"Aphrodite's_Flame_028" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kenner _Julie_-_[Protector_04]_-_Aphrodite's_Flame_(V1.0)_[lit](multi-file html))

Chapter Twenty-five

Mordi watched as the mother gathered the two little girls up and ushered them away under his father’s beaming stare. For Izzy’s sake, he tried to keep a straight face, but it was hard. She obviously believed that these tests would reveal Hieronymous’s true character, and Mordi had decided that he simply wasn’t going to argue. He knew the truth ... and sooner or later, Daddy Dearest would screw up. He had to. Mordi knew Hieronymous too well to think that the Outcast could maintain this facade forever.
Still... he feared that Hieronymous might be able to maintain it long enough. Hieronymous had willpower. And when he truly wanted something, Mordi knew, he was willing to pull out all the stops.
With a sigh, he leaned back against the brick building facade and watched as Izzy ran down a checklist with his father—she’d be filing a report with the Inner Circle as well as with the MLO, just in case some spin was needed.
Izzy. How he wished she could see the truth. Because, damn it, he hated being at cross purposes with her. She’d gotten under his skin, a dangerous place for her to be, but he couldn’t help it. She was a part of his life now, a part he didn’t need and shouldn’t want. But she was there all the same, and he was at a loss about what to do.
He’d awakened at four with Izzy in his arms, both of them still curled up on her couch. It had felt good. Too good. So he’d bolted, thinking that if he could only put some distance between them, his head would clear. He’d gone back to his own place, but was only able to lie in bed staring at the ceiling, imagining that she was still in his arms.
He’d told her the truth—his job did make a relationship nearly impossible. He had enemies. He had the father from hell. No matter how you sliced it, they just weren’t workable.
But until he’d met Izzy, he hadn’t really cared.
His cell phone rang, and he answered, surprised to hear Jason on the other end until he remembered that he’d broken his holo-pager. “Well?” Jason demanded.
“Hang on.” Mordi moved back, until he was sure that he was out of earshot of his father and Izzy. Not that either of them seemed interested in him; they were too busy filling out the report to even notice Mordi or his phone call.
He turned back to the phone and gave Jason an update.
“And the Frost girl?”
“I think she’s clean,” Mordi said, casting a glance her way.
Jason made a low noise in the back of his throat, and Mordi silently acknowledged that, while his brain was in agreement, the bulk of his certainty originated in other parts of his body. “Her father did say one odd thing—I was trying to tell you before the Henchman showed up. Something about a silent partner. Can you check it out?”
“Sure thing. What’s on your agenda for today?”
“Going back to headquarters after this. Our darling father just rescued a little girl—”
Jason’s raucous laugh echoed through the phone.
“—who was falling out of a window, and I’m sure he’s exhausted from keeping up the act. I’ll try to poke around a bit on my end.”
“Keep me posted,” Jason said. “And I’ll do the same.”

Chapter Twenty-five

Mordi watched as the mother gathered the two little girls up and ushered them away under his father’s beaming stare. For Izzy’s sake, he tried to keep a straight face, but it was hard. She obviously believed that these tests would reveal Hieronymous’s true character, and Mordi had decided that he simply wasn’t going to argue. He knew the truth ... and sooner or later, Daddy Dearest would screw up. He had to. Mordi knew Hieronymous too well to think that the Outcast could maintain this facade forever.
Still... he feared that Hieronymous might be able to maintain it long enough. Hieronymous had willpower. And when he truly wanted something, Mordi knew, he was willing to pull out all the stops.
With a sigh, he leaned back against the brick building facade and watched as Izzy ran down a checklist with his father—she’d be filing a report with the Inner Circle as well as with the MLO, just in case some spin was needed.
Izzy. How he wished she could see the truth. Because, damn it, he hated being at cross purposes with her. She’d gotten under his skin, a dangerous place for her to be, but he couldn’t help it. She was a part of his life now, a part he didn’t need and shouldn’t want. But she was there all the same, and he was at a loss about what to do.
He’d awakened at four with Izzy in his arms, both of them still curled up on her couch. It had felt good. Too good. So he’d bolted, thinking that if he could only put some distance between them, his head would clear. He’d gone back to his own place, but was only able to lie in bed staring at the ceiling, imagining that she was still in his arms.
He’d told her the truth—his job did make a relationship nearly impossible. He had enemies. He had the father from hell. No matter how you sliced it, they just weren’t workable.
But until he’d met Izzy, he hadn’t really cared.
His cell phone rang, and he answered, surprised to hear Jason on the other end until he remembered that he’d broken his holo-pager. “Well?” Jason demanded.
“Hang on.” Mordi moved back, until he was sure that he was out of earshot of his father and Izzy. Not that either of them seemed interested in him; they were too busy filling out the report to even notice Mordi or his phone call.
He turned back to the phone and gave Jason an update.
“And the Frost girl?”
“I think she’s clean,” Mordi said, casting a glance her way.
Jason made a low noise in the back of his throat, and Mordi silently acknowledged that, while his brain was in agreement, the bulk of his certainty originated in other parts of his body. “Her father did say one odd thing—I was trying to tell you before the Henchman showed up. Something about a silent partner. Can you check it out?”
“Sure thing. What’s on your agenda for today?”
“Going back to headquarters after this. Our darling father just rescued a little girl—”
Jason’s raucous laugh echoed through the phone.
“—who was falling out of a window, and I’m sure he’s exhausted from keeping up the act. I’ll try to poke around a bit on my end.”
“Keep me posted,” Jason said. “And I’ll do the same.”