Devil’s Deal (Love & Loyalty: Prequel)

Bonus Epilogue

HARLOW

It’s fine. It’s fine. Don’t freak out. You’ve got this . Maybe I didn’t have this. Unless I was completely mistaken, there was a dead body in the tunnels. In the tunnels that I didn’t even know we had. And Cory had been hurt. He was my favorite person, my role model. What if something had happened to him? Which someone was dead in those walls. It had to be Huey.

“ Applesauce. Applesauce. Applesauce ,” I muttered to myself. Was this my fault? I complained about Huey, so Cory took him back to talk to him, and now there was a dead body in the tunnels. Maybe I was dreaming. Or would that be nightmare-ing? I had to be something because stuff like this didn’t happen in real life.

Everest came out from the admin area where Cory’s office was, shaking his head. “Some night, huh?” He came over and put one of his frail arms around my waist. “How you holding up there, Harlow? You okay?”

“Did that all really just happen?”

He clucked his tongue. “I’m sure it feels a little overwhelming now, but everything will look better in the morning.”

Everest was one of my favorite people. I rarely had a reason to use the elevators since my job was at check-in, but I always found an opportunity to go over and say hello to our friendly elevator operator. He was like having a super cool grandfather who told the best stories. Plus, he always had a smile on his face and a calming word. But this was not the time for that.

“I’m not so sure about that,” I hissed. “People are going to notice that Huey’s gone.”

Everest kept his arm around me, calling out to Amy, the concierge, “Have you seen Huey? Was he upset after his meeting with Cory?”

She glanced around the hotel lobby, then left her desk to run over to us. “No, I didn’t see him. I’m glad Cory finally talked to him. I hated how he took advantage of you, Harlow.”

I forced a tight smile. “Thanks.”

She reached out and patted my shoulder. “No matter what happens, if he loses his job, that’s not your fault. That’s completely on him.” Then she leaned closer. “Between the three of us, I wouldn’t be upset if I never saw him again.” She shrugged in a sorry-not-sorry way and ran back to her station to help a couple who’d walked up.

My stomach heaved. She definitely wouldn’t be seeing him again. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Everest spun me toward him. For a frail older guy, he still had plenty of strength, and he gripped my biceps. “You have to pull it together. Mr. Letterman is counting on you. Since Huey disappeared, you’re responsible for the death…”

He kept talking, but I blanked out. The death? It was my fault! App lesauce. Applesauce. Applesauce . Why wasn’t this helping? When Cory muttered that stupid word, it always seemed to calm him down. I still felt like I was going to vomit.

Everest squeezed my arms a little harder and shook me gently. “Are you listening to me?”

“No, I tuned out when you told me that since Huey disappeared, I was responsible for his death.”

Everest huffed. “I most certainly didn’t say that. Young people today are so dramatic. I reminded you that Cory asked you to not only cover the desk—as in the check-in station—but also keep an eye on the hotel for him. Plus, he needs you to check on that sweet girl up in Gangster’s Paradise. I’d do it, but she’s young like you, and I think she could use a friend.” He gazed at me with narrowed eyes. “I reckon you could use one right now as well.”

“I can’t go up to Gangster’s Paradise and check people in and watch the lobby all at the same time, and there’s no one else on.” Because Huey was supposed to be on with me. Huey, who was dead in the where the fuck did those come from tunnels.

Everest let me go, patted my shoulder blade, and winked. “Give me a minute.” He strolled off, like it was any other day. Why wasn’t he freaking out? Was I being a baby? Well, who could blame me if I was? I’d never seen a dead body before. Technically, I still hadn’t seen one, but if I had rounded the corner before Cory, Romeo, and Dante yelled at me not to look, I would’ve.

Okay, maybe I was fixating on THE DEAD MAN so I didn’t have to think about Dante. Hot as fire Dante. Not-a-security guard Dante. A made man. I’d thought…well, it didn’t matter what I’d thought. Sure, he’d been nicer to me than most people were, but I’d known he was something. Brooding. A little scary. But the mafia?! I couldn’t crush on a…a…a mobster!

