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Tell gauges my response to the whole interaction before leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. He pauses an inch away, and I let him hover before I turn just enough to feel his breath on my lips. The space between us is electric.
So is the tension as he waits, I wait, each of us holding out to see who will cave first.
I feel myself slipping right before he dives in, cupping one hand around my head, fingers grazing the back of my neck through my hair just as our lips meet, teasing just a hint of tongue. It’s the kind of kiss you only get with someone you’ve kissed before. There’s no hesitation this time. No cautious exploration.
Just need. Passion.
We pull back at the same time, resting our foreheads together.
“I really need to get moving, Hellena. But I have to see you again.” He slips his number into my hand.
“Then make it happen. And this?” I hold up the other card he gave me, embossed only with a logo and a phone number.
“Like I said. Someone who may be able to help you.”
“The kind of help I need is… insurmountable. Or at least not your average trouble.”
“That sort of thing happens to be their specialty, from what I hear.”
“So, like a bookie?”
“No, no. Just call the number. See if you can get a meeting and whether you like what they offer you.” Tell backs away with just enough swagger in his step to make me fall a little harder and hate every second of it. “Trust me.”
Trust.
It always comes back to that.
And with so few options left to me, I don’t have much of a choice but to trust him and try.
As far as he goes… I want to trust that the fluttering sensation he’s causing in my stomach is real and not a huge mistake.
When I reach the top of the stairs, Ora’s standing in the doorway waiting for me with a sly grin. The look in her eye is one I can imagine lots of people have seen right before she kicked their ass. Instead, she slaps mine on my way through the door and the blush that was fading from kissing Tell floods my face again.
Ora catches me as we step into the hallway. “Whose card did he give you?” Her usual giddy nature is gone for a split second, replaced by a sharp look.
“I have no clue. It’s just got this symbol on it.”
“Huh.”
“Huh, what?”
“Nothing. Just heard some weird shit about that company. Can’t hurt to meet with them, I guess.” And the look is gone, replaced by an indifferent shrug. I can’t help noticing that this sort of thing keeps happening the longer I live in Sanctum.
Secrets. Snippets of information.
Everyone guards what they know like it’s currency.
“Oh, and speaking of weird. Before you come inside, I wanted to warn you. My parties are… different.”
“Do I need to sign an NDA and a waiver?” I laugh.
“No. Maybe I should start doing that…” She taps her lips with one finger. “Just keep an open mind tonight. My friends and I like to get a little wild. Get free. But no one expects you to do anything. It’s all about having a good time.”
“Okay…”
“My recommendation is to watch. Take it all in. Enjoy the show!” That’s all the explanation she gives as we turn into the living area.
Her condo is huge, a massive open plan that spreads from a lounge to a great room to the kitchen across a space bigger than Gavin’s entire house.
