Page 70 of Marked by the Demigod

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* * *

Her door clicks open, and she snaps awake, jerking herself upright.

Trixie stands, her eyebrows raising, at the door. "Did you sleep through the entire morning?" She sets down her purse. "It's like...1:30."

Aimes resists scrubbing her eyes. "Maybe."

Trixie shrugs, smiling, her eyes alight, and Aimes wants to just cry and tell her about Dave but, but, but her friend looks so alive and so bright that she just can't. "I have a break until three, let’s get a buffet." She's wearing a suit, and looks way more professional than Aimes feels.

"Do I have to change?"

"Oh hell no, most of Vegas is just waking up, you're cool." Trixie flashes a few shiny coupons in front of her face, too fast for her to read them. "I got comps for Tropicana lunch."

Aimes hauls herself up off the bed, and tosses her hair into a haphazard bun. It's hilariously frizzy, the one tangible proof of the trip to get burgers in the Texas rain and --

She has to take a deep breath, cause for a few minutes it seemed like Iakov was...there. Like she isn't just a hookup and a life insurance. Someone worth taking to hole-in-the-wall burger places for the company.

Trixie gives her a grin, and she's so happy Aimes has to smile back, weak although it is. "There's a guy at my thing that's pretty handsome," she says, voice sing-song.

"I thought all the men here are gay?" She grabs her phone and her wallet.

Trixie shrugs. "I think he also likes women. Also."

Aimes glances at her phone. Two missed texts, during her angst and sadness induced nap.

TRIXIE (1:22 PM): FOODDDDD? Yes?

And

TALL GUY (1:28 PM): I didn't kill him.

A wave of relief hits her as they walk down the hall, followed immediately by a wave of guilt.

AIMES (1:39 PM): Glad you didn't. Sorry about Katya.

TALL GUY (1:39 PM): I'll find out who did.

That is foreboding, but she shoves her phone back in her pocket instead of dealing with it, because she feels distinctly sorry for herself and distinctly like she wants to get hammered and forget this day ever happened.

* * *

She settlesfor minorly buzzed at lunch under Trixie's watchful eye, and the moment she's back at her room she dials Katya.

It rings out, so she texts.

AIMES (3:39 PM): He said he didn't do it.

KATYA GOVERNMENT (3:40 PM): Right.

AIMES (3:40 PM): He said he'll find out who did.

KATYA GOVERNMENT (3:41 PM): Don't believe him.

She tosses her phone to the other side of the bed, pressing her hands into her eyes, right before someone knocks, officious.

Unsteady on her feet, she swings the door open and --

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