Chapter 15
Fifteen
ANIGHT OF DECISIONS
DAPHNE
Zeno spared no expense when constructing the Olympus Casino, pouring resources into every detail. His influence and wealth were undeniable, and this was beautifully reflected in the grandeur of my penthouse suite.
The penthouse was a masterpiece of gold and velvet, but as I looked at the extra guards Thal had posted at my door, it felt like a cage, all the same.
Zeno had kept me for his ego, a trophy to prove he’d fulfilled a debt. Thal kept me for his obsession. I’d traded one set of bars for another, and the terrifying part was how much I liked the new warden.
The plush black velvet couch had become my little nest, where I’d curl up surrounded by soft blankets and whatever book of poetry I was reading that day. I’d sip tea or wine and light a fire in the gas fireplace, which never actually put out much heat anyway.
I’d forget I was Zeno’s prize or Thal’s obsession.
I’d close the curtains against the relentless, artificial neon of the Strip and pretend I was somewhere the sun didn't feel like a spotlight. I’d imagine a life where my father’s signature wasn't a currency and where the weight of a man's hand on my waist didn't feel like a claim.
But the velvet was too thick, the gold too bright. I was a weapon in a vault, not a girl in a library, and the time for pretending was over.
I pretended quite a bit, all the time. But now? My reality was staring me in the face with such bright clarity that I couldn’t pretend anymore.
“This will destroy Zeno,” I whispered to my empty living room.
I looked down at the reports I’d been analyzing for the last hour, in awe of the plan laid out before me. The syndicate’s plan had the power to take Zeno down and leave him with nothing.
A shiver ran down my spine, a cold dread mingling with the rush of my racing thoughts.
From what I pieced together, the syndicate’s plan was nothing short of catastrophic, total war, and the complete destruction of Zeno and Thal’s empires.
I muttered under my breath, “You’re one brutal bitch, Rhea.”
What would become of Zeno after all this? Or Thal? And myself? Where would I stand amidst the ruins?
A chill ran through me at the thought of this city under Rhea’s shadow, if she succeeded. Even as my stomach tightened with dread, I couldn’t deny that her plan was precise, sharp, and terrifyingly effective. It had a chilling logic, and I realized she’d found a way to wipe us all out.
Seeing the plan laid out before me, like a drawn map leading straight to our shared ruin, made my heart sink.
No matter which direction I turned, I felt the weight of this impending chaos pressing down on me, threatening to crush.
Sitting in the middle of everything was agony. My mind was made up. I wouldn’t waver. Zeno didn’t know yet, but once he did, I would be aligned with Thal, no matter the cost.
My phone buzzed beside me, snapping me out of my fog and bringing me back to the present.
I blinked and saw Zeno’s face looking up at me from the screen.
I paused, feeling a breath catch in my chest, then exhaled before picking up, half-guessing he somehow knew I needed him, as if he had psychic powers.
Or maybe, I thought, I just imagined him in this chaotic moment.
“Hey,” I answered.
“What have you got?” he said, his voice edged and demanding. The urgency of his demands instantly annoyed me.
“What do you mean?” I stood up from the stack of reports and walked over to the kitchen to pour myself another glass of pinot noir. If I was going to talk to Zeno, I’d need it.
“What the fuck do you think I mean, Daph?” he growled.
“Why are you so angry?” I asked, gulping the wine down a little too fast.
“I’m an angry guy, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“That’s an understatement,” I muttered under my breath.
“Well? Do you have an update for me or not?”
I nearly burst out laughing. Did I get an update?
I had a big update for him, but I wasn’t going to share any of it.
If he had been a bit gentler with me, I might have wanted to tell him he was about to face a blow even worse than any he had encountered before.
But he wasn’t gentle, not at all. Not now, and probably not ever.
“What has Thal been up to?”
What a question!
Should I tell him how Thal claims me until the world outside the bedroom stops existing? How he makes me feel less like a tool and more like a queen, even if the crown is made of thorns?
