Page 57 of Reverence

“Okay. Let’s just agree to disagree. Seems as if we got off on the wrong foot, let’s start again. What do you say? We’re partners now in any case and it would be in our best interest if we learned to work together without the need to argue.”

I glanced at him sideways, watching him outstretch his right arm and hold his hand out.

I sneered at him in disgust, as if his hand were a poisonous object.

“I’m trying to make amends here.” He turned his palm sideways. “Don’t leave an injured man hanging.” With a heavy sigh, I caved—gripping his hand firmly.

“This doesn’t mean we’re friends,” I said with finality to which he responded with a chuckle.

His awfully cheerful mood unnerved me but I overlooked it.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” His calloused hand enveloped mine but I broke the handshake, pulling away as though it scorched me. “We’re acquaintances.”

“Colleagues.”

“Partners.”

I rolled my eyes, crossing one leg over the other and for a brief moment—almost too quick to capture with the naked eye his gaze dropped to my legs causing heat to bloom in my chest.

“I’ll accept the term partners,” I confirmed. “Work partners.”

“Obviously. What other kind of partners would we be, Rivera?” He mocked.

I opened my mouth to say something but a knock on my door stopped me.

Then Kayden’s voice penetrated it. “Amala.” He called out urgently.

We made eye contact for a split second, the prior conversation still hovering above us. “Well, time for you to head to the hospital.”

I got up, replying with a coming as I walked to the door.

As I passed Ares, he grabbed my wrist and I turned to look at him. “Hey,” He said in a softer tone. “Thank you .. for helping me.”

My eyes widened, blood rushed straight to my face for some reason and my heart thrummed in my fucking eardrums.

He looked vulnerable, almost grateful and I didn’t know if I found it pathetic or admirable.

His grip burnt the skin on my wrist and I coughed, which caused him to release me.

“Don’t worry about it.” I gave a small smile and he returned the gesture, baring a bit of teeth in the process.

Forget air conditioning in hell, at this point, I needed to turn up the air conditioning in my apartment because it felt one hundred degrees hotter.

Sixteen

Amala

While Kayden drove Ares to hospital, Nicolas and I returned to headquarters—providing our superiors with a debrief.

“According to the information Ares gave me, it was a black SUV that ambushed him. No license plate obtained and no facial identification either.”

“It’s in correlation with Dominion,” Nick said and I looked at him in confusion.

“What makes you say that?” I asked and that’s when he turned to me.

“Mariana’s been injured too.” Shocked was an understatement. I felt the dread seeping into my stomach like a disgustingly thick liquid.

“Is she okay?” I asked, feeling a bead of sweat trickling down my back.