Read Online Octavian's Undoing (Sons of Judgment) by Airicka Phoenix - Free Book Online
Authors: Airicka Phoenix
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going so far as to stick his stubby tongue into the glass and lick it clean. Then again, everything about the guy creeped her out. It was only the sweet thought of him leaving eventually that encouraged her. Besides, how many shots could a single person take before they were under the table anyway? She would just keep giving him drinks until she either had to call him a cab or he left.
That seemed to be easier said than done. By the twentieth drink, he was still as wide awake and alert as when he’d walked in.
“I don’t understand it!” Riley exclaimed, watching him toss back drink number twenty-five. “Where the hell is he putting it?” The guy was three feet tall. He should have been in an alcoholic coma by now.
“Have you taken your break?” Octavian asked instead, wiping down the bar.
Riley checked her watch. “Oh, I guess I forgot.”
“Take one now. It’s quieted down.”
It hadn’t. If anything, it seemed even more crowded than it had been five minutes ago. “But you’ll be alone.”
He waved her concern away. “I can handle it. Go.”
She wanted to argue, to prove that she could handle it, too, but she was exhausted and needed a break.
“Thanks,” she muttered, dropping her pen and pad into the front pockets of her apron and shuffling towards the kitchen.
It was empty. Gorje must have gone home for the evening. All the lights were off except for the one over the preparation table and the staff room. It was blissfully silent as she shambled into the cramped room and dropped into the closest chair. She kicked off her shoes and moaned as her throbbing feet uncurled back to their original flatness. She wiggled her toes and cursed the four inch pumps. Tomorrow she’d wear her flats. They didn’t really go with dresses, but maybe a pair of slacks? She’d ask Kyaerin what the dress code was exactly. The boys were all dressed pretty casual. Maybe she could get away with jeans and sneakers. That would be heaven.
A raised voice from the kitchen interrupted her contemplation. Riley frowned as she rose to her feet, wondering if Gorje was back and if something was wrong. Her stocking clad feet made no sound as she crossed over to the door and peered out.
The kitchen was still bathed only by the single bulb, but she could just make out the two silhouettes by the wood stove. She recognized Kyaerin’s riot of pale curls and Liam’s impressive frame. She began to duck back out of sight, giving them privacy when her name was mentioned and she froze.
“Maybe Octavian is right?” Kyaerin was saying. “Maybe we should—”
“You know we can’t,” Liam interrupted. “Remember what happened the last time?”
“Of course you’re right, darling,” Kyaerin murmured. “But she is such a sweet girl. I would never forgive myself if—”
Liam drew her into his arms, tucking her face into the crock of his neck. “I know, but it really is out of our hands.”
Reggie burst into the kitchen then, interrupting the odd conversation. “Baron’s here and looking for you.”
Even in the dim light, Riley could see Kyaerin lose all coloring in her face as her big blue eyes snapped to her husband. “Liam…”
He touched her hand, soothing her. “It’s all right.”
“Why is he here?”
“Shh.” He brought her slender fingers to his lips and kissed them softly. “I will take care of it. Tell the boys to stand down.”
Kyaerin nodded. “I will.”
He kissed her lightly before following Reggie out the door with Kyaerin a step behind them.
Riley remained where she was, mind racing to put together what the hell just took place. None of it made any sense and the more she tried, the more confused she got. Where they regretting their decision to hire her? Had she done something wrong? But she couldn’t think what.
Moving quickly, she slipped her shoes back on and left the staff room just as the
That seemed to be easier said than done. By the twentieth drink, he was still as wide awake and alert as when he’d walked in.
“I don’t understand it!” Riley exclaimed, watching him toss back drink number twenty-five. “Where the hell is he putting it?” The guy was three feet tall. He should have been in an alcoholic coma by now.
“Have you taken your break?” Octavian asked instead, wiping down the bar.
Riley checked her watch. “Oh, I guess I forgot.”
“Take one now. It’s quieted down.”
It hadn’t. If anything, it seemed even more crowded than it had been five minutes ago. “But you’ll be alone.”
He waved her concern away. “I can handle it. Go.”
She wanted to argue, to prove that she could handle it, too, but she was exhausted and needed a break.
“Thanks,” she muttered, dropping her pen and pad into the front pockets of her apron and shuffling towards the kitchen.
It was empty. Gorje must have gone home for the evening. All the lights were off except for the one over the preparation table and the staff room. It was blissfully silent as she shambled into the cramped room and dropped into the closest chair. She kicked off her shoes and moaned as her throbbing feet uncurled back to their original flatness. She wiggled her toes and cursed the four inch pumps. Tomorrow she’d wear her flats. They didn’t really go with dresses, but maybe a pair of slacks? She’d ask Kyaerin what the dress code was exactly. The boys were all dressed pretty casual. Maybe she could get away with jeans and sneakers. That would be heaven.
A raised voice from the kitchen interrupted her contemplation. Riley frowned as she rose to her feet, wondering if Gorje was back and if something was wrong. Her stocking clad feet made no sound as she crossed over to the door and peered out.
The kitchen was still bathed only by the single bulb, but she could just make out the two silhouettes by the wood stove. She recognized Kyaerin’s riot of pale curls and Liam’s impressive frame. She began to duck back out of sight, giving them privacy when her name was mentioned and she froze.
“Maybe Octavian is right?” Kyaerin was saying. “Maybe we should—”
“You know we can’t,” Liam interrupted. “Remember what happened the last time?”
“Of course you’re right, darling,” Kyaerin murmured. “But she is such a sweet girl. I would never forgive myself if—”
Liam drew her into his arms, tucking her face into the crock of his neck. “I know, but it really is out of our hands.”
Reggie burst into the kitchen then, interrupting the odd conversation. “Baron’s here and looking for you.”
Even in the dim light, Riley could see Kyaerin lose all coloring in her face as her big blue eyes snapped to her husband. “Liam…”
He touched her hand, soothing her. “It’s all right.”
“Why is he here?”
“Shh.” He brought her slender fingers to his lips and kissed them softly. “I will take care of it. Tell the boys to stand down.”
Kyaerin nodded. “I will.”
He kissed her lightly before following Reggie out the door with Kyaerin a step behind them.
Riley remained where she was, mind racing to put together what the hell just took place. None of it made any sense and the more she tried, the more confused she got. Where they regretting their decision to hire her? Had she done something wrong? But she couldn’t think what.
Moving quickly, she slipped her shoes back on and left the staff room just as the
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