I have to lengthen my stride to keep up with Meg. It feels weird to be wearing shoes in the lounge—not to mention actual clothes—but I push the feelings aside. I’m on a mission.
Jasmine looks up as we come to a stop by the table. She’s really, really pretty. Long black hair, flawless medium-brown skin, and big brown eyes. She smiles at Meg. “It’s been a long time.”
Meg shrugs a single shoulder. “You two should get out more. It’s been long enough. Your power base is solidified. Live a little.”
Jasmine raises her brows. “I really like you, Meg, but keep your nose out of our territory’s business.” There it is, the sliver of coldness that all the powerful people in Carver City exhibit. When Jasmine took over her father’s territory, it raised a few questions about if she’d be able to hold it. But it’s been over a year now and she’s showing no signs of buckling.
I bounce on my toes a little. “What Meg is trying to say is that we’re going out for a lady’s night with Allecto and Tink tonight, and we’d like you to come with us.” I hold up a hand before either she or Jafar can speak. “Both Hades and Hook have people at the bar we’re going to—which is in neutral territory—but we’re more than happy to have a few of your security people join. We’re not being reckless.”
Jasmine glances at Jafar. He doesn’t look particularly happy about this offer, but he manages to dredge up a smile. “It’s your choice.”
She considers me. “I don’t know you outside of reputation.”
Meg starts to speak, but I nudge her with my shoulder. “Look, all the territory business in Carver City can be really isolating. We thought it’d be nice to spend some time getting to know each other, and maybe be friends.”
“Friends.”
“Sure, friends.” I give her a sunny smile.
She gives me a look like she’s not sure if I’m joking or not, but finally shrugs. “Yes, I’ll come.” She leans over and presses a quick kiss to Jafar’s lips. “I’ll make it up to you.”
He leans back, amusement lingering in his dark eyes. “I’m sure you will. Give me a few moments.” He slides out of the booth and walks toward the hallway leading to Hades’s public office.
Jasmine motions for us to slide into the booth. She looks a bit like a queen with her subjects, and I glance at Meg to see if that will irritate her. If there’s a queen of the Underworld, it’s her. Meg seems just as amused as Jafar. “How have you been?”
“Good. Tired, but good.” Jasmine smiles. “Things are going well.”
“You and Jafar seem to have figured a few things out.” She nods, and I follow her gaze to the ring on Jasmine’s finger. I hadn’t even noticed it. It’s delicate and reasonably sized, but even I can tell that it’s custom made for her. I try to imagine what it would be like to have someone love you enough—know you enough—to create a custom engagement ring. It boggles the mind.
Jasmine holds up her hand and looks at the ring. “I proposed.”
“Good for you.”
“There you are!”
We turn and look as Allecto and Tink walk up. Tink is, as always, too fucking cute. She’s styled her blond hair into something resembling a crown and she is wearing a pair of cut-off shorts and a graphic T-shirt that looks faded and soft. Her shoes are strappy and the heels appear sharp enough to stab someone in the heart. Next to her, Allecto is wearing a variation of her normal outfit—dark jeans and a dark purple tank top with boots that I have no doubt are steel-toed. Allecto likes to be prepared for anything.
Tink props her hands on her hips. “So, are you coming or what?”
“Yes, I’ll join you.”
“Good, then let’s get going.” She glances around the room. “Hook made some dire comments about me being on my best behavior, and while I kind of doubt he’ll crash ladies’ night, I also wouldn’t put it past him to show up and drag me off somewhere semi-dark.” Her sharp grin goes a little dreamy.
Something like jealousy sinks barbs into my chest. I am so incredibly happy that my friends have found happiness, but a small part of me can’t help that I also feel bad about it. They have something I don’t know if I’ll ever have. How can I? I’d have to let someone close enough to touch my heart, and I’ve long since grown a carefully curated wall of thorns around it. Friends are risk enough. But loving someone? It hurts too much to lose them. I don’t ever want to feel that way again.
Jafar strides up. He gives Tink and Allecto a quick business-like once-over and turns his attention on Jasmine. “Two of our men will meet you at the elevator. They’ll bring you home once you’re done.”
“See, that wasn’t hard at all.” She rises and he pulls her into his arms and lays a kiss on her that has all of us groaning dramatically.
Then Jafar is gone, stalking across the room and disappearing out the door. From the look on Jasmine’s face, she’s considering changing plans and following him, but she gives herself a shake and smiles at us. “Where are we headed?”
We end up at a bar down the street. Hades and Allecto don’t like us to wander far. We’ve all learned the hard way that neutral territory only really matters to the people in Carver City. Outsiders don’t respect our rules, which makes them dangerous. It’s a small risk, but Allecto is head of security because she considers all variables, no matter how unlikely. We trust her for the same reason.
Not to mention she’d mow down any threat the second it arose. She’s badass like that.
I sidle up to the bar next to her and nudge her with my shoulder. “You look tense.”
“I always look tense.”
“You know what will help with that.” I waggle my eyebrows.
Allecto gives me a severe look, but it doesn’t quite stick because her lips curve. “So help me, if you say shots and karaoke—”
“Shots and karaoke!”
She motions the bartender. “I’ll do both on one condition.”
I already know what’s coming, just like she knew what I was about to suggest. We’ve known each other a really long time at this point, and we’ve gone through this song and dance… a lot. I huff out a breath. “If you’re about to say extra sparring sessions…”
“Extra sparring sessions.” She gives me a sharp grin. “You’re spending so much time fucking, you’re getting rusty. I kicked your ass the last two times.”
“You kicked my ass because you’re an ass-kicking queen.”
“That’s also true.” She orders a round of shots and then turns back to me while the bartender gets to work pouring them. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re slacking.”
Combat training wasn’t really part of my deal with Hades, but like working as a submissive, it’s something I’ve started doing over the years. One more ridiculous way I can trick myself into feeling more in control, more like I won’t really follow in my mother’s footsteps. Our situations are nothing alike, but if she’d known how to fight, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up in a decades’ long coma. Maybe she’d still be her, still be able to hug and smile and follow the fierce ambition that is barely more than a faded memory for me. It might even be imagined. I was so young when she was injured, I barely remember the person she used to be at all. I only have my grandmother’s stories.