Page 18 of Of Blood So Cold

I ruffle his hair as I smile at him. “I know you are,” I tell him. “Just promise me you’ll delete that account by next week. This is not the kind of exposure I want forFinesse, Alex, given the job we do outside of fixing cars and shit. I understand Cignette using social media to expand her reach since that’s literally a major part of her profession, but it isn’t ours. And I don’t mean to sound rude or overbearing in any–”

“I get it, Ledge,” he says, and I know he means it because I see no anger or resentment on his face. “I’ll delete the account after we’ve closed shop.”

I nod. “Thank you.” I then sigh and pull my phone out of my pocket. “Right, you two get back to work now. I have an important call to make.”

“Are you going to ask her to showherabs this time during thisimportantphonecall?” Varsha comments with a gleam in her eyes.

I scowl at her. “I’ll have you know that I’m–”

I stop when the landline starts ringing from inside the cabin.

“Ah! Work beckons!” she all but exclaims, then claps her hands before giving me a wink. “Excuse me, brother.” She turns on her heels and heads back to her cabin.

Alex repeatedly taps the tip of his sneakers on the ground. “I’m gonna get back to wor–”

“Yup, good idea,” I tell him.

“Right.” He all but runs to his work station, clattering tools and equipment as he settles in once again to continue fixing the Ducati.

Heaving another sigh, I step out of the garage and dial her number, and feel my shoulders relax when she receives the call and her voice meets my ears.

“If you’ve called to ask me for nudes, you’ll be sorely disappointed because I’m in the middle of filming this goddamn video. I am currently in my element; the chakra is on my side and all.”

I chuckle. “I don’t think that’s how the chakra works, but okay.”

“You’re being awfully compliant right now,” she deduces. “What has happened?”

I let go of a breath as I shift on my feet. “It’s not serious, so I’ll tell you when I get home. But for now…” I put my tongue to my cheek as I grin. “Can you sing something for me?”

There’s a pause, with only the sound of the air conditioner on the other side indicating that the call is still active.

“Cigs?”

She clears her throat. “Yeah?”

“Did the cat get your tongue or somethin’?”

“She more than got my tongue; she fucking ripped it out of my mouth. You, Dorran ‘Someone-save-my-eardrums’ Ledger, wantmetosing? Have the scientists finally discovered that the earth is flat, or is Ragnarök about to take place?”

I roll my eyes. “Do you always have to dramatize everything?”

“You’re askingmethis?” she questions, making me laugh.

“Touché.” I slide my free hand into my jeans pocket. “Come on, Little Swan; sing for me.”

“I can’t do that without a proper vocal warmup.” I know she’s enjoying dragging this out.

“Oh, fuck off. Warmup, myass.”

She chuckles. “Fine, but only because I’m feeling charitable today.”

My brows rise on their own accord. “Wow, how will Ieverrepay you for your generosity?”

She grunts in annoyance. “Do you wanna hear me sing, or should I go back to filming?”

“Yeah, yeah; I do.”

She clears her throat and starts singing Somebody Else byBad Omens. And, as expected, it’sveryoff-key, but it’s also theperfectremedy to get Brie’s neighing out of my head.