Page 91 of Fragile Facade

“Come on, Lil Baby Ghosty!” Kyd begs from further up the line. Any rank below Kyd is a fucking tragedy, and here I am. “Like this? About a nine?” Kyd holds his hands out, measuring fourteen again.

Just to be a dick, Ghost moves Kyd’s hands apart more. “This kind of nine.”

Kyd’s smile is so wide I can see the red stains from his cherry slushie on his teeth. He leans forward, looking down the line at me, and gives me the world’s most exaggerated wink. “Atta boy, smiles. I always knew you’d be blessed.” He kisses his fingers and lifts them to the sky.

“Wait,” Seven butts in.

“Yeah, fucking wait,” Krypt butts in on him. “You two fucked?”

“Like you get a say, you hypocritical fuck,” Ghost snorts.

I look at Director, who has the bridge of his nose pinched between his finger and thumb. “Remind me why I’m at the end of rank when these children can’t even focus?” I quirk a brow.

He sighs, but I can tell he’s happy to see me on my feet again. “Because you put your ego ahead of a job and fucked us over.”

Ugh. Dick.

“Let’s sit,” he says to all of us.

Kyd races everyone even though no one is competing, and the rest of us take our time. Ghost lingers, so I drop back to brush my fingers against his, teasing a hand he secretly wants held but won’t admit to in front of everyone else. He snaps his narrowed blue eyes at me and shakes his head, taking a seat next to the one I sit in.

Director sits at the head of the table, his tablet open in front of him. “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he starts, looking up at us, “but I’m proud of you all.”

“Even me?!” Kyd stands, hand on his chest.

“Have you found the lion yet?”

“Maybe.”

“Then less proud.” Director hides a small smile as Kyd sits back down. “You’ve helped to bring Moros together. Death Row is mostly repaired after the explosions, training is going well, and more than half the locals have come to us for assistance. The alliance with The Misfits is working out well, and the locals are accepting it. It’s a good sign, and I’m grateful to all of you for doing your part to unify the town. Thank you.”

He doesn’t thank us often, so it hits deep. We all nod or ignore him like he never said it, but I know we’re all pleased.

“And, despite why they got the job, let’s all recognize what Riot and Ghost accomplished in Reaper City.”

We’re praised, as we should be, and I drink it in, flashing a cocky smile at my boys. My knee nudges Soren’s, and he raises his arms to accept the praise. He’s finally getting recognition, and instead of mocking him for it, I’m praising him, too.

Director laughs. “Maybe a reward is deserved, yeah?” he asks, his grin growing. “I’m proposing a challenge. Yates is still in town. We’ve had at least four sighting reports in the last ten hours. So, whichever one of you finds Yates and brings him in will move to the head of rank.”

Monster leans forward and Menace stands, itching to hunt. Ransom grins at the table, concocting a silent plan, and Seven and Glitch glance at one another, forming an alliance. Facts jitters, fingers tapping together, and Krypt barely reacts, but I know he’s been craving something vicious. Ghost doesn’t move, not even a twitch, but I can feel his mind working from here.

“Oh,” Kyd pouts.

“Problem?” Director asks him.

“Nooo,” he sighs dramatically. “I’m just working on a slow burn with my smarty-pants boyfriend. This puts a kink in my plan.”

“Come on, Kyd. You love a hunt, and distance makes the heart grow darker.” Menace laughs, and Kyd’s grin turns playfully sinister.

“Fonder, dipshit.” Krypt stands, eager to go. “When does this challenge start?”

Director meets all our eyes before grinning again. “Right now.”

Everyone gets up, scrambling for the door. Butnot so fucking fast. I block everyone’s way by pulling Soren against me, his chin between my fingers. When I press my lips to his and whisper, “Just in case,” his cheeks turn red, he rolls his eyes, and he shoves me away to be the first one out the door as everyone else mocks the absolute fuck out of us.

Me, mostly. But I don’t care. Sooner or later, Soren will admit he likes the gentle moments, too.

“Awwwww!” Kyd squeals.