Finn overlooked my sass. “I see you did some cleaning while I was gone.”
“It helps if I have something to do with my hands.” I stood when I sensed things were taking a turn to the off-limits topic. “So where’s the new guy?”
“He can wait. I brought you new clothes. Figured you might want something clean.” He motioned to a plastic-wrapped package on the nightstand.
“Speaking of clean, do I have time to jump in the shower? I’m a little gross.” I stood and took the package from his hands, accidentally brushing his knuckle with the tips of my fingers. The simplest touches set off too many sparks; I needed to get ahold of my crush before I threw him down on the bed and kissed him right good.
“Of course you can use the shower. My house is your house.” By his raised eyebrows that followed his declaration, I could tell he was just as surprised as I was that the words flowed out of him so easily. He reached out and fingered a curl that had fallen loose from my ponytail. “I want you to feel at home here. If you need anything, write it down and I’ll send for it.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’m more than grateful for the new clothes and the shower and books. It’s incredibly generous, Finn.” I thought of something I actually did want, but didn’t think it appropriate to ask.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He stood before me, massaging down my arms and lifting the hem on the back of my shirt so he could trace a sensitive line across the small of my back. “Tell me what you need.”
“I mean, I don’t need need it, so if it’s a big deal, don’t think twice, okay?” When he responded only with a sideways tilt of his chin, I sighed. “My stomach’s been bugging me. I got sick this morning. I know it’s all the drama of being beaten and starved and all that, but if you have medicine that can keep me from barfing up my breakfast, that would be like, nine kinds of helpful. I hate that you went to the trouble of scrounging up human food, and I can’t even keep it down.”
“Nine kinds, eh? I think I can manage that.” His arms encircled me as he looked down at my upturned face, debating something I couldn’t decipher. His expression vacillated from amused to protective to frustrated. “Now when you come out, be nice to the new guy.”
“When am I not nice?”
“I know you. You hate the idea of needing anything, and a Puller is a definite need.”
“Oh, you think you’re so smart. I’ll be good.”
Thirty-Four.
Vetting Garrick
I came out of the shower wearing the shortest skirt of my life, which I never would’ve bought myself in a million years. It was a black slippery material that hugged my shape at the waist and flared out at the hips, almost like a tennis skirt. The sexy thing ventured only about four inches past my butt. I’d seen Gabby in similar wear and never thought twice. That was Gabby, though. She liked when guys checked out her legs. Me? Not so much. Something about getting hit on by sex offenders even through the armor of baggy hospital scrubs makes a girl not too keen on showing off her goods. Add the nickname Bait to that, and I was surprised I ever wore anything besides baggy old sweats.
I wasn’t totally shocked to find that the light green silk blouse Finn got me was form-fitting and showed off a line of belly if I lifted my arms too high. I’d had my bare breasts pressed to him for the better part of yesterday, so we didn’t really have the illusion of secrets in that department. He knew the shape and size of my curves well, and I couldn’t decide if that was a good thing, or a very bad one.
I came out tugging my skirt and shirt downward to attempt modesty for the newcomer, but knew I was probably overreacting. My girlfriends wore short skirts all the time. Instead of going out into the living room, I went back to the bedroom that was joined to the bathroom. Normally I wasn’t the type to take things without asking, but I knew I couldn’t meet a new coworker looking like a girl fresh off her shift from Hooters. I fished around in Finn’s drawers, finding a button-down shirt that looked like a dress on me.
Finn’s brows pushed together when I came out, my outfit concealed and my hair up in a messy bun. I waved to the new guy – a mid-twenties Nordic model, complete with blond hair and shiny white teeth. “Hey, man. I’m October. Nice to meet you.”
He had a slim but muscular build, leaner than Von’s. He wasn’t quite as tall as Von, standing a mere four inches higher than me. “Pleased to meet you, Lady October. Garrick Keener, at your service.” He wore slacks and a dress shirt, looking like he was ready for a day in an office, not a seaworthy adventure to a secluded home in the middle of the ocean. He had a British accent that made me miss Ezra, Mariang and the Vandershots.
