Page 65 of Bitter Desire
I followed suit. If Law didn’t react, then neither was I.
On and on we walked until we came to an elevator. Connie hit a button and the doors slid open with a soft ding. She went in and so did we. When we were inside I saw there was only one button. It glowed emerald under Connie’s fingers when she pressed it to set the elevator in motion. For some reason the sight of that green, the emerald forest color of it in the stark stainless steel elevator, had my adrenaline spiking.
It was out of place. Just like me.
I fidgeted and leaned into Law’s side, my hand gripping his tightly. The calm he’d worked over me in our impromptu session was wearing thin, but I took in a steadying breath, willing myself to stay strong. This was scary, the unknown creeping closer to us with each and every passing second in the elevator, but I had Law.
If I had Law I could face anything.
Instead of thinking about what we’d find when we met Zeus, I looked at the back of Connie’s head. Her glossy black hair was slicked back, the edges of it neat and orderly, the neckline of her dress stark against her skin. I followed the line of it and then moved to staring at the clasp of her silver necklace. A length of silver chain hung down her back, I counted the links in the shining chain—45—that hit her mid back, and when I was done with that I began to work my way back up. All the while the warm weight of Law’s hand in mine grounded me in this moment, this almost utterly mundane moment with Connie and us.
I pretended it was like we were going to a business meeting, or maybe we were all in the same apartment building zipping along to our respective floors. The doors would slide open and Connie would vanish, leaving Law and I to go our own way.
To go home.
God, I just wanted to go home.
The elevator dinged and all too soon the silver doors slid open. The emerald button went dark and Connie stepped out of the elevator. She stopped and turned to face us, a tight smile on her face.
I knew that smile. It was the kind of smile that didn’t reach her eyes. It was the smile I’d been smiling most of adult life, and I sucked in a deep breath at seeing it on a woman like Connie. Me? I was used to eating shit. I was used to making do with the little luck and scraps I managed to carve out for myself in a place like New York City.
The city chewed everyone up. It wasn’t particular, but it was hungrier for those without the power to fight. Connie was the kind of woman that could fight.
So why was she smiling at us like that?
I squeezed Law’s hand tight, my fingernails digging into his knuckles.
“Zeus will see you now. Though, I see he has guests.”
I didn’t know how she knew that. We couldn’t see a damn thing except for the black wall behind her. There was the glimmer of a soft golden light spilling out from a hallway, but from here? Nothing gave away why she would know that. But this was her world. It was a place I played in but not one I owned, lived in, like she did. If Connie said he had a guest, then there was someone else here.
“Thought he wanted to meet,” Law said, giving my hand a tug when I made to follow after Connie. She had turned on her heel and was walking towards the golden light, but Law’s grumbled words stopped her.
“He does,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at us. “But he’s a very busy man.”
“Who’s in there?”
“That’s not for-”
“Not going a fucking foot into that room until you tell me who is in there with him.” Law moved, standing in front of me and crossed his arms. His big back and broad shoulders blocked me from view.
“And why is that?” Connie wanted to know. I could practically see her frown, hear her putting a hand on her hip as she stood to face Law.
“There’s a psycho after my girl.”
“What?” Connie’s breath was just a whisper really, but I could hear her shock. She hadn’t known that. I put a hand against Law’s back and bit my lip but kept quiet, letting Law speak.
“Tried to fucking kidnap her, Connie. So if you think I’m setting one fucking foot in that room with someone I don’t know,” Law moved and I saw he was holding up two fingers, “two someones I don’t know, because Zeus fucking counts as the unknown, you don’t fucking know who I am.”
“Law, I would never-”
“Not goddamn doing it, Connie.”
“What’s this fuss about?” A voice called out and the palm I had against Law’s back spasmed, my fingers grabbing and twisting in Law’s suit jacket. I knew that voice. I hadn’t heard it in years, but I fucking knew it.
“Nothing,” Connie replied smoothly, the sound of her heels clicking on the marble floors told me she was moving towards whoever was speaking. The person was hidden from my view which suited me fine seeing as my knees were shaking.
“Shut the door,” I whispered raggedly to Law. “Please, shut the door.”
