Page 74 of Beneath the Watching

It was tiresome.

“I’m glad you got what you wanted,” I said as feedback. “Kiara and Mabel have been spending some time together. I think it's good for them, Mabel is happy to have her back.”

“Yes, that’s good,” Ilya agreed. “Julian is the only real threat right now, but I’ll be able to handle him when I go back to the Third.”

My brow arched in disbelief. It wasn’t likely. “With Ramone still recovering, I’d be wary.”

Ilya lit a cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling smoke across the table. “Oh, ye of little faith.”

The man thought he was invincible now that he’d taken custody of the scrawny woman. “If you say so,” I conceded.

He crushed his cigarette, snuffing it out. A thin tendril of smoke fluttered in a draft, and he hovered his hand, ending the pollution. “You do know I love her, right?”

It seemed more like an obsession to me but I was no one to have any sort of ethical discussion with, myself. He clearly cared for her, and I’d witnessed their chemistry. “Yes, I know. Just don’t forget pride comes before the fall.”

“Fucking unholy priest,” Ilya muttered before he chuckled.

“I’ve been thinking about desecrating the altar in my chapel,” I said, smirking.

His eyes lit, an orange-reddish glow swirling around his pupils. “Not if I do it first.”

That was not something I cared to walk in on. “Stay the hell out of my church.”

“Make me,” Ilya challenged.

I knew he was just screwing with me, and we both knew I would not be the victor should we come to blows. It was time to use my most effective weapon.

“I should monitor the spells in my chapel more often, I keep forgetting about them.” I stood up and pushed the stool under the table, watching a trickle of wariness crawl over my friend.

“What’s next for you? Lucian will give us assignments soon, now that he’s got his daughter back.”

Ilya followed my motions, running a hand through his hair before he replied, “Probably just focus on the company for now. With Ramone mostly out of commission, I have a full workload.”

“Good luck with that and don’t ask me for help,” I said, turning to leave.

“Fuck off.” He knew I wanted as little to do with the Third Realm as possible, but it didn’t stop us from giving each other a hard time every chance we got or him from trying to get me on board.

It just wasn’t going to happen.

“Ilya,” I called over my shoulder. He was shrugging his suit jacket back on.

He began buttoning it. “Yeah?”

“Don’t forget she wasn’t raised here. She won’t take kindly to being used and abused,” I paused. “In other words, don’t take advantage of her.”

He scowled. “Since when do you care about her?”

Grinning, I replied, “I don’t—I care about you.” He gave me the finger and walked away.

Ilya was gone often over the next couple of weeks and Kiara was in our quarters at least every other day, brainstorming with Mabel and my men. The bake shop my love was planning on opening had a good chance of not only featuring breads andcookies but also, maybe a hedgehog farm and possibly a ski resort—if I was hearing correctly.

I felt fairly confident the resort was the comedic genius of either Benjamin or Jack, and with the sole purpose of riling me up. I let it slide.

Mabel glanced up at me, her eyes shining, when I walked into the kitchen. It was a large area but felt crowded with all the extra bodies.

“Hi, love,” I greeted her, kissing her until Kiara cleared her throat obnoxiously loud. I wasn’t much for public displays of affection, not being comfortable with anyone else tasting my woman’s lust, but I took one look at her and instantly melted into a puddle.

Defiance covered Kiara’s face. We still weren’t exactly on great terms, but I tolerated her for Mabel’s sake. We’d never liked each other but I think she didn’t like me only because I’d called her out on her shit in the past.

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