he wasn’t making a connection. I couldn’t take that apologetic look he gave every time he realized he’d forgotten something from one of his many, varied pasts. Especially when it came to me.
“So, where’s Mindy?” Cyrus interrupted. “We were going to work on some updates to your computer network.”
“You’re letting him near your system?” I asked Wesley, grateful for the distraction. “Hello, fox. Meet henhouse.”
Cyrus frowned. “I’ll have you know I’m a trusted member of the EHJ family now, Fantazia.”
“Because I’ll ship you off to the DarkLands if you revert back to your old ways,” Wesley said.
Cyrus jerked his thumb in Wesley’s direction. “See? We have an understanding.” He shrugged and asked, “So, where is the beautiful and talented Mrs. Christian?”
“Down in her lab. I’ll call her,” Lainey offered.
Cyrus waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll just run down and grab her myself. It’ll piss off that stuffed shirt she has for a husband.”
“He’s probably down there with her.”
“Even better.” Cyrus grinned. He turned back toward the elevator. “Good seeing everybody.”
“Wait, I’ll ride down with you,” I said. “Bye, Em. We had fun, right?”
She nodded her blonde head. “Bye, Fay!”
“Thanks again,” Lainey called.
“No problem. Anytime.” I gave Wesley a slight nod. He was still looking at me like he suspected something. “Bye, everyone.”
I turned and fled to the elevator with Cyrus. As soon as the doors closed I said, “Thanks for the distraction.”
“I didn’t do it for you, sweetheart,” he said. “I did it for me. How am I supposed to collect on keeping a secret if it gets out?”
The elevator slowed as it approached the laboratory floor. I frowned. “I don’t know what you think I’m going to owe you.” For a moment I was distracted by thoughts of the ways in which I could repay him, and all of them involved his big male hands all over my body. But where had that come from? My drunken night of debauchery had obviously messed up my head more than I thought if I was thinking that way of Cyrus, someone who’d probably rather go celibate the rest of his life than get in bed with me, judging from his reaction earlier.
“I don’t know either, but I’ll be sure to let you know.” The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. “This is my floor. I’ll be seeing you, Fantazia.”
“Not if I see you first,” I said.
“Promises, promises.” He started to exit and then turned back. “Oh, and . . . happy birthday.” He shot me an evil wink and was gone, the elevator doors shutting behind him.
CHAPTER THREE
I was restless. After my birthday trip with Emily, I tried to throw myself back into my everyday routine of bar owner and purveyor of magical knowledge, but it just wasn’t the same. It used to be fun to sit in my dark room in the back of the bar and wait for someone to ask a favor, like a dark queen awaiting her subjects and supplicants, doling out judgments and boons. Now it was just boring. And lonely.
Murmured conversation sounded outside, the tinkling of glass and the occasional yelp or cheer as someone either won or lost a game of chance. Some of my patrons were always playing. There were occasionally a few grumbles or ill words, but the losers knew not to start throwing punches, no matter how drunk they were. Heroes and villains alike are welcome here, but the forces of good and evil both know combatants in my place will be cast out, never to be allowed back. I’m not above busting a few heads when someone steps out of line, and I also have my djinns. Creatures from another dimension are great bouncers when I don’t feel like messing up my manicure.
I also use them as bodyguards. Not that I’m afraid of anyone out there. Or anywhere, really. When you’ve lived as long as I have, death isn’t something to scare you. It’s almost amusing when someone tries to set the reaper on my trail; it’s a way to pass the time and remove the mind-numbing boredom. But after getting the reputation I have, of being the biggest and baddest magic-user in all of creation, it helps to have a few flyswatters around for those stupid enough to challenge me—or those who don’t want to pay up for magical services rendered.
One of my bodyguards stood as I moved to part the heavy curtain that separated my room from the bar.