"Meaning you're at work?" he inquired. "Against the reaper's wishes?"
"Azriel doesn't run my life any more than you do," I said mildly—and, hopefully, sidestepped the question of where I was.
"Perhaps, but he does have a point when it comes to your restaurant. It's too easy for the Raziq to find you there."
"Except, as I keep telling him, they're hardly going to attack me somewhere where there's lots of people." But even as I said that, I remembered the Ania attack in the café and shivered. And I had a bad feeling I'd just tempted fate.
"If it proves easier for the Raziq to net you in a public space, then they will do so. For an Aedh, the end goal is all and nothing else matters."
"And what is your end goal, Lucian?"
"Revenge," he said flatly. "Whatever it takes, whatever I have to do. But I've never hidden that from you."
No, he hadn't. But I was beginning to wonder just how big a part I was playing in his end goal. It was certainly bigger than what he was admitting, and that was making me more and more nervous.
And yet I still didn't want to walk away from him. Maybe I really was addicted to the damn man.
"Well, this little piece of your revenge pie isn't ready to play nice just yet." I dug my keys out of my pocket and clicked the UNLOCK button. Lights flashed as the car opened.
"You know, that background noise isn't sounding like you're in the restaurant."
"I never said I was."
"So, the bored and horny investment adviser isn't even allowed to live vicariously through your eventful day-to-day life?"
I snorted softly. "Good-bye, Lucian. Talk to you soon."
"Hopefully, sooner than you—"