“Really?” I sighed and faced her, dragging hair out of my weary eyes. “Work sucks. There, happy?”
“You okay?” She frowned, fidgeting with the handles of her bike.
“Yeah, I’m peachy. Your father is sunshine and my job is rainbows,” I snapped.
“Tarik, did he do something to you? Say something?” Reagan inched closer.
I laughed humorlessly, taking a step back. “You could say that. Threatened me, my job, and everything else he could think of. He even threatened—” Instead of finishing, I growled and kicked an empty trash can, sending the lid skittering across the street. I couldn’t do this with her right now. Not when everything was falling down on my head, crushing me beneath its weight.
“He threatened your job?” Her eyes followed the silver disc, lips pressing together before she shrugged. “Well, honestly, you’d be better off if he fired you.”
At those words, anger simmered beneath my skin. I almost walked away, too full of aggression and exhaustion to think clearly, but maybe this was best. Maybe if I expelled all the words, she would leave me be, once and for all, and Mordecai would remove the target from her back. I strode up to her, close enough to see the gold in her eyes.
“What makes you think you know what’s best for me? You don’t know what I have to deal with, the responsibilities I have. And we all know the blasted shifters running this joke of a city won’t let dirty Fae near the decent jobs.” She stared, and I watched as my words slowly sank in. I had to look away, otherwise I might do something stupid, like apologize. I backed up, putting much needed space between us. “Go patrol, Reagan. There’s nothing to see here.”
“Really? I have no idea about the responsibilities you shoulder?” she said, stepping closer again. She couldn’t take a hint. “You know, I have a job too. And I’m not talking about my official one. So if you want to endure whatever terrible things Mordecai has planned for you, be my guest.”
Leaning so far in that she had to tilt her head back, I growled, “I won’t be the one enduring the terrible things Mordecai has planned. You will. Especially if you don’t give up this pipe dream of saving the Fae. Don’t you understand? You need to lay low or he’s going to hurt you again, and I can’t—” I balled my hands at my sides so I wouldn’t reach out and shake some sense into her. “You need to leave. Now.”
“I can handle myself. You think I haven’t already been punished a number of times? I accept that as part of the deal.” Her eyes widened, then dropped to the ground. When she spoke again, the words were a soft mumble. “I knew his rules and got caught breaking them. I deserved his punishments.”
That was too far. I could feel myself tipping over the edge, losing sight of what I was supposed to be saying and doing. I clamped both hands on her shoulders and yelled, “You don’t deserve to be abused!”
She didn’t even flinch. “You have no idea how much I’ve been able to do for the Fae over the years. Healing, food, intervening when the shifters just won’t quit. I know the risks and I’m glad to take them. A brand is a small price for the things he does to your people. Who cares if he marked me? I knew I was breaking his rules, Tarik. But helping people? Helping you? That’s worth the risk.” She swallowed. “I don’t know what your problem is today. But I’ve had enough.”
I yanked my hands off her and turned away, frustrated beyond belief. “And here I thought I was the one with a death wish. But you know what? I’m glad you’ve had enough, because I can’t save you. So walk away and never look back. You’re better off.”
“Ha! You think I’m the damsel in distress in this situation? That’s hilarious. I didn’t ask for your help. I can handle myself. I’m not the one who keeps trying to get myself killed for an adrenaline rush.”
She’s driving me insane! I threw a glare over my shoulder. “Yeah, that really is funny because I didn’t ask for your help either! But go ahead, get yourself killed. I won’t be there when you fall.”
Reagan rolled her eyes. “Mordecai needs me. He would never kill me. And hell, I didn’t earn the title of unwanted stalker for nothing.”
“You think too highly of yourself,” I bit out. “Mordecai threatened to cut out your tongue a few short hours ago.”
“Okay?” She barked a laugh. “You know he threatens things like that all the time, right? Especially toward Alec. I could give you a list of the ways he’s threatened his own son. He wouldn’t kill me because I’m years of his hard work bundled into one neat little package. Wound or maim, sure. A tongue? That would interfere with my Enforcer duties. I’d be a damaged investment. He wouldn’t dare.”
I gaped at her incredulously. “Okay, I’m done,” I said, backing away toward my apartment and a piece of sanity. “You’re completely brainwashed and I don’t think I can be the voice of reason in your head. Good luck being Mordecai’s pet dog. Or lion. Whatever.”
As I turned my back on her, I muttered, “And maybe someday you’ll inherit this crap city and turn into a little Mordecai clone.”
She gasped, then shouted, “What the hell did you say? You arrogant Fae prick!”
I heard a crash as her bike hit the ground, then she was on me, arms wrapped around my neck and legs straddling my waist. I froze when she let out an unearthly growl and sank her teeth into my shoulder. At first, I was too shocked to feel anything. Then pain shot through me with a vengeance. I roared and tried to shake her off, but she clung on like a leech, digging her teeth in deeper.
“You better not be
