finished and give you permission to speak. I will not hesitate to enter a judgment.”
His face turned grey. Whether that stemmed from embarrassment or outrage, I didn't know, but I suspected both. I couldn't tell with my own anger so overwhelming that it all tasted the same. Whatever the cause, I didn't care, because regardless of our former connection and the pair of tits I sported, I was his superior.
“Now, you keep trying to get me to sit down with you. Why don't we skip that? Just say your lie, and we can be finished with whatever this is.” My fingernails pierced the skin of my palms, but I didn't feel the pain from it. I didn't even notice it.
Neil's mouth opened and closed. He looked ridiculous, and I drank it in. He cleared his throat and changed tactics. His head tilted down, and he rubbed the back of his neck. When he peered at me through his lashes, I almost groaned. I hated the shy, gosh darn routine he used.
“Aw, Zel— I mean, Master Healani, I only hoped we could remember the good times we had. I've missed you, and I know I didn't do right when we were together. But I'm better now. I've gotten some help.” He watched me, trying to see if any of his shit worked. It hadn't. My face remained as icy as ever. “I thought maybe we could try again.”
He grabbed my hands, pulling them to him, and I allowed it. They dangled limply from his grasp as I waited for him to finish.
“I did some foolish things, I know. I promise to be better. And you won't have to deal with that other Grouping anymore. And I can help you now.” He leaned close and lowered his voice to a whisper as he said, “I know you've been having trouble with your drinking, and there are a lot of rumors of what you've been doing after work. You won't need anyone else because you'd have me at home.” He waggled his eyebrows to make sure I knew what he was talking about.
I wanted to spit in his fucking face.
Instead, I slipped my hands free and wiped them on my cloak. His gaze followed them, and if I hadn't been studying him so carefully, I might have missed the flash of rage sparking in his eyes and the peek of his teeth as his lip curled. It came and went in an instant, so fast that anyone else would have questioned it. I didn't.
“Apprentice Elliot, are you done? Good. Because this will be the last and only time I tell you this, so pay very close attention. You don't know me. Not any longer. And you have the nerve to come in here, trying to take my power, trying to make me bow to your wants?” The idiot opened his mouth as if he wanted to answer the question that I didn't need answered. “Sit the fuck down!” I growled and stepped forward, forcing him back.
He stumbled backwards, finally falling into a seat along the wall. His wide eyes pleased me, and my monster slurped down the emotions that poured off him.
“I fuck who I want because I want to. Not because I need a cock to keep me in line. You are still so clueless.” I scoffed and shook my head, backing away from him. “Whatever you hope will happen, give up. Now, I'm going back to work, and because you chose to be here, so are you. I'd suggest returning to your Grouping and keeping your mouth shut.”
I spun, which I thought would make it obvious that our conversation had come to an end. Apparently, he didn't see it that way because he called after me. The weak pleas were easy to ignore, especially in the drone of the voices that filled the lobby.
As soon as I found Grace, I leaned over so I wouldn't have to scream. “Place Neil's Grouping with Trace.”
“Hm, I think he's paired with Kian. Yeah, Kian.” She glanced up at me, and she must have picked up on my mood because she just nodded and changed it.
Satisfied, I scanned the area, trying to see where we were with segmenting those that had already arrived. A thread of jumpy anticipation hit me from behind, and I turned to find Axton hunched over and creeping towards me.
“What are you doing? Are we ready?” I asked.
He jerked upright, and a blush stole over his cheeks. When he spoke, his