“Aiden? I knew it! What the hell did you do? Did you tell him he was fat in his favorite jeans? Ask him to pretty himself up to go out? Did he make fun of your favorite cat?”
If my eyebrow could go any higher, it’d float off my face. “First, we’re going to circle back around to the men you’re dating. Second, it’s none of that. It’s kind of complicated.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Did Lei just ask me to express myself? “When did we become those friends?”
She laughed. “It felt weird the moment I said it. Can you tell him you were an asshole and beg for forgiveness?”
“What makes you think?—”
“I’m going to stop you right there. Why ask stupid questions?”
“I hate you. I really hate you.”
The smile spread across her face. “We both know that’s not possible. I’m too lovable.”
“Damn cat lady.”
“Mr. Frumples will cut you.” She hissed to stress her point.
She turned back in the seat, resting her hands on the steering wheel. Sharp banter without having an actual conversation—that was our friendship. If she wanted it to be deeper, to truly express our emotions, I think I would?—
“Did he find out you’re Blaze?”
What? How the hell… I coughed at the allegation. “Blaze? That super?—”
“Is this where you lie and try to convince me otherwise? You’re a terrible liar, so I hope you bring your A-game, mister. Or we can skip through your weak defense.”
I eyed the radio, trying to will the dispatcher to pick up. With any luck, a train had derailed or there was a burning building. Maybe if a sinkhole swallowed Vanguard City, I could get out of having to explain myself. First Hellcat, then Aiden. Do I just scream, “Idiot playing at superhero?”
“I—”
“When did you get your powers? Was it a science experiment? Oh, did you travel to another dimension? Did you vanish and study with Tibetan monks?”
I suppose every superhero needed that trusted confidant to share their secret. I had hoped it would be Aiden, but I had washed that down the drain. It wouldn’t be Bernard or the guys at breakfast. I couldn’t risk them. But Lei, she knew how to handle herself in a crisis. Maybe the universe was giving me a sign.
“The day at the bridge. The alien in the back.”
“Wait? I was right?” She gave herself a pat on the shoulder. “Damn, I’m good. Wait…” she turned in the seat. Eyeing the back of the ambulance, I could see her pulling apart the situation. “You were only a couple feet from me while you got superpowers? This isnotfair.”
“Trust me.” I held up my hand, summoning a tiny flame in my palm. “It’s not all it's cracked up to be.”
“Ability to keep my soup hot, be able to fly over traffic, or hell, even the skintight threads. It all sounds horrible.” She pulled back from the daydreaming and met my eyes. “Oh. You meant that thing where half the city thinks you're a criminal and your boyfriend wrote an article about you being a killer? Yeah, rough situation.”
“Jesus.” I dropped my face in my hands. I needed a new confidant. Could I drop her off at the Fire Station or was that just babies? “Have you been stalking me? How did you even figure it out?”
“Oh, in the emergency room. You really should listen to Hellcat about the identity thing.” As my jaw dropped, she rolled her eyes. “Your ass got thrown against the wall and left a hole. What was I supposed to do, not peek?”
“You’ve known all this time?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“I’m shocked you kept your mouth shut.”
“I was saving it. Someone needs to cover my Christmas shift.
“You’re blackmailing a superhero. You realize you’re one lightning strike away from being a supervillain.”
