Page 78 of Wicked Games

“Oh,” Percy said softly. “You haven’t told Ryder yet.”

“No, he hasn’t,” I said, setting the plates on the coffee table a little too hard.

“I haven’t discussed it with Ryder yet because I’m not sure the job will be right for us.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, dropping down on the sofa beside him.

“Carmen told me she is planning to make some big changes and would like me to join her team.”

“When?”

“When is she making the changes?” Lucien asked.

“No. When did you discuss this with Carmen?”

“Before the operation,” Lucien replied calmly.

“Why am I just now hearing about it?”

Lucien squeezed my hand. “I told her I couldn’t make that kind of decision without talking to you first. It’s been the last thing on my mind since I woke up in the hospital.”

“We have so much to consider,” I told him, thinking of the latest job offer I’d received from the museum. They assumed I was playing hard to get and offered me Daniel’s position. I couldn’t be too upset with Lucky, because I hadn’t shared my news with him either. It hadn’t seemed like the right time.

“I agree, but we don’t need to decide anything today.”

“I want dogs,” I told Lucien. “Two German shepherds.”

“You can have your dogs.” He looped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. “What say we eat our greasy fish, throw Percy out, and you can tell me more about Leo playing with Reed’s stones.”

“I want story time too,” Percy said, perking up.

“No,” Lucien and I both said at the same time.

“Is my book that bad?” I asked Lucien. I didn’t have plans to publish it, but he sounded adamant that no one else should read Leo and Reed’s adventures. It stung a little bit.

“Love, it’s not that,” Lucien said. “It’s a great book, but you are writing it for me.” Lucien winked at me and added, “Maybe we’ll let Percy read a snippet if he tells us what he and Dev did for a living before working for Banks.”

“No can do,” Percy said emphatically.

“Okay,” I said with a shrug. “You must not want to read it that badly then.” Not that I expected anyone other than Lucien to read the book. “Why don’t we try working on a happy ending for ourselves, Lucky?”

“Now you’re talking. Percy, get out,” Lucien said. “Dev isn’t the only one who’ssooo mobilethese days.”

“Baby, you can’t go jostling your brain, or you’ll take longer to heal. Today is your first day without a headache.”

“Do you know what keeps headaches away?” Lucien countered.

Percy stood up. “I must be going now.”

“You didn’t eat yet.”

“Lucien can have my share. I’ll just pop by Q’s office to say hello then wait for Deverish at home.” Dev’s flat was only a few blocks away from Carmen’s London headquarters. Percy had mentioned something about much-needed renovations since he was living there too. Dev’s orderly neutral world was about to explode with color.

“How’s Q liking his job working for Carmen?” I asked, ignoring Lucien’s hand slipping down the back of my pants. “Do you think the two of them will ever give in to the tension between them?”

“It’s only a matter of time,” Percy said, heading for the door. “Don’t rattle his brain too much, Ry.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Lucien said when we were alone again. “Leave nostonesunturned.”