Read Online Ebony Fight (The Guard Duet Book 2) by Natalie Herzer - Free Book Online
Authors: Natalie Herzer
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dread in others.
Sli’s gaze finally fell on the reception desk about ten yards away from her and found the origin of the voice. Enjoying the soft carpet of grass cushioning her sneakers, she walked up to the counter.
The woman behind it was in her late-forties, Sli guessed. Wearing a blouse that was a soft shade of pink which suited the band of pearls around her neck and half-moon glasses perched on the tip of her nose, she would have served as the perfect model of a clichéd librarian. A vigilant hawk.
“Hello.”
“Hello, young lady. Let’s open up a file for you, shall we?” A perfect, fake nail tapped against a small machine that was set on top of the counter.
Right.
Following the instructions, Sli put her thumb on the screen until a light flashed green, and spat out a piece of paper. Number #141 009.
At her raised eyebrow, the receptionist explained with a kind shrug, “Times change. Progress comes. We have quite a lot of people coming through here every day.”
A printer started, catching Sli’s attention and spurring the woman into action. “Oh. Just a second.”
With swift, efficient movements a file was prepared, marked with her name and the freshly printed papers fed into it. Automatic reflexes honed by years of the same routine - as were the speed reading eyes flying over the pages.
After her job was done, the receptionist looked up at Sli over the rim of her glasses. The frost in her glare made it all too clear that her attitude had changed. Sli had been measured, judged and found guilty. The woman’s voice was as sour as freshly pressed lemon juice. “You may take a seat.”
Raising an eyebrow at the woman who wasn’t even trying to hide her shameless nosiness, Sli turned away and shrugged her off. She was used to it after all.
Hearing an indignant puff coming from behind her, Sli shook her head and her mouth curved into the hint of a smile. Action and reaction, it was such a simple and predictable concept if you thought about it, and yet for some reason people were often surprised by the results.
“Number 85 727 in office 2.”
Knowing the voice blared out in quite regular intervals, Sli ordered herself to ignore it for now. She would be here for a while.
Sli searched the front rows for an empty spot. However, they were sparse. Then her gaze caught two women deep in conversation. It was obvious they had been strangers before sitting down and tried to keep the pretense of distance by leaving a chair empty between them, but by now their arms were draped over its back as they leaned towards each other.
Two flies with one stone, Sli guessed. A seat and a possibility to glean information. In her short life that was one of the easiest lessons learned. To get information you simply had to listen for it.
Sli approached, her steps softened by the lush carpet of green grass and unnoticed by the women.
“…did you end up here?”
The younger woman, probably in her late thirties, laughed. “Quite silly, actually. My husband and I wanted to spice up our sex life a little, you know.”
The fifty-something lady stiffened slightly at the word ‘sex’ and leaned in even closer, probably fearing being overheard.
“We wanted something new and exotic, and so we tried erotic asphyxiation. Unfortunately, my hubby forgot that I need at least a bit of breath left in me to say the safeword.”
“Oh my,” the lady gasped.
Sli gently cleared her throat.
Both women looked up. Their faces quickly changed from being annoyed at the interruption to one of disbelief. “Oh dear, aren’t you a bit young to be here?” The older one of the two peered over Sli’s shoulder before looking back at her. “Are you all alone?”
“May I sit?”
“Of course, dear.” The lady straightened. “You can call me Thea. What’s your name?”
“Sli.”
“Oh, now that’s a unique name.”
“Thank you.”
The woman on the left of her leaned forward. “I’m Melissa.”
Sli inclined her head in a
Sli’s gaze finally fell on the reception desk about ten yards away from her and found the origin of the voice. Enjoying the soft carpet of grass cushioning her sneakers, she walked up to the counter.
The woman behind it was in her late-forties, Sli guessed. Wearing a blouse that was a soft shade of pink which suited the band of pearls around her neck and half-moon glasses perched on the tip of her nose, she would have served as the perfect model of a clichéd librarian. A vigilant hawk.
“Hello.”
“Hello, young lady. Let’s open up a file for you, shall we?” A perfect, fake nail tapped against a small machine that was set on top of the counter.
Right.
Following the instructions, Sli put her thumb on the screen until a light flashed green, and spat out a piece of paper. Number #141 009.
At her raised eyebrow, the receptionist explained with a kind shrug, “Times change. Progress comes. We have quite a lot of people coming through here every day.”
A printer started, catching Sli’s attention and spurring the woman into action. “Oh. Just a second.”
With swift, efficient movements a file was prepared, marked with her name and the freshly printed papers fed into it. Automatic reflexes honed by years of the same routine - as were the speed reading eyes flying over the pages.
After her job was done, the receptionist looked up at Sli over the rim of her glasses. The frost in her glare made it all too clear that her attitude had changed. Sli had been measured, judged and found guilty. The woman’s voice was as sour as freshly pressed lemon juice. “You may take a seat.”
Raising an eyebrow at the woman who wasn’t even trying to hide her shameless nosiness, Sli turned away and shrugged her off. She was used to it after all.
Hearing an indignant puff coming from behind her, Sli shook her head and her mouth curved into the hint of a smile. Action and reaction, it was such a simple and predictable concept if you thought about it, and yet for some reason people were often surprised by the results.
“Number 85 727 in office 2.”
Knowing the voice blared out in quite regular intervals, Sli ordered herself to ignore it for now. She would be here for a while.
Sli searched the front rows for an empty spot. However, they were sparse. Then her gaze caught two women deep in conversation. It was obvious they had been strangers before sitting down and tried to keep the pretense of distance by leaving a chair empty between them, but by now their arms were draped over its back as they leaned towards each other.
Two flies with one stone, Sli guessed. A seat and a possibility to glean information. In her short life that was one of the easiest lessons learned. To get information you simply had to listen for it.
Sli approached, her steps softened by the lush carpet of green grass and unnoticed by the women.
“…did you end up here?”
The younger woman, probably in her late thirties, laughed. “Quite silly, actually. My husband and I wanted to spice up our sex life a little, you know.”
The fifty-something lady stiffened slightly at the word ‘sex’ and leaned in even closer, probably fearing being overheard.
“We wanted something new and exotic, and so we tried erotic asphyxiation. Unfortunately, my hubby forgot that I need at least a bit of breath left in me to say the safeword.”
“Oh my,” the lady gasped.
Sli gently cleared her throat.
Both women looked up. Their faces quickly changed from being annoyed at the interruption to one of disbelief. “Oh dear, aren’t you a bit young to be here?” The older one of the two peered over Sli’s shoulder before looking back at her. “Are you all alone?”
“May I sit?”
“Of course, dear.” The lady straightened. “You can call me Thea. What’s your name?”
“Sli.”
“Oh, now that’s a unique name.”
“Thank you.”
The woman on the left of her leaned forward. “I’m Melissa.”
Sli inclined her head in a
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