CHAPTERNINE
The buzzing of my silver bracelet woke me. With bright sunlight filtering in through the lone window of my apartment, I squinted at the readout. My head instantly turned. I patted the empty side of the bed, the sheet cold. Groaning, I tapped on the bracelet to accept the call, answering, “I thought you were sleeping in. And what the hell? I told you I sleep during the day.”
Rune chuckled. “I decided to take your advice. I went to the press conference.”
“And why are you calling to wake me up?” I yawned, the sound loud and rude.
“Because Theron requested your presence for lunch. We’re celebrating this fucking awful day at a pizza shop, apparently. He’s in a shitty mood, so he wants everyone in a shitty mood with him.”
I sighed in defeat. I was in too deep with these people. “And no one turns Theron down?”
“Not if you don’t want a certain dictator breaking down your door,” he stated with false cheer.
“Fuck me,” I groaned.
“Maybe after pizza?”
“Too soon, stud. Too soon.”
He grunted. “Even though I fixed your rodent problem at seven o’clock this morning?”
My attention instantly snapped to the table hiding the mouse hole. “You did?”
I couldn’t tell from here.
“Yes. And you sleep like a person in a coma. You didn’t even stir when I started hammering.” He paused a moment, and then snickered in amusement. “I guess I should feel fortunate that you don’t snore, though.”
“I was tired.” I yawned again. “I’m still tired.”
“Well, you’ve got an hour to get to the pizza shop.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, and muttered, “Which one is it? Please tell me it’s Kreeger’s Pizza. That place is worth getting up early for.”
“Sorry to disappoint. It’s a new place. We’ve only had delivery once from there, so I have no idea if the interior is up to snuff. But it is near Finn’s house, so it can’t be completely awful. It’s called Dormi’s Pizza & Coffee.”
“Ugh.”
“Ugh?”
“I’ve been to Dormi’s before. The manager there seems to have a thing for underage girls. It’s disgusting. He goes around slapping their asses right in front of the customers.”
He was quiet a moment, seemingly thinking that through. “Well, it should be interesting. None of us take to that shit well.”
“A fight at a pizza shop? That’s a little above you, isn’t it?”
“I’d like if I was above you right now.”
“Rune?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t flirt. I’m drained of all energy and can’t keep up.”
He laughed loud and long, sweet and deep. “I’ll do the work for both of us, beautiful.”
I shook my head against my pillow. “You’re shameless.”
“Hell yes, I am.”
