Page 87 of Devil May Lie

“Three months later!”

“And? He’s fine now, isn’t he?”

“No, he left, tried to steal from one of the Shepard's gambling dens, and got stabbed to death.”

Unfortunate for him, but Berga failed to see how that was his problem. “Unrelated to the topic at hand.”

“Look, you are sporadic. I love that about you, I do, but that’s also what makes you dangerous. Being on friendly terms with the Retinue is one thing, hell, we all know Baikal even turned the other cheek when Kaz and Zane started fucking. But this? You and Madden both hold high positions. Kelevra will defend him. Baikal will defend you. The friendship and peace we’ve enjoyed up till this point will be shattered.”

“Do you think I’d ever let it get to that?” Berga frowned. “Have I ever given the impression that becoming disloyal was even a remote possibility for me?” Causing problems for the Satellite would be the very definition of disloyal.

“No,” he sighed, “but you’ve also never shown an interest in riding Royal dick before and look at you now. You’re changing, Berga.”

“That’s what Bay said. Only, he sounded pleased about it.” He picked the scalpel back up. “I know what I’m doing. Madden is…actually quite tame. I can handle him.”

“That’s what he wants you to think. What will you do if he calls things off? If he gets bored and moves on?”

Berga wasn’t completely obtuse. He knew all about the Royal’s reputation when it came to sleeping around. He hadn’t judged it because his past experiences had also been one-night stands. But they had an agreement. Neither of them would mess around with anyone else while they were together, and if, eventually one or both of them wanted to end things amicably…

“If he doesn’t want me to keep him,” he said, though it was a struggle, “then I’ll let him go. Happy? I won’t try to hold onto someone who doesn’t want me.”

“You won’t lock him up or drug him again, you swear it?” Flix held his gaze with a steady one of his own. “I mean it, Berga.”

“If he can fuck my delusions into oblivion,” he murmured, “then I’ll stick with him as long as it takes.”

“I give up. Just be smart and don’t let Baikal find out about this.”

“Why not?” Berga wasn’t meant to keep secrets from the Dominus.

“You really think he’ll let the two of you be together?”

“He’s never cared about who I’ve been with in the past.”

“Yeah, because you’ve never been with a Retinue member. Just,” Flix was growing impatient, “listen to me, okay?”

There didn’t seem to be reason enough to mention the rumors already floating around the city, the ones their Dominus had to have already picked up on by now. It would only fluster Flix further, and Berga didn’t like to see him stressed out, especially if he was the cause.

“Okay.” He pointed to the dead man between them. “Can we get back to work now?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”

“Grimes and Fraunz should know better than to retaliate after what I did, and if it isn’t the Shepards, then could this have been more personal? Did he,” Berga pointed to the body, “have any enemies?”

“We’re asking his friends,” Flix said. “So far, no one has anything to say other than the obvious. He was a low-level soldier sent around to collect protection money from those doing business on the outskirts of town. Maybe he pissed off the wrong person? We’ll have to look into it.”

“People die all the time.”

“True,” he agreed, “but their bodies aren’t typically left out in the open to be found. Grimes and Fraunz weren’t a threat before, but after your stunt, we need to keep a closer eye on things.”

“They came after Madden,” Berga reminded.

“That’s my point,” Flix surprised him by stating. “They had no qualms about attacking a Royal or a member of the Retinue. That’s a big deal. Who knows how far they would have taken things had you not been there.”

“Madden would have handled them,” Berga replied, only for his best friend to snort at him.

“Then you should have left him to it.” He ran a hand through his hair and checked the time on his multi-slate. “I don’t condone this relationship, I’m making that clear right now. Conduct your experiment, but make it quick. We may share establishments with them, hang out with them, trade favors, but the Satellite and the Retinue will never be the same organization, and you can’t be unconditionally loyal to both.”

“Careful, Flix,” Berga warned, remaining stoic even when his best friend frowned. “That makes it sound like you’ve been thinking too much. Like, perhaps, there’s a chance there’s someone else you’re starting to become more loyal to. That Shepard, perhaps?”

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