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Zane

Zane and Sawyer entered Books-N-Brews and headed to the counter.

Georgia greeted them with a smile.

“Hi, guys! You picked a great day to stop by.

Tazzy just unveiled her newest frappe.

You should give it a try.”

Of course, they’d chosen the day a new caffeinated milkshake came out.

Sneaking a side glance at Sawyer, Zane decided to come back again later when he was alone.

He was still learning a lot at Sabre about security, about computers, and about what real men did and did not drink.

“We just want large black coffees,”

he said, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

From the way Sawyer’s lips twitched, he hadn’t succeeded.

Georgia shrugged.

“Your loss.

Two nasty black coffees, coming up.

Go ahead and have a seat, and I’ll bring you some of the coffee that’s brewing when it’s ready.”

Zane followed Sawyer to the couch in front of the fireplace.

The place was decorated for St.

Patrick’s Day, with green shamrocks and pots of gold everywhere.

Zane wouldn’t be surprised if a leprechaun ran past.

He loved coming to Books-N-Brews.

They were always celebrating something.

It reminded him of when he was a kid.

Lovie had made sure the house was always decorated.

His childhood had been great, thanks to her.

Georgia brought their coffees over and sighed as she handed them out.

“I can’t believe you’re missing out on 'Tazzy’s Happy Shimmering Shamrock Frappe'.”

Zane stared down at the dark, bitter drink in his hand.

He couldn’t believe he was missing out, either.

Sawyer cleared his throat.

“You know, it’s okay to drink whatever you want.”

Taking a quick breath, Zane stopped breathing through his nose as he swallowed a sip of his drink.

“Of course I know that.

I have the drink I want.”

Sawyer smirked.

“Yeah, I can see that.

Anyway, how are your classes going?”

“They’re fine.

Thanks again for helping me get my GED.

I know Lovie doesn’t understand, but after the past year, it felt weird talking about going back to high school.

Especially since I’d have had to retake my junior and senior years.”

He’d had zero interest in doing that.

This way, he could get his GED and then start taking online classes and certification courses in computer science and security.

With Sawyer’s help, it was going well.

“Listen, Zane.

I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things.

First of all, I love that you’re staying in my spare bedroom, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t want to move back in with Law and Lovie.

I know you lost four years of having her around, and I want you to know I’d understand if that’s what you wanted to do.”

He had missed his sister, but she was here in Darling now.

He could see her whenever he wanted.

He shook his head before he started talking.

“Dude, I appreciate the offer, and if I’m in the way, you know, cramping your style or something, I can find somewhere else to stay.”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.

I like having you there.

I just wanted to make sure you understood there were no strings or time limits attached to my invitation.

That’s all.”

He appreciated that.

Sawyer had never once made him feel like he wasn’t welcome.

“Yeah… have you seen Law and Lovie? I’m happy for them.

Really, I am, but they're all over each other all the time.

It’s like they can’t keep their hands off one another.

And the growling and stuff?”

He did his best not to shudder.

“I want them to live their best life, but… she’s my sister.

It’s gross.

I don’t need those images in my mind.

I walked in on them once, and I think what I saw scarred me for life.”

Sawyer spit his coffee out and laughed.

Easy for him to do.

Lovie wasn’t his sister.

“Okay, I get you.

And I don’t want any more details than what you’ve already shared, or I might be scarred for life, too.

And since you’ll be staying, I need your help with some Sabre business.”

Zane sat up straighter.

Sawyer needed his help? Hell, yeah.

He was all in for that.

“Sure, man.

What do you need?”

“How much do you know about the dark web?”

Holy shit.

The dark web? “I know the dark web is part of the deep web.

I know that it doesn’t have to be bad, but because it’s practically untraceable, there are a lot of bad people who use it to do bad things.”

“That’s right.

So, thanks to Lovie and her supercool brain, we have an address we need to find a way to break into.

It has a .onion address, so we know it’s on the dark web.

But since it is, that means we have our work cut out for us.

And since the General’s trial starts in just over two months now, we don’t have much time.”

“Okay, sure.

How can I help?”

He’d do anything he could to get the General put away for life.

That was one seriously evil dude.

And he was after Lovie.

“Count me in for whatever it takes.”

Sawyer grinned.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you for the past two months.

You rock at the online games we play.

Princess Leyla thinks you’re really talented.

So do I, by the way.”

Zane had to grin at that.

Princess Leyla was the shit.

She was smart and had excellent moves and skills in the Role-Playing Games they played.

She was also in Sawyer’s crosshairs.

“You think she’d go out with me?”

he asked, just to get a reaction.

“I think she’d better not.

And you’re safer figuring out the dark web than going there.

Now, do you want to help me nail the General’s ass to the wall or not?”

All righty then.

As reactions went, that was a strong one.

Especially from Sawyer.

He’d always been more of the strong, silent, behind-the-scenes kind of guy.

There was obviously more going on between his friend and Princess Leyla, whoever she really was, than met the eye.

Good to know.

Since he’d be staying with Sawyer for the foreseeable future, at least he’d be around to see it.

He needed to buy plenty of microwave popcorn.

He was thinking it was going to be quite the show.