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There was no longer a perfection war to prove—it was over and she was deemed a perfection anomaly. One that now required exploring and precise measuring. And knowing the methods he’d use to acquire those details kept him in perpetual flames. His erotic perusal ended at her feet. Bare and also perfect, despite their symmetrical flaws. That was the anomaly. Everything imperfect was rendered into its own…Darby Mae perfection.
He regarded Grim, eyeing his twinkling gaze over his coffee cup. Of course he’d know. He was one of the fuck-princes. They had several in their ranks. Which was why he didn’t approve of him being alone with her. Ever.
“And there you go,” she sang, setting his cup of coffee before him.
“What are we mapping out again?” Rukem asked, remembering he wasn’t supposed to know about that while wondering how Grim came to be in her apartment.
“Uh, well,” she said, hurrying off into the living room and grabbing a spiral bound notebook from the small desk and returning just as quickly. “Remember our current studies we spoke about? For the uh…school’s marital program?”
He eyed her raised brows, relieved she hadn’t divulged the particulars to Grim. “I do.”
“Well, that’s what this is. Hands on work that allows us to explore and examine the many… convoluted angles of this topic. I figured since you’d want Grim along, we might want to consider—”
“He won’t be accompanying us this time. I have other business he needs to attend.”
“Oh,” she said, appearing stumped before quickly recovering. “Then I guess I’ll…tweak a couple things,” she mumbled, leaning against the counter, studying her notebook while tapping her pen.
“If you’ll excuse us, I need to get Grim on that right away.”
“Of course! I’m sorry if I overstepped, I just assumed that being your uh…”
“Verthur,” he helped when she struggled to recall.
“Yes,” she pointed. “Verthur. I assumed your Verthur would be driving us.”
Hmm. Right. They would need a driver if he was to study her. “Grim won’t be on that detail today.” He’d have to find another.
“Well, that’s a real heartbreaker,” Grim said, his Norse accent rather exaggerated Rukem thought. “I was looking forward to seeing Sophie have fun for the first time in her…in a long while. Thank you for the coffee, my lady.” He ended with a bow which was the equivalent of waving his fuck-wand at her. He observed Darby, finding her cheeks with more color than before and a shy smile on her delectable lips. He wanted to crucify the bastard for bringing it. Those werehisto bring.
He saw him to the door and stepped out with him.
“Wow,” Grim whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Remove it,” he ordered.
He did, holding both hands up with a grin now before pointing at him. “You’retakenby her, Iknewit,” he whispered.
He was suddenly torn with securing that fact and changing the subject. “I am muchmorethan taken with her, Verthur. See that you never find yourself alone in her company again.”
He returned to Mr. Hands Up, I’m Innocent and Loyal. Grinning bigger now. “As you wish it, my Dearest Drot,” he said, hand over chest before straightening back to his usual guarding stance, entirely oblivious or unaffected by the murderous air enshrouding him. “So, what’s my new job?”
“The coin. I sent you the image and every detail we currently know about it. I would like you to learn what it means. Gather whatever intel you can from whoever and however. No limits on money or distance. Start near then spread out.”
“You got it.” He clapped his shoulder with a firm grip, back to grinning. “Congratulations to your brass, royal balls,” he whispered. “I can hear them playing wedding bells from here.”
Rukem turned for the door, not indulging. “Report to me the second you learn any single thing.”
“Yes MyKing.”
He entered the apartment, feeling his Verthur’s grin follow him in. He shut the door and locked it, ready to get to the businesshehad.
“He’s really sweet,” Darby said when he returned to the island.
“Why was he here?”
She gave her familiar stumped look. “I…met him when I brought the papers Vale requested I fill out. We chatted a little because it’s been a bit and I invited him to help me plot out the day.” She gave a wince. “Was that wrong to do?”
Utterly. “I don’t want you alone with him.”
