Speaking of…
Rhys sighed as he looked down at the lukewarm remains of his own flat white, before quickly sculling it down. He may as well get his six dollars’ worth.
Despite the fact he hadn’t really gotten anything useful out of those guys, Rhys knew he should still head to work and tell Robb – or someone else who hewasallowed to speak to while he was suspended – about what had happened. They needed to know, so they could keep an ear to the ground in the future in case these guys tried this on again.
And then maybe I could hit the gym again… or go for a jog… maybe I could call Evie and ask if she and Penny mind me coming up to the station to hang around for a bit…
The last thought perked him up somewhat. There were always jobs that needed doing around the vast property Evie ran with Penny, and so he could at least say he was being of some use to somebody if he went up there.
Yes,his griffin said, stretching its wings.If it means you will cease this infernal moping, then this is definitely what we should do.
Rhys ignored it – mainly – though he had to admit it kind of had a point about the moping.
He pushed the door to the café open, shaking his head. Sitting around drinking coffee and going to the gym for hours at a time clearly wasn’t doing anything for his mood. And it certainly wasn’t going to change anything. He may as well get out of town for a while to clear his head.
He looked up as he stepped outside, light drops of rain spattering on his face. The whole damn city seemed to be doing its best to oppress him further, the low, ominous clouds and their ever-present threat of rain pressing down on him like a physical weight. It was the opposite of what he had grown up with – the endless expanse of the cattle station, the infinite skies of a pure, deep blue that you just couldn’t see anywhere else. The clearest summer skies in the city had nothing on what you could see in the Outback. You could be out there and feel like there literally wasn’t anyone else in the whole world.
… Just how long had it been since he’d last been home?
All right, fine,he told his griffin as he cut down an alleyway, taking a shortcut to get back to his boxy apartment, which was mainly empty – Rhys couldn’t really say he was a homey type, and he didn’t spend all that much time at home anyway.We’ll go call Evie and ask if we can come up and make a nuisance of ourselves.
The griffin, however, didn’t respond with the happy crooning and feather-puffing he would have expected. Instead, it seemed to be the one ignoringhimfor a change.
Something’s wrong.
Rhys blinked, but then his own human mind caught up with what the griffin had already sensed:Danger.
He glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, someone was following him.
Rhys knew who they were immediately: one of the men who’d been sitting at the table across from him in the café. He hadn’t gotten a good look at their faces, but he hadn’t needed to. The man following him down the alleyway now justfeltthe same, that same weirdis he a shifter or not?feeling, fading in and out at the edge of his senses.
Okay, seems like someone doesn’t like to take no for an answer…Rhys thought grimly. But somehow, given how much his griffin’s sense for danger was going off, he didn’t think the men were here now to renew their offer.
Sure enough, when he turned back to look in front of him again, there stood two more men, blocking his exit.
They cannot stop us from going where we will,his griffin cried in outrage.How dare they even try?!
Rhys was inclined to agree with it, but he also knew this wouldn’t exactly be the best place to shift. Even if this alleyway was kind of secluded, only backing onto restaurant and café delivery doors and lined with nothing but dumpsters and milk crates, it was still the middle of the day in a bustling city.Someonewould see him – and Rhys definitely didn’t think he could pass himself off as an especially large bird.
Still, if that’s my only option,he thought,then I’ll just have to do what I can.
“Ah, Mr. Richardson, we meet again.”
Rhys tried not to roll his eyes at the sound of the familiar voice – though he hadn’t actually gotten the man’s name. And now seemed like a kind of awkward time to ask, when the guy was clearly in the middle of trying to sound like the villain from a cheesy action movie.
Rhyshatedit when guys did that.
“Yeah, we saw each other five minutes ago,” he replied, balling his fists by his sides. “And I’m pretty sure I remember telling you I wasn’t interested in your little offer.”
The dark-haired man, still not a wrinkle in his expensive suit, only smiled.
“Yes, Idoremember,” he said, his tone caustic. “And that’s where we have a problem.”
Oh, so he reallydoesn’tlike taking no for an answer.Well, there were only three of them, Rhys thought – not the best odds, but definitely not the worst he’d ever faced either. And he was agriffin. These guys – whatever they were – would be making a mistake to think it was an easy task to take a griffin down.
“We have a problem?” Rhys asked, cocking his head. “I was under the impression we left things on a pretty friendly note, didn’t we?”
The man chuckled. “I’m afraid not. If you’re not going to accept, then I’m afraid I have some different orders. So I’m going to ask you one more time – are you sure you won’t take up my generous offer?”
