Page 78 of Of Blood and Smoke

Images of Brett rocking back and forth from the ceiling flickered through my mind, the blood dripping from his body, plus Josiah’s authority over the situation. Why did I find it so devastatingly attractive?

It was because it was a relief to have someone else take control. For several years now, life and death had been in myown hands, as I scrambled to hold everything together and keep myself and my dad afloat. I’d been tossed and turned by the whims of fate, not able to grab onto anything long enough to make a difference. Every day was do-or-die. Every day was a battle to not get sucked under and lose everything.

The blood represented control. It represented having ultimate authority and molding circumstances to one’s will. It could be given, and it could be taken, with the flick of a wrist or the slice of a knife.

I wonder if Josiah would play with a knife with me?

Shoving my horror movie fantasies aside,I finished getting ready for the day.

Still, when I made it downstairs, I couldn’t help but ask him, “Do you like to play with knives?”

His eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Della

Battling Manhattan traffic was a breeze when you didn’t have to take a train or buses. Instead of needing eyes in the back of my head—as well as the sides, I leisurely took in the sights and sounds as Josiah’s driver deftly maneuvered us through the morning rush.

Interrupting my thoughts, Josiah said, “Forward any emails you receive about last night’s events to me. Do not reply to them.”

He didn’t wait for an answer and instead took a call. While I relaxed and stared out the window, I listened to what I could of his conversation. It sounded like he was in the process of buying property, although he could’ve been discussing anything. I’d heard rumors his company was buying many more. Ipomoea was an umbrella, with multiple subsidiaries.

My work consisted solely of the parent company’s responsibilities and things associated with it, though occasionally I dealt with one of the branches. Sometimes it seemed like Josiah was trying to take over the world, like he was a massive octopus stretching out its legs and grabbingeverything he could. He’d been quite busy over the last few months.

I twisted in my seat to look behind us and saw the SUV following us, containing the two new guards he’d assigned me.Work should be fun with double shadows, I thought, wryly. I cast a glance at Josiah and his eyes narrowed slightly. Somehow, he knew I was annoyed. I couldn’t help the slight tilt of my lips. When I should’ve been warned by that look, I thought it was cute. My hand found his free one, that’d been resting on his thigh, and I held it.

The receptionist gave me an odd look when we entered the lobby with the guards, though I knew she was used to security around the man by my side. I asked Josiah what their names were but all he did was ask if I wanted more. I did not. It was weird enough having two men following me around.

Here in New York that generally meant one was about to be mugged or raped. While I found the guards reassuring, it was also unsettling. It was hard to be too scared, knowing that my boyfriend was more of a threat than anything else out there in the wild.

Realizing I was staring at him I looked away. Then, I asked, “In my head, I call you my boyfriend. Is that okay?”

His arm whipped around my waist. “You’re my wife, I claimed you,” he growled at me.

My hand pressed against his suit coat. “Okay, I just wanted to make sure.” His wife?

He hadn’t referred to me as anything other than to offer my name in introduction. Not that I’d met many people he knew. I needed a title, a way to categorize my position so I knew what to expect. I needed that order in my life. A flush coursed through my body as I mulled over recent events. He’d just told me he loved me last night and here I was questioning his commitment.

There was no way he would consider me his wife, but I’d have to take his statement as he was committed. A sigh left me as I shook my head, and he lightly squeezed my side before sliding his sunglasses on.

Josiah switched to full-on business-mode before we exited the elevator, and he left. He disappeared down the hall and headed to his office. I caught a glimpse of Micha and went down to my desk, the somber guards remaining behind, stationed by the elevator.

“Oh, look what dragged in,” Christina muttered when I came into her line of sight.

“Good morning,” I said, ignoring her rude comment. The usual steaming hot cup of coffee sat on my desk, its rich, vanilla scent wafting from the container.

Switching on my computer, I tugged the beverage toward me and lifted the lid to stir it with the wooden stick resting by its side. An oily substance cast an unfamiliar rainbow shine across the surface of the liquid. It looked like an oil leak on pavement. What the hell?

Poking at it with the stirrer, the sheen clung to the stick and my stomach turned.

“Christina?” I walked around the partition separating us, cup in hand. “Who brought me coffee this morning?”

She glanced up at me and shrugged.

“Did you see anyone near my desk?” She went back to clicking her computer’s mouse and tossed her long, shiny blonde hair over her shoulder. She was a bitch, but the bitch had beautiful hair.

“Look at my coffee,” I said, moving closer to her.

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