Everest came back with Daniel, one of our bellhops, with him, giving me a reprieve from my spinning thoughts. “Daniel said you taught him how to use that fancy computer system of yours.”

That was true. I had. He didn’t know it well enough to work a whole shift alone or anything, but he could surely handle it while I ran upstairs to check on the girl. “Do you mind?” I asked him.

“Whatever you need. Is everything okay? I noticed the security guys all went running out of here.”

Security guys. Yeah. Right. I’d suspected; no, I’d freaking known there was something unusual about the security company Bosley had brought in, but that was because it wasn’t legal security. Those men were…thieves. Bad people. Criminals! My crush was… evil .

Everest’s chuckle pulled me from my downward spiral. “Everything’s fine. I think they caught the room intruder.”

“That’s a relief. You go do whatever you need to, Harlow. I’ve got the desk.”

I managed to thank him before Everest steered me toward the elevators. A couple of ladies rode up with us, and I was relieved that Everest kept up a lively conversation with them. When I got off on the second floor, he waved. “You’re a good employee, Harlow. We’re lucky to have you.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. Cory had trusted me enough to put me in charge, and I couldn’t get my shit together. All I wanted to do was go hide in a blanket fort. No. Throw up. Okay, throw up and then go hide in a blanket fort. With a good book. Oh, and snacks. I’d get hungry spending the rest of my life in a blanket fort. And water. Water was healthy.

At the door to Gangster’s Paradise, I knocked softly. I heard the TV turning off, but no one answered the door. I knocked again.

A few moments later, the door opened a crack, and I saw half a face with blonde hair. “Um, hi,” I said with a wave. Because, of course, I did. Why couldn’t I ever be cool for even a minute? I’d just been at the doorway to a room with a dead body, and I still had zero chill.

She just stared at me. “I’m Harlow. I work for Cory. He asked me to come up and check on you. I hope that’s okay.”

She licked her lips nervously, and I had a feeling she was about to shut the door in my face. “I’m gay,” I said, hoping to reassure her that I wasn’t here for nefarious purposes.

She blinked, then her lips twitched. “Do you go around announcing that to everyone you meet?”

I opened my mouth to answer, then snapped it shut. “Uh…”

“So that’s a no?” she asked, her volume rising almost up into normal speaking range.

“Yeah, I’ve never done that before.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I’m so sorry. It’s just…it’s really been the strangest few days.”

“I can relate to that.”

We both stared at each other awkwardly, then burst out laughing. “Cory really sent you?” she finally asked.

Nodding eagerly, I said, “He’s had a terrible day. Like, phew. So bad. But I can get you anything you need or whatever.”

She stared at her feet, shuffling. “I’m good with food and stuff, but will he be around at all? Or Bosley? I just…I don’t really have anyone else to talk to.”

“Uh…” I had no idea how to answer that. Cory usually pushed through and dealt with things no matter what, but Bosley had looked like he planned to wrap Cory in bubble wrap and hide him somewhere.

Hurt flashed in her eyes as she gave me a pained grimace. I was pretty sure that was supposed to be a smile. “That’s okay. Don’t worry. They’ve done enough for me.”

I knew they’d snuck this girl into the hotel. I didn’t know anything about her or why she was here, but… “I promised Cory I’d stay around until he comes down from his apartment, so I’ll be around. Do you, uh, do you want me to come back and keep you company?”

She peered up at me from under her lashes.

“I don’t have to. It was just a thought.” I looked away.

“If you don’t mind. I’d like that.” She smiled self-consciously, and I found myself grinning.

“Good. That’s good.” I back up, heading back toward the elevator. “I’d like that, too. So, uh, I’ll see you later.”

She nodded.

Because I am who I am. I waved. “See ya later.” I started to turn, then stopped. “Go in and shut your door, please. You know, just in case.”

She giggled. “Okay, Harlow. Thank you. See ya later.” The door closed.

“See ya later.” Hm. Life was tits up, but Charity was nice. We’d keep each other company, and maybe I’d forget about Huey. Maybe I’d forget that the mafia was real and that Dante ever existed.

Read Dante & Harlow’s story in Desire.