Page 71 of Zeus

"Water," Zeus grunts, angling his head toward an empty cup. "Thanks."

He walks away instead of waiting for her to fill a cup. I guess, with who he's supposed to be, that's the most I should expect from him.

I fill my plate, and the food actually looks and smells much better than it has at other compounds I've had access to. I diligently avoid the scrambled eggs per Candy's warning and opt for extra bacon instead.

I manage my own drink and smile when one of the guys from the rally waves me over.

I feel like a mean girl deserting her friend for the popular crowd as I walk past where Zeus is sitting alone, head down, shoveling food into his mouth as if he were in prison, afraid someone would take his plate before he finished. I pause, letting Regina walk past to get back to the kitchen. Although I only give her a passing glance, I notice the bruising on her back, easily visible with the tank top she's wearing.

I lift my eyes back to my new friend, smile in place even though I want to spit nails. I'm mad enough that I could string each one of the motherfuckers in this room up by their toes and beat them with a baseball bat.

"Chris, right?" I say as I drop into a chair across from him, offering my hand to shake across the table like a politician running for his first term in office.

He shakes it. "Good memory. Welcome. Good to see you again so soon."

"Same," I say, digging into the food, although it tastes like sawdust, having everything to do with what we're witnessing and our inability to do anything just yet than the actual meal itself.

After a couple of minutes, chatter begins around me once again, but I know better than to let my guard down around any of these people.

I make small talk with Chris until I'm done eating, and then I don't waste time standing, leaving my plate and utensils right on the table because that's expected.

I glance toward Zeus, who is standing as well.

"Leaving so soon?" Chris asks.

"Gotta get unpacked," I tell him before turning away.

I pull out the map Ricky gave me as we exit the dining hall.

"I think it's down here," I say, pointing toward the end of a long row of crushed, stacked cars.

I know this place is going to be like a fucking maze, and every bit of that is intentionally disorienting.

Chapter 26

Zeus

I've never gotten comfortable on a job. I don't know that I've allowed myself to even consider it when I'm not working. My flee when shit goes sideways instinct is too strong, but as we approach the small building with the matching symbol to the one Ricky told us is where we'd be staying, I realize that could never be an issue here.

Candy called it a cabin, but it's exactly like one of those small buildings someone would put in their backyard to park their lawnmower and store their tools.

The doorknob, if you could even call it that, is a twist handle with a metal mechanism that shifts a piece of metal inside the frame. There's no real security in it at all. There's a keyhole, but we weren't offered a key. I have to presume that Bobby and the other powers that be feel entitled to gain access to any building on the property at any time, and I suppose that ownership comes with some level of access. But the idea that anyone can come up on us at any time makes my skin crawl.

"Home sweet home," I mutter, unable to hide the disdain in my voice as Zayne reaches for the doorknob.

Instead of quickly agreeing with me, he pauses, hand raised to turn the knob as he looks back at me.

What I read as disappointment swims in his eyes, and it takes me back to a time in my early life that I've always tried my best to avoid thinking about. I hate the way it makes me feel, and I have to fight the urge to cower and shrink inside myself.

"You're looking at me like my dad used to," I confess, wondering how he'll receive my vulnerability.

He swallows, his head shaking a little as if an apology. "That's not my intention."

His voice is low, just above a whisper, but his face shifts, his features transitioning into a look more reminiscent of understanding.

"You have to watch what you say," he explains. "Not only with others in the group but also with me. I have no doubt every inch of this place is wired for audio, and I've already noticed a half dozen cameras."

"Sure," I agree, pulling in a deep breath.