Choosing Goddess (The Network #3)

Chapter 1

Spyridoula

“One, two, three from the left,” I muttered, looking through my telescope at the night sky. I was counting off the points from the constellation, trying to find either a moving star or satellite, but I was seeing neither. “Where are you?” I asked the air, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer.

At least as I was only the one at the observatory currently, I shouldn’t get an answer.

Astronomy was my love, a passion, something beyond a hobby. Was it my job?

Yes.

Did it pay my bills?

Hardly.

Which is why I had another job.

I worked for The Network, a prestigious escort service, and nothing went beyond what I wanted it to. Though plenty tried, it was always a hard no.

I was there for men to get a date for a night, look good for a company lunch, a special dinner, a formal wedding date. I didn’t have a hard limit as to what I wouldn’t do, I just didn’t do sex.

That was my formal line.

I’ve lost count, actually of how many wedding dates I’ve been on. And even worse was how many companies I’ve seen. But it was fun and I wouldn’t turn down the pay I made.

Not to mention that I got to make my own hours and I could always decline a request.

Which was something I had to give to the owner, one mister Locke Stonebridge.

He was thirty-nine, a former tech entrepreneur.

He’s the one who built The Network after a meeting where his date stood him up.

He saw the need for a truly ethical, woman-centered escort service, and the ladies he hired were checked quite efficiently.

Man was quite protective of us, and very business-minded, knowing right from wrong, and never letting us enter anything dangerous. If he didn’t trust his clients, he wouldn’t allow them to request anything, and that was the beauty of this, of working for him.

There were a lot more safety checks and background checks we all went through; he wasn’t taking any chances, with his escorts or his clients.

I shook my head, clearing it of the job then tried to focus once more on figuring out where this thing was. I swept over the area again, making notes on a notebook I kept, logging the coordinates and the things I saw.

“Still don’t see it.” I paused, moving my telescope around a little bit. I stopped, focusing on a certain area, pulling it in more into view. “There you are.”

I scratched out the coordinates and re-wrote them, then documented the finding. I clicked a few pictures, uploaded them to my computer, then sent them onto the local NASA center. With a smile, I looked at the sky for a few minutes, enjoying the brilliance of it.

The sky, ever since I was a little girl, always calmed me and always made me smile. In fact, my next-door neighbor, he would always come join me when I’d lay out on the grass and just stare up. We spent countless hours talking about the stars, the planets, anything and everything up there.

Ajax.

A name I hadn’t thought of in ages. Wasn’t sure why he was coming to mind now. But I could say I missed him. Maybe later I’ll do another check on him. I know he was a big shot writer, and the last I saw, he was single, but that was also a good few years back.

In fact, come to think of it, I recalled that he was a writer, which made perfect sense, because that little boy had the biggest imagination. He’d always make up stories about the things we saw, and some were so damn good.

I sighed, finally shaking my head.

For whatever reason, my thoughts were centered on that man right now and I knew nothing else would happen tonight. Not that I needed it too. But sky watching, something that always calmed me, wasn’t going to.

I packed up my stuff, and locked up, heading out to my car. My apartment was on the quieter end, so I could go home, have a glass of wine, and think to my heart’s content. And if I wanted to, maybe do a search or two.

With a groan, I headed up to my place, setting my things down and grabbing my laptop, letting it boot up as I poured myself a glass of wine.

Actually, probably would be far better if I had something stronger, but that wasn’t going to happen right now.

I had a breakfast deal tomorrow, so I couldn’t be drunk or hungover.

And who the hell did a breakfast thing? I mean, it was an easy two grand to do some small talking and smiling for two hours, but it was new. I only said yes because it was a small time, and it was one of my favorite breakfast places.

I took a sip of the red wine, typing a few things up on the laptop, his name bringing up some of his best sellers. I grinned as I read through the titles, seeing the few new ones that he put out, but then seeing that there was a delay.

Actually, quite a big one.

I frowned, clicking on a link, seeing that he was taking a break, and had been for a while. That seemed so unlike him.

Half of me wanted to reach out to him, to ask what was going on. But at the same time, I hadn’t talked to him in I don’t know how long so I’m sure he wouldn’t even know the name anymore.

But that sure left me curious.

And if I was being honest, a little anxious for the man that was once my best friend.

I stepped out of the awaiting car and smiled at the gentleman.

“Carter,” I said, taking his hand.

“Thank you for joining me. It’s a whole bunch of boring authors, most of whom I don’t like, and I need some decent company.”

“You don’t need to explain it to me. Anything you need me to say or do?” It was always the question, always making sure.

“Nope, just be you.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you. It’s my pleasure to entertain you.” He chuckled as he held the door open for me and I stepped in.

“Would you like something to drink?” Carter asked.

“Just a water for now, please. I might take something later,” I replied, offering another smile.

I turned, looking around the room. This really would be the easiest bit of cash I could get.

He’ll get Goddess, but that’s it. On these, I was never myself; no one ever got the real me, just the image I gave them that seemed like the real me.

“Here you go. Now, you probably won’t know most of these people.”

“You might be surprised,” I teased, taking a sip of the water. I looked around again before stopping suddenly. I froze in place, my gaze skidding back to the man across the room.

He had gotten older.

Sexier.

But that hard glare was still the same as I remembered.

Ajax.