FALLEN STAR | OLD VERSION | BL ✔

CHAPTER 60 | don't judge, it tasted good

DEVYN'S POV

The desk is messy. Empty cups and contracts cover the dark wood, my screen sticking out of the mound like the ancient Mount Everest. I lean back in my chair and tap my pen on a stack of drafts for a new proposal. The sun has already set, my screen being the only source of light at the moment.

I am alone in my office as Denzyl has wandered off somewhere to do who knows what. He has been disappearing for a few hours at a time recently but always comes back to check on me. I wonder what he is up to.

A ding from the device reminds me of the conference tomorrow. I glance at the screen to remind myself of the time. Two am. Hmph. I let out a sigh and rub my face before combing my fingers through my hair. I am not looking forward to tomorrow's conference as it is being held in Viant's headquarters.

Unlike the other branches of Viant across several planets, the headquarters are sophisticated and do not contain a club as they are the business side of Viant. Instead, there are large conference rooms, luxurious bars and lounges, deluxe cafes, offices, and ball rooms, making it the perfect venue for a gathering of elite businessmen and mafia leaders.

Yes, mafia leaders attend these conferences, too. They are often very handy if you need someone to back you up. Being the CEO of a weapons and combat equipment corporation, I have made a few deals with some of the prominent mafia bosses.

I will have to be cautious during the conference since it is in Wil's territory and he was not the biggest fan of losing control over Vaumyr and Co. the last time we met. Well, it was not actually the last time I saw Wil...........

Ughh....Why did I have to think about that?

I reach into the middle drawer beside my desk and pull out the half-empty bottle of whiskey along with a short, crystal cup. I am quick to down a cup to try to wash away the memory from when Denzyl was in Hades. If I had not scheduled a meeting with a prospective partner....

I shake my head to clear my mind. My grip around the cup tightens as I fight to erase the memories from that night. My breathing quickens, and my head feels as if it will split in two. Am I having another panic attack?

I grunt and grab my back where Denzyl's mark is. It is burning again, just like it did that night. Although, this time, it hurts worse. Is it because I am afraid? My head spins as the trauma from my past seeps in. I can hear their screams as if the fire happened yesterday. I can feel the touch of that man as if he were here with me.

I plant my hand on the desk firmly and use it to help me stand to my feet. I should get to the couch before...

Yep. Here it goes again.

My ears ring, but I am able to detect the opening and closing of a door followed by running footsteps. I fall but find myself squinting up at grey eyes.

"Denzyl." My voice is shaky, but his warmth is already calming me.

"It's okay. I'm here," Denzyl soothes as he picks me up and carries me to the couch. I lean into him as he wraps his arms around me. I sit in his arms for a few minutes to allow my heart and mind to slow back to their normal range. "Are you sure you want to go to the conference tomorrow?" Denzyl asks after my breathing calms.

I nod. I have to go. "It is an important meeting. Prospective partners and allies will be there."

A few moments of silence go by before I remember a thought that passed through my head before I collapsed. "How did you know I was having an episode?"

Denzyl places his hand on my back in response. "The mark."

"Eh?"

"The mark lets me know when you are in trouble."