is years out of date because of how things went down with his cousins, but he gave me the basic rundown. About how the Amazons are one-third of the big movers of that city. About how they, more than the other two, straddle the line of shadows and light. They are CEOs and COOs and the upper tier in all of the companies in their territory. Just like Malone runs her corporation and rules the illegal industries in her territory with an iron fist.
She still moves like a warrior that might have to step onto a battlefield at any moment. She’s so fucking strong, too. Stronger than someone with her lean frame has right to be.
I touch my knuckles. They ache a little from the punch I landed on her face. I’m lucky she didn’t take it as a true attack, just an extension of our sparring.
I… I don’t know if I can beat her in an all-out fight.
I stop the treadmill and go through the motions of stretching. My thoughts whirl in increasingly frantic circles, a tornado of thorns that slice me with every rotation. I don’t know if I can beat her. The whole point of agreeing to these two weeks was finally getting revenge for what she did to my mother, to put Malone in the ground.
The plan felt rock solid when I decided on it. Not even Allecto’s arguments could get through my wall of stubbornness. But two days in, and I’m not sure I can pull it off.
I head back up to the penthouse in a daze. It’s empty, so Malone either didn’t come back here or has already come and gone. It’s just as well. I don’t know what my face is doing right now, and I have no faith that I can keep myself locked down enough to be in her presence.
The cat hisses at me as I walk past, and I hiss right back. “Mind your business and I’ll mind mine.”
A long shower does nothing to settle me. I walk out of the bathroom to find the demon cat sitting in the center of my bed. I eye the door. I must not have shut it all the way. The cat and I stare at each other. What did Malone say its name was? I glare. “Don’t get too comfortable. That’s my bed you’re sleeping on.” At least for the next ten days.
I consider my options for dinner. I’m still a little shocked at how Malone went all out with these clothes. It’s more than the money she must have dropped on it. It’s a cohesive wardrobe with enough options to almost fully replace the one I already own. And they’re all top-of-the-line and in my size.
She must have had an assistant handle that. I have to believe that, because the thought of her handpicking each item with me in mind is too much for me. It makes me feel strange, like my skin is too tight. I don’t like it.
Especially because there isn’t a white garment in the entire closet.
I finally land on a short, red cocktail dress. It’s long-sleeved and covered in sequins that will turn me into a walking disco ball. It’s also short enough to almost be indecent and backless. It’s extra as hell, but I’m instantly in love.
I style my hair down and vamp up my eyes a bit, finishing the look with red lipstick a shade brighter than the dress. The dress and makeup, combined with my indigo hair, make me look like a girly fantasy. I love it.
I find some nail polish—seriously, did she think of everything?—and paint my toes to match my lips. A silly little detail, but I like to go for the complete look, whether I’m running an errand for Allecto or spending a night working in the Underworld. Even if the details don’t matter to other people, they matter to me. That’s reason enough to do it.
Five minutes before seven, I slip on a pair of strappy silver heels and eye the cat. As much as I don’t want to leave him in this room, I really don’t want to go to dinner with claw marks all over my arms. I glare. “Your time is limited, my friend.”
He starts cleaning his paws, completely ignoring me. Because of course. Not only am I in over my head with Malone, but her fucking cat is more dominant than I am. Great.
I leave the door cracked open and head for the elevator. The foyer