He hesitantly stepped from the pod, his calloused hand outstretched, a silent invitation to join him. As I stepped out, I saw two vampire guards with both their guns out—one on me and the other on Gabe. As soon as I tucked my disheveled black hair behind my ear, I knew they recognized me. Their eyes grew wide, and they lowered their weapons, sniffing the air around me, smelling my blood.
“Please,” Gabe begged. “Alert Mr. Asposito and let him know his son has returned.” The guards stopped in front of us, dumbfounded. “Go. NOW!”
Chapter Thirty-Three
As I opened the door to my penthouse, a wave of relief washed over me. It was a familiar feeling, like a warm embrace after coming home from a long day at work. This was my sanctuary, the place I spent the most time. It may have once felt like a prison, but it was also the place that gave me the most comfort and familiarity. Despite the relief in my body, I knew our work was just beginning.
The scent of me and my home reached my nose. It’s strange—when you’re living somewhere, you can’t smell it, but as soon as you leave for a period of time and return, you know what your home smells like. Entering my penthouse, a wave of stale air hit me, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness floated around the room. Was this lingering from the years I never left or from my absence?
The sunlight, filtered through the dark blue-tinted windows, cast an ethereal glow across the cool, polished marble floor. Everything was just as I left it, not one thing out of place. Cleaner, even. I walked into my dimly lit bedroom and threw myself onto the plush bed. Unlike the stiff, uncomfortable mattress I’d grown accustomed to, this one cradled me like acloud, sinking gently into the plush foam. I wanted to fall asleep right in this moment; it was like I was missing something and needed to catch up.
A light knock came from my door. I lazily rolled off my bed to find Gabe and Jude standing outside my door. Jude donned a crisp vampire guard suit, shielding his face from any cameras. Gabe quickly shoved Jude inside, the door slamming shut with a loud bang to prevent any bystanders from seeing them.
“Vinny…” Jude’s voice was soft. “Holy fuck, this place is ridiculous! It’s huge! I’ve never seen anything like it.” He stepped inside my penthouse, a look of wonder and amazement on his face. “Whoa…and youlivehere?”
“You mean my luxurious prison? Yeah.” A burst of laughter escaped me at the sight of his shocked face. “Don’t forget I was locked inside for years, so to me, it’s just home.” I looked at his clothes. “By the way, where’d you get that?”
“We, uh, borrowed them from a military locker,” Gabe answered. “He couldn’t be walking around looking like a human.” Delving further into the penthouse, he scanned the room. “Weird to be here, isn’t it? It’s like everything happened, but at the same time, nothing has changed.”
He was right. Itwasweird.
A second, more forceful knock rattled the door, and my face went white. I quickly ushered Jude into the dimly lit coat closet and pressed a finger to my lips to signal silence. Walking to the door, I opened it to find a man in a tuxedo, his face impassive, standing behind. “Mr. Vincent, you’re back.”
I nodded. “And you are?”
“Eddie!” Stepping out of the room, Gabe shook the man’s hand. The grip was firm, and his eyes were intense. “What’s up, my man? Did ya think you’d see me again?”
“Gabe!” The man’s face lit up. “You were the one who brought Vincent home? You both need to come with me. Mr. Asposito is asking to see you.”
With a click of the lock, I secured the door, ensuring Jude’s safety, before meeting the two pale men at the elevator. With a low creak, the doors opened. We stepped into the hushed interior, while the button for my father’s office pulsed with a faint, ominous light.
“How’s everything been while I’ve been away, Ed?”
“Crazy,” he breathed. “There’s a lot going on right now. D’you think if Mr. Asposito offered you your job back, you’d take it?”
Gabe looked at me, a silent understanding hanging heavy in the air. I bit my lip to keep from smiling, knowing it would never happen.
“Yeah, definitely.”
Ding
The doors creaked open, and Eddie beckoned us into the dimly lit hallway leading to my father’s office. The large painting of the ship loomed over me, its rich colors and textures mesmerizing, as if it were about to swallow me whole.
“Vincent!” The door to the office swung open, the sound echoing in the silent hallway, and my father strode out, his arms open wide in greeting. “My boy, I was so scared for your well-being. I’msorelieved to see you safe.”
Over my shoulder, I looked at Gabe as he stared at my limp, dangling arms. His eyes almost told me to try to pretend, no matter how much anger I felt toward this man. I had to play along. Like I always did. Unwillingly, I lifted my arms and returned his embrace, the warmth of his body doing little to quell the burning anger igniting in my stomach.
With a slow turn of his bespeckled head, my father opened his arms wide, a warm welcome. “Gabe, you did it! I knew you would—come here.”
I watched Gabe hesitate, a flicker of uncertainty in his face, before slowly ambling into my father’s embrace. The display of affection was brief, and when they parted, we were ushered into his office. The large mahogany desk, polished to a high sheen, sat in the middle of the room, its imposing presence radiating corporate coldness. What secrets did this desk hide?
Today, my father wore a grey plaid suit, the white shirt underneath contrasting sharply with the dark fabric. A white bow tie adorned his neck, while a crisp and neatly pressed pocket square peeked from his breast pocket. His salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back, and his round glasses were the statement—a beautiful shade of purple made his pale skin pop. The stubble on his usually clean-shaven face felt rough, and his eyes, shadowed and dull, spoke of countless hours without sleep.
Was it because he was worried about me? Or scared his Dogs were disabled?
“First things first,” he held one finger in the air. “Gabe, you wonderful boy, I’d love for you to re-join my team. When Vincent was taken, and you left to find him, I didn’t expect you to come back. Apologies for doubting you, but I hope I can make up for my emotions getting the better of me before you left.”
“I’d be honored.” Gabe reached his hand over his heart and slightly bowed. “I needed to find him.”
