Allegiance of Honor (Psy-Changeling #15) - Nalini Singh Page 0,149
make that choice. He knew she wouldn’t, but he hoped Ashaya and the others would find an answer before it was too late for her. Not only because Lily was his baby sister, but because while his sister was formed of delicate lines, she had a steely spirit that would carry the Alliance through if he fell. But even steel bent under unbearable pressure, and today his sister crumpled into him, sobs shaking her body.
He just held her, rocked her. “Shh.” Stroking her hair when she finally went quiet, he said, “Tell me about this guy you canceled on. Will he pass the big brother test?”
Lily’s voice was thick with emotion when she spoke. “He has tattoos and piercings and he rides a jetcycle when on the mainland.”
Bo felt his eyebrows rise; steel will notwithstanding, Lily was about as ladylike as they came. She dated teachers and accountants and computronic techs. Men with soft hands and gentle voices. “You’re having a late teenage rebellion phase?”
She elbowed him, and that was good, that was his little sister. “He’s a doctor. A surgeon. He goes all over the world, wherever he’s needed—and he donates his time and skills for free as often as he can. He just likes body art and fast vehicles.”
Intrigued, Bo made a mental note to look up this tattooed doctor who’d put that tone in his sister’s voice. “Why don’t you call him? Reschedule your date?”
“I have a swollen nose and red eyes now.” She blew her nose on a tissue she’d pulled out of the pocket of her capri pants. “And I want to hang out with you.”
Tugging lightly at her hair when she went silent, he said, “You want to go on a gondola?”
“We’re not tourists.” A grumpy response.
“Who the hell says only tourists can play in the canals?” Snagging her hand to tug her down the bridge, he found them a gondola painted the standard sleek black and paid the gondolier extra to stay on shore while Bo took over his duties.
“Only for you, Bo,” the man said, tipping his iconic straw boater at them. “I’m going to go have a coffee over there.” He nodded at a nearby café whose owner was just putting out his outdoor tables. “Come grab me when you’re done—and look after my lady. That’s my livelihood you’re borrowing.”
Saluting the other man in a silent promise, Bo pushed off.
Lily finally started to smile again ten minutes later, calling his attention to interesting buildings as they moved through the water. “It looks different from this angle,” she said from her seated position. “I love how quiet it is at this time of day and how you get to catch sight of things like that”—she pointed to a baker setting out wares hot from the oven—“see the city coming awake.”
Bo, upright in the traditional position to pole the oar through the water, was keeping an eye out as he always did—side effect of being security chief. And he saw what Lily missed. “Look to the left. Early morning tourist about to get his pocket picked.”
Putting two fingers to his lips, he whistled sharply. The would-be pickpocket’s head spun around, as did the tourist’s. Ignoring the latter, Bo met the eyes of the other. Shoulders slumping, the teenager glared at him . . . but turned and walked off in the direction he should’ve been heading. Toward school.
Lily chuckled. “Do you know everyone?”
“And their parents,” Bo answered dryly and continued on down the canal.
He was hoping to see a sleek form under the water, as he’d done a couple of times after BlackSea first made contact by doing the Alliance an intel favor, but that water remained empty. Even though Bo should’ve been worrying about his brain, now that the first shock had passed, he was back to being pissed off at the traitor or traitors who might’ve ended the Alliance’s chances of a friendship with the notoriously reclusive changeling group.
His muscles threatened to lock from the intensity of his reaction.
The fucking Consortium might be behind this, but each and every individual who’d signed up to join them bore his or her own responsibility. If Bo ever got his hands on them, they’d pay the price.
Chapter 44
NIKITA READ THROUGH the short and concise report Ivy Jane Zen had sent through to the Ruling Coalition about the serious deficiency in the Net.
Of humans.
No one, Nikita thought, had seen that coming, and not even the power and money at the disposal of the Ruling Council