I shrugged. “You’re not trying very hard.”
He laughed. “Man, you couldn’t even handle it if I stepped up my game.”
“Step up your game. Let’s see it.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m telling you; you couldn’t handle my game.”
I laughed as I swung my bag over my shoulder. “If you say so. I’ll see you later.”
Normally, I would have opted to walk. But who knew how long I would be at the palace? I didn’t think walking back to the office would be the best choice after sundown. But this time, I parked right in front of the guard tower. It was impossible to miss, brightly lit, right under a light.
I wouldn’t be caught unaware again.
I showed my ID at the main entrance of the palace, and I was in front of Wilder’s office door in no time.
When I knocked, he opened the door and scrutinized me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I sighed. “I swear to God.”
He put his hands up. “Okay, okay. Have a seat. Tell me what you need.”
“Well, access to palace security feeds. Niko has been looking, but he’s no Olly. He tried to tap into the businesses on the outer perimeter of the palace in the surrounding neighborhoods. He’s being insistent, just in case this wasn’t random.”
Wilder frowned and then sat on the edge of his desk as he watched me. “All right. I can help get you access, but someone should go through them with you. And unfortunately, that can’t be me. I’ve got a hell of a day. The rest of the week is not looking better, either.”
“No, it’s fine. If you can give me access, I can do it myself.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “Look, I don’t like this. I personally think you need to stay in the palace.” Even as I shook my head, he added, “But I know that’s not going to happen.”
“It’s not.”
“Well, I could force it.”
I scowled. “No, thanks. I’m not one of your subjects, remember?”
He sighed. “All right, fine. That’s why I’m not insisting. But listen, I think it’s for the best.”
“And when I agree with you, I will do that.”
“Fine. Then please, accept my other offer of help.”
I watched him warily. “What do you mean by other offer?”
“Well, you need security cam access, right?”
“That would be great. If there’s that much of it to sort through, I’ll pull Niko off his other stuff and we can—”
He laughed. “Um, I’m going to do even better than Niko.”
He typed something quickly on his phone, and in a few seconds, there was a knock at his door.
“Come in.”
I turned slowly. Then I froze.
Breck.
There was just something about his presence that always sent my body into a hyper-aware state, like I was poised to run. Like I didn’t know what the safest course of action was. Run and hide, or stay and stare.
Breck scowled when he saw me too. “What is she doing here? Isn’t she supposed to be convalescing somewhere?”
I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. It was only when I met Wilder’s eyes that I understood what was happening here. He’d meant that Breck was the help I was supposed to accept.
I shook my head. “No. You can’t be serious.”
Wilder smiled. “Look, big brother here is the tech genius anyway. It will take you significantly less time to search, and he already has a head start. Just accept the help.”
I scowled at him. No matter how hard I tried, it seemed I couldn’t get away from Breck Waterford.
Chapter 5
Breck
Hate to love only works when it’s not me.
* * *
Son of a bitch.
Why the hell did Wilder want me in the same room as her? Did he have a death wish? Because I had a feeling Sparrow was one joke away from killing us both.
Which is why I had to say it. Anything to keep her away from me and get me out of that damn confining room.
“Sparrow, darling, if you wanted to get in my royal pants, all you had to do was ask. And while I’m up for threesomes,” I gave Wild a pointed look and ignored his warning glare, “I’m not up for bedding you with my brother. There are some royal swords one mustn’t cross.”
Sparrow just blinked at me, those beautiful eyes of hers going wide and taking up more real estate on her face.
Wilder’s response was more predictable. “Damn it, Breck,” he snapped.
I raised a brow. “What? All I’m saying is I’m not going to have a threesome with you. That is why you asked me to come here, right?” I was in a surly mood after the week I’d had. Seeing Sparrow and tormenting her just a little normally would have cheered me up, but being summoned by my brother was putting a damper on my joy.
Dealing with the CEOs of the companies I was trying to acquire this week had exhausted me, and not in any fun way. They were sharks when it came to business, and they had kept me second-guessing my promise when it came to strategy and tech.
I hadn’t slept much, and I wasn’t going to pretend it was only because of that. When I closed my eyes, I could see the bruises on Sparrow’s face. And in my waking hours, I was reminded of them when I saw her around the palace. They weren’t as dark as they were in my dreams, but they were still there.
And damn it, I didn’t want to think about that. Or her. Or her scent. Or the way her teeth grazed her bottom lip when she was irritated.
“Him?” Sparrow asked, her voice low and incredulous. “You can’t be serious, Wild. You know this is a bad idea.” She pursed her lips, broadcasting her displeasure for me like a bloody billboard. “We, uh, won’t work well together. While I appreciate your help, I think I’m better off on my own.”
“Sparrow,” Wilder began.
She held her hand up, and Wilder snapped his jaw shut. Interesting. I rarely could get that to happen. What kind of power did she wield over him? “Honestly, I appreciate it. But I’m sure His Royal Highness doesn’t want to work with me either.”
“And by ‘His Royal Highness,’ I’m sure you mean Playboy Fuck-up. But I suppose that’s better than Fuckboy Prince.”
She sent me a glower and muttered something along the lines of “You said it. I didn’t,” before resuming her attempt to wiggle out of my help. “I’m sure the prince has, erm, better things to do than figure out who came onto your grounds and tried to mug me.”
She had to be kidding. My brows rose to my hairline. “Mugging? You’re calling it a mugging? The guy that came at you did it with skill and determination, and you’re going to play it like it was a simple mugging. In Alden?”
The look she gave me could wither a man’s balls. I nearly took a step back but realized that would look weak, and I wasn’t about to have that happen.
“It was a mugging. At least that’s what we’re going with for now,” Sparrow added. “I need access to the system so I can check out where he came from exactly and where he went when he escaped. I’m new in Alden, so I don’t have enemies or anything. So why pick me as a target and not take anything? I obviously can’t find him if I don’t have full access to the security systems and a couple of hands to help search. And without Olly here, Niko and I, while we are clearly able to do it, needed a little help. However, since it seems you’re busy,” she said, “I don’t want to put anyone out. Niko and I can figure it out all by ourselves.”