Page 17 of Minding the Minotaur
I cough nervously and they both turn and look at me.
“Sorry, hon,” Clem apologizes. “It’s just, I want to keep this stupid git alive for some unfathomable reason.”
“Of course,” I agree.
They slump onto the sofa together and she gives him a playful punch on the arm. Jax puts his arm around her and gives her a hug.
Seems the spat is over.
Two pairs of brilliant green eyes peruse me. His are a tad friendlier now. “How come you need a job, Blondie?”
I smirk awkwardly, still not sure what to make of this guy.
“I got sacked from DeVines today.” I inhale a lungful of the smoky air, then go on to explain the circumstances.
When I get to the bit where I stomped on my uniform, Jax nods. “We get quite a few ex DeVines employees working in the Periphery. Very bitter about their treatment. I expect my sis will be one of them soon.”
“Gah, I would never put a foot wrong.” She slaps her hand over her mouth. “Sorry Sammy, I know it wasn’t your fault.”
“It’s okay.” I feel strangely unfazed, more excited about this unexpected direction my life has suddenly taken. Excited about a chance to get close to—maybe even inside—the Labyrinth. I hesitate, licking my lips.
Clem says, “Go on, tell him the rest. He might be able to shed some light on it.”
“Then… as I left, I met a—a minotaur, in the parking lot.”
Jax’s eyes widen. “Well, shit me,” he says. “That’s unheard of.”
I nod. “Clem said as much.”
“How the fuck did they get there?” Jax reaches for the tobacco pouch again, and Clem slaps him. He slides back ontothe sofa with a wry grin. “I’ll chain smoke when you’re gone.”
“Fucking moron,” Clem spits out.
Before they can set on each other again, I say quickly, “He was in a cape. It made him invisible and then he… disappeared.”
“A cape?” Jax scratches his head with the back of his thumb. “They do have some weird shit down there they keep pretty quiet about. But there are rumors. Antiquities they found after the apocalypse. Maybe—I dunno, butmaybehe’d got hold of something like that. What a fucking lunatic to try it though. He’ll be in deep shit if he carries on like that.”
“Yeah, he could get vaporized, right?” I say anxiously. “What even is that?”
Jax shoots upright, his brows tightening. “Who told you that?” He glares at Clem. “Did you tell her?”
“Sorry,” Clem grimaces, “it just slipped out. Sammy won’t say a word.”
“Fucking promise me you won’t mention that word to anyone,” he says, glaring at me. “On your fucking life, blondie.”
His fierce response surprises me. This whole vaporization thing must be a risk to him too. But there’s no going back now. “Why would I tell anyone? I’ve been sacked, shamed, probably blacklisted. And I need a job.” I take a deep breath. “I’ll literally take anything. Anywhere.”
“Really?”
“I mean, notanything… not, you know… selling my body.”
I think about the minotaur’s ripped pecs and abs, his huge biceps. Would I? Sell my body to him? A thick veil of heat spreads low in my belly, spilling into my panties. Oh, goddess, yes, I probably would.
I bite my lip, the famous Buggins blush spreading across my cheeks.
Jax relaxes a tad, and smirks. “There’s probably a few monsters that would love to partake of you, Blondie.” The way he says it is not in any way lascivious. Clearly, I’m not his type. Which is good, ’cos he isn’t mine either.
“Look, I’ll see what I can do. Occasionally, a job comes up for a human. But it’s always been given to a peripheral. One they can trust.” He narrows his eyes, looking me up and down. “I reckon I could talk you up, say your record is second to none, with an unbroken work history, good credentials at DeVines. That you left because you could no longer tolerate their values.”
