“I’m sorry, but you know I can’t do that.”
His exasperation isn’t warranted, considering I’m the one being tied down in the damn facility.
“Fine,” I huff, my cheeks burning red with fury.
“Aria,” he sighs out while massaging his temple. “This is not punishment. Please stop acting as though it is.”
I roll my eyes, and then I turn to walk away while snarking, “Sure as hell feels like punishment to me.”
The gossiping fools who are gaping at me quickly turn their eyes away as mine meet them, and the whispers erupt behind my back as I continue to flee. I tune out their words because I’m pissed enough to draw my gun right now, and that would be bad… very bad.
A black-suit bodyguard stands outside the lab, and he blocks my chest with his arm the second I try to type in the code.
“No one in,” his grizzly voice announces.
I tilt my head to the side, and then I back up while keeping my eyes on his.
“Is Simone Jude in there?”
“Yes, ma’am. No one else is allowed in.”
His intimidating, towering stance gives him all the more depth to his glower, but I’m not dealing with this shit right now. I’ve only seen Simone for a few minutes since she arrived. If she’s going to spend all of her time in the lab, then I’m getting in.
“Tell her Aria Banner wants to see her, please.”
“I’m sorry, but Ms. Jude requested that she not be disturbed.”
I try calling her phone, but it goes straight to voicemail. I’m sick of this nonsense, and this hulking beast isn’t going to stop me. I don’t care if I have to shove his beanstalk back up his ass, I’m getting in.
“Have you ever heard of Araya Crush?” I muse.
The very mention of my mother’s name makes him shiver, and he just barely nods as he pieces the puzzle together. Everyone knows my name is Aralia Banner. My chosen nickname, Aria, just throws them off.
“Did I forget to mention she’s my mother?”
His eyes widen, but he holds steady, his body not budging from my path.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you in,” he murmurs, his shaky tone betraying his composed appearance.
“Ever heard of the Crush style of fighting? They train the elite officers with it,” I chirp, my body slightly shifting to the side to add some zest to my attempt at intimidation.
He adjusts his collar, sweat forming on his hybrid brow.
“Please don’t hurt me, ma’am. I’m just doing my job.”
Damn it. I hate it when they whimper.
I shrug, and then I use what little bit of my gift that works to cut the lights on and off inside the lab to keep from making this beast cry.
The door to the lab inches open, and Simone’s short, bobbed, jet black hair pokes out before her hybrid blues turn to meet my masked violet eyes.
“Hey,” she says while pushing up her odd glasses that seem to zoom in.
“Hey. I need to speak to you, and Goliath over here won’t let me in,” I huff out, stifling a grin when the man lets a breath of relief escape.
“What did you do to him?” she grumbles.
“Nothing. I swear I didn’t touch him.”
