Page 20 of Darkest Deception

“Get ready, Blaze. We are going out.”

I put away my dishes, then open the door and watch as Blaze swoops out. His caws are loud and cheerful. I laugh as I head to my black HR2 bike.

“Come on, on my shoulder!” I shout.

He flies up high, then dives, spinning in tight, graceful circles. He makes it seem like I never let him out when I do, every single day.

We reach my new accountant’s office, and I am directed to the waiting room. My head drops back against the wall, and I pet Blaze, who perches on my shoulder as I wait. Blaze watches everyone go by in the office building. It’s quite a popular place. I didn’t think the accountant would be this busy, but Remo told me to consider him. Funnily enough, he readily accepted the money I presented to him to use Glamorous to launder my money. No one seems to care that I have a crow on my shoulder, but Blaze caws at the few who do, making them scramble away. I have to hold my laughter in.

As soon as the door in front of me opens, I rise to my feet and head to it, but the person walking out slams into me. Hard. Blaze screams, his wings flapping and brushing my ear.

“Watch where you’re going! Are you blind?” The familiar sharp voice hits my ears, and when I look down at the woman picking up her file, an amused smile makes its way onto my face.

“So my little emerald is here,” I drawl, my head tilting.

From the corner of my eye, I catch Blaze tilting his head, too, scrutinising Ambrose.

The nickname is a slip of my tongue.

She’s in a white long-sleeved shirt with a cardigan and black leggings. I search for any emerald on her. And I find it in the earrings that wink at me the minute she tucks her hair behind her ear. A dip forms in my stomach.

Her eyes snap up, the brown in them bold and alluring.

“Why are you everywhere I go?” She frowns, her mouth twisting to the side.

“Here to launder money?” I ask, eyebrow quirked.

She scowls, and my loud laugh echoes down the hallway.

“You pay me perfectly fine. My presence here isn’t your concern.” Her shoulders slump as a sigh falls from her lips.

She rocks forward, and I swiftly step in front of her.

She huffs. “Really?”

I step closer, my eyes holding hers captive. Her gaze is sharp, like a fox ready to outsmart its prey and devour it.

“You are maddening. Do you know that?” Ambrose rushes out, throwing her hands up.

“Then does that make me your one and only special?”

“More like most hated.”

“I beg to differ.”

“Believe what you want. Now get out of my way.”

I don’t move.

“Helia.”

My eyebrows rise at her using my name, though it shouldn’t be a surprise. She loves pissing me off with her amusing empty threats.

“Don’t look at me like that. We aren’t in the office—”

“Doesn’t mean you don’t work for me,”

“And you should try giving people a thing called private space.”

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