Read Online Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Free Book Online Page B

rattles us.”
    Nick cringed at that. He couldn’t stand to upset his mother. “Sorry. I’ll head on over and—”
    “Don’t worry about it. I don’t have anything that can’t wait until tomorrow. Go see your mom so that she’ll know you’re all right.”
    “Okay. You sure you don’t need me to do anything?”
    “Did you check with Kell about the status on my replacement sword?”
    “I did, and I tracked it down. It’ll be delivered tomorrow morning. They accidentally sent it to Cleveland. I also dropped off your dry cleaning on my way to school, and will pick it up tomorrow afternoon. During lunch, I scheduled an appointment for the Lamborghini to be serviced on Friday, and I got Mr. Poitiers to agree to pick it up and drop it off for you. I e-mailed Acheron about Halloween, and he said to tell you and Talon that there will be two new additions moved in for it. Someone named Gallagher and Wulf. They’ll arrive on the twenty-eighth. I’ve already e-mailed Talon about it and was going to tell you when I got over there. Lastly, I called Liza and she will have Rosa’s birthday present from you wrapped and ready. I’ll grab it on my way home and make sure Rosa gets it tomorrow along with the card you have in your top desk drawer. Anything else you need?”
    “No. You are on top of it and I appreciate it. I really am impressed with you, Nick. You’re a good kid.”
    Nick’s face ignited. He wasn’t used to praise from anyone and it always embarrassed him to get it. “I’m just trying to do my job, boss.” But it was more than that. Nick owed Kyrian a debt that couldn’t be repaid. The man had saved his life after Nick had been shot last year. Not only had Kyrian kept Nick’s friend from killing him, he’d taken Nick to the hospital and paid for them to patch him up.
    It was that debt that had led to Nick working part time for him so that he could repay the hospital bill.
    “All right,” Kyrian said kindly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Okay. If you need anything else…”
    Kyrian laughed. “Bye, Nick.”
    Nick hung up, then dialed his mother at work. Since she didn’t have a cell phone of her own, he had to call in on the restaurant line.
    “Sanctuary on Ursulines. How may I help you?”
    He’d know that sweet drawl that was tinged with a hint of a French accent anywhere. It belonged to a tall, beautiful blonde woman who was all legs and all curves. “Hi, Aimee, it’s Nick. Can my mom come to the phone for a second?”
    “Boy…” she stressed that word in a way that made him inwardly cringe, “your hide is so tanned, I could make shoe leather out of it. Hang on and let me get her.”
    Nick dreaded what he knew was coming.
    Sure enough, he heard the tears in his mother’s voice. “Nicky, baby? Are you okay?”
    I’m such a jerk. How could he have forgotten to call her? She’d been bad to worry about him before he’d been shot. Since that night when he’d almost died, she was barely one step short of insane when it came to his well-being.
    “I am so sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
    “But are you all right?”
    “I am.”
    Those two words cured the tears. It also sent her reeling into a realm of anger that instantly knotted his gut. “How dare you scare me like that! Have you any idea how worried I’ve been? Why didn’t you answer your phone? Where have you been? Why aren’t you at work? I swear, if you’re hanging out with those hoodlums again, I’m going to ground you until you’re in an old-age home. You hear me? Why aren’t you answering me, Nick, huh?”
    “’Cause you always yell at me when I interrupt you.”
    “Are you sassing me?”
    “No, ma’am.” That would be all kinds of stupid, especially in her current mood.
    She let out a sound of ultimate peeve. “You’re grounded for a week. You hear me?”
    “But Mom—”
    “Don’t you ‘but Mom’ me. I’ve had it with your irresponsibility. And you think you’re mature enough to drive and