Two Days Later
A hospital visit which resulted in a CT scan along with an overnight stay with a ruling to take it easy for the next week and a half were the worst ruling I ever had. However it wasn't a bad idea considering my head was still fuzzy over the events at the mausoleum that night.
I looked down at my hands and eyed the ring while sitting at the counter in the kitchen early the third day since I had gone after the artifact. Everyone in the company lived in a huge building. There were halls that led to master bedrooms with their own bathrooms. There was an enormous dining hall and kitchen with a large communal laundry room and we even had two pools and hot tubs. There was a parking garage with our own assigned spaces based on our room numbers. In short, it was a glorified apartment complex.
I looked down at my hands and eyed the ring while sitting at the counter in the kitchen early the third day since I had gone after the artifact. Everyone in the company lived in a huge building. There were halls that led to master bedrooms with their own bathrooms. There was an enormous dining hall and kitchen with a large communal laundry room and we even had two pools and hot tubs. There was a parking garage with our own assigned spaces based on our room numbers. In short, it was a glorified apartment complex.
As I continued gazing at the circle of metal and sapphire, I couldn't help but think on my boss. I knew Avron would want it as soon as possible, but he hadn't been worried if I had it in my possession; he was more worked up over the fact I had a concussion and bruised ribs. Part of me didn't want to turn it in since I thought it was beautiful, but I hadn't earned the top spot retrieving artifacts by keeping them for myself. A breath escaped as footsteps echoed from behind me.
I twisted around to discover Syrus walking in. Syrus was Avron's younger brother. He had dark brown hair that was rather shaggy looking and scruffy facial hair. His eyes were ice blue, polar opposite of Avron. They didn't look alike till you looked at their noses and jaw. He was more slender than his brother and nowhere near as bulky, but he still kept me on edge.
Syrus stared at me for a moment. "You doing okay Mairyl? Heard you have a concussion."
I strategically moved the hand wearing the ring from his sight on the off chance he got nosy as he had a tendency to do. "It's still a bit fuzzy and other than a headache and minor ear ringing I'm okay. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Well Avron would like to talk to you about your last mission… and I got hungry." Those were not the words I wanted to hear out of him but expected to come eventually.
"Is he in his office?" I asked, slipping off the stool, taking a moment to regain my balance for my vision started dancing.
"Yes. I'd go right now, just saying. He's pretty antsy about the ring." Syrus yawned, walking over to the fridge.
I sighed softly. "Of course he is. Thanks for asking about my welfare as well."
I left the kitchen and slowly ambled through the halls to where his office resided. I slipped the ring off my finger and kept quiet as I knocked on the frame of the door since it was partially open. He rustled something inside before calling, "If that's you Mairyl, please, come in."
I took a step inside and looked about, even though I had been in this room multiple times. It just happened to be a dark, mysterious place with the glow of a flaming fire always lit in the fireplace. There was a massive brown bear rug in the middle of the room and a lamp in the corner across from the fireplace. There was a jungle plant by the window, which was surrounded by velvet curtains and the blinds were pulled down, blocking any possible sunlight from infiltrating this dark haven. There was a bookshelf opposite of the window that held trinkets as well, but I didn't often pay attention to it; I was normally just dropping things off but as of late, I had been summoned in here to be chastised.
"Syrus told me you wanted to talk?" I managed to squeak.
"Yes I did. Would you like to sit down?" He said, settling on the desk on the side opposite of his leather desk chair.
Shaking my head, I walked over once I shut the door and settled for standing on the bear rug. "I'm fine. I was hoping this would be quick to be honest."
"I'll try to make it quick. I know you need to take it easy." – He started, his gaze looking me up and down – "Do you actually have the ring?"
As he asked, I couldn't help but stare at him. Avron was tall but he was slightly shorter than Kyron and Syrus. He had ink colored hair that was cut in a long thick crew cut that was a variation of the retro 50's style. His eyes were a deep blue and his nose was rather sharp followed with a sharp square jaw. He had a mustache and goatee that didn't touch but were clean cut. He generally wore long sleeved button-down shirts with slacks and a tie but today, he wore a plain tee and jeans.
I looked down at my ragged black knee high boots, not daring to look him in the eye as I held the ring out for him. "Here, take it."
