Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Adeline
“Bella!” I squeal, excited to see her when I see her walking into the foyer. Her heels click loudly on the marble floor.
“You are back?” she says, rushing over to me and quickly hugging me. Her phone rings loudly in her bag. “Bloody thing never stops,” she says, rummaging through it.
She looks at the screen and sighs before muting it and shoving it back into her bag.
“So, do you have any idea how many new people I have to induct today? Eli said there are like six new employees at least on my floor, and he wasn’t sure how many more would transfer.”
“No idea,” I tell her, hooking my arm through hers.
We walk to the elevator when I see Latham walking toward us with a box in his arms. He flashes his mega-watt smile, and I hear Bella’s heart stutter in her chest at his godlike looks.
“Addie,” Latham says, pecking my cheek. “And you must be Bella,” he says, shoving the box at me.
I grab it before he kisses her hand like some old-fashioned gentleman. I roll my eyes at him.
“Wait, how do you know my name?” she asks, her cheeks tinged red at the sudden attention.
I smirk. Get out of that one, Latham, I think to myself, knowing he has been Facebook-stalking every female employee.
“Ah, Addie told me. Apparently, we will be working together,” Latham tells her, and I raise an eyebrow at him. That is news to me.
“Wait, hold up,” I hear a voice call out before a hand reaches out, stopping the elevator doors from closing. I recognize Blaine before Xavier steps in, pushing me toward the back as we all cram in.
What is it with elevators? I think to myself as I watch them all stare at Bella, who looks rather flustered under their gaze. I don’t blame her; they are gorgeous. But, damn, if they are staring at me like that, I will be definitely uncomfortable, too. They look like they are about to devour her.
“You must be the new boss lady?” Blaine says.
“You can’t all suddenly work here,” I mutter, too low for Bella to hear.
Latham looks at me. “I want her,” he says, and I see Blaine glare at him.
Bella takes a step closer to me, and I grip her arm as they stand off.
“Please tell me they won’t be working on my floor,” she whispers, thinking they can’t hear her.
They all wait for me to say no, but I roll my eyes, knowing at least I can keep an eye on them if they are stalking her at work and not on the streets.
“Yep, they are part of the six new employees on your floor,” I lie, knowing now Eli will have to shuffle workers around again.
“Exactly how am I supposed to get anything done with three men that look—” She shakes her head.
“Like what?” I whisper, smiling to myself.
“Never mind,” she mutters, trying to compose herself and failing miserably when she is surrounded by supernatural beings that can literally hear her heart racing in her chest at the mere sight of them.
Her scent is becoming a little overwhelming the more she freaks out, and Latham moves, pushing me behind him and forcing himself between us, obviously picking up my energy.
Bella reaches over, hitting the buttons, and I can tell she wants to get out of the elevator.
When the elevator stop, she all but runs from it to her office, and I hear her door slam.
“Be nice,” I tell them as they stare after her.
They start shoving each other to get to her office first, and I shake my head when Cyrus steps into their path. He raises an eyebrow at them bickering and fighting.
“Meet your new employees,” I tell him, shoving the box Latham’s given me into his arms.
“Huh?” Cyrus asks, confused.
I shrug, walking off, deciding to let Latham explain before going to find Eli and my son. I do find him only to see Taylor now has him, so I walk back to the elevator to catch the lift down to the foyer. I missed working here, missed Bella and my sister, and it’s the most normal I’ve felt in ages.
* * *
Eli
I can hear arguing outside in the foyer.
I hear the elevator ding just before the arguing starts and figure Cyrus will handle it, but when I hear his voice also arguing with them, I decide to see if he needs help before he eats someone.
Opening my door, I am smashed with the scent of burning embers.
Demons. But what would Latham be arguing with Cyrus for?
Walking down the corridor, I find Blaine, Latham, and Xavier fighting while Cyrus is trying to break it up.
“What the fuck is going on?” I ask, yet they ignore me, while Cyrus has his hands on both Latham and Blaine’s chests, getting between them.
“I saw her first. You can’t just stake a claim to her. What are you going to do with her anyway? Kill her like the last one?” Blaine snaps at Latham.
“I am not going to kill her. You will kill her,” Latham says, shoving him.
I can’t believe my eyes that they are arguing like children though I am now curious as to whom they are arguing over.
