Chapter 8
The ride back home felt way longer than it was. When they took the elevator down, Kai had tried to lighten the atmosphere with one of his stupid jokes, and Zoe told him that he'd better shut up or she would get home by herself. His smile vanished from his face, quickly replaced by a frown and blessed silence.
She sat in the back seat of the luxury car and knew that if she wanted a few hours of peace and quiet by herself, a phone call to Gabrielle was in order.
Zoe made it clear the conversation had to be short, and she gave a complete summary of everything that had happened. She even risked making a fool of herself by telling her about the nagging feeling that had started at the time of Cynthia’s kidnapping and was surprised that Gabrielle seemed genuinely interested, even encouraging her to keep thinking about it.
The only part she left out was the last one with Blackwood. Not only did she not want to talk about it, but knowing the great Beatrice Dante, she must have done a detailed profile, seen no doubt by Gabrielle, so both women knew everything there was to know about him.
At her apartment, Zoe jumped out of the car so fast, Kai had barely had time to apply the brakes. No thank you, no goodbye, she’d had enough of humans for the time being, and almost ran up the stairs to make sure her friendly neighbors wouldn’t have time to open the door.
Silence and darkness welcomed her as soon as she closed the door of her apartment, a sigh coming out of her lips. It took many more deep breaths before she finally felt grounded enough to decide what to do next. The bathroom drew her gaze and her feet moved of their own volition. The apartment may have been old, and the tiny bathroom even more so, but the bathtub was a dream. Claw-footed and deep, Zoe remembered almost falling asleep and drowning, the first time she used it.
Filling it up with water as hot as she could stand, she sprinkled some sea salt and lavender oil in. With a few pins to pile her hair on top of her head, she scattered her clothes on the living room floor, only keeping her phone, placing it on the ledge. As soon as she slid into the fragrant water, it was like pure bliss. Too bad that two seconds later, her phone rang.
Screaming a few curses that reverberated across the bathroom walls, she considered letting it ring for a while or dropping it in the bath. Unfortunately, it could be Gabrielle, or an emergency. Or damned Blackwood as she was to be available 24/7 for him. As she splashed around in frustration, Zoe grabbed the annoying piece of technology and answered.
“What?”
She knew it wasn’t the best opening line, but she had left her patience at the office. It took a couple of seconds for the other end to answer.
“Are you alright?”
It took all her willpower not to hit the end button on the phone. “Mr. Blackwood. Is there an emergency? Do you need me to come to the office for some last-minute work?”
“No, I just wanted...”
Zoe immediately cut him off. “In that case, see you tomorrow.” And she hit the end button. No way was she having a chat with the man about her damn past. He wanted an interpreter and a translator, he would get that. Gabrielle wanted a spy and an eye on Blackwood, she would get her wish. But for the rest...
Her cell rang again. Again, there was no way she couldn’t answer.
“Yeah.”
“Zoe...” At Archer Blackwood’s voice saying her name, she could have shivered, even in boiling water.
“Mr. Blackwood. Is there an emergency? Do you need me to come to the office for some last-minute work?”
“No, but...”
“Goodnight!” And she clicked off. But this time, she smiled at her phone. It felt mighty good to cut him off... she should have done it way sooner!
Again, it rang. Zoe bit her lip, giggles from fatigue bubbling up.
“Hello?”
“I swear, woman, if you hang up on me again...”
Oh! He wanted to play the alpha male now?
“Grumpy, are you? Too bad an interpreter can’t do anything about it.” Her finger pressed the end button again, and she sunk back in her bath. No man was so stubborn or an idiot to call her again after that.
Minutes went by, and as the phone stayed silent, she figured her message had finally made its way to his brain.
Zoe was debating replacing the phone on the ledge and maybe reach for the shampoo when it buzzed again. Laughter evaporated, replaced by tiredness.
“Listen...”
“You listen. I’m right outside your door and I’m coming in.” And this time, he was the one to end the call. Her door? What door?
