Page 33 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly
Callie blanched and Mike’s eyes jumped between her and Talia.“Evening Mike.”Talia grinned.“How’s the wife?”
Mike grit his teeth and shuffled.Callie could see that Mike wanted to tell Talia to fuck off but knew it would mean the loss of a body part.Possibly two.
Talia pulled out a stool for Callie and then sat herself.Was this a genteel gesture or a power move?Callie found herself falling for it either way.Talia ordered two shots.
“I’m guessing by his expression that you know Mike?”Talia leaned on the counter and propped her head in her hand.
Callie flicked her eyes toward Mike, who was glaring.“Looks like he’s not a fan of yours.”
Talia lowered her head and chuckled.“Is that right?”she called out.“You’re not a fan, Mike?”Mike grunted and busied himself making drinks.
“See, Mike here,” she continued, “doesn’t like us because of his ex-wife.”
“That bi…” Mike started before he got cut off.
“Careful, Mike.”Talia narrowed her eyes.Callie noticed several Adlets in the area perk up.“Callie here might not know why we have to make you pay for your daughter’s therapy bills.”
Mike glowered, but didn’t retaliate.
“You might not know him as well as you thought.”Talia side-eyed Mike as he placed the alcohol on the counter.Talia lifted hers up and downed it.“It’s okay.Guys like Mike are good at hiding those parts of themselves from everyone else.”
Callie did the same, but didn’t respond.
“Go ahead and ask.I can tell you want to.”
Callie fingered the rim of her shot glass, thinking.“Do I want to know about Mike?”
Talia shook her head and sighed.“You do not.”
“So, do you think you’re like, the good guys then?
“No,” Talia drew it out a bit longer than necessary as she thought.“The only thing we’re good at is using violence to solve problems.Sometimes that’s a good thing, I guess.”
“It pays well?”
Talia smirked.“My flat is identical to yours.”
“What about that club you took me to?”Callie bounced her knee.Talia laughed.
“It’s a nice perk, I’ll give you that.”She lowered her voice.“Did you like it?”
Callie’s eyes widened.She wasn’t used to being read so easily.She couldn’t help but be honest.“I did,” she practically whispered, biting her lip before she could say more.
“Good,” Talia smiled.“We’ll go again later tonight.”
Callie was grateful for the reprieve of thatlater.It would give her a few more moments to compose herself so she didn’t come off as a naïve simp.She should redirect.
“What’s this plan Sesi has?She seems to think I’m working for her now.”
“You’ll have to ask her about that.”Talia pursed her lips and stared at her shot glass before adding, “She sees the Rhea district as hers.Everyone works for her, either one-time gigs or something more regular.And she keeps the Styx and the Harpies away from here.Ask around if you want.Everyone in The Cars would rather have us than them.”
“Except for Mike?”Callie flicked her eyes to Mike who was pointedly ignoring them.
Talia breathed a dark laugh.“Mike is pissed about this one incident.He’d still rather pay us than anyone else.”
Callie slowly started to piece things together.Strange that she’d had no idea how things were run until just now.That she had just drifted along without giving a thought to how her district actually worked.And since Talia was in the mood to answer questions, she decided to take the chance.
“Sparx said you used to date Sesi.”
