And he knows me well enough to know which buttons to push. The weakness button is almost guaranteed to make me move my ass.
So there we were. I just wanted to get through the meeting without crying. Or, you know… killing anybody. Either or.
"I'm going to say as little as possible. Maybe this will be quick and painless," I said to them as the elevator creaked up to the main living area.
We poured out of the elevator, and I lifted my hand to knock on the heavy mahogany door that led into the loft. When I'd lived here, I'd just walked in. But this wasn't my home anymore, and I wasn't going to let myself fall into my old habits now.
Any of my old habits.
The door opened, and Ada stood on the other side. She smiled when she saw me, pulled me into a huge hug, and I hugged her back. "Good to see you again, baby girl," she said softly, and I gave her another squeeze. She greeted the rest of my team, and they greeted her politely, Shanti and Levitt hugging her when they stepped into the loft.
I could feel him. Our connection was still alive, and I could practically feel every breath he took. I could feel his eyes on me, desperate need flowing from him like lava. It was torture. I took a deep breath, tried to calm myself down. My heart was racing in response to his presence, and I knew for sure he would be able to sense that. We followed Ada into the dining room, my team trailing behind me. Nain, Brennan, Stone, and Chief Jones were all sitting at the dining room table. Brennan's son, Sean, played quietly in a playpen nearby.
Nain stood, eyes on me. Then he glanced at my team.
"Didn't know you traveled with an entourage now, Molls," he said, deep voice practically making the floor vibrate.
"Yeah, well. You know me. There's nothing I like more than feeling important. Hence: entourage."
He studied me for a minute, and I kept my eyes on him. He knew at least a little bit of what was happening with me. I'd confessed it to him before I'd moved out, warned him he might have to try to put me down. Told him how to do it.
"You look good," he said, and I felt the usual from him: anger, desire. Mixed together. It was our signature blend. Always had been.
Then Chief Jones stood and shook my hand, said a few words in greeting, and Stone wrapped me up in a huge bear hug.
Brennan stayed where he was. He seemed unable to stop looking at me, and I did my best to avoid looking at him. But I failed, as usual, and when I looked at him, our eyes met.
"Hey," he said quietly.
I nodded at him, then looked away, unable to trust my voice. Jesus, I just wanted to make it through this so I could go home and bury my face in my pillow and scream. I sat down, and my team arrayed themselves behind me. They stood, Levitt and Shanti at attention, hands folded behind their backs. My parents and Hephaestus stood with their arms crossed, watching everything. Especially me. And Eunomia took the seat beside me. My right hand. She was able to read me better than most, and I needed her now because I couldn't trust myself.
It was maddening. He was sitting right the hell there. Not even six feet away from me, and everything sane in me screamed in desperation, needing to be closer to him.
I tamped it down. I'd made my decision for a reason, and I'd stick to it no matter how good he smelled or how much I'd missed his touch.
"Okay," I said. "I'm here. Let's get this over with."
* * *
Read more in
Know Your Enemy:
Hidden Book Four
Coming in Summer 2014!
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For backstory material, news, and upcoming events be sure to check out http://www.colleenvanderlinden.com/hidden
About the Author
Colleen Vanderlinden is the author and publisher of the Hidden series, which currently includes Lost Girl, Broken, and Home. She lives in the Detroit area with her husband, children, and two lazy cats. She enjoys reading, obsessing over comic book characters, gardening, and playing World of Warcraft.
Learn more about Colleen at her website, http://www.colleenvanderlinden.com, contact her via email at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
* * *
The Hidden Series
Book One: Lost Girl
Book Two: Broken
Book Three: Home
Book Four: Know Your Enemy - Available Summer 2014
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Sign Up for the Hidden Newsletter.
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