Page 63 of Reverence

He shook his head, scratching the stubble on his jaw.

“If it were Ares, you wouldn’t have hesitated to agree with him.”

He looked at me in disbelief, as if I insulted him. “That’s not true and you know it. I value your input but this is a line that’s difficult to cross. We’re going to be under fire if we accuse our director of foul play. Do you understand that?”

“I understand, sir but when we joined the Bureau we took an oath.”

I looked at him, waiting for anything. A nod of agreement. A blink. A sigh. Something.

“In life, all of our choices will have consequences. So what are we choosing today? Justice or avoidance?”

Asher dropped his hands to his sides, staring at me for a brief moment. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

He said, clenching a fist. “Stephanie and I will need to sit down for this one before we make any drastic decisions.”

I nodded, turning around to exit his office. “Rivera,”

I paused, my hand hovering on the door handle. “You’re a commendable agent and I don’t ever want you to doubt that.” I looked down at my boots for a few seconds but didn’t say anything.

Seconds passed before I spoke. “Thank you, sir.” I turned the handle, exited his office, and returned to the bullpen with a heavy heart and a nagging conscience.

Friday evening crawled out of the depths of despair rather slowly and sank its claws into my veins.

After I’d been avoiding Gabriella and Kehlani for the past few days, I allowed the weekend festivities to persuade me into the endless possibilities of the night.

All my heart desired was the indulgence of alcohol.

Normally it would be for leisure but tonight it was simply to forget.

To forget about every single thing happening at work, in my personal life, and with someone who I shouldn’t even have been thinking about in the first place.

The lights in the club were dim, red hues covering every surface in the crowded space.

I stepped into the crowd, squeezing past drunk people just so I could reach the bar. “Vodka shots please. Two.”

I signalled to the bartender who nodded and pushed two shot glasses in my direction before filling them with the alcoholic liquid.

Almost immediately I downed both, hissing as the liquid travelled to the depths of my stomach.

Leaving behind a burning sensation.

A trail of heat that seeped into my organs and skin.

Why did I wake up every night in a cold sweat after nightmares of Ares bleeding out in front of me?

Better yet, why did the thought of him bleeding out bother me so much?

After requesting several more shots and two cocktails, I finally felt the effects of the liquor.

The music turned into a warped sound that forced me to the dance floor.

My feet moved before my brain could comprehend anything and my body moved on its own accord.

The vicinity was filled with people but for some reason I’ve never felt lonelier.

I allowed the melody to control me, fully immersing myself in the upbeat tune.

I’ve always followed the rules, always tried to be the best at everything I ever did.