He got up from the desk and towered over me as he proceeded to pick the ring up from my hand. "So you did manage to get it… how?"
I sighed huffily. "Look I don't remember anything other than going to the mausoleum and running into Kyron. Everything goes fuzzy from there other than talking to him again and I ended up with that thing before it goes blank once more."
"Thank you for actually succeeding this time. I was preparing to yell at you for failing again… but that doesn't excuse your idiocy. You could have died." Avron frowned, setting the ring on the desk before turning to look at me once more.
My gaze transferred to the rug beneath my feet. "Don't you think I've scolded myself on that enough as it is Avron? I risk my life all the damn time and yet you don't care. When's the last time you went after an artifact?"
"We're not talking about my shortfalls are we now? As for you risking your life, I do care if you live or die. However, I can't help this is our profession and you feel it necessary to try and pay my family back for bringing you in after yours perished." He answered, completely ignoring my question.
"Don't bring my parents up ever again Avron!" – I shrieked – "I'm done talking now. You got your stupid ring and I'm unavailable to retrieve anything for the next week. I don't want to hear from you till I'm clear."
I stormed off to my room before he could say anything more to me on the matter. The subject of my family bothered me to no end to this day. My parents had died after a home invasion when I was only nine years of age and Avron's family had taken me in afterwards, looking after me as one of their own. He was right that I felt it necessary to try and repay their kindness for taking me in, but he didn't have to bring up my folks.
Arriving at my room, I locked the knob and put the chain lock I had on it in place. My fingers came up to my collarbone, fingering the ankh necklace my mother had given to me years ago. In ancient Egypt, ankhs were a symbol of life, which was why I received it as a gift from her the day before her death, whether she knew it was the end or not. Returning to reality after a few moments, I observed the familiar area around me. There was a queen sized canopy bed with translucent curtains off to the far left corner from where I was. There was a side table with a lamp across the room in the other corner. I too had a fireplace about halfway across the room on the wall that was always kept up by the staff and had a couple pictures of my family up on the mantle since they were long gone. I had a dresser set and a dresser table that I usually only used for my hair since I barely wore makeup and a door that led to the bathroom.
Thinking on the bathroom, a shower sounded pretty nice about then. It had been a couple days since I had one and they were always welcome when I was upset. Stepping in the bathroom, my sight fell upon the ornate mirror above the sink surrounded by white marble counters. Out of habit, I went ahead and stared myself over to make sure there was nothing out of place, taking note of the new bruises to try and avoid hitting them if I could. My hair was a dark honey color and looked a ragged mess. My eyes were a molten honey color and almost that perfect almond shape. My face happened to be a soft diamond shape with perfectly placed slightly full lips and a straight nose. I wouldn't trade my features for the world since they accomplished the task of getting looks left and right from the men.
Flipping the light switch on, I went over to the shower stall and turned the chrome faucets on, cranking the hot on a bit more than the cold. The dirtied shirt came over my head and dropped to the tiled floor with a soft thump, followed by my boots, pants, bra and panties. I padded over to the counter and pulled my studs out, followed by the necklace I treasured so dearly. I stepped into the stall and shut the door, allowing the hot water to roll over my aching body with a small moan. As I washed up, I thought about what I was going to do for the day. Driving was out of the question till I was symptom free, but I still wanted to get out and do something. There was a restaurant just a block away I had wanted to try out but I was wondering if that would be too far of a walk… if anything happened, I could just text Avron or Syrus to come get me.
I turned the faucets off and climbed out, wrapping myself in a fluffy towel before going back into the main room and waltzing up to my drawers. When my fingers grazed over my favorite tank that read Fuck Your Pretty Face, I smirked and pulled it on once I got my bra back on. I delved into another drawer, pulling out a black pair of extra skinny jeans that fit like a glove and pulled them on after slipping into a lacy thong I adored. My feet took me over to my dressing table, which I sat myself down in the plush white chair to do my hair for the day. I didn't enjoy the thought of running my brush through my locks because they tended to get tangled quite easily.
