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Fair question, and one I knew would be asked. “As you are no doubt aware, my brother is steering the business in a different direction. There is no longer a need for my specialized services.”
They murmured among themselves before facing me again. Their faces were cast in shadow, and I fought a snort. They looked like Merlin hooked up with a dementor and had babies.
“Once you join Gladius, there is no way out.”
“Okay.”
I mean, what else can I really say at this stage? “No thanks”?
“You will have to complete three trials. Someone will be in touch to tell you when they start. You may go.”
That’s it? Really?
I saluted them, then made my way back to the carved wooden door. Grinning at the motionless soldiers, I followed the butler out into the hallway.
He led me back to my car in silence. It gave me more time to take in my surroundings. There were cameras everywhere, and the artwork looked priceless. The marble floors gleamed even in the low light of the wall sconces. Once again, we passed nobody else in the hallways.
I didn’t waste any time driving back down the long driveway and getting out of there. I’d learned early on to never ignore my intuition. And right now I felt unsettled.
“I’ll be back in two hours,” I told my brothers.
They talked over each other.
“What the fuck did you do, you idiot?”
“Are you out of your mind? Why would you agree to complete some ridiculous trials?”
“We can find answers another way.”
“You can’t just go off half-cocked and make decisions without involving us.”
“It’s done,” I cut in, “so shut up and let’s come up with a plan. We all know they’d have gotten suspicious if we’d gone through all the trouble of getting in there only to leave empty-handed.” Gripping the steering wheel, I prayed I hadn’t signed my own death warrant. “And we all decided that one of us had to join. So this shouldn’t come as a surprise.”
“Get your ass back here and we’ll come up with a plan. And don’t you ever do something so stupid again,” Gabriel growled before they both went blissfully silent.
I didn’t want to go to the office. I wanted to see Ariel. Hold her. Talk to her. But that had to wait. Because first I had to figure out how to stay alive while getting the information we needed.
* * *
“The whole fucking point of today was to feel them out, not to sign up for some trials.” Liam slapped me over the head. “You fucking idiot.”
Jerking out of his reach, I glared at him. “Fuck off. We agreed I’d join them. This is the first step.” I brushed my hair back into place. “There’s no way I’m wasting this chance.”
Gabriel was pacing in front of the window, his fists clenching and unclenching. We were in his office, and they’d pounced on me ever since I walked in ten minutes ago.
I got up from where I’d slouched on the couch. “If you’re done yelling at me, I’m going to go home.”
Gabriel stopped and turned to face me. “I hope you mean Mom and Dad’s.”
“Nope. I’m still at the apartment.”
Liam walked up next to Gabriel, crossing his arms over his chest. “You need to move back home. If Gladius is really as connected as we think, then you’re not safe at the apartment. And whatever lead you were investigating has clearly gone cold if you haven’t found anything yet.”
“If they wanted to get rid of me, they’d have already done it.”
Not easily dissuaded, Liam stood his ground. “Why do you insist on staying in that shithole anyway?”
“It’s not a shithole. It’s an investment. One I’m renovating. And that’s easier if I’m there.”
