Apprentice (The Gentlemens' Society for Alchemy, #1)

Chapter 18 - Things Happen

Cam and I spend the rest of the day locked up in his apartment, watching movies while curled up on his couch. We'd made a stop at my apartment so I could pick up some clothes for the next few days, and I remember grudgingly that Ezra Roman has half of my wardrobe at his apartment.

I spend the day thinking about my options. I still don't know what I'm going to do. I have two days to decide whether I'm going to take Ezra Roman up on his offer and become his Apprentice.

I go over what I know about the Identity Thief. Escobarez. Ezra's enemy, and also my own. By now he knows about me and my powers. He knows that the female Alchemist that he has been claiming exists is me. And he knows that I'm not currently with Ezra, and thus, fair game for the taking, from what Roman has explained to me.

What he would want with me, I'm not sure. But Ezra's eyes when he spoke of the last female Alchemist... she was burned at the stake. Why? What is the history there, and why are his memories haunted by it? I need all of this information before I can decide.

All I know, is that if I do decide to accept Ezra Roman's offer, I want to enjoy my last two days of freedom.

That night, we decide to go out for dinner. It's not a date. Things with Cameron never are like that. We'd tried it before and it didn't work out, and we both know that things are easier this way. They're simple and lighthearted and being with him feels like home. We decide to check out a swanky new restaurant in Chelsea, so I get dressed in a tight black dress and my new Louboutins. I curl my hair in long, beachy waves, put on lipstick, grab a faux-fur lined coat to combat the bitter cold evening, and take Cam's  bulky arm as he walks me downstairs to where a cab is waiting.

"Mmmph," he says, eyeing my dress up and down. That's Cam-speak for "You look good."

"Thanks," I say, smiling. "You don't look half bad yourself." He's dressed in a tight, deep blue dress shirt that shows off his toned body with the top buttons popped open and slim, fancy black slacks. His dark hair is swept back, making him look like some Spanish soap star, and it looks so fancy that I have to stop myself from ruffling it.

Escobarez knew I existed before I did. I can't get the thought out of my head, no matter what I do. I wish so badly that I could talk to Cam about it - get his ideas on where my investigation needs to concentrate next, but the only person I can talk to about the Identity Thief investigation is the one person who's help I don't want to have to accept.

Is he just using me? I wonder. Using me to get his enemies to open up, hungry at the thought of a female alchemist. He told me very clearly that he was using me as bait, but how could he leave me vulnerable like this, knowing that he put me in this situation?

The place we're going to is called The Pit Stop, and the cab drops us off right in front of the building with tall, glass windows that span the three stories of the restaurant.

We walk inside, take a look around, and instantly, my heart drops into my stomach.

"Shit," I say, spotting the signature brown wavy hair and gleaming smile across the restaurant like a beacon. I can't escape him. Of all the places in the city we could have gone tonight? This can't be a coincidence.

"We can go somewhere else," Cam says, taking my arm to steer me towards the exit.

"No," I say, standing firm. "I'm not going to run and hide just because he's here. He doesn't own this town, no matter what he thinks. Besides, he probably won't even notice us. He's got his posse around him."

I don't feel very safe walking into a place where Ezra Roman's energy is buzzing, but I take a deep breath, hold fast to Cam's arm, and continue inside.