Page 84 of Shark’s Pride

“But if you plant seeds of fear and danger, she will let them germinate and thrive.”

“Okay, Confucius.” Grant twisted a frown as if Elijah had pulled out a garlic clove and unpeeled it. “What the hell’s your point? You advocating that we keep all of this a secret from Pia?”

“No.” I rubbed my knuckles against my chin. “He’s saying exactly the opposite.”

“So…tell her everything?”

“But carefully,” Elijah stressed with a nod. “With selective messaging.” He tilted his regard back my way. “And before you know you it, she’ll be strangled by vines of maternal fear.”

I turned my hand over, scrubbing it up my face. “That’s devious as shit,” I growled. “But damn it, I like it.”

“She’ll be packing their bags within two days tops.” Elijah folded his arms across his chest as he finished.

“Dude,” Grant deadpanned. “That was fucking beautiful.” He pretended to sniff and wipe a tear away from the corner of his eye. The two gave each other a dramatic hug. When they parted, they stared expectantly back at me.

“So many times,” I muttered while throwing a pleading look up at the ceiling. “So many times I ask myself why I’m still friends with you two jackasses.”

“Because of my pretty eyes?”

“Because of my awesome ass?”

I shook my head, unsure to be amused or worried that they’d thrown out the taunts in unison. “No comment, Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” I finally said. “But I can recognize a good plan when I hear one—and now I’m thinking maybe this one should be taken a step further…”

Elijah filled my pointed pause with his steady nod. “You think the same tactic will work with Abbigail.”

“Oh, snap,” Grant inserted. “Damn. That’s brilliant.”

“She’s very headstrong too,” I commented. “And I don’t necessarily want to change that. It’s one of the things I love the most about her.”

Elijah snapped his stare to Grant. The guy nodded sagely. But before we could discuss my declaration of love, now out there for both of them to churn up, tease out, and openly debate, my desk phone sounded with the internal intercom. In two long strides I was in front of my desk, answering the page from Terryn.

“Shark.”

“Jacob Cole is here.” Shock of shocks—yet a pleasant one at that, thank Christ—her voice was cool and polite, all traces of previous strangeness gone.

“Give me two minutes, then show him in.” I released the speaker button and addressed my buddies. “All right, kids. Party’s over. The architect for the Edge is here, and I have a shit ton to do after the meeting. Twombley, are you staying for this, or do you actually have work to do?”

“You know I live to serve you, Sebastian.” He rolled his eyes before giving me his serious answer. “My first appointment is at nine, but it’s here in the building. I can sit in for a bit if you want me to.”

“Outstanding,” I responded.

“And I think that’s my cue,” Elijah put in. “I’ll get out of your way—but before I do, to safehouse or not to safehouse?”

“That is the damn question,” I said from gritted teeth.

“I can put out preliminary feelers,” he offered, already brandishing his cell and scrolling down his contacts list. I didn’t even want to know how many world governments would kill for that directory. “See if someone’s got something decadent but discreet nearby.”

My nod was terse. I hated feeling like I was sneaking around on Abbi as well as Pia, but this shit was necessary. I’d certainly faced—and approved—uglier missions before. “Thanks,” I finally murmured. “That’s a good idea, man.”

“Catch you later, then.” Elijah called it over his shoulder while walking out. His gaze hadn’t left his cell screen—and I was grateful. I paid that man an obscene hourly rate, but on days like this, he was worth every penny.

“His approach just might work,” I said to Grant. “For both of the women.”

My friend sucked in a lot of air through his nose. “Just be careful, dude. The minute either one of them senses you’re playing them, they’ll fuck up your world bad. Baaaddd. Seriously, you won’t know which end is up.”

I shoved away from my desk. “Yeah, yeah,” I growled while crossing to the conference table. “I know, goddammit.”

“Please don’t make me hold your hair while you’re puking from the bender you will most definitely go on.”