Page 80 of Leashed

Alex’s voice took on a tone of warning. “Uh-huh.”

“I gave your number to someone who might call for her,” he said, digging his thumb into the knot in his chest he’d been unable to massage out earlier. “It’s a work thing. If she could maybe talk to the woman who calls, that’d be cool.”

“A reference thing?”

“Kind of.”

Alex’s voice relaxed. “No problem. But she won’t lie for you, Bo. I better go. I’ll text Ryan in a bit. Night.”

His phone went black and he slouched back against the cabinets to wait for Seph’s return.

*

“She’ll meet youin the banquet hall at midnight.”

Bo rose to his feet. “Who?”

Seph tilted her head and averted her eyes. “Lachesis. I sent Hermes to her and she, well, she’s eager to see you again.”

Advancing on his mistress, Bo caught himself and halted. “What message did you send?”

Smoothing her bodice, she gave him a smile. “We don’t want to approach her from a position of hostility,” she opened, inordinately attentive to her hands. “Hermes happened to be in the reception room discussing Aphrodite’s latest indiscretion and when I brought up your request, we all agreed it would be best if we presented it to Lach and allowed her to set the meeting. We’re just concerned you might be rocking the boat when it isn’t necessary.”

“Not necessary,” he echoed. “She’s been fucking with my lifeline for centuries because she’s pissed I stopping screwing her. Centuries, Seph. And I’m done with it. Once she knows about it, Clotho will back me up. I know it.”

“Why now?”

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he locked down his expression and waited for transport so he could, once and for all, take control of his own fate.

*

Lachesis was alreadyin the banquet hall when he arrived. Her green eyes scanned him with disdain, her lip curling. “I despise those clothes,” she stated, stretching her long legs out on the chaise and watching him as he crossed the room. “Why don’t you go change into something more suitable? I’ll wait.”

Bo felt his jaw twitch in protest. “This is somewhat time sensitive,” he ground out.

“Now, dog.”

Pushing through the heavy doors, he jogged down the hall to his rooms, cursing her name as he stripped down and yanked a chiton on, tying it while he bolted back to the banquet hall. The doors slammed shut behind him and he extended his arms, turning slowly for her approval. “Better?”

“Much,” she smiled, flipping her auburn hair back. “Come sit.”

“I’d rather stand.”

Her expression morphed from pleasant to decidedly unpleasant. “I said sit, dog.”

Had he been there for anything else, the command would’ve been met with aggression. As it was, he crossed the marble floor and obeyed, moving to sit in the chaise opposite her.

“On the floor.” When he hesitated, she lifted a brow, her sweet smile returning as he dropped to the floor at her feet. “Now what was it you wanted to discuss? Hermes was a little vague on the details.”

Leaning back on his hands, he looked up at her. “I want you to stop toying with my lifeline.”

Lachesis pursed her lips. “That’s quite an accusation, mutt. Perhaps you were born under an unlucky star.”

“We both know that’s not it,” he retorted, ducking away from her hand when she reached down to stroke him. “Just tell me what you want me to do to get the knots out of my line, and we can go back to insulting each other every few centuries.”

“What makes you think I care enough about your line to alter the path?” she inquired, trailing her fingers along the seam of her dress.

“Because it’s altering the path of another,” he stated, sitting up and draping his arms over his knees. “It’s one thing to mess with me, but when it impacts someone innocent—”

---