Page 23 of Darius

Thank goodness she’d never liked that outfit.

Chapter

Eight

Monday came way too fast. Mara frowned at her computer in her small cubicle. Concentrating on her assigned accounts took every ounce of her professionalism. Finding more proof of the strange debits and credits while completing her regular job taxed her brainpower, but Mara flipped through multiple windows when she could search without others seeing her screens. Thank goodness, she could power through most of the routine work while she multitasked.

Darius had stressed over breakfast that she was to keep a low profile and to allow Bram to investigate. If something underhanded was going on and this wasn’t a simple mistake, she needed to keep her distance from the money movement. Mara understood that someone covering their tracks might try to blame her if they couldn’t get rid of her.

A strange sound caught her attention before drops of water sprayed over her desk. Without hesitating, Mara picked up her computer and held the device against herself. The sprinklers pelted water down as customers and everyone inside the bank shouted and shrieked in alarm and sprinted for the exits. Less concerned about her hair and makeup, Mara shoved her electronics into her backpack and grabbed her phone and purse. Security waved her urgently out of the building with the last stragglers.

When she emerged into the parking lot, she headed for the gathered employees. No one had any idea what was going on. Mara was definitely drenched She shivered in the light fall breeze through her wet clothes.

An hour later, the branch manager called for their attention and explained that the bank would have to close for the rest of the afternoon. A water main break had created too much pressure on the line, resulting in a cascade of problems before the old pipes had broken. Others protested they would need their keys and possessions from their desks. Security volunteered to take each person in individually with umbrellas to collect whatever they needed. Relieved she’d taken the time to grab her things, Mara headed for her car.

As she started her car, Mara wondered if there would be a desk at Darius’s where she could work. At her apartment, she had a whole setup with lighting for meetings and a great business space where the dining area would usually be. Darius would be at his mansion. That man was a walking distraction. She wouldn’t be able to think about anything other than yielding to temptation and visiting whatever space he occupied.

Steeling her resolve, Mara headed for her small place. She’d tell him where she was after she’d gotten her assignments finished. She could also pry through the banking system without someone questioning what she was working on in the bank building.

No problems or threats had occurred at Nightfall or at Darius’s home since the attempted abduction. Whoever had tried to take her must have chosen her for no other reason than deciding she was an easy target. She’d occupied herself on her phone while in line to stay up with her job and hadn’t paid attention to her surroundings.

Parking in her reserved spot, Mara headed inside. She stopped and checked her mailbox. Darius had said he’d come grab her mail until she switched her deliveries to his place. That seemed like such a big step.

Everything in their relationship had gone so fast. While she’d never believed in love at first sight, Mara couldn’t imagine living away from him. That had to mean something, right?

Simply being at work today felt like torture. The invisible threads that connected her to him had pulled at her mentally. And the physical attraction between them sizzled hotter than anything she’d experienced before. She literally craved his touch—needed the contact like her next breath.

Zoí mou? Are you okay?

I’m good. Sad to be away from you.

Like missing the oxygen in my lungs. Would you like me to take you to lunch today? I could stop by the bank.

No, thank you. I’m swamped.

Make sure you eat, Zoí mou. Are you sure all is well? Something feels off.

Sorry, Daddy. I’m a bit overwhelmed today. I’ll send a message when I’m on my way.

I’m a thought away, Little girl.

Mara crossed her fingers, hoping that he couldn’t guess she wasn’t really giving him the whole story. Quickly, she ran up her steps, juggling the mail in her arms as she thought of accounts, credits, and debits to block information about her activities from Darius. She wasn’t quite ready to share everything with him.

Letting herself into her apartment, she dropped her mail on the counter in the kitchen as she opened a drawer. Mara tore off a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and crumpled the sheet around her head to form a silver hat. That would block what tumbled around in her mind, right? She glimpsed herself in the mirror and laughed. Darius wasn’t an alien practicing mind control. Still, she didn’t take the protective device off. Even wearing the ridiculous headgear as she changed from her wet clothes and threw those into the dryer.

After working a couple of hours, her growling stomach reminded her she needed lunch. With only saltines in her cabinets and frozen meatballs in her fridge, Mara grabbed her phone and called in an order to have delivered. Twenty minutes later, she heard a knock on the door. After changing back into her previous outfit to give the driver time to leave and checking the peephole to make sure no one was in the hallway, Mara retrieved her order from the nearby Chinese place she ordered from frequently.

Diving in, she tasted a slight bitterness in the dish she didn’t remember. They must have changed soy sauce brands or something. She made a mental note to ask them to go light on the seasoning next time. Her bank messenger buzzed with a notification of an online meeting in fifteen minutes. Mara ate several more bites, trying to fill her stomach with enough food to bolster her energy levels to get through the rest of the workday.

She stashed the rest in her fridge as the invitation to join popped up. Catching a glimpse of her foil hat still on her head, Mara yanked the creation off as she headed for her desk. Thank goodness she’d remembered. How would she have explained that? After sitting back in her seat and smoothing her hands over her hair to tame her flyaways, Mara connected and smiled at her coworkers. She kept herself from grimacing at the unpleasant taste in her mouth. Maybe she was going to have to find a new Chinese food place.

About ten minutes into the branch manager’s instructions about when the decision would be made to open the branch or not tomorrow, Mara blinked away the growing shadows in her vision. A storm must be gathering outside. She leaned forward and flipped on her desk light.

When her boss finally announced the end of the call, Mara reached blindly for her mouse to disconnect from the video call. What was going on with her? Her mouth and brain felt stuffed with cotton. She finally got herself closed out but knocked her mouse off the table. As she leaned down to retrieve the device, she overbalanced and slid from her chair onto the carpet. The impact didn’t register as she landed on her elbow. Looking up, the seat seemed so far. The room went black.

Desperate to blink away the fuzziness, Mara struggled to gather herself. Getting her mind to function was like fighting her way through a deep vat of gelatin. Was someone carrying her?

“Darius?” she mumbled.