Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

“No. I don’t trust you, remember?”

I laughed under my breath, strolling farther down the hallway. “That’s wise of you, Michael. You’re learning.”

But I stopped, seeing Rika and Kai in the lobby. I remained hidden in the hall, watching them chat. The sternness that always hardened his eyes into the look of a perpetual student was gentler now. Relaxed.

It was hard to breathe.

He stood too close. Smiled too softly at her and touched her arm too long.

“But you trust Kai?” I asked Michael, still staring at them. “With all of your treasures?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shook my head, watching as Kai made his way for the Great Room and Rika came my way, back down the hallway.

I turned, relaxing into the wall and looking down as she passed. She disappeared into one of the workout rooms.

I cleared my throat. “Nothing,” I said. “I’m bored. Any message or not?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Fine, I’ll tell him you called.”

“Wait.”

I stopped, putting the receiver back to my ear. “Yes?”

I heard his sigh on the other end, but the guy clammed up again all of a sudden. I waited, hearing only silence.

“Hello?” I prodded.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” he finally asked. “Okay, then. If you were me, in my situation, what would you do to strengthen your hold on all your irons in the fire? You said we were weak. Where? With what?”

I nearly laughed. Was he serious?

I strolled back down the hallway, suddenly intrigued. “Are you asking me for advice?”

“I’m asking you to put your money where your smart mouth is, brat,” he bit out. “Pretend you run my crew now. What do you do?”

“What makes you think I’d help you?”

“Because I think you’re dying for some real use of your skills.”

Well, he was right there. Kai wasn’t using me to my full potential, and I loved having a seat at the table. I’d kill to tell him exactly what I th

ought of him and his junior high operation.

I stopped at the entrance to the workout room and stood back, watching Rika throw blocks against her Wing Chun Dummy. She maneuvered, hitting the posts fast but methodical, pausing every so often to correct her stance.

And it suddenly hit me.

Michael was stroking my pride.

“Sensou” meant “war” in Japanese. This place, the name, what they did here…it was part of a larger goal.

Rika might be soft, but she was training. Michael might be careless, but he was aware. Will might be weak, but he had Kai.

And Kai was getting ready.