Page 74 of Thirst
Rio’s eyelids fluttered at that obvious untruth. He hitched a shoulder without speaking.
“And no, I don’t want you visiting my prisoner.”
“Okay, but…”
I pulled an irritated breath through my teeth. “What?”
“Nyx asked for a couple of other things, too—and we already gave them to her. Eden said you wouldn’t mind.”
“Did she now?” Eden had been a castle thrall. She knew better than to stick her nose into syndicate business.
“A toothbrush,” Rio said. “And a hairbrush. Things like that.”
“I guess that’s okay, but that’s the end of it. Understand?”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
I was pretty sure he’d have rolled his eyes if he’d dared. But he didn’t.
Smart kid.
I stepped inside my apartment.
“But you should know,” Rio added in a rush, “that Eden sent her a sketchpad and stuff to draw with, too.”
I halted, hand on the door. “Eden isn’t in charge of Nyx—I am. From now on, any requests go through me first, understand?”
“Yeah.” He glanced down. “But Nyx asked for them,” he said under his breath.
Of course she’d asked for them. An acrid shame filled my mouth. Nazaire had punished her by not allowing her to make her art, hadn’t he?
“You did say she could have anything within reason,” the kid added. “You should’ve seen how she lit up when I gave them to her.”
“Fine,” I said tightly. “Let her keep them. But that’s it—nothing else.”
I started to shut my door.
“Nice talk,” Rio muttered. “But you’re going about this all wrong.”
I swung the door open, pinning him with a look. “What did you say?”
“I said—” he squared his shoulders—“that you’re going about this all wrong.”
I jerked my chin at my living room. “Inside.”
“I’m Talon and Eden’s PA,” he grumbled. “Not yours.”
I just looked him. He sidled past me like the former street-rat he was.
“Sit.” I pointed at the couch.
He obeyed, his mouth a narrow line.
I considered him. He was testing me, seeing what he could get away with. Normally, I wouldn’t tolerate it, but if our roles were reversed, I’d probably be doing the same. Fuck, at his age, I would’ve flipped myself off and dared me to do something about it.
If I kept on like this, Rio was going to clam up and I’d learn nothing.
I sighed inwardly and offered him a drink. His mouth dropped open, but he recovered smoothly. “Sure.”
