The tomb raider launched herself onto the wood and steel skeleton of a high-rise office building. She caught a girder with her hands, and swung and caught the next, and then the next, like she was on the world’s most dangerous set of monkey bars.
At the other side of the building, she released and flew straight toward another roof. She wasn’t even sure how high up she was at this point. The lights of the cars were distant underneath here, more like dim fireflies than anything else.
A genuine smile lit her face.
What a damn cool way to tour the city.
More seconds blurred into minutes as Shay closed on the end of the course, her heart pounding and sweat soaking her clothes.
Almost there.
Shay jumped from a roof to a small balcony and immediately leaped from there to a ledge on the building on the opposite side. She swung a few times and jumped from the ledge to a canvas entrance arch in front of a deli and bounced off.
The tomb raider landed, her arms spread out on the middle of a sidewalk. Several curious people looked her way.
With a grin, she waved and sprinted off, not giving them time to process why the sky was raining women before Lana and Aaron arrived.
Shay risked a glance behind. She’d been so wrapped in the course she’d forgotten about them.
I still have the lead. I can do this. I can win.
The tomb raider cut into an alley, her eyes widening. A huge flat-nosed delivery truck was parked in the middle, blocking her path. She didn’t understand why the driver had risked entry, given he had barely half a foot of clearance on either side.
Really, asshole?
Shay’s gaze darted around the alley as she took in every stray protrusion. She pushed herself harder, her pounding feet echoing, and charged a frame-mounted row of lights over a door. She jumped toward the lights, hoping they could hold her weight, and pushed off the door and the frame.
The tomb raider flew to the top of the truck and ran across it. A delivery man emerged from another door behind the truck. He shook his head and looked up, wide-eyed, as Shay jumped off the truck’s roof into a roll in the alley. Once she was back on her feet, she offered him a happy wave.
Two more quick corner turns, and three fences later, Shay stood in the parking lot of a frozen yogurt place, Sweet Storm.
She leaned over, her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. She hadn’t pushed herself that hard without someone trying to kill her in a long time.
By the time she caught her breath and looked up, Aaron was jogging into the parking lot, Lana about five yards behind.
They slowed and stopped in front of Shay, also leaning over to catch their breath.
Lana wiped sweat from her brow. “Congratulations, Shay.”
“Huh? What?”
“You beat both of us, not to mention everyone else.”
Shay gave the other woman a broad grin. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
Unburdened for most of the run even by worries over if the others were close behind, she’d finally done it. Her competitive soul had been satisfied because she’d taken first. She’d just had to start competing with herself instead of the others.
I’m damned good.
She shrugged. “The froyo’s on me.”
Chapter Twelve
Shay nibbled on a slice of Peyton’s latest creation, a mouth-watering sausage pizza with a touch of bacon. If he kept this up, he wouldn’t just be Pizza King, he’d become Pizza Emperor. Not that she wanted to tell him that. Despite living under her stern eye and sharp tongue, the man’s ego threatened to spill out of control—just like his sense of fashion.
Still, it was nice to have a little late-night snack that was so damn delicious. She’d gotten lucky that he was even still there so late.
The hacker was kneeling on the floor in front of Osiris. His ridiculous flared purple pants made her wonder if he was just going through a 70s phase. Whatever it was, she hoped that he’d cycle back to something less obnoxious soon. She wasn’t a fashionista since a lifetime of violent and up-close killing had lowered its importance in her mind, but she still had certain basic standards.
People always claimed that fashion ran in cycles, not that she’d seen any of his recent outfits popular with anyone else. There still was plenty of time left in the 2030s. Maybe the decade would close out with a true revival of sartorial crimes long since forgotten.
Peyton pushed a small hollow ball with a bell toward Osiris. The cat meowed and knocked it back. They pushed the ball back and forth several times, the man smiling as if it were the most exciting thing he’d done that day.
Maybe I should get a pet. I can train my pet to threaten Osiris and keep him in line like I keep Peyton in line.
Let’s see. Got a boyfriend, a protégé, and a daughter in all but name. Might as well complete the domestication set with a pet or two.
Shay snickered.
Maybe not. An attack falcon would be cool, though. Sky Shay.
Peyton frowned and looked up from his tabby. “Should I be scared?”
“What? I’m not allowed to think anything funny without telling you first?”
“Just saying, someone sitting there cackling without saying anything is kind of freaky. And that’s just normal people, let alone you.” He shrugged. “You’re scary enough without cackling. If you ever lose it, I don’t think even Brownstone could handle you.”
Shay smirked. “I wasn’t cackling. I was just thinking about getting a pet.” She pointed at the cat. “I’m inspired by your cat. Maybe.”
“A pet? You? Seriously?” Peyton frowned as if the idea were absurd inherently.
“Why not? If I can train a person, I can train a pet. The only difference is that a pet is less mouthy and easier to bribe.”
Peyton snorted. “If you believe that, you need to spend
