Page 32 of Unexpected Complication

“You certainly seem to know her preferences. Coke…ice…only part of the can.”

“I’ve been watching her.”

“Uh-huh. A lot.”

“Making sure she’s okay.”

“Sure.”

“Drop it,” I growled.

He stood and went to the counter, grabbing a pan. “Whatever, boss.”

I glared at his back.

Then, before I could stop myself, I opened my laptop and checked on Skylar. She was curled up on the bed, still wrapped in the blanket I had draped over her earlier.

I wondered briefly if she needed another one. When I heard Sean snicker behind me, I closed the lid and flipped him off. If she did, she’d ask.

Dinner was peaceful. No throwing of plates or name-calling happened, making it almost…boring. Skylar ate her dinner, thanked Sean, and even smiled at me when she asked for the salt. Under my watchful eye, she carried her plate to the sink and insisted on helping Sean by drying the dishes. I accounted for every utensil, slightly shocked she didn’t even attempt to pocket anything.

After it was done, we went into the living room, all of us drinking coffee. Skylar opened her book again, and covertly, I watched her for a few minutes. I found it fascinating how she seemed to lose herself in the words on the pages in front of her. Her entire posture changed, becoming relaxed and fluid. Her facial expressions mirrored whatever was happening in the book at that moment—a small smile would pull at her lips or they would form into a small O when something surprised her. She would frown or grimace—it was endless. And utterly adorable.

I looked over, noticing Sean studying me, and quickly, I glanced away. Leaning over, I grabbed my laptop, deciding to study the files Frank had sent over instead of Skylar. I was missing something, and I needed to figure out what that something was. It was a good way to stop staring at Skylar as well.

Sean looked over at Skylar. “Do you play cards?”

She blinked at him. “Um, yes?”

“Great. Let’s go. Come on, Cian.”

“I’m good. You two go ahead—I need to finish this.”

“Okay, we’ll deal you in next hand.”

I rolled my eyes, having no intention of joining them. I went back to the open file, trying to find what I was overlooking. There was another mole in Orson’s organization—I knew there was. What I didn’t know was if we were on the same team or actually working against each other.

Half an hour later, I gave up. The world’s silliest game of Go Fish seemed to be happening in the other room, judging from the laughter I could hear. I went into the kitchen, drawn by the sound of Skylar’s giggle. It was such an oddly feminine noise and so out of place with the world I inhabited. A bowl of popcorn was on the table, both of them munching on it and sipping on beers. I grabbed one for myself and sat down. “Are you old enough to drink?”

Skylar rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-three, fuckwit.”

I was surprised by the information. She looked far younger than that. “Okay, then. I didn’t want to be contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”

“Yeah,” she snorted. “Heaven forbid you have that on your conscience.”

A loud guffaw erupted from Sean at her wit. Skylar began laughing, and before I could stop myself, I winked at her and joined in their merriment. “I take it where I can get it.” I chuckled as I grabbed a handful of popcorn. “Now, deal me in—I’ll show you two how to play this game.”

What happened next was the strangest game of cards that was ever played, each of us making up rules as we went. Today was the first time I got a glimpse of what Skylar was really like. She was smart, funny, and ridiculously easy to tease. I loved how she blushed when flustered or trying to bluff her hand. Her eyes were so expressive—making her tells easy to identify. The best part was when she would call me Cian. It sounded nice slipping from her lips. Not once did she call me a “fuckwit” or curse at me in anything other than fun. It was a bizarrely enjoyable evening, considering the circumstances we were in. Three people, sitting around a table, laughing and acting like friends, when the truth was, we were anything but.

I glanced out the window, grateful Skylar was here with us, warm and safe. I saw her look past me to the storm, and I wondered if she was thinking the same thing. She smiled at me, then averted her eyes.

I thought perhaps she was grateful too.

My chest warmed at the thought I had done that for her.

Chapter 7

Cian