“His body language isn’t right,” Connor said.
“He’s just being modest.” Janet gripped my shoulders, giving me a shake. “We should celebrate.”
“If we celebrate every time a supervillain attacks,” Orion said, “we’d never get any work done.”
“As Secret Identity Incorporated’s official Morale Officer, I’ll go get the cake.” She pulled Connor by the arm, and the two charged toward the lobby. “Do you think you can find strippers on short notice?”
“I have Destiny on speed dial.”
“Do we have to try to fire Janet again?” I asked as I took a seat next to Orion.
“It never sticks,” Orion said.
With a swipe of his hand, the video vanished. He started to get up when I grabbed his wrist. Instinctively, he tried pulling away, but without his suit, he was no match for my strength. With a blink, I turned the wall and doorway black, giving us some privacy.
“What’s this?”
We both looked down at his hand. By default, Orion didn’t emote unless it involved sarcasm. He might not think it was worth discussing, but I wouldn’t let him get away without celebrating a different kind of victory.
“He… did a thing.”
Every lingering worry evaporated. I squeezed his wrist, a smile stretching across my face. My legs twitched, but I resisted the urge to lunge and hug him.
“I won’t hug you, but I want to.”
“Thanks,” he said, “on both accounts.”
I might not be able to smother him with excitement,but I’d find a way. Perhaps I’d show up at their house with a cake—red velvet. Orion would act like he hated it, and the next day I’d find the red dye under his fingernails as if he devoured it like an animal. Orion wouldn’t squeal with delight. Hudson, on the other hand, would join me in jumping up and down while I begged him to share every moment.
“Too bad you found the leak.” I cocked my head to the side. It wasn’t the reaction I expected for saving the day. “Your government official? Quite the handsome man.”
I let my cheeks burn bright red. “I hadn’t noticed.” Not only did I notice, but I could probably draw his face from memory.
Orion got up from the table and headed to where I had blacked out the wall. “That’d have been a fun double date.”
I had to chuckle at the idea. “So you could interrogate him about the doppelgänger running the city?”
He shrugged. “No. Cause I haven’t seen you blush over a man before.” He disappeared through the black. “Andbecause he knows about the doppelgänger.”
In the silence of an empty break room, I touched my cheeks. The smile remained plastered, refusing to fade. Booker conjured a whirlwind of emotion every time he entered the room. I had explained to Wyatt that we didn’t have words for everything we experienced. This was one of those complicated moments. I feared what he had seen, the brutality that unfolded in that small apartment.Despite the fear, I tried to concoct an excuse to see him again.
Perhaps our paths would cross after this assignment.
With a wave of the hand, the black vanished, and I exited the break room. I needed to make some phone calls about an ad for male escorts showing up in the HeroApp™. It didn’t meet the terms of service, but damn if it wasn’t one of the most-clicked ads we ever had. Goes to show that even heroes needed company.
The moment I walked into my office, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.Somethingwasn’t right. My hand dropped to my thigh. I needed to carry the batons under my clothes. There was no place to hide unless somebody had nestled themselves under my desk. I walked around, half expecting an assassin to jump at me.
Nothing.
“Strange.”
When I sat down, I saw it: an envelope. It could be documents from Arthur. Maybe Janet wanted to share her boudoir photos again? My stomach tightened. I pinched the gold clasp, opening it as if a bomb might go off. A single sheet of paper slid out. The cut-out letters should have been a ransom note. Instead of a lengthy demand list, there were only three words: It’s not over.
I reached for my phone.
Drew: We need to talk.
Booker: Yes. Yes, we do.
