CHAPTERFORTY-TWO
“Hello, Father,” I smiled in happiness and stepped inside my parents’ home. I hugged him around his neck. “I’ve missed you!”
The morning had been horrible.
But the afternoon was perking up.
We’d burned golem bodies for three hours straight, and there was still a mess in the yard. We would have to go back tomorrow morning. Finn and I weren’t going to work this week, grieving days, but we would be working nonetheless.
The other corporate kings had taken the same route, and they were there this morning helping to repair Poppy’s house. The stucco was being redone, and the roof was being repaired. All-in-all, everyone was keeping themselves busy.
Father enfolded me in his embrace, smiling against my hair, whispering in excitement, “I see you brought a friend with you.”
If only he knew about a shifter’s hearing.
“I did.” I leaned back and released him, our brief embrace complete. “I hope you don’t mind Finn stopping in with me. I need more clothes than what Mother sent me. And I need another bracelet. You wasted your money on the last one. It doesn’t power up.”
I held out the box for the faulty bracelet.
Father accepted it but set it aside on the foyer table. He pushed his hand out, and stated, “Mr. Baker, it’s lovely to see you again.” His brows rose high on his forehead. “Or shall I call you Finn, as my daughter does?”
“Mr. Baker will do for now.” Finn flicked a finger at the box he had abandoned with ease. “Will you be exchanging that bracelet soon? Or should Mina and I stop by New City Hall and purchase a new one for her?”
It was hard to do anything in the world without a bracelet, includingbuying food. The fact I had gone without for a few days was ridiculous. “I brought it back so you could exchange it. But if you really don’t have the time, we can stop by New City Hall. I can pay Finn back once I have a bracelet.”
Father’s lashes fluttered. “Oh, no. It’s not due to time or financial issues—”
“Then what is it about?” Finn asked quietly. He cocked his head. “Is there an issue your daughter needs to be informed of?”
My lips pinched.
The businessman had come out to play. The one who ruled over everyone. But this was my father.
I nudged his leg with mine, the subtlest of motions.
Father cleared his throat, clearly intimidated. “No, she already knows this. This is one of the original dwellings of New City. The power outlets are different than a newer home, which yours is. The bracelet we bought her—before you called—is specific to our home’s power outlet.”
I chuckled. “Oh, I forgot about that.”
“I did too,” he hushed. “And your mother. It didn’t dawn on us until before bed last night—when your Mother started fretting about you not calling. We remembered then.”
Finn grunted.
Father pulled his shoulders up, the same impressive height as the shifter next to me. “I don’t appreciate you breathing down my neck.”
My eyes widened in shock.
Father tilted his head toward our front door. “I don’t care who you are, Mr. Baker. No one speaks to me as you did in my own home. This space, it’s my domain. So why don’t you step outside, and once Mina has her bags packed, she’ll meet you at the end of the street.”
My mouth snapped shut.
This was his home.
Finn’s lips started to curl at the edges, in a too pleased expression. “That didn’t take long.” He lifted his left hand and pounded my father’s shoulder a few times. “I can see where Mina gets it from.”
I cleared my throat when no one moved. “I believe he still wants you to leave, Finn.”
“I was only playing,” Finn muttered, his blues aligning with my father’s. “You have my apologies if I offended you.”
