Page 137 of Carbon

The next morning, I found a new guest at the kitchen table, and when she looked me up and down with eyes that threatened to suck out my soul for closer examination, I had to suppress a shudder.

“Gus, this is Ana,” Emmy said.

“Nice to meet you,” I lied.

“Likewise.”

“Are you here on holiday?”

“Work.”

She didn’t speak again, and over the next two days, I barely saw her or anybody else as they plotted and schemed in the Project Carbon conference room. Or the war room, as I’d taken to calling it.

Then, on day three, I walked into the hallway and found a pile of luggage.

“Is somebody going on holiday?” I asked Emmy as she dumped a green canvas duffle bag onto the floor by the door.

“We all are, sort of. Are you packed?”

“What for?”

“I thought you and Ben were taking a trip to Virginia?”

“I just assumed that with the Leroux thing, it was cancelled.”

“Don’t let him dictate your life, Gus. Forget that bastard. Go pack, enjoy your break, and Fia will join you in a week or two.”

So I did, even though the atmosphere in the house left me nervous as hell. One by one that afternoon, we all departed from Albany House, except Roxy, who had tears in her eyes as a town car pulled up outside the front door. Emmy slung a bag over her shoulder and headed towards it, followed by Gideon with a pair of suitcases.

“You’re going with Gideon?” I asked her, quietly so Roxy didn’t overhear.

“He bribed me with pain aux chocolat and mille-feuille.”

“Black doesn’t mind? I thought he wasn’t keen on Gideon.”

“Work’s work, and he’s eased up with the attitude since he realised Ren’s into Roxy. Well, not into her yet exactly, but he sure as hell wants to be.”

“He hasn’t told her that.”

“Because he’s an idiot. Hopefully, he’ll come to his senses before she gets sick of waiting.”

“Perhaps you could give him a nudge?”

“Kick up the backside, more like, and he’ll probably still dither.” She gave me a quick hug. “Enjoy Virginia.”

Flipping Gideon. He kissed Roxy once on the corner of her lips, almost chastely, then rode away in the car with Emmy. The Mercedes turned out of the driveway, and he didn’t so much as glance back to the steps where Roxy stood with a single tear rolling down her cheek. My heart ached for her. Why did men have to be so difficult?

Ana was next to leave, and I breathed a welcome sigh of relief as she and her black aura climbed into a cab. Xav walked off towards the Tube station, and that left Sofia and Black.

“Are you going somewhere nice?” I asked her as she hefted her suitcase out of the door.

“Vietnam. The sun’s calling.”

Black picked up her case as well as his own and dumped them into another waiting town car, much to my surprise. “What, both of you?”

“If Black doesn’t annoy me so much that I throw him out of the plane on the way.”

“Isn’t that...?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. Black and Sofia were taking a holiday together?

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