I combed my hair back and twisted it into a makeshift bun, deciding makeup was a must today. I swore I took up half a bottle of foundation to cover the bruises that showed but the rest I applied with a gentle hand, struggling with the eyeliner as per usual and managing to get it done right the first time. I loved how my honey eyes were perfectly accented with the makeup color I had chosen to put on today. I slipped into a pair of flats that had skulls and crossbones on them before grabbing my wallet and phone before heading out of my bedroom.
"Mairyl, are you in the dog house again?"
I grimaced when I heard that voice and watched the bothersome girl saunter up. I could just make out the faux blonde hair with those piercing gray eyes that annoyed the shit out of me because the woman that owned them thought they were all knowing. I tried to withhold a growl of irritation before turning to see her dressed in one of the most slutty things I had seen her in to date. She had a skirt that would allow any guy easy access, a top that tied in a sexy knot and five inch heels that I'm sure clacked against the tiles and whatever else they could reach.
"For your information Vesta, I'm not in trouble. Thanks for asking." I grumbled.
I absolutely despised Vesta. She was always jealous of my "relationship" with my adopted brothers and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see what she found so beautiful about either of them.
"Well damn, I was hoping you'd get fired for fucking this last job up." She snickered.
Without thinking, my fist curled into a ball and I threw it at her, landing it in her self proclaimed pretty face. I absolutely enjoyed hearing her nose break under pressure, but I didn't appreciate the blood spurting out on my clean hand. She yelled out in pain and fell to the floor, clutching her nose whining. I grumbled under my breath before going to the sink and washing my hand clean of her fluids; I didn't want any part of her touching me longer than necessary. When I returned to look at her, she had a death glare on her face with a bit of crimson smeared on the tip of her nose.
"Wait till Avron hears you punched me. He's going to give it to you." She hissed, running back down the hall whining like a baby.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, walking out the front doors to my destination…
"Is this seat taken?"
Everything cringed upon hearing that familiar voice and after the events of the other night, I was certain I didn't want to see him again so soon. With a sigh and a head shake, I glanced up from my plate to stare at the blonde giant. He made a face when he looked at mine but he settled in the seat across the booth.
"What do you want Kyron? I've already got a headache and you're one of the last people in which I want to converse." I said, pressing my palm against my temple since my head started pounding.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here, but I figured I should come apologize for uhm… the other night." He said, lowering his voice so only I could hear him.
"What do you mean?" I frowned, slightly confused about the events that night in the first place.
"You… you don't remember still? Oh fuck… do I really have to be the one to tell you this?" – He asked mostly to himself before sighing – "We were fighting over the ring you had and I knocked you around hard enough you hit your head on the ground… I… I feel bad for hurting you and it wasn't my intention to do so."
As I listened to his words, the events of the night became clear and I gasped. "You – I can't – gah!"
"Please forgive me. Again, I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did… but don't think I won't stop you if you attack." He said, looking the utmost remorseful for causing the pain I suffered with now.
I clenched my jaw and took a breath through my nose, carefully thinking over his words before muttering, "If I forgive you, will you leave me alone?"
"On one condition: I can get your phone number."
I was taken aback. "What? Really? We hate each other."
"Correction: You hate me. I am just trying to make a living like you are and we happen to be rivals… that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to get to know you as a person to be honest. We've run into each other so many times…" He retorted.
"Well I'm too mad at you for giving me a hospital bill and injuries I didn't ask for in the first place, so no. You don't get my number." I snapped, picking at the food on my plate.
"Well then… if you change your mind, here's mine. We may be rivals, but I'm sure we could be good friends otherwise." He sighed, pulling a card out of his pocket and slipping it over to me.
I made a face but took it anyways. There were so many things I could do with the card. He stood up an offered a knee weakening smile. "Get out of here."
"Enjoy your lunch Mairyl." He said, leaving the booth in an almost formal manner.
With a small groan, I sank into my seat, feeling even more miserable than I thought I could in my life. I had the answers I had been wondering about the last couple days but to top it off, Kyron was playing nice. He did surprise me with being regretful over his actions, but completely blindsided me with wanting to be friends. I picked the card up and noticed it was his company card but there was ink bleeding from the other side and when I turned it over, I found a number on the back.
The giant wanted to play nice… I wasn't ready to forgive and forget, but I was going to think about the proposition.
