” I say, giving my head a shake. “It was petty. Won’t happen again.” I tell him this so he’ll leave.
“It can’t happen again,” he stresses, a warning there. He proceeds to pick up the monocular and gaze at the scene unfolding below, letting a beat stretch before he says, “Prescott seems to like Dr. Holbrook. He had a meeting with her after the disastrous unveiling.” He lets his baiting remark hang between us. “In fact, he said he finds her sessionsquitestimulating.”
Dark filaments edge into my vision.
“He’d find a seminar on orbital debris stimulating,” I say, annoyingly aware of the possessiveness in my voice.
“Well, can’t blame him with a celestial body like that floating around campus.” He chuckles at his own crude joke.
My jaw clenches, and I snatch the scope from his thick hand. “You’re not here to shoot the shit, Leo. What do you want,” I demand, unable to curb the lethal edge in my tone.
“Right.” He drops his hands into his pockets. “I’m here to make you an offer in the hope that we can get back on track. I’m ready to grant your terms.” He clears his throat. “Because I do understand the obstacles you face, if working entirely alone will help you make progress in your research, I’ll relocate the team to the RC section.”
I cock an eyebrow, waiting for the catch.
He rocks back on his heels. “All that’s required is a single evaluation with Dr. Holbrook.” He holds up a hand. “Just one. That’s all I’m asking, Rye. No, it’s not mandatory, but it will go a long way to appease those who have concerns.”
At the mere suggestion of being alone with her, a dark current thrashes against my skull. Something deep within claws, gnashing its teeth. While dabbling in a little light stalking can be a somewhat masochistic pastime, it’s ultimately harmless. But placing her directly within reach?—
That’s more than dangerous.
Leo expels an audible breath. “You do owe me this,” he says.
A knowing smirk pulls at my mouth. And there it is, cashing in on a debt he thinks I owe him. But for a single evaluation… That’s not nearly a high enough ask to balance the scales. I’ve known my old colleague too long not to suspect an ulterior motive.
At my silent refusal, he curses under his breath. “Christ’s sake. Whatever you think, I am trying to help. I don’t even ask that you prepare your own course material. Your damn TA handles all that, down to grading papers. I practically let you get away with murder.”
I cock an eyebrow.
“You’ve become rash and impulsive,” he continues, undeterred. “Do you realize what the faculty and students are saying about you? That you’re unhinged.”
I release a dry laugh. “Is that the trending word of the day?”
He bristles, struck right in his fragile ego. He doesn’t like to be reminded that he’s aging, becoming obsolete.
Hell, we all are.
