From behind my beer I mutter, “That’s your wife, but nice try baiting me,” and take a sip.
The Ciphers go nuts laughing. Reaction so unabashed my lips twitch.
But Jett’s kinda pissed since he doesn’t want to be laughed at in front of the new guy. I want him on my side so before I even think, I blurt, “Hey! Don’t laugh at our President!”
They freeze, go silent.
His wife purses her lips.
My heart punches my ribs, faster and faster, but outside I keep my cool.
I nearly jump at a fresh explosion of laughter that’s even louder. One stocky dude with a grey-streaked man-bun shouts, “Our President? Kid’s almost as cocky as you, Jett!”
His wife smiles, slipping her arm around her husband. “My name is Luna Cocker, but you recognized me from my daughter, didn’t you?”
“I did. Incredible resemblance.” And now I know why Sofia Sol looked Latin.
He gazes into her sultry eyes like there’s nobody else around, rubs her ass like a genie might pop out of it, then glances to me. “I’m gonna give the kid a shot.”
Ciphers file down the stairs as if given an order. Now I’m surrounded. It’s a clusterfuck to remember their names, gotta be fifteen or twenty of them. I’m bad with numbers anyway, and I’m so overwhelmed that if Jett said it was fifty people, I’d believe him. I shake hands with the men, bow my head a little to the women, shake their hands when offered, careful not to overstep a boundary.
The only children among this group are identical twin girls with dark skin and huge brown eyes that stare at me like I’m a disappointment.
“He’s not a kid, Jett.” “He’s a grown man!”
Jett frowns as he realizes. “Shay, Mylar, well shit, did you think that I was bringing a playmate into the club?” They nod like, of course we thought that, you idiot. Guilt flickers across his face. “When I called him a kid I didn’t mean an actual…ah, fuck. Everyone under thirty is a kid to me. You’re what, Sean, twenty-seven?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” I offer a smile to the girls, “I’ll still be your prom date when you grow up, though. If you need one.”
Oh man, do they light up, jumping in their skin like that was exactly what they were hoping for.
“This is Atlas. Meg and Honey Badger’s kid, too, just like Sage here. Atlas will be training you, so get ready.” Jett motions to the beauty next, “And this is Celia. She’ll be working with Atlas to get you in line, since my daughter isn’t here.” Luna smacks his arm, and he corrects himself, “Celia, you know what I mean.”
I see a flash of irritation in her warm brown eyes, but she tries to hide it, extending her hand. “Hey Sean.”
I dip my head with respect, return the firm shake she gives. “Celia, with those arms I’m already afraid.”
A sexy smirk tugs on her lips. “I’m gonna make those fears real.”
CHAPTER 5
SEAN
J ett tells me as we approach a room, “You’ll be staying with Atlas, in Luke’s bed since he’s…away.” Atlas walks out, gives me a curt nod and silently exchanges a look with the President as Jett explains, “Someone brought your suitcase up already. Bathroom’s down the hall—it’s shared so bring your toothbrush with you, then bring it back.”
“Sounds good.”
Grey eyes narrow like he’s trying to figure me out. “My daughter is sharp. Very sharp. She’s seen things you can’t imagine. Has instincts like a trained assassin. If my Sofia said to give you a shot, then that’s why I’m taking this chance having you in my home, understand? Just in case you get any funny ideas, Atlas’s belt is so black it’s a wormhole to a universe of pain, get me? Tomorrow I want to see how you fight.” Heading off he raises his thick, leathery hand in a wave as I stare after him.
Atlas shuffles his feet and I glance over, see him waiting for me to enter his bedroom. “Luke’s on a mission,” he says like he’s lying. “We don’t know where he is because it’s confidential.”
Is this some sort of test? I met Luke. Don’t they know that? I bet Atlas is trying to see if I’ll give away a Cipher’s secret whereabouts—that telling him would be an example of breaking code. All of this sprints through my brain as I stroll in and decide the unmade bed will be mine for the duration of my stay. Lifting my suitcase on it I tug on the resistant zipper and offer no information, just a question. “You guys friends?”
“He’s my brother.”
My eyebrows rise as I scan Atlas. I should have guessed that. “How about Celia? She your sister?”
He makes a face like I’m crazy, sitting on his unmade bed in jeans and a faded black t-shirt, boots scarred with experiences I can’t wait to have. “Ceels? Nah, she’s like a sister, but no blood. Her mom is Carmen, Dad is Tonk Sr. Her brother is…”
We both say at the same time, “Tonk Jr.”
“Right,” he smirks. “That guy doesn’t come on missions.”
“Not surprised by that,” I mutter, taking out a leather satchel I’m using for toiletries.
Atlas points to it. “That’s cool. Where’d you get it?”
Removing the toothbrush and travel-sized toothpaste I answer, “It was my dad’s.”
“He give it to you?”
“My mom did. When he died.”
Atlas leans back on his hands, legs spread. “Oh man, that sucks. How’d he go?”
“Accident on the job. He was in construction. Word is he told the foreman they needed the rain to stop. Foreman was past schedule and over budget, so he told my dad to stop being a pansy and get out there. Steel beams are slippery even with regulation shoes. Dad slipped. One of his buddies tried to save him. Fell fifteen stories off a new building that’s still in Phoenix. They completed it without my father.” I start for the door, pause and look over. “That’s probably
