Page 52 of Even Robots Die
I bite into thepain au chocolat,even though I’m not hungry anymore. Who needs to be hungry for sweet treats, anyway?
I turn on the holo-puter as I sip on my second coffee—I might not sleep tonight with all this caffeine—and munch on my chocolate treat.
It’s when the second coffee of the day arrives with a croissant that something registers in my mind.
The pastries aren’t Brice’s, they’re mine. Or to be exact, they’re made for me, because I don’t think I can see Brice eating pastries. He looks so stern and I think eating at Franck’s was already more than he’s used to on a normal day. All I can see him eating is healthy food and black coffee without sugar.
So I doubt he’s even sampling the pastries—even though the fact he ate half of my tiramisu yesterday raises some questions—but all I know is that from the little note on the bell, I believe Brice had to enforcesome kind of rule so that they don’t get devoured before they reach my office.
That makes me laugh lightly.
Who would believe the dark, brooding vampire would have to chastise his men because they ate all my pastries? There is probably a story there, and I promise myself to pry it from him later.
I go back to work and I’m only stopped when a sandwich arrives, followed by another coffee and some chocolate.
I guess he decided I need to have something that looks more like a meal for lunch this time.
The rest of the day passes the same way as all the others, but when the sun starts to set, there is a knock at my door.
“That’s enough for today,” Brice says as he appears near my desk before I even have the time to tell him to enter.
I always forget how fast bats can move, but this is a perfect example of it.
“I still have some work to do,” I answer him.
It’s not completely true, though. I finished coding today—well, for what I know I can do. I thought I still had a couple of days of coding, but it turns out I managed to work way faster now that I’m rested. The only thing I really have left to do is re-read everything so I’m sure I didn’t mess anything up.
I don’t know what Brice has in mind, but if it’s something like yesterday and he plans to ask me personal questions again, I don’t think I want to be part of it.
His eyes light up though when he hears what I just said.
“You’re done?” He asks.
For fucking sake. Can’t he let me lie in peace for once?
“No, I’m not done,” I answer him with a bit more verve than necessary. “I still have to double check everything to be sure I’m not going to turn your brain into porridge. And even when that will be done, it’s only part of the problem. I found how to remove that block they put in your brain that triggers rage when you see or hear Elhyor. I stillneed to write more code for your emotions, but for your sensations, I’ll have to do more.” I take a breath and then add. “But if you want to try it now, suit yourself. I’ll call for someone to wipe the floor once your brain goes splash on the ground.”
I cross my arms at my middle while I look up at him with a vicious smile.
You wanted to know. There, hear how not ready I am.
32
Brice
She is magnificent.
She is so beautifully red from the rage I can see broiling under her skin, and I want to bend her over her desk to show her how much I like the sight of her reddened cheeks.
Maybe I’ll make her butt cheeks an assorted color to match.
My mind catches on something she said though, because for once there is no trace of deceit in that speech of hers.
She finished coding to remove that special part of mayhem that makes my mind see black when it comes to my best friend.
She’s not done with the rest, but she already knows how to get my feelings back. She still doesn't know how to get my sensations back, but after last night, do I really need anything back?
I don’t know if it was because it happened for the first time in what felt like forever, but I can definitely say that I felt. I felt a lot yesterday when I came with the idea of her in my mind.
