Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“It was just lunch,” I murmur under my breath.
He grabs me by the arm and jerks me back until I collide with his front. Bending, he whispers in my ear, “No. It really wasn’t.”
I jerk away from him. “You’re a bit possessive for being my boss, you barely know me.”
His eyes narrow. “ Oh I know everything about you. I know your desires. I know your fears. I know,” His eyes go completely black. “Everything.”
I stumble away. He grabs me by the elbow. “Let go of me.”
He frowns. “Something wrong? You look like you saw a ghost or something.” He feels my forehead. “Hmm, you feel warm, maybe you should go lay down for a bit?”
Maybe I should? What just happened?
He curses and walks away.
What is with this guy and my reaction to him? He’s a stranger that acts familiar. At first I thought he was just being nice but now I’m wondering if something sinister is going on. He controls me or attempts to like he has a right to, but he’s also, other than Apep, the only key to finding Jake.
I numbly walk down the stairs and towards the warehouse.
My purse is in the third chamber next to the spear. I grab it and look behind me, then send the latest picture of Jake to Apep.
I frown when I find his name.
It has his email and his phone number, but that’s not the strange part, the strange part is his name.
Apep Kaos.
That’s a weird last name.
I send the text.
Apep Kaos
I’ll send this to Daggon and get one of my personal investigators on it. If he’s on the island, we’ll find him.
Tears burn my eyes, then one escapes down my cheek.
Me
Thank you, thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me.
Apep Kaos
Family, should always be together, don’t you think?
Me
Yes.
Apep Kaos
Try to stay out of trouble, I’ll text you if I have any updates, and don’t touch the spear unless you want Cyrus to yell at you, and have to be the one to remove it.
Me
Done.
Apep Kaos
Have a lovely evening, Cleo. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.
I yawn, gather my things, and take up Cyrus’s suggestion. I’ll go nap for a bit, and then I’ll join him for dinner—punctually, at seven. I shiver when I think about us being alone. Part of me craves it the other part tells me to run. .
I don’t know what switch flipped in his head, but I have a sinking feeling it’s my fault. And that he’s going to be more than happy to let me know why me, the new guest of the house, is getting on his nerves.
I don’t know what I did wrong.
I’m sure I’m going to find out at dinner.
CHAPTER 13
CYRUS
“If you are fated, it doesn’t matter if you choose or not. You simply have the illusion of being free to choose.” –Ivar, Vikings
I’m still reeling over the fact that she was alone with Apep. I have no idea why he’s taken a sudden interest in her when he knows he can’t do shit. Probably just to mess with my head.
Of course he’s getting brazen since she’s the last one. God, I wish I could kill him without throwing my world into more chaos, though sometimes I think it might be worth it.
I grip my phone in hand and stare down at all the missed text messages, most of them discussing the last two weeks, meeting times, and peppering me with questions about our missing intern on top of asking how his sister is dealing with all of this.
Don’t even get me started on the stupid text thread that Anubis started. If I never have to talk to another immortal from Seattle again, I’d be thrilled. I get that they keep the peace between immortals and humans and are guardians of sort from every species but they’re just so---nosey. It’s almost like they want me to fail so I can stay here with them. I get that Horus is here, in fact I haven’t seen him in ages but he has his own life and part of me is slightly terrified that if I get too close and see what he has—I’ll want it too.
I’m irritated, so when Cleo finally does walk into the dining room, or half walks half stumbles. I want to yell at her, shake her until she understands how much danger she’s in from simply existing.
How much danger I’m in for wanting what I shouldn’t have.
“Don’t talk to him,” Is the first thing I grate out. “Apep, he’s not a nice man.”
She scowls and walks over to her usual seat. “He was actually really nice. He offered to help me find my—”
“Brother,” I finish for her. “Like I told you, he took a leave of absence. I wouldn’t be too concerned about it.”