“Interesting,” Trevor said, like some scientist watching a rat pick a different route to find the cheese.
Aidan turned to look at Reno, who was staring at everyone in almost panicked confusion, and then slowly turned back to Mika. I couldn’t see Aidan’s face, but whatever his expression was, I watched as Mika cringed guiltily.
“A twin,” Aidan said stiffly, daggers hidden in his voice. “Not just a brother, but a whole ass fucking identical goddamn?—”
“Aid,” Mika began.
“Don’t,” Aidan growled. “Just…don’t.”
“Wait, Aidan?” Reno spoke up, missing the way Mika’s eyes went even wider in alarm at his brother’s words. “Like, Aidan Rey, something or another from, like, college?”
“Fuck,” Mika muttered as Aidan’s head tilted.
“Perfect,” Aidan said with a laugh that made me cringe. “So, he knew about me, but…okay. You know what? Never mind, just…never mind.”
And then, of course, to make everything even more awkward, Jake piped up, “So, are you two like exes or something? Because this is some awkward as hell shit that can only happen when two people have fucked.”
“Yes, thank you, Jake,” I said with a sigh, pushing him over as he tried to get to his feet. “Your commentary isn’t necessary.”
“What?” he asked with an innocence that I believed instantly. Full of heart, empty of head, that one.
“Dummy up,” Trevor muttered, and I looked up to see one more complication coming through the door, looking stormy.
“Brace,” I muttered as Xander came to a stop when he saw everyone.
“What the ever-living fuck are you all doing?” he bellowed, and I could tell from the type of anger that he was not having a good day. “Don’t you have fucking jobs to do?”
“Well, hi there, Big Boss,” I called and ignored the way he glared at me. He hated when I used that nickname in front of others. It wasn’t like anyone knew he practically popped a boner when I said it. “I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, showing the new guy around.”
He snorted. “And you have to have a meeting in the process?”
“We were many here,” I said with a shrug. “I’m sorry, should I make sure that coincidence doesn’t look suspicious when you’re in a foul mood? I’ll have to take that up with God, though. He might be busy.”
He gritted his teeth. “Say your fucking hellos and get back to work before I break my foot in your ass?”
“Promise?” I asked, and while I felt everyone else go tense, I grinned when he jabbed a finger in my direction and left the way he came. I didn’t know why he had come in, but I knew he was going to think about something in my ass until I found him later. Well, and he clearly didn’t trust himself to make a better introduction to Aidan if he wasn’t going to stick around.
“You…are either brave or suicidal,” Reno said, looking impressed. “Boss is in one hell of a mood. Has been since I saw him.”
Interesting. His mood had been fine last night. Which meant he had probably woken up to some bad news.
“I’m not scared of him,” I said with a shrug. “Mika?”
“Yes?” he asked stiffly, still eyeing Aidan.
“Can whatever you need wait?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, beat feet and get back to what you were doing. Jake, clean up whatever you just helped Reno fuck up, and Reno…give Aidan here the rest of the tour while I make sure our mild-mannered boss doesn’t kill someone.”
“What? Why me?” Reno asked in alarm and then looked at Aidan. “I mean, no offense or anything, but…I kinda share the face of the guy you looked like you were going to murder.”
“But he doesn’t want to murderyou,” I pointed out as Mika slipped away without a sound. “And you know we can’t trust Jake to do it; he forgets where he is half the time.”
“It’s true,” Jake said, rolling with the exaggeration.
“And Trevor, love you, buddy and all, but if we make him give the tour, he’ll use up his word allotment for the month, and then where will we be?” I asked and cocked my head. “Unless you wanna go make sure Xander isn’t about to burn something down?”