Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(35)

“What have I told you about kicking?”

“Don’t be so predictable.” Lennox giggled.

Quinn couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Livia clearly loved that little girl. It didn’t make any sense how she could use her like she had.

“That’s enough fun for today,” Livia finally said. “I have work to do. Bring her home with you tonight, Quinn. We’re having dinner in the penthouse. This one is too skinny. I don’t think they feed her enough in the dining hall.”

“I don’t like the dining hall. Not since they took out the sundae bar.”

“From what I hear that was the only thing you’d eat.” Livia winked as she turned to go.

“Did she just wink?” Quinn looked to James for confirmation. “Or am I hallucinating again?”

“As difficult as it may seem, Livia isn’t completely heartless. She just has a demanding job she never really signed on for. Kind of like most of us here at Soma. She’s hard. She expects obedience and she has little patience for anyone other than Lennox, but she’s not pure evil.”

“I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

“Hey, Len, clean up here and put your weapons away. We’ll meet back in my office in five,” James instructed.

“Don’t we have people for that?” She scowled at the mess of weapons and towels on the gym floor.

“Len.” James sighed.

“Fine, I’m going.” She stalked off with a huff.

“It’s Lennox,” James said, lowering his voice. “She’s a special kid. Everyone loves her. Even Livia.”

“Her life is so cold and monotonous. Kids like Lennox don’t belong here.”

“She doesn’t know any better, Quinn. Sure, she wishes for a life outside of Soma, but you can’t really miss what you never had.”

Quinn eyed his trainer. He wasn’t so sure James knew any better either.

~~~

“I’m starving,” Lennox said as they stepped into the penthouse foyer. “Something smells amazing.”

Quinn was hungry too, but he was anxious to see Santi again. His training sessions were running longer and longer, and she rarely got to leave the apartment. They never had much time to talk privately anymore. Only on the nights they slept when Livia didn’t. And even then, Santi was often too tired to talk much. He found himself missing her during the day and then feeling guilty about it when he inevitably thought of Sasha and the growing distance between him and the girl he’d loved most of his life.

“I made your favorite, chica.” Santi smiled as she set the table, her chains suspiciously absent.

“Spaghetti and meatballs?” Lennox grabbed a seat at the table set for four.

“With lots of garlic bread,” Santi said.

Quinn gave Santi a perplexed look. This had all the makings of a family dinner and that didn't bode well for any of them. This had to be some kind of attempt to disarm him—a false sense of peace that could shatter at any moment.

Santi shrugged, moving to pour iced tea into the glasses.

“Dessert?” Lennox asked.

“Sundaes.” Santi winked. Her eyes were dark. She hadn’t slept a full night in months. Nor had she eaten more than a meal of bland chicken and steamed vegetables since he arrived. It was enough to sustain a mortal, but the limited diet was taking a toll on her Immortal body.

“You had to cook all of this?” he asked as she placed a huge bowl of pasta and meatballs on the table with a basket of cheesy garlic bread. Her hands shook from the effort to restrain herself.

“Every delicious-looking bit.” Santi sighed.

“Dinner ready?” Livia asked as she swept in from her office with a look of grim determination on her face and a tumbler of whisky in her hand. “I’m starving,” she said as she sat down at the head of the table and nodded to Santi to serve them.

Quinn sat across from Lennox, fuming as Santi served each of them before she could join them. Lennox chattered away, but even her anxious rambling couldn’t mask the sound of Santi’s rumbling stomach. On most nights they each fended for themselves. Quinn usually ate in the dining hall downstairs with James so he wouldn’t have to eat in front of Santi.

“This is bullshit, Liv,” Quinn finally said when Santi sat down beside Lennox to a plate of brown rice and canned tuna. The whole thing was barely three bites.

“It’s fine, Quinn. Just eat,” Santi insisted, but he could see the longing in her eyes. Mind games were the way of life around Soma, but this he couldn’t stand. Watching her needless suffering when he knew she was a breath away from giving up. It was too much.

“Just let her eat, Liv. Please?”

Lennox nearly dropped her fork. “You don’t let Santi eat?” That is totally messed up. She glanced at Quinn in uncertainty.

“Hush, Len. It’s okay. I'm just on a special diet. I made this for you, so I want you to enjoy it,” Santi said.

“Let her eat,” Quinn demanded.

“What’s with not letting her eat?” Lennox said. You don’t understand, Quinn. Livia doesn’t like doing this to people. She has to.

“That’s enough, Lennox,” Livia said. “Santi knows her diet will improve when her behavior does.” Livia narrowed her eyes at Quinn. Gone was the Livia he’d seen that afternoon. Her armor was firmly back in place.