Livy smirked. When you have rum-infused honey in your cabinetsyoure asking for it.
That made Vic smile, something he didnt do very often. Then again . . . neither did she.
Using his bamboo stalk to point at them, Shen admitted, I dont get the thing you two have for honey.
They stared at him while he chomped on his bamboo until Vic turned back to Livy and asked, You need a ride home?
Toni went to get a cab. She should be back soon. She studied Vic a moment. She hadnt seen him in months; his work took him out of the country very often. What are you doing back in the States? Or are below-freezing East Coast temperatures where you come to get a break from those balmy Russian winters?
I have information on our old friend.
That Whitlan guy? Are they still looking for him?
Vic nodded. Yeah.
Youd think theyd have gotten him by now. How hard is it to find someone in this day and age?
The man knows how to disappear.
Livy shrugged, not really caring. Honey badgers didnt concern themselves with the problems of other shifters. They saw themselves as honey badgers, not as part of a bigger shifter universe. A good thing, since most of the other breeds didnt really like them and some didnt even know honey badgers existed.
What about you? Vic asked. What are you doing here?
Just coming in from Washington.
Visiting family?
Dead family. Livy chuckled at her own joke, but when Vic and Shen just stared at her, she said, Sorry. Bad joke. I was at a funeral.
Vic frowned, which made him look even more terrifying, but Livy knew that was just his face. His handsome but terrifying face. God, those cheekbones are amazing.
Im sorry, Livy. Who died?
My father.
Both men blinked and she realized shed surprised them.
Livy . . . Vic looked at Shen, back at her. My God, Im so sorry.
Its okay.
It is?
Livy shrugged. We werent close.
Still. Its your father.
I threw a baseball bat at him once, she admitted to the two men. Clocked him right in the head. He was out for, like, a good thirty minutes.
Shen blew out a breath. Oh. Okay.
But Vic refused to be put off. Hes still your father. I know this must be hard for you.
Not as hard as when he woke up and came after me with that baseball bat. Didnt catch me, though. Im superfast when running . . . away.
Vic stared ather a moment before finally stating, I want to awkwardly hug you.
Livy looked up at him. Awkwardly?
Neither of us is very good with affection, so I pretty much assume that any physical encounters between us will be awkward.
That made Livy laugh, and without thinking about it too much, she stood up and wrapped her arms around Vics waist, giving him a hug she hadnt given her mother when shed left for the airport to return to New York.
Vic hugged her back and, if Livy wasnt mistaken, kissed the top of her head.
If you need anything, Vic said, you just let me know.
Thanks, Vic.
Livy pulled away. Not because she was tired of that hugit was surprisingly nicebut because she sensed someone grabbing the rolling case shed brought with her for the trip.
Using her foot, Livy rammed the case down, spun around, and nearly had her hands around the mans throat when Toni came running up, screaming, Hes the cabbie! Hes the cabbie!
Livy immediately pulled her hands back. Oh. Sorry.
Hes just helping with the luggage, Toni explained. She patted Livys leg, trying to get her to remove her foot from the bag. When Livy didnt move fast enough, the patting became a hard slap.
Livy moved her foot and the driver quickly took her bag and headed to the waiting cab.
Toni glared at her, which just made Livy chuckle. Then Toni smiled up at Vic. Hello, Victor.
Hi, Toni. How are you?
Fine. Toni patted Vics arm, waved at Shen, since she didnt know him well at all, and headed to the cab.
I gotta go. Livy smiled at Vic. Maybe Ill see you around.
You still working at the Sports Center? he asked.
Livy sighed. Of course. Where else would I be? In Paris? Milan? Perhaps in the middle of some great war? Why would I be there when I can take pictures of giant guys who balance on thin skates and charge around an ice rink, chasing after a little black puck? Because thats fascinating.
So works going well? Vic asked with a straight face.
Livy smirked. The bastard. See ya.
Livy got into the taxi beside Toni and closed the door.
Huh, Toni said.
What?
Nothing.
Explain to me at what point in our friendship where I ever expressed having any tolerance of girls who play that particular game?
Fine, Toni said. I just noticed that Vic watched you until you got into the cab.