I wondered. Or maybe I should tell him how just the fact that Thal showed me respect and recognized my intelligence made me feel more like myself than Zeno ever did.
Of course, I didn't say any of that. He wasn’t seeking that information, and even if I had spoken, he likely wouldn’t have listened. All he would have perceived was betrayal. Zeno could never see me as anything other than a tool he had crafted out of nothing.
“I don’t have any news.”
There was no use in arguing.
“How is that possible? Are you not doing your job?” He hurled his words like tiny daggers of disparagement and disappointment.
“I haven’t been feeling well,” I lied.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t know, allergies or something.”
“Rhea isn’t after my casino, Daphne. She’s after the debt your father signed in blood—namely, you.
I’m your only shield remaining between your luxurious life and a prison in a syndicate’s basement.
If you don’t provide me with something I can use against Thalassios, I may decide your loyalty isn’t worth the cost of your protection, Daphne.
I might step aside and let the collectors seize the unpaid interest your father defaulted on.
You think life with Thal is dangerous? You wouldn’t last an hour in a syndicate cellar once they see you as the debt you owe. ”
My blood turned to ice. “I’m doing my job, Zeno.”
“There’s no time to waste,” Zeno said. “Something is happening. I can feel it in my bones. And I’m convinced Thal is behind it.”
“Why?” I asked, in a rare moment of standing my ground.
“Because he’s had it out for me for a long fucking time,” he snapped. “He keeps that cool demeanor and that fake smile on his face, but I don’t trust him. I never have.”
“You don’t trust anyone, Zeno,” I reminded him.
“That’s not true—well, okay yeah. I guess you’re right,” he admitted. “But that keeps me alive. So, pop a fucking pill and get back to work. Now.”
“Fine,” I sighed, hanging up the phone and sinking onto the couch. I emptied my wine glass, that familiar feeling of dread and doom washing over me.
Zeno was fierce. His wrath was hot, fiery, and unpredictable. The idea that anything could happen at any moment was enough to make me feel anxious and uneasy, but knowing that danger could come from Zeno made me shudder with fear.
What the fuck was I doing?
The weight of my decision started to hit me.
At this point, I sensed danger lurking everywhere, and I was thankful to be safe and secure in my home.
I made a note to change the locks tomorrow and do it quietly, so Zeno wouldn’t find out.
I needed to gradually detach myself from him.
I looked around at the place I called home and felt a pang of pain, knowing I’d have to leave it soon.
Once Zeno knew everything, I expected him to take it all away.
I’d been aware of that when I made my decision. As much as I loved this place, I was excited to find something on my own. Sure, it would be much simpler than these lush surroundings, but that was okay.
It would be mine. All mine.
An hour later, as I was finishing the bottle of wine, there was a knock at my door. My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of fear ran through me.
Had Zeno found out?
My eyes darted to the clock. It was nearly ten o’clock, much too late for any casual visitors. With heavy footsteps, I approached the door and pressed my eye to the peephole.
I gasped as Thal’s face appeared in view.
I swung the door open with a wide smile.
“This is a surprise,” I said, stepping aside so he could walk in.
“I hope I’m not being rude,” he said. “I just wanted to check on you.”
“I’m okay.” I shrugged, closing and locking the door behind us. I turned toward him, and his face wrinkled with concern.
“What’s wrong? Have you been crying?” he asked.
“Maybe a little,” I said, shrugging again.
He closed the gap between us and pulled me into his arms.
His embrace wasn't just warm, but more of a heavy, possessive weight that promised to hold me together as the rest of my life shattered. I didn’t want to melt. I wanted to disappear into the shadow he’d cast.
But that thought brought more turmoil, the anguish seeming to wrench my heart, twisting it like a strong fist of confusion.
Zeno may have deserved my betrayal, but that didn’t make it feel good to do so. Why was I so torn? Why was this such an excruciating decision? I felt like Zeno had pushed me right into Thal’s arms. And if it wasn’t Thal, it might have been someone else.
