“We have rules in Chicago,” Roman says with a shake of his head. “Ophelia no longer fits the bill of qualification. She’s not coming into Chicago ever again.”
This feels wrong. Talking about kicking Ophelia out of an entire city feels wrong. And it feels wrong to be so torn about this. What she’s done is unforgivable. I can’t ever forget what she’s done to Ares, and how, because of her choices, her reactions, I’m not even human anymore. But still. It’s her life I’m talking about upending.
“She might be in danger staying anyway,” Juliet points out. “James seemed a few levels beyond livid when he found out what she did. Who’s to say he won’t try to finish the job?”
Ares shakes his head. “I still can’t believe James reacted the way he did. He’s always been so collected, in control. I’ve never seen that side of him.”
“I have a weird feeling about this, Ares,” I admit aloud. “Something was up with his reaction. Do you really feel like you know much about him personally? You work together all the time, but what about who he is outside of work?”
Ares rubs two fingers over his lips, thinking. “James is pretty tight-lipped. He’s just come across as being professional, but maybe he didn’t talk much about himself for a reason.”
“Have you spoken to James since you came back around?” Roman asks.
Ares shakes his head. “I’m taking a step back for a minute from work. But it sounds like I might need to check in with James.”
He pulls his phone out, even as Roman nods in agreement.
Something hooks in my gut. Something uncomfortable and cold.
The anger in James’s eyes. The violence as he lashed out at Ophelia.
Ares is right. I’ve only ever known James to be a cool professional.
But it was as if he took what Ophelia did personally.
Why?
“Straight to voicemail,” Ares says as he hangs up. “I don’t like it, but it isn’t necessarily an admission of guilt.”
Roman studies Ares, and I see cool calculation there. Roman is so damn intense, and I just know he’s got a thousand dark thoughts swirling through his head right now.
“Keep an eye on him,” Roman says. “But I wanted to ask, now that you’re… you. This necromancer we’re looking for. It’s going to be nearly impossible to find him if we’re just searching in person. I’m going through facial recognition scanners, but my access in this city is limited. Harry and Sysco have given their help in finding this bastard. I was hoping that you might be on board, too?”
Ares studies Roman for a moment. I don’t blame him for his hesitation. He wasn’t there when Juliet and Roman first explained that there’s a damn necromancer poking around New York City. It can’t feel real to Ares.
Turning over access to his security camera system is a big deal.
Ares looks over at me, searching my expression for answers. And it means everything that Ares trusts me this fucking much. Ares is a powerful man, one of the richest in this country. And he’s asking me, Lana, a nobody who grew up with nothing, what I think.
The things this man does for my confidence.
I simply nod.
“I can arrange that,” Ares says confidently and immediately, looking back at Roman. “Should we get going on it?”
“I think that would be best,” Roman says, a slightly relieved expression settling onto his face.
All four of us rise from our seats and head out in the direction of Ares’ office.
“So, how long have you and Roman been together?” I ask Juliet as we walk through the city. Roman and Ares are discussing security details and seem cool and collected enough about it.
Juliet makes a noise as if to signal she’s thinking. “Ten years,” she finally comes to the conclusion. “Wow. That went fast. It honestly feels like yesterday when my best friend had to tell me I was in love with him.”
“You couldn’t tell?” I question her with an arched brow.
Juliet lets out a chuckle. “Roman and I didn’t exactly like each other when we first met. In fact, I was pretty positive he was going to kill me on more than one occasion. Which is really crazy, because Roman says he knew I was it for him way, way before I did.”
“Sounds… complicated,” I remark.
