“Taking point on this one, huh?”Jake caught Father’s glance and sighed, spreading his hands.“Sorry.I just… I never thought this would happen.”
“I find your lack of faith disturbing,” Ignatius murmured.
Erik had to work to keep a straight face; it was a safe bet their trio’s leader hadn’t seen that movie.He probably remembered when silent films were all the rage.
Jake’s mouth twitched, and he tapped at the keys again.“So, the diet app on her phone’s got meals logged for months.She flirted with vegan around last New Year’s, but she’s been an omnivore since Fourth of July.Breakfast’s usually Greek yogurt and blueberries.”
“A healthful choice.”Ignatius’s dry tone could have been approval or irony.“Did you stock the kitchen accordingly?”
“Yessir.”Jake restrained himself from rolling his eyes with a visible, almost physical effort.“Delivery was yesterday while you were doing the clothes, Father.”
“I do not doubt your ability, my son.”As always, a Father knew when to praise a temperamental Younger.“I am merely being thorough.”
“Yes, Father.”Jake gazed at the laptop.“That’s about it.Everything else is details.We should probably get her some breakfast.”
“Erik will.Show me everything else.”
“He got to take her to the largerliraim.”Jake obviously thought this wasn’t fair.
“And he is the one who will carry her meal,” Father answered, inflexible.“I understand your eagerness.Now proceed.”
Erik pushed his chair back, slowly, giving Father plenty of time to add more—or to change his mind.Unfortunately, it didn’t look like the old man was going to.“Sir?”
“Yes, Erik?”
“When do we take her to the Flame?”Thatwas the only thing he was worried about.Traveling with her was going to be a real joy unless she was sedated, which called up a whole host of other concerns.
“I consulted with Control this morning.The prevailing feeling is that it would be unwise until we have more daylight for traveling.”Father pressed his fingertips together, his nails turning pale from the pressure.“Which will give us time to make her stable and at least slightly cooperative.That, Erik, is your task.”
Great.From the swift flash of startlement on Jake’s face, Erik was willing to bet little brother hadn’t figured out that his elder sibling was going to end up being the one she’d feel betrayed by.Now that he realized it, of course, Jake would be all sunshine and daisies.
“Yessir,” Erik said, and pushed himself upright.
The thought of a potential’s natural disgust didn’t hurt as much as he expected.No, it was distinctly worse, but that was the price of being a Son of Ymre.He saluted and left the room as Jake started going over the details.
Looked like Father knew the Younger was top contender for her first seal.It didn’t help that Erik had, dismally, suspected as much from the start as well.
Guilty, Not Mad
She had barelyenough time to bolt for the bathroom when the hall door gave a theatrical creak.Liv was entirely sure they had a quieter way of getting in if they really wanted to, so for the time being, hiding seemed like the best option.That left her standing in sock feet on cold tile, hyperventilating and staring at heavy, white-painted wood.Footsteps creaked through the room; there wasn’t the sound of the hall door closing.
Don’t.It’s a trap.
The footsteps paced slowly, deliberately, into the bedroom; it had to be the broad-shouldered, dark-haired one.Liv eased the bathroom door open, her fingers on the lock just in case.The hall door stood wide, and she thought she could almost feel a draft from that direction.
He told you he’d do this.It’s part of their little game; the others are probably waiting in the hall.
But maybe, just maybe the big guy wasn’t quite hip to the program the priest and the smarmy blond were running?Maybe he was giving her a way out but couldn’t say as much?Were the walls bugged?
Focus.She measured the distance.It was creepy enough that the ashwood bed had been piled with bags and boxes—jeans, sweats, T-shirts, underclothes, all in black, white, or grey.There were even two sets of cotton pajamas, both dove-grey.No shoes, but an array of black and grey socks.
The funny thing was, they were expensive, well-made outfits.Nobody had gone into a box store for them, no sir.And everything fit, even the big fluffy white bathrobe.The tags had been removed and everything was washed, but she couldn’t identify the fabric softener.It smelled high-end.
There was nowayshe was wearing those panties.Who knew what these guys had done with them?
Come on, Liv.Try it.Remember what that cop said?“No matter what, fight like hell.”Easy for that particular law enforcement conference presenter to say, he’d been two-fifty if he was an ounce and nobody had ever catcalledhim.Still, the classes to keep her paralegal job, not to mention qualify for certification, were paying off in spades now.
She was moving before she was quite ready, throwing open the door and pitching forward.Her feet slapped hardwood; she skidded, recovered, hurled herself across faded, worn rugs?—
