Page 47 of Problematic

Entirely reasonable.

The second problem was slightly less practical.

My gaze drifted back to the coffee shop feed.

The demon woman who had suggested Liv be culled was still standing at the counter, arms crossed, posture sharp with the kind of arrogance that came from believing the world had rules that favored her.

She was smiling now. Bad idea.

I tilted my head slightly, studying her. No heavy clan markers. Mid-tier power at best. Which meant she had either been very brave earlier or very stupid. Both options were easily correctable.

I picked up my coat from the back of the chair. “Vale,” I said over the comm.

His voice came through immediately.

“Yes.”

“I’m stepping out.”

A pause.

“You rarely announce that unless you’re about to do something I won’t approve of.”

“You won’t approve of multiple things I’ll be doing tonight. The good news is that you aren’t here to stop me.”

Silence.

“. . . Lux.”

“First,” I said calmly, “I am installing surveillance equipment in my mate’s apartment.”

Another pause. A longer one this time. “And the second thing?” he asked carefully.

“I’m going to speak with the woman who suggested Liv be culled.”

“That’s not going to be a civil conversation, is it?” Vale asked.

“It could be.”

“. . . Lux.”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

I walked toward the elevator while he processed that.

“You are aware,” he said slowly, “that installing cameras in your mate’s apartment without telling her is—”

“Preventative security,” I said.

“That’s not what that is.”

The elevator doors slid open.

I stepped inside.

“Vale,” I said mildly, “if anyone in this city so much as breathes wrong in her direction again I am going to burn three districts to the ground and ask questions after.”

Silence.