“Okay, Aeron, I’m going to level with you. You’re the secret keeper, so let’s watch you keep this one. You won’t be able to tell the others though, because you’ll understand that they'll never trust me around her, but you know that I’m needed. I may be the only one who can keep Luna safe. So, can you agree, before I even tell you a single part of this messed up arrangement?” He sounds relaxed, but there’s a bite to his voice. Does he want Aeron to take him up on this, or not?
“Go for it, I know when to keep my mouth shut.” Aeron laughs as his hand falls to my hip and squeezes. My spine stiffens before I relax, it’s almost as though he knows.
“Okay, I’m exactly where Arthur wants me to be.” Aeron grips tighter, before a chuckle passes through his lips and he narrows his gaze at Thallon. “He wanted me to make Luna feel small, that she wasn't untouchable, and alone. That’s why she had to ignore everyone. Once he told me that Emmet could take her, I was ordered to tell her about the marriage clause, and to stay as close to her as I can. To earn your trust. He’ll give me information to feed back, so the guys think I’m on their side, and I’ll continue to follow his orders like a good little puppy dog,” he scoffs, as he cracks his knuckles. Tension lines every inch of his face, and my stomach feels hollow at his words.
“Why are you here?”
“Because he seems to think that Emmet won’t be able to take over the company when he steps down, he wants me close by to fill his shoes. Whether I want it or not, you know what it’s like, Aer. You can’t refuse Arthur, not outright. Something is going to happen, and I think it’s going to shake our messed up world to it’s little core. Something that involves us all perhaps, but definitely Emmet and Luna. I’ll tell you anything I figure out, but only because if anyone can help me get out of this mess, it’s you.” He leans closer, his eyes lock with mine, before moving to Aeron.
“Has he got you to do anything? Perhaps a task that didn't make sense?” Aeron speaks carefully, his words measured, as his fingers tap out a pattern against my hip.
“Actually, yeah. He wanted me to find a girl. Eighteen year old. He never told me what I was looking for. Just a birthday, and a place of birth, I gave him what I found, although my skills aren’t exactly fit for that purpose and he took them with no explanation. Honestly, I don’t know why he did it. I have a feeling it was some kind of test.” He rubs at the back of his neck, before leaning back into the sofa.
“I have a feeling I know what it was for. Okay, Thallon. Looks like you have an ally in me, for now at least.” Aeron offers out his hand and there’s no hesitation in the handshake.
Thallon gets up and moves over to the door, but pauses as Aeron calls his name.
“Are you only doing this to follow orders?”
“No, man, I think I’m doing it despite them. Me and Koala girl, we don't have what you two do, but there’s something there. We agreed it would only be casual, but it’s just harder than I thought it would be to remember that stupid rule.” He laughs before opening the door, and walking out.
I get up and move over to the kitchen, and make us both a hot chocolate.
“Little Zero.”
“Yeah?” I turn around without thinking, and my eyes widen as I grip the counter behind me. He stalks forward, with a sly smile spreading across his lips.
“I fucking knew it, you were so happy when you walked out of the room, and your body language was all over the place. You tried so hard to act unaffected by our words, but you little sneak, trying to pull the wool over our eyes.” He pulls me hard against him, and I tilt my head to meet his eyes, so he can see my honesty clearly.
“I wanted to tell you, but… I also wanted to know. I’m sorry, Sin, it was wrong and I was going to tell you after I made our drinks. I wasn’t going to hide it.” I glide my fingers across his jaw, and he leans into my touch.
“Tell me, Little Zero, just how good are your acting skills?” He smiles wide, as I drop my head down and laugh. Oh no, this is going to end badly.
41
The New Normal
Aeron
Having Little Zero spy on people should make me feel bad. I know it isn’t sitting right with her, but she knows why I need this. To know what people say when they think no one is listening. She’s the perfect way to do it as well.
I drop down beside her on the sofa, as she gnaws on her lip. She seems nervous, and I’m wondering if it’s something she’s heard or just the whole situation in general.
“Tucker wants to raise Isabelle freely from the Harkwright hold, he doesn’t want her turning out like the other Harkwright girls. I don’t know what that means, but it says it a lot.” She tugs on her braid, as she scowls at the ground, no doubt wishing she could do it to me instead.
“I don’t need that kind of information, beautiful. I just want to know if anyone has said something that I should be concerned about.”
She sighs hard, blowing a loose curl off her face, and moving away when I try and do it for her.
“Emmet said something that worries me. He was pacing the other day when he smashed a glass against the wall. He said ‘this is only temporary, and I’m playing to win. Screw the rest.’ Only he didn’t say screw.” She blinks up at me, and I fight back the urge to laugh. She’s too fucking cute like this.
“What about Thallon?”
“He hasn’t said anything, although he was talking to Sir the other day and had the phone on speaker. I guess he didn’t think it would matter, seeing as I’m deaf.” She gives me a pointed look, and I lean back slightly. Just in case she gets the urge to slap me or something, you never know with this little wild cat.
“What was said?” I lean forward, despite my reservations, eager to hear any information that she could have.
“It didn’t make any sense.” Her voice gets louder as she undoes her hair, only to redo it. Over and over again. Makes no sense to me. “Sir said that Thallon was doing a good job and to tell the guys that he was planning on calling Emmet into the office, and having me accompany him. Only to change the subject straight after, without waiting for a reply.” The words rush out of her, as she rubs at her temples, and I pull out some painkillers for her. She gives me a soft smile that doesn’t quite meet her eyes, but I guess the politeness runs deep. “He said that the wheels are in motion, and soon it won’t matter what any of you know. By the time you figure it out, it will be too late.”
“Did Thallon give any indication that he knew what he was talking about?” I crack the muscles in my neck, as my fingers start rolling a joint, even though I don’t have anything in my hands. Muscle memory, baby.
“He threw his phone down beside me, I jumped as though it was unexpected, and he apologized. Then he wrote it down, because I couldn’t clearly hear what he had said.” Her pointed look is adorable. “No though, I don’t think he does know. He said that he has to figure it out, and then started muttering about me and Emmet. I have nothing else I can tell you.”
“What about the doctor? You’ve seen him alone once since this happened right? Was he suspicious about your hearing? Did he say anything that was less professional?”