Page 34 of Greed

Shilo slowly wandered over to the car and jumped into the driver’s seat, running his hand over the steering wheel. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Would you please call me Riker or Ri or really anything other than Sir?”

Shilo’s face swung to look at me, his old eyes full of a childish exuberance, and stared back. “I’m sorry, Sir, fire me if you must, but I cannot refer to you so informally, not anymore, not since that day and you took me in. I was broken, and I was beyond myself. You will forever be my Sir.”

I sighed and gripped my friend’s shoulder. “Fine,” I said to the man I’d known since I learned how to talk. “Let’s get going. The jet is going to refuel while we are gone.”

The drive from the airport to the country property was relaxing. It was the first time that I’d let anyone else drive me anywhere in a very long time. I’d left the windows down, and the wind was blowing my hair back while the sun warmed my skin. Shilo turned onto a dirt road that shook the fancy car violently.

Shilo slowed and pulled onto the driveway. I looked around, and even though the place was simple and small compared to anything else I’d ever owned, it felt welcoming and warm. A dull ache formed in my chest, and I rubbed at the spot as I stared up at the weathered farmhouse.

Stepping out of the car, I listened for any sign of Minetta, but the place was quiet. Drawn to the swing, I wandered over to the large tire. Closing my eyes, I reached out and touched the rope. I sucked in a sharp breath as the image of a young girl laughing, her black hair flowing as she leaned back and yelled faster, flowed through me as if it was my own memory. A man pushed the tire, and she giggled, her blue eyes shining in the sun.

I jerked away from the tire and stared at my hand. I didn’t know why but something wet ran down my cheek. I tentatively touched the moisture and stared at it. Was I crying? I never cried. Why would this happen? I gave the tire a long dirty stare like it had special powers as I walked away and met Shilo on the creaky old porch.

“Is she here?”

“I’m sorry, Sir, everything is gone,” Shilo said. Shilo peered in the window, his hands shading the side of his eyes as he looked around.

“Shilo, tell me something. Am I chasing my tail, and if I am, why am I doing so?”

“What do you mean, Sir? I was unaware you had sprouted a tail. Is this a recent occurrence from your trip to Hell?”

I glanced over at Shilo and laughed.

“I’m sensing sarcasm.” Shilo didn’t confirm or deny, but the little lift of his brow confirmed my suspicion. “No Shilo, it means that I am chasing myself in circles. I don’t chase things. I make things happen, or people chase me. I don’t chase business deals or anything else, yet here I am, standing on this practically unknown girl’s porch, and she is gone. My second attempt to contact her, and she’s gone. My question is, why?”

“Why is she gone, Sir?”

“Really, Shilo?” I sighed. “Why am I chasing her in the first place?” I marched away and leaned against one of the covered porch’s pillars. “Why am I even here? Does this place look like somewhere I would purposely visit?”

“May I be frank, Sir?” Shilo leaned his hands on the railing near me. The way the sun shone on his face, I could picture him as he once was, in his long white robes with wings that had a few grey tips from age. He’d always been a good angel, and what did that get him? He’d been tossed away like garbage even after centuries of loving and worshiping at my Father’s feet, just as I had been. Shilo hadn’t deserved that. None of the Fallen had.

“Yes, of course, I prefer if you were honest.”

“I think we are here because you like her.”

I looked at Shilo, my brow furrowing at the crazy notion. “That’s ridiculous. I don’t like humans. Especially not to…”

“Date?”

“I guess that’s the word. Date, pursue, have relations. They are…not my taste, and besides, I don’t date. I fuck, I have fun, I party, and I control, but I don’t date.” I crossed my arms over my chest and looked out over the lawn and the car that looked totally out of place.

“Then tell me, Sir, what is your taste?” Shilo raised an eyebrow at me, and I opened my mouth and closed it again. “Do you even know? At the risk of insulting you, I am not sure you have given yourself a chance to know what or who you would like on this Earth.”

“Why would I?”

Shilo sighed and turned to stare at me. “Sir, I wish only for you to find true happiness. As you mentioned, the wealth is fun, but does it bring you peace?”

I couldn’t answer that and looked away instead. “Come on. We might as well go. There’s no point wasting more time on this fool’s errand.”

“Sir.”

“Shilo, I don’t want to hear any more of this liking a human nonsense. She fascinates me because I didn’t feel greed in her heart. I just wanted to know why.” I rationalized, but I didn’t know who I was trying to convince, myself or Shilo.

Shilo sighed but nodded. “Alright, Sir. Then we shall not speak of this place or the young female Minetta.”

I nodded in agreement. “That’s right. We won’t.”