“That’s it. What the fuck is going on? Or I will have you escorted out,” I ask, ripping Latham away as he swings at Blaine.
Blaine is a brave man going up against the Prince of Darkness. He is lucky Latham has self-control going back a hundred years. Latham would have killed him and bled his soul from him, just for talking back to him.
Cyrus sighs, sitting on the end of Addie’s usual desk. He straightens out his coat before folding his arms over his chest, looking rather bored of this entire fiasco.
“Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” I ask.
“Latham has staked a claim for her, and it’s bullshit,” Xavier says.
“Either share her or hand her over, Latham. Since when do you care for humans anyway?” Blaine spits at him.
“I saw her first. You only want her because I showed interest in her.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. This is ridiculous.
“Oh, they still haven’t told you the best news,” Cyrus says, and I look at him.
“Huh? There is more?” I ask him, becoming annoyed.
“Yep, apparently, they all now work here.”
“What?!”
“Calling shotgun on the tech floor,” Blaine says.
“Fuck off, you cheating bastard. I am working on the tech floor,” Xavier says, shoving him.
I grab the back of his shirt, yanking him back. “Are you bloody children going to stop? None of you are working here. You will kill all my employees.”
“You owe me a favor, and I am claiming it. I could have outed your father for his crimes, and I didn’t. I never ask for anything, Eli,” Latham says, folding his arms across his chest.
I sigh. “Why do you want to work here again?” I ask, though Cyrus is the one to answer.
“Bella.”
“Bella, as in our tech manager Bella? The human girl?” I ask, and they all nod.
“No, absolutely not. She is a good girl, and you don’t need to be meddling in her life. What could you possibly want with her?”
“Her soul,” Latham says, and I gape at him.
“Not in that sense. I want her. I don’t know why, but I do. You owe me, Eli. Just put me on her floor, or, better yet, make me her partner.”
“I already have a manager. She is the manager of that floor.”
“Now you have two,” Latham says, refusing to back down, but he is right. I do owe him. He could have had my father killed for killing my mother.
“If you are putting him on, then you put us on, too. Come on, Eli, don’t be a dick. Make it fair.”
“Don’t be a what? Would you like to repeat that, Xavier?” I ask him, glaring at him. Bloody demons, always getting under my skin.
“No, I won’t have you fighting and causing scenes.”
“Six months, we can give her six months to pick one of us. Please, Eli,” Blaine asks.
“You want to make it a competition?” Latham scoffs before shaking his head.
“What? Scared, Latham, that you will lose?” Xavier asks, with a smirk on his face.
“Please, I have a thousand years on you, boy,” Latham says.
It is clear who is stronger though I find it rather startling they are all friends but now fighting over one human woman. It makes no sense.
“Fine, to make it fair, no demon magic, no dream walking, no lust tricks. Be fair. Then once she chooses one, the others back off. Deal?” Blaine asks.
“No, she is mine,” Latham growls, the smell of burning embers growing stronger.
“Yes, you can’t place bets on a human,” I tell them.
“Well, have you got a better idea then?”
“Yeah, I do. Leave her alone and go back to Soya City, where you all belong,” Cyrus tells them.
“Not happening. I want her,” Latham says, glaring at the other two demons.
“Six months, or we all go back, Latham,” Xavier says.
“Two months. I don’t need six to get her in my bed. Shit, I could have her there by the end of the day,” Latham says, holding out his hand to Xavier.
“Without your magic? Doubtful,” Blaine says.
“No magic, and don’t eat my employees,” I tell them.
I am not getting rid of them unless I agree, and what are two months when you are immortal?
“Eli, Addie will lose it if she finds out they are taking bets on her friend,” Cyrus says.
“She won’t know. It is between us. You tell Addie and cause shit for Cyrus and Eli, I will bleed you out,” Latham tells them.
“Fine, but no demon tricks, Latham,” Blaine and Xavier say, folding their arms across their chests.
“That means you pair as well,” Latham tells them. They both nod.
“So, where do you want us?” Blaine asks.
“Ask your new manager,” I tell them, pointing to Latham, who smirks deviously.
“Let the games begin,” Latham chuckles.
“Pretty sure we need new janitors on that floor,” I hear him say before the arguing starts again.
I shake my head, going back to my office, Cyrus following me.