When they reached the car, Eli popped open the back door, and Rune helped slide Dorian into the seat. He immediately held on to her and mumbled a slurredsorryin her ear. She carefully freed herself as he slumped sideways and started snoring again.
Eli shut the door with a grunt. "Not been right these past couple of weeks," he said quietly, glancing at her.
Rune knew exactly what had happened a couple of weeks ago.
Crispin went after Aria. And Dorian went with him. And ever since... something had changed.
Eli gave her a sideways look. "You're leavin', then?"
"Yes," Rune said.
He nodded once, then asked, still looking at the pavement: "And you two...?"
She huffed a bitter breath. "We're done. I've been terminated."
Saying the words out loud made the irony land harder.
Another quick nod.
Then, "You stayin'? In the city, I mean?"
Rune shook her head. "No. I'm going home."
Eli's mouth twitched. "Figured as much."
Dorian snorted from the back seat, shifted, and muttered something about velvet, or possibly vol-au-vents, before letting out a long, wet snore.
Rune sighed. Eli chuckled once. Then, after a pause, "Listen..."
She turned to him. He rubbed the back of his neck. "This's probably not the time, but... d'you want to grab a coffee sometime?"
Rune blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean—" He coughed, glanced toward the car. "Not as his driver. Just... Eli."
Her lips parted slightly, surprised. "I ..I...I don’t know if…," she stuttered.
"Aye, we have been friends, yeah?" he replied, his accent thicker as his tongue rolled the vowels. "But I've also always… noticed you. Thought you should know that."
There was a long beat between them. He cleared his throat again. "Look, no pressure. Just... think about it."
Rune smiled, suddenly shy. "Okay. I will."
Eli offered a small, awkward nod, then turned to slide into the driver's seat. As he pulled away, Dorian snored louder, and Rune watched the taillights disappear into the night, carrying with them the man she had hoped to build her life around.
Chapter five
Chapter 5
The next morning, Rune walked into the office at 8:00 a.m. sharp. The air was still, the corridor quiet except for the low hum of the espresso machine warming up.
Dorian was already in early again. And someone else had turned the coffee machine on.
He sat behind his desk, a picture of control with his sleeves rolled to mid-forearm, collar crisp, and his pen in hand, twirling absently between his fingers. He didn't glance up when she entered. And just like that, they both pretended the night before hadn't happened. No one mentioned the drunken visit or the slurred demands through a barred door. Rune said nothing, and Dorian acted as if he hadn't been found passed out on her doorstep.
But the shadows under his eyes told another story. He looked exhausted, skin drawn tight at the jaw, his usual polish dulled by the slight tightness beneath his cheekbones. His clothes were perfect, his hair controlled, but the signs of overindulgence lingered.
And still, the mask had slid back in place with dawn.
