My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #2)

Whatever happened to dinner and a movie? (Part 2)

Then he opened the door and stepped out, pulling me after him, attached and dazed.

Danger, danger. He'd blindsided me big time. I was playing with the big boys now. I had to get back on top of this.

But first we needed to deal with wherever we were.

It seemed like a fancy schmancy corporate office. The walls were a subtle, muted taupe. Expensive art, like I think I saw a Picasso and it wasn't a poster, hung illuminated by discreet spotlights.

Massive yet tastefully framed posters of all Jack's hit shows were mounted on one wall with the place of honor, dead center in the reception area, reserved for Endgame. Even the air smelled high end. Like wood and old money. No cheap plug-in fresheners here.

The floors were dark wood, polished to a high gleam. Floor to ceiling windows ran around three sides of the room.

I peered out of a pane so clean it seemed invisible and looked down dizzying heights to the street below, where churches and buildings that must have been several hundred years old shared a neighborhood with an enormous, crazy glass skyscraper that looked like a rocket. "We're high," I said, taking an involuntary step back.

Kai squeezed my hand reassuringly.

I squinted at a familiar red object. A double decker bus, far below, winding through the streets like a toy. "We're also in London."

Kai sighed. "Be careful. Whatever security Jack has in place is going to mess with us physically and psychologically. Hermes is the master of head trips. God of Tricksters."

"And we're in his lair. We're at Wing Media corporate headquarters," I asked. "Aren't we?"

"Just so," said a woman in clipped British tones.

We turned, still holding hands, and found ourselves before a stern-faced matron, dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, that had to cost as much as my yearly tuition.

"I am unclear as to how you managed to get this far, but rest assured, I will be calling security unless you can give me a very good reason not to do so." Her voice could freeze ice.

"We have an appointment with Mr. Wing," I said, attempting to brazen my way out.

"Indeed?" She clicked across the floor to an equally polished massive mahogany desk, on which sat a sleek sliver laptop.

We followed, stopping beside the desk.

She sat down in her ergonomic chair and checked the screen. "So you are Ban Ki-Moon?"

"Yes," I said confidently.

"The Secretary-General of the United Nations?"

"Yes." I tried to project maturity. Well, I was stuck with the lie now. Hopefully, she'd never met Ban either. I glanced at Kai and could tell he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"The male Secretary-General."

"He's male," I said pointing at Kai. "Ban, I mean. I'm his assistant."

"The South Korean—" she began, frigidly.

"All right, already. I get it," I shot back.

Kai laughed outright now.

She hit a buzzer on her phone. "Security on—"

Kai reached over smoothly and clasped her hand, cutting off the buzzer.

"Mathilda," he said, throwing the full force of his charm at her.

Suddenly Kai didn't seem like his usual seventeen-year-old self. He looked more bulked up. Older.

I guess he'd let a bit more of his god-self show through.

Mathilda blinked.

I did too. Mostly because he wasn't touching me any more and I was getting twitchy.

"Forgive my friend. She enjoys practical jokes. Jack has told me how indispensable you are." He gazed at her with utter focus.

I barely refrained from snorting. Or ripping Mathilda's throat out.

"I do pride myself on my professionalism," Mathilda said, clearly falling under Kai's charm.

"You're too modest." He gave her a slow smile.

She smiled back dreamily.

My hand bunched into a fist and reared back, heading for her nose.

She rose to her feet, which caused me to falter, and before our eyes transformed from a pinched, middle-aged Executive Assistant to a beautiful young woman with dark ringlets and heavily lashed green eyes. I stared outright, fist hovering, punch forgotten.

While not as va-va-voom as Aphrodite, there was no question this chick was stunning. And familiar. Before I could figure out why, she reached out a hand and stroked Kai's face.

Kai was transfixed.

My heart broke as my fist dropped to my side. That stupid arrow. I had to have him look at me that way.

I couldn't help myself. Despite preferring to walk on hot coals right now, I flew into Kai's arms and hugged him. My body silently willing him not to leave me for her.

"Let go," he said.

"I'd love to. But. I. Can't."

My verbal stupidity was compounded by the fact that my head was buried in his chest. I tried to pry my arms off him but they were locked in an iron grip.

"Kyrillos?" Mathilda asked in a musical voice.

"Don't even answer that," I snapped. "You are supposed to be in love with me." I swear, someone else had taken over my vocal cords because no way in Hell did I just say that.

"Like I could forget," he said, his arms coming around me. He swore. "Great. Now I have to comfort you." He began to stroke my back consolingly.

"Release her!" Mathilda commanded.

She walloped us across the room. We hit the far wall with a resounding crash.

"Since when do Executive Assistant duties include pounding people to smithereens?" I asked, gingerly removing my face from the wall.

"Mine," Mathilda cried, lunging for Kai.

"Head trip," Kai said. "Jack's outdone himself."

"How? Because he Optimus Primed her ass into a hopped up, mega Kai groupie? Nice psycho bimbo, you got there," I said as we struggled to our feet, still locked together with Kai stroking my back. The gymnastics involved in getting upright were impressive.

I saw Mathilda loom over us, fists transformed into iron hammers raised for the strike.

We threw ourselves sideways. Kai still stroking me.

'She morphed into you. Persephone." He tried to shake me off. "Let go, Sophie, so I can fight her."

I twisted my head around at his words to look at her. No wonder she'd seemed familiar. Man, I'd looked good as Persephone. At least some of it had transferred with the awakening of my powers. But even so ... Kai had never looked at me the way he stared at her.

Enthralled.