Finn frowned. “Why are you wearing my shirt?”
“Because the outfit you brought me is very nice, but I think it’s a little too small.”
“Let me see. I tried to describe you to the women in the palace. Did I get it wrong? Because they’re working on a whole wardrobe for you, and I don’t want the whole thing to be too small.”
“You don’t need to see. You just need to be a gentleman and let me borrow your shirt. Is that a problem? Are you a gentleman?” I challenged.
Finn rolled his eyes and stepped toward me. “You can have whatever you want that’s in my drawers.” His unintended double meaning made his eyebrow raise up in time with the corner of his lips. “Let me see.” He unbuttoned the top button, frowning when I lightly swatted him away.
“Back up,” I warned, ignoring Garrick’s intake of breath. “I can do it myself.” I undid the rest of the shirt and opened it so he could see the outfit was very nice, but just too small. I angled my body away from Garrick, shooting him an apologetic look over my shoulder. “See?”
“What’s wrong with it? It fits you perfect. You’re just not used to nice clothes. Your Reapers don’t present you as you should be seen.”
“That’s the thing. I don’t want to be seen.”
“The clothes fit you well.”
I looked up at the ceiling and prayed for patience, bravery, and I don’t know, a handful of Oompa-Loompas to Wonka me out of the uncomfortable situation. “Oh, fine. Here, you big baby.” I took off his shirt and handed it to him, crossing my arms over my breasts to ensure my lack of a bra didn’t get noticed by my new colleague. “Sorry about this,” I said to Garrick, who watched our exchange with a note of trepidation in his eyes. “You alright?”
Garrick swallowed. “Of course, milady. I’ve just never seen anyone swat at Captain Finn and live to call him a ‘big baby’. I’m trying to catch up so I know how to do my job accurately.”
When Finn turned to Garrick, his sneer was fixed firmly in place. “I’m every bit the same man who killed Wesley of the West Hills, freed Stephen from Lumipad’s dungeons, and helped put King Geon in Kabayo’s prison. She can call me what she likes behind closed doors. Don’t forget that she’s an Omen. She’s irreplaceable. You are not.”
“Yes, Captain,” Garrick said, his arms behind his back, chest puffed and eyes forward like a well-trained soldier. “Forgive me.”
I slapped at Finn’s arm as he sat down in his beige recliner in the open living room. “Knock it off. Garrick’s allowed to ask questions. Now you really are acting like a big old baby.” I sighed, motioning for Garrick to sit down in the living room on the brown sofa. “Relax a little. Tell me about yourself. I’m thinking you’re the same Garrick who was in line to be the next Reaper before Von and Mason were at the right place at the right time. Graduated top of your class. Friends with the infamous Danny.” I was stalling. I didn’t want some stranger pulling from me. I’d been incapacitated too many times to blindly trust a new guy.
I stood on the opposite side of the room next to Finn, who leaned forward in his recliner, elbows on his knees. I was good at conversation, but too scared to go near Garrick and let him actually do his job. I was punking out, and we all knew it.
We exchanged a few pleasantries, with me being evasive about my backstory, and keeping everything as
light as I could. As it turned out, Danny had been Garrick’s big brother-style mentor at the Academy, which was why Danny was so bummed when Von slid into the position before his protégé could.
Finn looked up at me in the middle of our polite conversation, exasperated. “I know you’re trying to put this off. I didn’t bring him here so you could talk about the Duwende Academy. I brought him here to guard the house while I’m gone. He’s supposed to pull from you while Ezra takes his sweet time getting rid of the Manas.”
I didn’t want to expose my nerves, but I couldn’t help the uncertainty in my voice when I finally owned up to my reasons for staying away from Garrick. I mean, dude seemed perfectly professional and nice; I was just being a chicken. “I’m a little on edge about all this,” I admitted, my hands finding my arms and raking down the flesh. “It took me a long time to trust Von and Mason. Even Danny. I’ve been blissed out by Pullers before, and I didn’t like it. I… You trust him?” I asked Finn, insecure and more than a little scared.
