Inked

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Drinking with the guys was like drinking with a bunch of brothers. There would be laughter, there would be serious conversations, but best of all, there was familiarity within the group. It was the ability to talk about everything and anything between us that I loved. But, at this moment, it was now the thing I hated the most.

In Tartarus, our cell phones still worked like they did on Earth side. This was how I was staying in contact with my father and grandmother. It was, also, how I stayed in touch with Zane when I did not see him. On the days that he was actually in the office, he had a special room where he did all of his work. Because of his transportation powers, he could leave and appear whenever he wanted, there were times when he wouldn't even come to say goodbye before he was gone.

Today was a horrible day. I had the worst hangover from the night before with the guys. I had drank a lot more than I should have. What made it worse was the today was one of the days that Zane was actually in the office. So when my phone beside me buzzed with a message, I grumbled in pain as I lifted it up to look to see what it was.

I froze as I realized the message on my phone was from Zane. In glaring letters, it was like a giant black flag raising above my head. Memories from the night before flooded my brain and I groaned aloud.

I had triggered something last night that I could never take back, hadn't I?

Sure enough, as I walked through the office doors, he was sitting at his desk typing furiously on his laptop. I gulped down my nervousness and hit lightly on the door.

"You needed me?" I asked, trying to hold in my nervousness. From the other side of the desk, Zane stopped what he was doing and looked up with his bright silver eyes. He was still the type that all the female customers swooned over. Even, I, as a man, realized that my boss was the epitome of all handsome men. Square jaw, bright eyes, and beautiful long eyelashes. He stood up from his seat, and tapped on his desk.

"You know why I called you here, right?" His fingers tapped all the while as he navigated around his desk. He went over to his coffee maker, glanced at me, and then began to busy himself. Knowing I was stuck in a corner, I breathed out and answered honestly.

"Because I accidentally sent you a dick pic." By the coffee maker, Zane froze, and looked over at me. The coffee was still pouring into the cup, not stopping as it spilled all over the counter top.

"Accidentally?" His voice quivered with surprise. I sat there with my hands in my lap, hoping to god he would not ask me for the full story. How could I tell him I got shit faced drunk with the night before and Teyan had dared me to send that picture to the person I liked? That, well, it did not seem like that answer would go over very well.

Over by the coffee maker, Zane finally noticed the coffee was beginning to fall onto the front of his suit pants, staining the fabric. Quickly, he grabbed some napkins and began to pat furiously on his front. Daring not to move, I watched as my boss, and the man I loved, suddenly became a bit more human.

"So it was an accident." I heard him mutter beneath his breath. I tensed in my seat and still watched him as he patted his front.

"If that's everything, I'm going to go back to my work." I stood up and began to leave, but I heard the sound of shuffling behind me. Zane caught my arm as I turned to leave.

"Tonight the guys decided that we will all have a meal together in the palace. They wanted me to make sure you would be there."

I eased my arm away from his grip. "It doesn't matter to me, Zane, who is there." I breathed in and thought of everything that I had done in the last 24 hours. From this moment forward, I decided I would do what my heart demanded. No matter the outcome, no matter the cost. So as I blinked, I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "As long as you are there, that is all I need to make me happy."