I'd been seeking some kind of comfort for a long time.
Now that I had found it, I felt guilty about it.
I despised the opposing emotions spinning inside me. They left me feeling uncertain and shaky about the decision I'd made. I wanted to feel anything but that. I wanted to be confident, sure, and strong. Will I ever get there?
“Talk to me, please. Tell me how I can help.”
Thal’s words weren’t demanding or accusatory. Instead, they were calming and filled with a strength I needed to hear. He offered his help, his hand, and his support. There was nothing about him that made me want to escape. The main issue was that I was eager to fall into his arms, wasn’t it?
A wave of despair rose within me, almost spilling over with the tears I had been crying for the past hour.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” I admitted, lifting my gaze to meet his eyes, searching for some reassurance. “Zeno is such an asshole to me. I’m so torn, but I don’t even understand why.”
He reached out. “Let the guilt go, Daphne,” he murmured, his voice a low, vibrating command against my temple. “Zeno doesn't own your conscience anymore. I have this handled. You don’t need to do anything but stay here, stay safe, and let me be the monster for both of us.”
“What I truly wish for,” I confessed, “is to run away. If I’m honest with myself, that’s all I want right now. But I know I can’t. I’ve studied all the reports in detail. The syndicate isn’t messing around. They plan to wipe everything out.”
He nodded and said, “I know.”
“I’m determined to stop them,” I said. “We have to. We can’t let them succeed.”
“Trust me, Daphne,” he said confidently. “I will do everything possible to stop them. Yes, they have a plan, but that’s all it is. A plan. We, however, hold the advantage. We know their intentions and can act first to stop them. And we will. Together, remember?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I feel guilty for not telling Zeno everything. He’s so fixated on you, convinced you’re behind some vague intuition he’s chasing, and he’s blind to what’s right in front of him.”
“And that’s exactly why we can’t tell him,” Thal said. “Not yet.”
My heart felt heavy with the weight of all this knowledge, so much to carry alone. Yet, in the midst of it all, I knew I wasn’t truly alone. Thal’s presence was a steadying force.
“I know this is tough, but you’re not facing it alone. I’m right here with you, every step of the way.” He pulled me closer.
I melted into his warmth, letting the steady beat of his heart soothe my ears. He caressed my hair, holding me in a way I never expected someone to offer me.
He kissed my hair, a tender gesture that threatened to unravel me, as pain and anguish caused me to shudder. Thal’s arms tightened around me, and I welcomed the comfort.
“I’m grateful I have you,” I told him.
“Me too, beauty, me too.”
We remained like that for a while until Thal received a phone call from James. His words were hushed, then he left in a hurry.
In his haste, he’d left his encrypted tablet facedown on my coffee table.
My fingers hovered over the glass. Thal thought he had me tamed, tucked away in his gold-plated cage while he played the hero.
He forgot who Zeno had raised. I dismantled his security system.
After three minutes of hacking, I found his secrets.
I wasn't looking for validation or beauty.
I was the Ghost of Olympus, about to uncover what my master concealed.
I opened the last message, and the air in the room turned to ice.
“The owl collects at the gala. Midnight. The transfer is pending.”
The date was three days away. Thal had looked me in the eye tonight and told me we had time.
He’d kissed me even as he knew exactly when I was scheduled to be “repossessed” like a used car.
He wasn’t protecting me, more like managing me.
He was going to walk into that fire alone and leave me locked in this gold-plated cage.
“Not a chance, Thal,” I whispered.
He thought he could keep me in a velvet-lined box while he settled my father’s debts? He’d forgotten who'd trained me. He’d forgotten that a ghost couldn’t be managed.
If I was the currency at the center of this gala, I would make sure the cost of my repossession was paid in corpses.
Thal wanted to walk into the fire alone?
He’d find me already standing in the center of it.
I wasn't a prize to be collected. I was the Ghost of Olympus, and I was going to make them all bleed for thinking I was anything less than I was.