Page 14

They were both wearing suits, Caleb all in black, Christian in flamboyant pale gray with a matching shirt and vibrant violet tie, as though we had matched on purpose, the weirdo.

Caleb stood behind us in the elevator, and I didn’t have to wonder why for long. We were about halfway to the top when I felt a surge of power behind me.

I turned, looking back.

I cursed.

Christian grinned. “This is why I love hanging out with you,” he told Caleb.

I rolled my eyes, turning back around. Caleb had grown more powerful while I’d been away. I was sure it had something to do with him owning the hammer. Now it only took him a few seconds to shift forms. No more needing privacy or time for him. And so a black suit clad version of me stood behind me. As much as I wanted to put a stop to it, I let it go. I had strong backup. So they were a little eccentric. He claimed he was practicing playing me. I could see how that might come in handy for the challenges ahead. The after, well, that I would worry about after all of the dragons that needed killing were killed.

I was very good at prioritizing disasters, and the disaster of Caleb could be handled later.

“Wanna tell me why you’re mimicking me when I’m right here?” I asked, just for the hell of it.

“Not really. The main reason is for practice. If I can fool Dom, I will know I have perfected you.”

I shivered. That creeped me out. “We need to set up some boundaries about that. Immediately following this meeting.”

“Perhaps.”

I left it at that. The last thing I wanted to do was rile him up when he was mimicking me at a meeting with Dom. And the only way you ever found out that Caleb was riled was after he had paid you back tenfold. Anyone who spent much time with him learned to tread carefully.

“So how is your egg today?” Christian asked as the elevator reached the top floor. I’d given the boys a brief version of the story about my unexpected child the night before. They were both suitably surprised by that development.

I couldn’t keep in a loud, happy laugh. “He’s great. His name is Conan. Dom named him after his father. It’s a warrior’s name.”

“Yes, I know.” Christian shook the geas on his wrist at me, a carefree smile on his face. “I heard it from Dom when they were adding his name to my geas.”

Of course. I didn’t know how they’d squeezed that in, but Dom thought of everything. It was his best and worst quality. I was, however, happy about it at that moment.

We headed to reception, the men naturally flanking me again. I assumed we would be waved through, as the sulky ginger girl downstairs had done, but this receptionist held up one finger for us to wait to enter the office.

I raised a brow at the attractive receptionist. She was giving us a perplexed look. Seeing two of me had to be a little confusing. She raised black brows over her stylish glasses at us. She looked like a sexy librarian. I didn’t think there were good odds on Christian not hitting on her.

“He’ll let me know when he’s ready for you,” she addressed me and Caleb, obviously confused but not asking about the odd situation.

Christian started up a strong flirt with her. She was amenable. He had her severe look turning to a flirtatious smile in under a minute.

I rolled my eyes.

Caleb imitated my expression perfectly.

Shit, he was practicing. I had the thought again that having someone as dangerous as Caleb studying my every move this closely, no matter the reason, was sure to be a double-edged sword, but then again, befriending him had always been a dangerous endeavor.

I froze at the sound of Dom laughing from his office. It was a rare sound, at least as of late. I wondered at the cause of it. Was he wandering around like a giddy fool today, as I was, because of Conan? The thought warmed me.

As Dom’s office door started to open, I was surprised when Caleb laced his/my fingers through my own, pulling me a little as he stepped forward toward the door.

Dom stepped through with a tall blond woman, smiling warmly down at her. She could have been my sister, looks-wise. She was tall and thin, with generous curves and long, ash-blond hair. Even her face was similar, with even, Nordic features and blue eyes. They were a much darker blue than mine. But, still, the resemblance was startling. She wore fashionable business attire, her skirt tight and reaching her knees. Her white dress shirt was tucked in snugly, and unbuttoned far enough down her chest to reveal a generous amount of cleavage. Her emerald stiletto heels made my own look like flats, they were so high. Her wavy hair hung long down to her mid-back. She was stunning and beyond polished. And she was certainly Dom’s physical ideal.

I should know, since I was the prototype. But perhaps she was the baggage-free version of me.

He’d given her such a warm look.

I stopped moving at the sight of them, forcing Caleb to halt as well. He did so without protest, stepping back until we were side by side again, still holding my hand firmly.

Dom froze as well when his brilliant gaze fell on us, a matching pair of Jillians. His eyes went to our joined hands, and the warmth in them turned instantly chilly. My eyes went to Dom’s solicitous hand on the woman’s elbow. I knew my own gaze hardened as well. I glanced at Caleb.