Finn stood, wrapping me in his arms, despite our company. “It’s good that you’re cautious. I respect that.” He squeezed me, claiming me in front of Garrick in a way that actually made me feel safer, instead of peed on. There was the implication that if anything did go south, Finn would send a swift reckoning. I exhaled and let my body lean into his embrace, trusting him to keep me from anyone who wasn’t above reproach. Finn kissed my cheek. “I trust him on Danny’s recommendation, the Academy’s, and the fact that I’ve had someone watching him since we got back from Silo.”
“Huh?” I asked.
Garrick’s ears perked up at this new information. He nervously brushed the front of his shirt.
“I was concerned you weren’t well-protected, so I started at the top, researching Garrick and putting a tail on him so I knew for sure he was good enough for me to trust with your safety. Von didn’t graduate, and after Mason’s hair got cut off, I worried you’d be left vulnerable.”
“I’m glad I passed your test, Captain,” Garrick said in his crisp British accent. His mouth was set in a stiff line, though his tone betrayed none of his visible irritation.
“I’m glad you did, too. I had a few untrustworthy candidates eliminated before I landed on you.”
“Eliminated?” I inquired, my stomach queasy. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
Finn took his thumb and drew a line across his throat. “Eliminated. They were confirmed moles for Sama.” His eyes hardened when he observed my disapproval. “I won’t take chances with the main supplier of souls. And now that I know you? Now that you live here with me? After everything, my standards for your protection are even higher.”
“I don’t need you offing people in my name.”
“It’s no trouble,” Finn said with a casual wave of his hand, as if he was doing me some big favor. “You can trust Garrick. He’s never been arrested for anything, volunteers at his local foodbank to pull from the more depressed rung of society while he stocks shelves. His fiancé Hamish is set to marry him in the spring, so we’ve got him for a few months, at least.”
I tipped my head to Garrick, who clearly didn’t like his business, nor his sexual orientation discussed so casually. “Congratulations on your engagement,” I offered, apologetic at how awkward this whole thing was.
“Thank you.” Garrick nodded stiffly, his lips pursed to keep whatever he had to say locked tight inside. Dude really was a professional.
And I wouldn’t shut up and just let him do his job.
Finn wrapped his arm around my hips and drew me to the middle of the room, motioning for Garrick to meet us there. “I’m right here, okay? You’re going to let him pull from you, and I promise I won’t let anything bad happen. One wrong move, and they’ll never find his body.”
“Jeez! You don’t have to threaten him like that. Now he’s probably just as jumpy as I am.”
Garrick held up his hands. “It’s alright, Lady October. Captain Finn’s spot on; pulling is a grave responsibility, and those who misuse it should be dealt with. I’ve never blissed anyone out, which you should know after having me followed, Captain. That’s why I was reluctant to take the job when you called me about it. I thought you were trying to hire me to work in your harem, bliss out your girls so your king could…”
“That’s enough,” Finn snapped, his tone sharp, like the crack of a whip.
“I told you I wouldn’t be taking the job if it was for that.” Garrick turned to address only me. “I promise, I’m only here to help keep you safe. So much rides on the Omens. It would be an honor to make your burden lighter.”
My finger flew in Finn’s face. “You and I are gonna have words about the whole Duwendes in your harem thing later. Like, buckets and buckets of words.”
“Quit stalling. Honestly, I’m doing the right thing here, and you’re being difficult.”
I knew he was right, but I was too uneasy to be reasonable. I backed up, meeting the resistance of Finn’s arm clutching my hips to keep me in place. “I’m not ready,” I squeaked, panicking when Finn drew me toward Garrick against my will. “Stop!”
“It’s fine!” Finn growled, moving me closer to Garrick as my whole body arched away, squirming to get just a few more minutes.
“I can handle it! I can deal on my own! I don’t need help! I’m fine, Finn! Promise!” When that didn’t work, the panic inside of me built to a breaking point. I ducked under his arm and flew to the corner of the room, knowing there was no way out. The wall pressed up against my back, so I knew no one could push me into something I didn’t want.
