Kairos - Blood (MxM) | Book 2 | ✅

20.Gloves Off

Face to face. If I can get Jack to look at me I'd know.

Office buildings appeared all the same despite their eager attempts to display bold angles and new architectural trends. I bumped and pushed into people. It's Sunday, why don't you all go home?

A row of fancy chrome letters loomed above my head: GlovesOff. The glass double door awaited and on the other side...

I just needed to hear Jack say that he'd come over to my new place. He'd see me whenever possible. It wasn't over between us. It was temporary. I wasn't just his whore anymore.

When I pushed, the doors opened smoothly. Too easy. No way it's that simple.

A pretty young woman stood at the reception speaking cheerfully on the phone.

It was a chance to study the lobby. A tall ceiling, spotlights, and moldings Sean would have envied, loomed over a marble reddish floor. A few gray armchairs, soft and homey served to make the place warm. To either side of the reception desk two corridors stretched out, and a pair of elevator doors gleamed metallic from each.

"How may I help you?" the young woman addressed me with a big smile.

"Do you organize parties?" I tried to match her light-hearted demeanor.

She nodded with a crease darting between her brows that said: 'Doh.'

"If you're interested I can find someone for you next week," she said as her fingers worked the keyboard. "I have Xander and Janice free to see you. They're great planners." She looked up and recoiled a bit, "Or perhaps we can start you off with a catalog. Generally, we can organize any sort of party you wish."

I had been frowning at her the entire time. There was no way she'd let me see the owner.

"Jack Rhymes. How about I see him about the party?"

Her eyes widened and she threw another smile at me, nervous and wary.

"Mr.Rhymes is not in right now, but I can take a message. Who should I say is looking for him?"

"Ste-"

Ah! Who indeed. Who was I? Not Steve Finley.

Mr.Finley wasn't supposed to contact Jack directly. And chances were that this was a front and Jack never set foot inside this building anyway. But what else did I have to go on?

"Never mind. I'll come back another time."

"Please do. Have a good day."

"You too." I covered my frustration with a wave and a grin.

Twenty feet away from the GlovesOff building, I paced the sidewalk. This had been a waste of time. Or not. It all depended on my luck.

Is this what it feels like to gamble, brother? Probably not. I was lost and angry. My only hope was that toward the end of the day, Jack would walk out through that front door.

And I had plenty of time and nowhere to go anyway.

Sat on a fancy concrete block, I wondered if it was decoration or an actual bench. People didn't gawk so I was probably using the thing as intended.

From time to time, my eyes darted to the GlovesOff door.

If I could just see you, I'd know. Your green eyes would tell me if we're OK or not.

A shadow had been growing over my heart and was now trying to make its way in. Just resist it a little longer. Spend your day hoping instead of despairing.