thought of how many years this could go on frightened me. I rubbed my cheek and saw the bartender from the corner of my eye. He was pretending to arm-wrestle a man who looked like a bouncer by the way they were keeping an eye on our conversation.
“You were just what ?”
“Having a drink.”
“I do not like secrets,” he said, emphasizing every word.
“Of course not, you wear a halo . I live with you, Ghuardian. I’m going to find out, so why can’t you trust me enough to tell me what you do for HALO? I want to know more about your life.”
He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “We work independently from the Mageri, or any other form of government. Two friends organized the group years ago and took an oath to represent and protect all races. There are powerful men consumed with undermining their leaders. We track these unlawful activities and collaborate for the greater good.”
“Sounds like a flea circus.”
“Don’t turn your nose from the fact that we exist to protect your freedoms.”
“You implied people know about HALO, so I just don’t understand the swarm of secrecy. Why is Simon involved if he’s not a member?”
“He has intellect and connections, but Simon is too immature about the politics and refuses to join. We contract his services as needed; the man has skills.”
“You got that right,” I smirked.
I didn’t mean for it to have any hidden innuendos, but to my embarrassment, it spread across the table like a hooker in a brothel. They were old friends, which made it awkward that Simon and I had a careless moment.
“Why did you come here, Learner?”
My lips pressed together like magnets.
“Your nights with Simon are out.”
“You can’t do that!” I shouted. “You can’t—”
Justus scratched his shaved, blond hair. “Punish you? Yes, I can. That is my duty, and if you disobey me again, there will be no going out.”
“You cannot cage me up like some kind of animal. I may be under your custody, but I have freedoms.”
“Not under the Mageri. Once you earn my trust, I’ll reconsider the conditions. Until then—“
“Until then, bullshit!” I stood up and threw my finger at his chest. “I am a grown woman, and you should treat me as such.” I snatched his wallet from the table.
“You don’t behave like much of a woman,” he said in a condescending tone. Justus spread his arms across the back of the booth and I was so furious with him I wanted to scream. A plump woman in a red dress slowed down to admire his arms, and bumped into me as she walked past.
“I can’t believe how insensitive you are. This is my life, not a social experiment. I’ve done everything you asked of me; don’t treat me differently because I’m a woman.”
“A Unique woman,” he corrected.
I spun on my heel and marched down the aisle. When he rose from his seat, I shouted to the bartender, “He’s trying to leave without paying!”
I got the hell out of there. Fast.
A fine mist coated my face as I stepped on the curb. Through the window, two men confronted Justus, blocking his exit, and an argument heated up. I plucked the phone from my purse and sprinted up the street.
“Dial-a-friend,” a cheery voice answered.
“Sunny! I’m in the area, where’s your hotel?”
“Where are you?”
“Just passing a bakery on my right.”
“Oh, uh…” she paused. “Do you know the Brooks Hotel?”
“No, is that—”
“I’m coming down,” she decided. “Keep going straight and you’ll see a pizza shop across the street. I’ll meet you there.”
As I ran northbound, I looked back, but didn’t see Justus. I hated my childish behavior around him, but that’s exactly what he treated me like.
It was after sunset and when I passed the third bar, I was getting hammered by heavy rain. It was a couple of minutes struggling not to slip in my shoes when I saw the red neon lights of the pizza place. In fact, I smelled the rich spices before I noticed the sign. I darted
“You were just what ?”
“Having a drink.”
“I do not like secrets,” he said, emphasizing every word.
“Of course not, you wear a halo . I live with you, Ghuardian. I’m going to find out, so why can’t you trust me enough to tell me what you do for HALO? I want to know more about your life.”
He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “We work independently from the Mageri, or any other form of government. Two friends organized the group years ago and took an oath to represent and protect all races. There are powerful men consumed with undermining their leaders. We track these unlawful activities and collaborate for the greater good.”
“Sounds like a flea circus.”
“Don’t turn your nose from the fact that we exist to protect your freedoms.”
“You implied people know about HALO, so I just don’t understand the swarm of secrecy. Why is Simon involved if he’s not a member?”
“He has intellect and connections, but Simon is too immature about the politics and refuses to join. We contract his services as needed; the man has skills.”
“You got that right,” I smirked.
I didn’t mean for it to have any hidden innuendos, but to my embarrassment, it spread across the table like a hooker in a brothel. They were old friends, which made it awkward that Simon and I had a careless moment.
“Why did you come here, Learner?”
My lips pressed together like magnets.
“Your nights with Simon are out.”
“You can’t do that!” I shouted. “You can’t—”
Justus scratched his shaved, blond hair. “Punish you? Yes, I can. That is my duty, and if you disobey me again, there will be no going out.”
“You cannot cage me up like some kind of animal. I may be under your custody, but I have freedoms.”
“Not under the Mageri. Once you earn my trust, I’ll reconsider the conditions. Until then—“
“Until then, bullshit!” I stood up and threw my finger at his chest. “I am a grown woman, and you should treat me as such.” I snatched his wallet from the table.
“You don’t behave like much of a woman,” he said in a condescending tone. Justus spread his arms across the back of the booth and I was so furious with him I wanted to scream. A plump woman in a red dress slowed down to admire his arms, and bumped into me as she walked past.
“I can’t believe how insensitive you are. This is my life, not a social experiment. I’ve done everything you asked of me; don’t treat me differently because I’m a woman.”
“A Unique woman,” he corrected.
I spun on my heel and marched down the aisle. When he rose from his seat, I shouted to the bartender, “He’s trying to leave without paying!”
I got the hell out of there. Fast.
A fine mist coated my face as I stepped on the curb. Through the window, two men confronted Justus, blocking his exit, and an argument heated up. I plucked the phone from my purse and sprinted up the street.
“Dial-a-friend,” a cheery voice answered.
“Sunny! I’m in the area, where’s your hotel?”
“Where are you?”
“Just passing a bakery on my right.”
“Oh, uh…” she paused. “Do you know the Brooks Hotel?”
“No, is that—”
“I’m coming down,” she decided. “Keep going straight and you’ll see a pizza shop across the street. I’ll meet you there.”
As I ran northbound, I looked back, but didn’t see Justus. I hated my childish behavior around him, but that’s exactly what he treated me like.
It was after sunset and when I passed the third bar, I was getting hammered by heavy rain. It was a couple of minutes struggling not to slip in my shoes when I saw the red neon lights of the pizza place. In fact, I smelled the rich spices before I noticed the sign. I darted
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