Finn gawked at my brawl-ready fists in dismay. With his hands raised, he stopped his advance when I positioned myself to pop him one. “Are you really fighting me on this? This, of all things? I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t need help! I’m fine! I can handle myself without drugs, without a Puller and without anyone!”
“For how long? You were just abducted. Your whole back was nearly skinned!”
“And look at me. I’m standing right here, just fine!”
“Fine? Really?”
Garrick was unsure of my mental state, so he stayed back, the smarty. Finn moved toward me, and I shouted, “Take one more step, and so help me, I’ll knock you flat out, Finn!”
Finn was neither amused nor afraid. “You want me to hurt you? Fine! You cried in your sleep last night. Actual tears, October. I held you while you cried for Ollie, stone asleep. And that’s after two nightmares I had to wake you from.”
“Shut up!” I barked, livid he’d bring up something so embarrassing. “I did not!”
“You told him not to get on the plane. You begged him not to leave you. Do you really want me to go on?” His voice calmed when my fists lowered, losing a little of their purpose. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I promised Ezra I’d keep you safe. This is part of that. It’s the bare minimum, actually.”
“That wasn’t meant for you to hear,” I choked out, fists clenched at my sides.
“I know. You trusted me to get you through Silo. You trusted me to fix your back. Trust me in this. You need a Puller, sinta.”
Garrick’s intake of breath told me Finn had just said something weird, though I didn’t know what it was.
My head whipped from Finn to Garrick. “What does that mean? That word you just said.”
Finn’s eyes narrowed at Garrick in a silent threat. “It’s a word I like, and it suits you. It’s for me to call you, and no one else. If anyone else calls you sinta, I want you to punch them on the spot.”
“Huh?”
“It’s my word for you, and no one else’s. That’s all you need to know about it.”
Garrick cleared his throat and held out his hand, though we were still several feet from being able to touch. “On my honor, I’ll only pull the slightest amount to help you get ready to go back to work when it’s safe. You tell me if you need more, and I’ll oblige. Otherwise I’ll do the bare minimum.”
Finn growle
d at Garrick, “I didn’t call you here to do your smallest effort. I called you here because you’re supposed to be the best there is.”
Garrick met Finn’s glare with a defiance of his own, his stubborn rounded chin jutting out as he shed his bland, professional demeanor. “Then trust me to do my job. If you want me to help her, I will. I’m honored to. But we start slow. It’s a long road, building a relationship between an Omen and her Puller. If I go in guns blazing, I’ll do exactly what she’s afraid of and pull too hard. She has to be ready to trust me, and she’s clearly not. Why should she? I’m an utter stranger to her.” He turned his gaze to me. “If anything, she’s showing the proper amount of caution, which will get her far in the long run.”
Finn ran his tongue over his teeth, visibly seething. “I’m this close to chucking you into the ocean and seeing if that Academy taught you how to swim.”
Garrick ignored Finn, which I actually found kind of amusing. “I’m going to stand right here and wait for you to come to me. I’m not going to attack you or pull if you’re not ready. That’s how this is going to work. You need pulling? Then monitor yourself. You don’t want us hovering? Then come to me when you know you should, yeah?”
I watched him not move, taking in his caution and nonthreatening demeanor with a skeptical eye. “I can work with that. Sometimes the guards Ezra hires to help out pull from me without asking. Andy used to do that a lot. I don’t like being pawed at.”
“I can’t imagine many do. It’s a shame about Andy. I didn’t know him well, but I had a few classes with him. We had the same teachers, but I guess we got very different things out of our education.” He showed me his hands again. “I’m not Andy. I’m also not Von or Mason. I don’t know you, and if you don’t want me to, that’s fine. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“This is pointless,” Finn complained. “Just pull from her already!”
Garrick shot Finn a dirty look. “I’d never question you on matters of running Dagat for King Banak. You’ve no need to question me about this. You had me vetted, and I passed your tests. You’ve no cause to distrust me now.”
Treat (Terraway Book 5) Page 18
