She turned back to her screen. “So here is the layout of the location where you’ll be attending a party hosted by Tusk. We’ve decided to send in a five-person team, and you should each have more details on your tablets.”
She slid me a glance and asked. “Everyone understand?”
We all nodded, and she approached me with her arms crossed. “Are you okay? Any lingering effects from the last mission?” Her hand reached out to graze the bruise on my cheek.
It hurt a little, but I remained stoic. “It’s not like it’s my first time to be hurt like this. It’s nothing, really. I am mission ready for tonight.”
“I know. That’s not what I mean. I just don’t want Prochenko in your head. I don’t think your mental health is compromised. I just want you to be careful and concentrate on the parameters of this mission.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
She laughed. “Okay, joke all you want, but I do care about you.”
“I know. And I’m grateful. But I’m good. Prochenko came back for me, so when we finish this job, it’s time for payback.”
“Revenge isn’t what we’re after here, Lyra. We want answers.”
“I know. Bring the man in alive. I got you.”
“Good.” Her smile was soft. “You look... I don’t know, keyed up. Everything okay with your dating life?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know what you’re fishing for. Nothing happened.”
Roz opened her mouth to say something else, but I put up my hands and cut her off. “I know, I know. Find love. I’m working on it. But maybe after we deal with Prochenko, okay?”
She sighed. “Okay, but it’s actually important. I’d rather you start screwing someone than have to make extra appointments with the psych counselor.”
I winced at that. I didn’t need to see a psych just because I wasn’t actively banging someone. “Like I said, I’m working on it. Now, can we deal with Tusk and then Prochenko first?”
“Yeah, let’s get these assholes. No one comes after my agents.”
“Excellent.”
Then I left her and went back to my office. I had a brief to review, and I had to get ready for tonight. I could ignore my feelings about Marcus. I knew how to do my job, and there was no way I was letting him stand in my way.
But a quick double check of my weapons pack and tablet told me I’d left my special hairpins that assembled into knives at home. Christ. I’d been so preoccupied I’d left them on my coffee table.
Marcus Black was bad for my health and my sanity.
Lucky for me, I had time before the mission rolled out to go home and get my pins. I could always get another pack from the armory, but every weapons checkout was monitored. With Tyler back and throwing me off, I didn’t need any extra attention on me.
I glanced up quickly. I had two hours. More than enough time.
Marcus
I only heard Lyra come home as I was prepping for that night’s mission because Mrs. Washington had her door opened and her voice was bright and sunny as she spoke. “Lyra, you’re back. Now, dear, I have a package for you. Hold on.”
I jumped up, not like I’d been waiting for her or anything.
Who are you kidding? You want to see her.
I opened my door. “Hi, Lyra.”
She whirled around, cheeks flushed. “Oh, hey, Marcus.” We both hesitated. But she spoke first. “Sorry about this morning. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I know it was probably awkward. I just came to say that maybe I want to take you up on that dinner invitation. But obviously you were busy.”
I studied her closely. What was her play here?
I narrowed my gaze. This was about what happened earlier. She thought I’d been with another woman. “Actually, I’m not free tonight.”
She lifted a brow. “Well neither am I. I just forgot something that I needed, so I’m popping by to grab it before I go back out.” She tried to look beyond me into my flat. “Busy? Doing what?”
“Just… busy.”
She blinked slowly, her gaze never wavering from mine. “I didn’t mean tonight.” She shifted on her feet. “I have a work event.” With a nervous lick of her lips she said, “You know, you confuse me. The other day you were practically begging me to go out with you again. This morning you were occupied,” she said, using air quotes. “And now you’re busy again. Are you ghosting me?”
I grinned at that. “I was just busy this morning, Lyra. There was no one else here.”
Mrs. Washington approached with Lyra's box. “Here you are, dear.”
“Oh, thank you, Rose. You’re very thoughtful.” Her voice was all saccharine sweet for our elderly neighbor.
“Of course, honey,” she said, her tanned, leathery skin creasing as she smiled. “I do have to warn you that poor little Button did get into your packaging.”
Was it my imagination, or did Lyra’s normally vibrant brown skin take on a gray pallor? “W-what?”
“Yes, love. All that vibrating scared him something awful though. He must have accidentally turned it on, because that rabbit was wiggling all over the floor and it looked like it was chasing him.” She clasped her hand to her chest. “It gave him such a fright, but I was able to grab it and repackage it for you. Good as new. I wanted to make sure you got it. I know how us girls have to take care of things from time to time.”
It took all my years of training to school my expression into a placid and uninterested expression.
Lyra, on the other hand, looked frozen. Her face was plastered into a small smile, her eyes a little too wide, and her jaw too tight. And her skin was now almost pink, particularly in the cheeks. She was blushing.
Oh,
