“Actually… I was thinking I might stay here, if that’s okay? We’re going to go pick up Hope today anyway, right? I could go visit with Sarah, if you don’t want me in your house, and if she’s up to it…” Yasmine didn’t think she could go to work today. In fact, she needed to contact Veronica and Amara and tell them it might be best for them to stay out of the office until the police caught Pete James, just in case he showed up there looking for her.
Or maybe he was too worried about cameras on a commercial building, whereas he hadn’t been with a house, but regardless, they needed to be updated.
“No, you can stay here. Though Sarah probably would appreciate the company.” Zeus still wasn’t looking at her. “I can come get you before we go get Hope.”
“Okay, great. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Except it was a problem.
On one hand, Yasmine didn’t want to overstay her welcome… on the other hand, if she was here, Zeus couldn’t ignore her entirely. Maybe he’d be more ready to talk after work today. She could only hope.
“I’m off.” Their gazes caught again, and he gave her a brisk nod. “Since you’re here, would you mind taking Tiger for a midday walk? I can tell my dog walker that she can have a break today.”
“Sure.” Yasmine scratched Tiger’s ears. The dog was sitting firmly planted next to her feet, panting happily.
“Thank you. I ah, I’ll let you know when I’m on the way back.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Yasmine watched him go, feeling more than a little wistful as he closed the door behind him. She looked down at the dog sitting at her feet. “Okay, Tiger. I need to call Amara and Veronica, then see if Sarah wants a visitor… and then somehow figure out how to make things up to Zeus before we’re really not dating.”
Zeus
The office was abuzz with energy when he arrived. David and Mason were in the lobby. Both looked up and raised their hands in greeting when Zeus stepped off the elevator, then immediately returned to their conversation. Their voices were low when Zeus stepped through the glass door into the lobby area, low enough he couldn’t hear what they were saying.
Behind the front desk, Jennifer was seated in her chair like normal, but she seemed tenser. As though she was sitting straighter or something.
“Everything okay?” he asked, pausing at her desk, just to see what she would say.
She smiled, but it was strained, not the wide, open smile she normally had.
“Yeah, a friend of mine is just having some issues. David and Mason are helping out.”
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
“Thank you. If something comes up, I will.” Jennifer’s smile was a little more sincere now.
Zeus wondered if it would stay that way if she knew that Yasmine was at his house right now.
Moving past the front desk and away from Mason and David’s low tones, Zeus made his way down the hall to Lincoln’s office. Harris, Lincoln’s brother and the other partner in the firm, was just coming out, and he nodded a greeting to Zeus, who nodded back.
Leaning through the doorway, Zeus rapped his knuckles against the door to get Lincoln’s attention. The older man was behind his desk, head bent over some papers. Probably whatever he’d been discussing with Harris. At the sound of Zeus’ knock, his head came up, expression concerned, then clearing when he saw who it was.
“Morning, Zeus.”
“Good morning. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure, come on in.” Lincoln gestured at the seats across from him. Zeus stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. He definitely didn’t want anyone walking by and hearing this.
Lincoln’s eyebrows went up, but he didn’t comment. Normally, his door was open unless something extremely sensitive was being discussed. At the moment, Zeus wasn’t working on anything extremely sensitive, and Lincoln knew it.
Striding to the chair, Zeus sat down. Chin up. Hands resting between his spread thighs. He looked Lincoln right in the eye.
“Yasmine Jafari is at my house right now,” he said bluntly. “We’ve been sleeping together.”
Lincoln blinked. It was the first time Zeus had ever managed to successfully shock the man.
“I, ah, presume this happened after her and Mason’s engagement ended?” There was a bit of both hope and worry in his voice, as if he thought there was the possibility of some overlap.
