I glare at the half-charged garnet. “Why don’t you do it?” I ask.
“Because I’m not Thorn Beathach. I’m the brother nobody knows exists. I’ll do my part, but if you want to bring our service fully online, we need user interactions, and we need energy. And with the garnet dying . . .”
“We’re losing energy too fast,” I murmur. “Well, at least I have a date. Since I’m going, put plans in place to take her tomorrow night at the ball.”
I’m done waiting.
THIRTY-ONE
Alana
The lower part of my abdomen has ached all freaking day. Not like, hey, this is sexy, but more like, ugh, I want to throw up, but I don’t have the energy. In fact, my entire lower half throbs and I try to ignore it as I sit once again in the quiet basement of my apartment complex, with Ella typing happily away.
It’s just the two of us since she lives in this basement. It’s too risky for either Merlin or Rosalie to try the hidden entrance with so much security watching the building. I miss seeing Merlin but would rather he stay safe.
I’m sitting in the middle of the room, flipping through data Ella printed out for me regarding Malice Media and garnets. There’s nothing here that helps me decipher what is so important about those garnets he traded me for.
I’d love to get something on him. As much as I’d like to defy him, I took a cold shower and then came to work without bringing out my vibrator. Not that I’m afraid. No. Not at all.
My skull even aches. A withheld orgasm really sucks. Shaking my head, I bring myself into the present moment. “What’s up between you and Nico?”
Ella looks up. “What?”
“That’s a pretty blush,” I murmur.
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Nothing is up. I mean, we ran into each other a couple of weeks ago at a coffee shop and sat for a while. He’s handsome and has that intense thing going on.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs. “You’ve been pretty busy and also so sad about Greg. I doubt Nico is really interested, so why bring it up?”
“He’d be nuts not to be interested.”
Her smile is cute, and I instantly start plotting how to get them in the same room.
She starts typing again. “I love gaining entry to the Aquarius Social servers. Love it.”
Now that I’m on the board of directors, I have access in a way that I didn’t before, and I’ve handed it all over to her. She is currently hunting through everybody’s corporate records and private emails. “You find anything relating to Greg’s death?” I ask.
“Your cousin Quinlan likes to talk dirty,” she says, still typing.
I straighten. “What do you mean, he likes to talk dirty?”
“He’s got at least three girlfriends and, believe me, he has some creative ideas.”
I barely bite back a groan. “He shouldn’t be typing that kind of thing in company emails. Lesson one in all business transactions is don’t put it in writing. Everybody knows that.”
“Yeah. Well, they don’t seem to mind. Ooh,” she whispers. “A couple of these women should write romances. Oh, hey, one does, Lexi somebody. Ooh, I have to make a mental note to buy some of her books.”
“Ella,” I say. “Get back on track.”
“I can do three things at once,” Ella says.
That’s actually true. Multitasking is just an urban myth for most people; however, not for Ella. I’ve seen her do three things equally well at a time. It’s impressive. I don’t have that gift.
Her fingers slow on the keys. “You haven’t posted and asked for stars today. Why? Are you having no emotions?”
I chuckle but the sound is pained. I’m having more emotions than I can decipher, and they all center on Thorn Beathach. I’m pretty sure the summation of the emotions is that I want to kill him. Well, I’m feeling pretty brave and angry right now, but I haven’t disobeyed his order. When he issues a threat, he means it.
Heat flies into my face and I ignore it. “Ella, please tell me you found something on my brother’s death.”
“I have,” she muses, slowing her typing even more. “Your father has hired three different private detectives to look into the so-called accident.”
I knew it. If there is any question about Greg’s death, my father would never let it lie.
“Why isn’t he working with the authorities?” Ella asks.
“That’s not how the four families operate. Laws and countries and people come and go,” I murmur. “The four families are forever.”
“You’re right. We happen to live here now, but we make up our own laws,” Ella says wearily. “I can’t believe Thorn might marry one of my stupid stepsisters.”
“He’s not,” I burst out before I can stop myself.
She chuckles. “I thought so. Are you going to fight for your man?”
“He’s not mine,” I retort quickly.
“Huh,” she says, sounding utterly unconvinced. “Okay, so I’ve hacked into one of the detective agency’s servers. The defenses on it are laughable.”
