Levi was so at ease in his kitchen, pouring me a cup of coffee, then stretching up to reach the sugar on the shelf above the sink.
I wanted lazy Sunday mornings in here doing a crossword puzzle together and cooking dinner with laughter, wine, and good music streaming from the speakers. There was no one else I’d ever envisioned that way, the picture of this domestic bliss settling over me like a fuzzy blanket.
“She wouldn’t ask if she didn’t have a good reason,” Levi said.
“Thank you,” I said. “Milk?”
“In the fridge.”
I doctored my beverage, looking around hopefully for the biscotti.
“Treats after the meeting,” Levi said.
“You don’t even know what I needed,” I said. “Maybe it was a teaspoon.”
“Uh-huh.” He smirked.
Miles crossed his arms, his eyes cold. “Fuck me. You two are together. This is going to get messy.”
“Unlike you and Arkady?” I said.
“No, it won’t,” Levi said.
“Then tell me, boss, who’s your Head of Security? Me or your new girlfriend? Because if it’s me, then let me do my job.”
All the points he gained for his deductive skills blew away at his massive assholery.
I stirred the sugar in with enough force to make tiny whirlpools in the mug. “You want to compare dicks? Because you’ll lose. I answer directly to Levi.”
“I bet you do,” he said.
“Miles,” Levi warned.
Mrs. Hudson barked at Miles, lolling on the puppy bed in the corner that had shown up this morning. First Priya, now Levi. There were going to be a lot of broken hearts over this pug.
“Any case that Levi puts me on, or anything to do with Chariot, counts as House business.” I said. “Should I require House resources, you suck it up and provide them.”
“I’m not your fucking lackey,” Miles said.
“And I’m not some wild card out there wreaking havoc. I’ve looped you in every step of the way, on everything I’m working on. You’ve hated me since we were teens and if you don’t get over that, you’re going to be the one to fuck up big time and put House Pacifica in danger.”
“I don’t dislike you,” Miles said. “I’d have to give a damn about you one way or the other for that. I just don’t trust you to put the House first. Like I do. Every time.”
“Enough,” Levi snapped. He waved a teaspoon at us in monarchical fashion. “Both of you. Ash, if Miles determines your request undermines some aspect of House security, you need to respect that.”
“Tokens don’t fall into that category,” I said.
Levi shot me a beseeching look. I rolled my eyes and took a sip of coffee, mostly so I wouldn’t chuck the contents at Miles’ fat muscly head.
“Miles,” Levi said, “get Ash a supply of tokens so she doesn’t have to keep asking.”
“We’re burning favors,” Miles said, grimly. “You better be damn sure it’s worth it.”
“It’s worth it,” Levi said.
Miles was rubbing a hand back and forth over his sleeve. I’d seen him do that before, after I’d killed the smudge that had been inside him. A gesture born of stress.
Annoying as he was, I tried to see this from his perspective. We had to start somewhere.
My request was costing him favors, which didn’t sound good. The least I could do was be appreciative of that fact and lessen any other potential stresses for Miles regarding this situation. Like him having to worry about his team.
“It might be for the best if I was exempt from House protocols in going to Hedon. That way—”
“You could royally mess up diplomatic relations with them.” Miles spread his hands wide. “Though if you get yourself killed over there and out of my hair, then I won’t have to worry about you anymore.”
Well, I tried.
“I’m pretty hard to kill.” I manifested a blood red dagger, holding it up to the light. “You, on the other hand, have no handy armor to protect you.”
“I said enough!” Levi swiped the dagger away from me and threw it. It embedded into the drywall, vibrating. “You two are my most valuable resources and the two people I trust the most. I don’t give a fuck if you like each other, but you will respect each other and have each other’s backs. Do I make myself clear?”
We muttered our assent.
“Though I agree with Miles,” I said. “Anyone I take is a potential liability. Keep them here as first line of defense for the House.”
Miles stared at me, faintly puzzled, then he nodded. “You can handle yourself there. Okay. You’re free to come and go as you please, but getting tokens is trickier. There’s only ever a set number of them in play and the ones who control their dispersal are touchy.”
“Touchy as in easily hurt feelings?” I said.
“Touchy as in shoot first and ask questions later. It’s not easy finding people willing to play middleman for a House and buy them.”
“Get me into Hedon this time and I shouldn’t be asking for more,” I said. “This necromancer business should get me the alliance with the Queen and my all-access pass.”
“I don’t agree to that,” Levi said.
“I do,” Miles said. “My people. My determination for the good of the House. Are you going to override me on this?”
The air roiled with an angrily coiled tension.
“Your call,” Levi said tightly.
Miles’ cell rang. “Update me,” he said into it.
Mrs. Hudson jumped off her doggie bed to nose around in the rest of the house.
I shifted forward to track her and Levi squeezed my shoulder.
“She’s fine,” Levi said. The second Miles hung up, he said, “Well?”
“Ashford,” Miles said.
Levi swore softly. “There’s no way it doesn’t go farther than him.”
“That’s it. He’d gotten in deep on some gambling debts and Chariot offered to wipe them clean.”
“Who’s Ashford?” I said.
“Our crooked cop.” Miles stared into his coffee mug with the look of a man who wished it would transform into something a lot stronger. “The one who told
