Maybe I should start a gratitude journal to help me shake off this funk.
I sit on my bed with my legs crossed, shuffle the deck, and deal myself my card of the day:
The Devil.
I drop it like it’s a hot tamale.
Last time I pulled this card was the day before my last surgery, five years ago. I hoped to never see it again. I don’t even like looking at the damn thing. The Devil’s clutching a trident in one hand and a torch in the other, like he’s debating between grilling hot dogs or stabbing a lost soul.
Flames, smoke, shadows—it’s a whole creepy, disturbing vibe. Beneath him, two miserable human figures are chained to a pedestal, looking like they’re regretting every life choice that brought them there.
Come to think, it kind of reminds me of that poor shackled actor from the House of Horrors last night.
I return the card to the deck as my phone vibrates. Unknown caller. I let it go to voicemail because I’m not a sociopath—and when I play it, I get an overly friendly male automated voice. “Hey, this is AI Jack from SynthoTech looking to schedule a meeting with…Josie. Please return our call as soon as possible. Thank you.”
No sooner have I listened to this voicemail than a text message pops up:
SynthoTech is looking to schedule a consultation with…JOSIE.
Sheesh. Someone needs to train SynthoTech Jack to not blow up other people’s phones. Seriously, of all the dickhead moves. Axe MacKenzie can’t even be bothered to place a call himself? Even when he just saw me an hour ago? I’d rather he just ghosted me than have his digital henchman chase me down for a meeting.
My brain snags for a minute. Wait, a meeting? Does he think we need to formally discuss the kiss? Oh God, no.
I’m still staring at the phone when it starts ringing again. I pick up and begin speaking immediately. I have a lot of useless aggression to get out and best to unleash it on a robot.
“Hi, dumbass Jack-bot from SynthoTech who is stealing jobs from actual human beings, this is all-caps-but-very-flesh-and-blood Josie, who doesn’t chat with thirsty computers. Also, learn some manners. My generation doesn’t call and text and then call again. That’s what we callrude. And if you’re so interested in scheduling a meeting, maybe you should ask yourbossto call me personally.”
Silence. Then a whistle and a low chuckle and finally a very human voice that sends a blush right to my cheeks.
“Well, then, all-caps Josie, it’s lucky that it’s me. I’m not sure AI Jack could handle you. You’d have his mainframe smoking like a peat fire.”
“Axe?”
“ ’Course. Have other Scottish friends, do you, lass? I’d assumedI was the only one.” His accent lands hard on the wordone, and I have no idea why it’s so sexy, but it is. Ugh, the music of his brogue is wasted on him.
“Didn’t know we were friends,” I say, but even I hear the smile in my voice.
“Right,” he says. “More passing acquaintances who frequent the same filling station for coffee. Who also sometimes ki—”
“Why are you calling me?” I ask, interrupting.
“Not into small talk, I see. Fair enough,” he says. “I’m actually calling with a proposition.”
My stomach lurches. The Devil. Of course. Suddenly, it all clicks into place. You don’t need to be psychic to figure out when a card points straight to Axe MacKenzie.
And here I was, thinking I’d done battle with all my demons this week.
Eight
Axe
“She’s been waiting for twenty minutes, sir.” My assistant meets me at the door of the SynthoTech offices, handing me a file folder as we walk through the lobby, a place I had a hand in designing. It’s a mix of organic—wood beams and rafters, paneled-oak floors—and innovative, with sleek wall touch screens that light up when you approach. Like an ancient ship repurposed for modern times.
“Fuuuuck.” I rip off my Bluetooth earpiece as I jab the elevator button.
My meeting with Josie was supposed to start at three sharp, and I’m already screwing it up. It was the one thing I did not want to mess with in a day that started in Miami and feels like it’s been a hundred hours long. I should have taken the chopper directly to the office instead of home.
Vanity won out—I wanted to quickly shower and change far away from my colleagues.
