His reaction set me on edge. Was Lynx not actually training her? I knew he had said that Saros was fine with Lynx’s interest in me. Could the same be true of Aurora? I hadn’t asked if he was with anyone else. Maybe I didn’t have a right to, but unease swirled in my gut, regardless. “He trains her a lot?”
“He does.”
Saros was a man of few words. Not that I usually minded, but right now my insecurities were creeping in and poking through my ribs, leaving my heart all too vulnerable.
He set the baby seat down on the ground, placing a cushion on the floor next to it. “It’s nothing more than training, though, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Could everyone in this damned neighborhood read minds?
“I mean, it’s not really my business,” I replied, trying to play it cool and sounding completely not cool.
His voice deepened and his spine went rigid. “It might not be your business…but it’smine. And I would know.”
Well, fine then, Mr. Bristles.
I put Aspen in the seat and reached into the diaper bag to set out some toys. Saros picked up the rattle in the shape of a quartz and knelt, shaking it a few times. Aspen giggled, and he did it again, the hard crinkles edging his eyes softening a bit. When the witchling wrapped his fingers around one of Saros’s, he froze. It was as if he’d turned into marble, brows lifting in surprise the only movement. Then he continued playing, as if nothing had happened, keeping his attention turned away from me.
“Do you mind me asking what your relationship is exactly? Lynx said you’re not married, but he also said you were involved outside of working together.”
“Yes.” The vein in his forehead popped out, and he swallowed audibly. “Let me just say that I have to be careful how I answer because of certain oaths.”
I tickled Aspen, picking up toys and placing them in his hands to shake around. “So what are you to each other?”
“I can’t imagine my life without Lynx.”
A wayward faux crystal flew into the air, smacking him right in the face. He grimaced, opening one eye at Aspen. Then Saros shook his head and handed the plush toy back to him. “He’s my family. The only one I’ve got.”
“I understand.” I kept my gaze on Aspen, afraid to look Saros in the eye, still unsure how much he knew about last night. “I don’t want to interfere with anything.”
“You won’t. You aren’t.” He stood up, grabbing a bottle of water and handing it to me. “I would never stop him from pursuing someone he really wanted, and he’d do the same.”
“So you’ve been with other people since you’ve been together?”
“Yes.”
I unscrewed the cap, taking a swig, all the questions swirling in my mind. “And it hasn’t worked out?”
“We move often for work.” The same vein ticked again, pulsing in his forehead. It looked painful but he didn’t show any signs if it did bother him.
“I see.”
This was just their normal thing: have flings while they were investigating something and then move on. My chest zinged at how not special this all made me feel. But at the same time, I didn’t know if I was ready for anything serious.
“What happens once you guys find my sister and who’s been causing these disappearances? Will you have to leave?” I tried not to sound too attached to the outcome of his answer.
“Most likely.” This time it was Saros who refused to look at me, his eyes on Aspen, who’d managed to wrangle his giant finger into his palm again, squeezing tight.
I guess that was good to know. To set the expectation. This could be a short fling. Right now, the only man I’d commit fully to was the tiny witchling in front of me.
I could do simple. Unattached. It would probably be easier that way, especially with all the leftover baggage with Atlas I was still navigating…or avoiding, depending how you looked at it.
“I honestly don’t see what he sees in me.” My hand came to my mouth at my own admission. Did he have a truth-telling gift? Why would I just confide something like that to a stranger? To Saros no less. I always managed to spew enough verbal diarrhea for the both of us when he was around.
“I’ve found most people don’t see themselves as they truly are,” Saros said, nothing but pure sincerity infusing his words.
I brushed them off, not wanting to reflect on them too long. He was probably right, but it was hard for me to see myself as the sexy woman Lynx seemed to view me as when all I saw was a sloppier, wigglier, and more discombobulated version of my former self.
It was probably better to stay focused on the task at hand right now anyway. “So, should we go ahead and get started?”