So?
That made Vic smile, something he didnt do very often. Then again . . . neither did she.
Using his bamboo stalk to point at them, Shen admitted, I dont get the thing you two have for honey.
They stared at him while he chomped on his bamboo until Vic turned back to Livy and asked, You need a ride home?
Toni went to get a cab. She should be back soon. She studied Vic a moment. She hadnt seen him in months; his work took him out of the country very often. What are you doing back in the States? Or are below-freezing East Coast temperatures where you come to get a break from those balmy Russian winters?
I have information on our old friend.
That Whitlan guy? Are they still looking for him?
Vic nodded. Yeah.
Youd think theyd have gotten him by now. How hard is it to find someone in this day and age?
The man knows how to disappear.
Livy shrugged, not really caring. Honey badgers didnt concern themselves with the problems of other shifters. They saw themselves as honey badgers, not as part of a bigger shifter universe. A good thing, since most of the other breeds didnt really like them and some didnt even know honey badgers existed.
What about you? Vic asked. What are you doing here?
Just coming in from Washington.
Visiting family?
Dead family. Livy chuckled at her own joke, but when Vic and Shen just stared at her, she said, Sorry. Bad joke. I was at a funeral.
Vic frowned, which made him look even more terrifying, but Livy knew that was just his face. His handsome but terrifying face. God, those cheekbones are amazing.
Im sorry, Livy. Who died?
My father.
Both men blinked and she realized shed surprised them.
Livy . . . Vic looked at Shen, back at her. My God, Im so sorry.
Its okay.
It is?
Livy shrugged. We werent close.
Still. Its your father.
I threw a baseball bat at him once, she admitted to the two men. Clocked him right in the head. He was out for, like, a good thirty minutes.
Shen blew out a breath. Oh. Okay.
But Vic refused to be put off. Hes still your father. I know this must be hard for you.
Not as hard as when he woke up and came after me with that baseball bat. Didnt catch me, though. Im superfast when running . . . away.
Vic stared ather a moment before finally stating, I want to awkwardly hug you.
Livy looked up at him. Awkwardly?
Neither of us is very good with affection, so I pretty much assume that any physical encounters between us will be awkward.
That made Livy laugh, and without thinking about it too much, she stood up and wrapped her arms around Vics waist, giving him a hug she hadnt given her mother when shed left for the airport to return to New York.
Vic hugged her back and, if Livy wasnt mistaken, kissed the top of her head.
If you need anything, Vic said, you just let me know.
Thanks, Vic.
Livy pulled away. Not because she was tired of that hugit was surprisingly nicebut because she sensed someone grabbing the rolling case shed brought with her for the trip.
Using her foot, Livy rammed the case down, spun around, and nearly had her hands around the mans throat when Toni came running up, screaming, Hes the cabbie! Hes the cabbie!
Livy immediately pulled her hands back. Oh. Sorry.
Hes just helping with the luggage, Toni explained. She patted Livys leg, trying to get her to remove her foot from the bag. When Livy didnt move fast enough, the patting became a hard slap.
Livy moved her foot and the driver quickly took her bag and headed to the waiting cab.
Toni glared at her, which just made Livy chuckle. Then Toni smiled up at Vic. Hello, Victor.
Hi, Toni. How are you?
Fine. Toni patted Vics arm, waved at Shen, since she didnt know him well at all, and headed to the cab.
I gotta go. Livy smiled at Vic. Maybe Ill see you around.
You still working at the Sports Center? he asked.
Livy sighed. Of course. Where else would I be? In Paris? Milan? Perhaps in the middle of some great war? Why would I be there when I can take pictures of giant guys who balance on thin skates and charge around an ice rink, chasing after a little black puck? Because thats fascinating.
So works going well? Vic asked with a straight face.
Livy smirked. The bastard. See ya.
Livy got into the taxi beside Toni and closed the door.
Huh, Toni said.
What?
Nothing.
Explain to me at what point in our friendship where I ever expressed having any tolerance of girls who play that particular game?
Fine, Toni said. I just noticed that Vic watched you until you got into the cab.
So?
