Page 65 of Honor and Claim


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“A petty Robin Hood!” I laugh hard. “Oh, that’s amazing.” I can totally see her being that. Now that’s something to aspire to.

“Bold, highlight, and underline the petty part, and people are really keen when you not only steal from them or out from under them and let it be known it was you but also blast them to others.”

“Okay, it’s not so funny now.” I say now that I’m really thinking about it. “I haven’t heard from her in a few days, andbefore that she’s been flighty.” I stare up at Z, worry filling me that something has happened to Marks.

“Sweetness, you just have to ask what you want to know or have me find.”

“Can you just tell me she’s okay? That would make me feel better.”

“All right, let’s have a look.” Z steps over to his computer, sitting down in his chair. I grab mine, rolling it over.

“Wait, I’m not ready.” I rush back over to my desk. Damn, he really did make sure he got everything. I find my faux glasses and put them on before rushing back over. “Okay, now I’m ready.”

“Perfect.” He kisses my cheek. “You look the part and everything.” I nod because, obviously. Z clicks away at his computer. I’ve got no clue what the hell he is doing. “Come here.” He lifts me, sitting me in his lap, my back to his chest. “I shouldn’t have gotten you a chair.”

“Anything?” I ask after a few seconds.

“Hang on.” I peek over my shoulder at him. His brows are pulled together.

“Z?” I don’t care for that expression.

“I can’t find anything at the moment.”

“Z?” I whisper, a knot forming in my stomach.

“It could be nothing. I’ll have to keep checking, but it’s not abnormal not to be able to find her. She could be dark right now.”

“Dark?”

“Just all the way off the grid. I’m sure she does that whenever she goes home or wants to lay low. But I’ll ding her.”

“Ding her?” I know he doesn’t mean a text.

“I’m making it clear I’m trying to find her, and I’m not doing it subtly, so she’ll know that. Which in turn she’ll know I need to talk to her.”

“Because if you were trying to be sneaky, she wouldn’t know?”

“Yeah, for now.” He shakes his head.

“For now?”

“I’d be ignorant not to think Marks has the potential, drive, and?—"

“Pettiness.” I slip in.

“Pettiness, to not be better than me one day.” He shakes his head, a smirk on his lips. I turn in his lap to straddle him.

“A lot of men would be annoyed that a girl beat them, but not you.”

“My whole world centers around you, Cosima. I know and understand the power a woman can possess. Wars are created and fought over them. I’d lay down my life for my family, but I'd burn down this whole world before I ever gave you yours.”

“How do I even respond to that!” I blink, trying to not cry again.

“You don’t. You just let me have you.”

“I can maybe do that.” I shrug one shoulder. “But I do like a good chase every now and then.”

“And I do love pretending to let you run.”