Page 20 of Sin

“Good, remember to let me know if there are any problems.” She narrowed her eyes on me. “We don't want any problems, remember?”

I bit back what I really wanted to say, knowing nothing good would come from it, and gave her a thumbs up. “Got it. Best behavior.”

She didn’t appear amused as she turned back to London. “Let me know once you’re rested and heading out.”

“I will.”

Without so much as a goodbye, she disconnected from the call.

The room was disconcertingly quiet as the screen blacked out, the only sound the hum from the monitors and the soft groan from the AC. London gripped the edge of the desk with his hands, his head bowed and eyes closed.

He looked so tired, and he probably was after expending so much power. I wanted to comfort him, but considering how icy he’d been with me today, I didn’t dare try.

After several minutes, he finally straightened, rolling his shoulders to relieve some tension there. He turned to me then, scrutinizing me like he didn’t quite know what to do with me.

“Did Blade talk over your suit with you?” he asked finally.

“Um, sort of. I told her to do whatever she wanted.”

“You don’t want to add your own touch to it?”

“Honestly, I don’t really care what it looks like. She could dress me like a potato, and it wouldn’t matter.”

He frowned, regarding me more intently. Whatever he saw in my expression didn’t seem to sit well with him because his frown only deepened. “Well… I’m sure it will be great. She’s really got a knack for design. She reminds me a lot of y—”

“Sure,” I said, interrupting him because the only thing I cared about right now was getting London to talk to me. Not Blade or the suit or all that other small talk. “Look, can we talk?”

He let out a breath I hadn’t known he’d been holding. “I don’t know if that’s the best idea, Sin.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m still really angry. And I’m worried if we do this right now, I might end up saying things I shouldn’t.”

“Well, then what’s your plan?” I threw my hands up in the air in exasperation. “To just keep pretending like I’m not here? Do you really think avoiding me will do us any good? I’m part of this team now, and—”

London took one step toward me, one step filled with so much unbridled anger that I found myself taking a step back myself. He poked a finger at my chest. “I didn’t ask for you to be part of this team, Sin. In fact, I very much opposed the idea.”

And… ouch. Okay, then. He did warn me, I guessed.

“Why are you acting like such a dick? I get that you’re still mad at me, but you don’t have to keep treating me like gum you got stuck to your shoe.”

He exhaled slowly, like he was reining in his temper. “Because if I’d had my choice, you wouldn’t be here. When President Osborne said you’d be joining us for this mission, I fought her on it. But obviously, I lost.” He laughed bitterly. “So just because you’re here doesn’t mean I’m ready to talk to you. It sure as fuck doesn’t make things right between us or mean I want you here.”

A throat cleared, reminding us that… Lewis was still in the room. Jesus, how had we forgotten about him?

He had his headphones around his neck and a laptop cradled against his side. He didn’t look at either of us. “I’m going to go… anywhere but here right now.”

London closed his eyes, muttering something under his breath as Lewis scuttled out of the room.

“London,” I whispered once we were alone. I was still frustrated and hurt by his earlier words, but I refused to let my feelings stop me. This wasn’t the London I remembered. It wasn’t the one I played The Floor Is Lava with when we were eight. Nor is he the one who brought me ice cream when I had to get my tonsils removed in middle school. The one I’d dreamed about when I felt so lost in those prison cells and thought about what I had left to live for. “So what do you want? Are you really so angry with me that you’d rather have nothing to do with me?” A sickening thought occurred to me. “Or are you seeing someone else?”

“No.”

“Not you and…” I drifted off as I glanced back at the door Lewis had just vacated.

London seemed to catch my meaning, and he snorted. “Me and Lewis? No, that would be like dating Bennett. Ew. Besides, he’s not into men.”

I tried not to look relieved at that. “Then what? What can I do, London?”

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