Page 53 of Jealous God
“It’s a meeting with Erik. At his offices. All very professional.” Chance gave me a half-assed smile that didn’t settle my nerves. If anything, it made them worse.
“Fine.” I gathered what little courage I had around my shoulders, snapping my spine straight. “Let’s do this, shall we?”
THIRTY-ONE
Elodie
“Eli.” Erik enveloped me in a bear hug the moment I stepped onto the floor of his office. It was almost like he had been waiting for me. Hell, he probably had based on how hard he’d been trying to get hold of me. “We missed you.” He held me out at arm’s length. “You need to learn to answer your phone, woman. Everyone has been so worried about you.”
My heart slammed into my chest at his words. Everyone? Without meaning to, I looked around, half expecting the band to fall out of a closed door. Or, heaven forbid, for Jax himself to appear. None of that happened, of course, but it still felt like it could.
“I’m fine.” Untangling myself from his arms, I wrapped my arms around my middle. I was cold, and it had nothing to do with the air con that was blasting throughout the office. “You didn’t have to worry.”
“Of course we did. After what happened…” Erik gave a rueful shrug, his wide shoulders under the white shirt moving in slow motion. “What happened between you and Jax—”
I didn’t let him finish.
“I’m fine.” I repeated, my eyes darting around again at the sound of Jax’s name. And there it was — possibly the biggest lie of my life. The same one I had been repeating for too many years. I was fine with my dad being who he was. I was fine after Emmett’s death. And of course, I was bloody fine that a rockstar had ripped out my heart and stomped on it.
Catching my wild look around, Erik’s arm slid around my shoulders. He led me towards the office, throwing a glance behind him at Chance, who quickly and without question settled himself into a chair to wait.
“He’s not here Eli. I didn’t think you would want to see him.”
“You thought right.” I couldn’t help my sigh of relief and gave him a watery smile. “But how are you and the others?” Slipping from his arm, I took the seat opposite his, across the wide, paper cluttered desk.
For several seconds, Erik just stared at me, his well-manicured hands steepled together. I looked away quickly, because I didn’t want to see the sympathy on his face. I hated it. I hated that everyone looked at me like I was some weak, damaged soul that they needed to handle with kid gloves. I was none of those things. Well, I was, but I would never admit it or show it.
“The others are fine. Desperate to see you. Especially Dion and...” he trailed off.
“Don’t say it.” I looked away and my finger disappeared into my mouth. I worried at my nail viciously, tasting blood in my mouth.
“He is sorry, Eli. He really is. Jax is a mess.” Erik’s eyes darkened. “I know you didn’t want him to know, but I had to tell him, and I’m sorry about that”
I waved away his apology. “It doesn’t matter.” And it didn’t. Would Jax have acted differently if he knew Legacy was my brother? Most probably. But that wasn’t the point — he hadn’t trusted me from the beginning. Even when I had given him no reason to doubt me, he had. “It's over and done with,” I added absently.
It was over for us as a couple, and there was no denying that. The pain in my chest might last a while, but even that would fade in time.
“It doesn’t have to be, if you just let him—”
“No,” I snapped. “It is over. Drop it.” I smiled through the pain. “Why did you call me here today, Erik?”
“Have somewhere else to be?” He arched an eyebrow in my direction. His question was innocent, but I wasn’t fooled. I had no doubt that the manager of Dionysus Rising knew what I had planned for today. He would have asked, and Chance wouldn’t have lied. I didn’t know how I felt about that. On one hand, I had nothing to hide. And on the other hand, I didn't like the thought of people talking about me.
“I have a party to go to later.”
“Your house warming party.” Erik nodded. “Chance mentioned you had found somewhere.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course he had. He had probably extended an invitation to the band as well. Which was something I should do.
“Yeah, Legacy has given me his place. I’ll need to find a roommate to cover the rent, but...” My lips seemed to stumble over the next words. “Y-you should all come along,” I finally managed. “It would be good to see everyone again. Catch up.”
God, I sounded lame, like a teenager who couldn’t find the words to properly articulate what they were feeling.
“Maybe this will help with the roommate situation.” Erik slid a white envelope across the desk towards me, but I didn’t touch it. I stared at it for the count of five, and then I glanced up at his face.
“What is it?” I asked, but I already knew what it was, and that was the reason I didn’t immediately pick it up.
“Your bonus. And a little extra.” Erik’s eyes skipped away guiltily. “The band wanted you to have something to help you finish your studies.”