I twisted around to discover Syrus walking in. Syrus was Avron's younger brother. He had dark brown hair that was rather shaggy looking and scruffy facial hair. His eyes were ice blue, polar opposite of Avron. They didn't look alike till you looked at their noses and jaw. He was more slender than his brother and nowhere near as bulky, but he still kept me on edge.
Syrus stared at me for a moment. "You doing okay Mairyl? Heard you have a concussion."
I strategically moved the hand wearing the ring from his sight on the off chance he got nosy as he had a tendency to do. "It's still a bit fuzzy and other than a headache and minor ear ringing I'm okay. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Well Avron would like to talk to you about your last mission… and I got hungry." Those were not the words I wanted to hear out of him but expected to come eventually.
"Is he in his office?" I asked, slipping off the stool, taking a moment to regain my balance for my vision started dancing.
"Yes. I'd go right now, just saying. He's pretty antsy about the ring." Syrus yawned, walking over to the fridge.
I sighed softly. "Of course he is. Thanks for asking about my welfare as well."
I left the kitchen and slowly ambled through the halls to where his office resided. I slipped the ring off my finger and kept quiet as I knocked on the frame of the door since it was partially open. He rustled something inside before calling, "If that's you Mairyl, please, come in."
I took a step inside and looked about, even though I had been in this room multiple times. It just happened to be a dark, mysterious place with the glow of a flaming fire always lit in the fireplace. There was a massive brown bear rug in the middle of the room and a lamp in the corner across from the fireplace. There was a jungle plant by the window, which was surrounded by velvet curtains and the blinds were pulled down, blocking any possible sunlight from infiltrating this dark haven. There was a bookshelf opposite of the window that held trinkets as well, but I didn't often pay attention to it; I was normally just dropping things off but as of late, I had been summoned in here to be chastised.
"Syrus told me you wanted to talk?" I managed to squeak.
"Yes I did. Would you like to sit down?" He said, settling on the desk on the side opposite of his leather desk chair.
Shaking my head, I walked over once I shut the door and settled for standing on the bear rug. "I'm fine. I was hoping this would be quick to be honest."
"I'll try to make it quick. I know you need to take it easy." – He started, his gaze looking me up and down – "Do you actually have the ring?"
As he asked, I couldn't help but stare at him. Avron was tall but he was slightly shorter than Kyron and Syrus. He had ink colored hair that was cut in a long thick crew cut that was a variation of the retro 50's style. His eyes were a deep blue and his nose was rather sharp followed with a sharp square jaw. He had a mustache and goatee that didn't touch but were clean cut. He generally wore long sleeved button-down shirts with slacks and a tie but today, he wore a plain tee and jeans.
I looked down at my ragged black knee high boots, not daring to look him in the eye as I held the ring out for him. "Here, take it."
He got up from the desk and towered over me as he proceeded to pick the ring up from my hand. "So you did manage to get it… how?"
I sighed huffily. "Look I don't remember anything other than going to the mausoleum and running into Kyron. Everything goes fuzzy from there other than talking to him again and I ended up with that thing before it goes blank once more."
"Thank you for actually succeeding this time. I was preparing to yell at you for failing again… but that doesn't excuse your idiocy. You could have died." Avron frowned, setting the ring on the desk before turning to look at me once more.
My gaze transferred to the rug beneath my feet. "Don't you think I've scolded myself on that enough as it is Avron? I risk my life all the damn time and yet you don't care. When's the last time you went after an artifact?"
"We're not talking about my shortfalls are we now? As for you risking your life, I do care if you live or die. However, I can't help this is our profession and you feel it necessary to try and pay my family back for bringing you in after yours perished." He answered, completely ignoring my question.
"Don't bring my parents up ever again Avron!" – I shrieked – "I'm done talking now. You got your stupid ring and I'm unavailable to retrieve anything for the next week. I don't want to hear from you till I'm clear."
I stormed off to my room before he could say anything more to me on the matter. The subject of my family bothered me to no end to this day. My parents had died after a home invasion when I was only nine years of age and Avron's family had taken me in afterwards, looking after me as one of their own. He was right that I felt it necessary to try and repay their kindness for taking me in, but he didn't have to bring up my folks.
Arriving at my room, I locked the knob and put the chain lock I had on it in place. My fingers came up to my collarbone, fingering the ankh necklace my mother had given to me years ago. In ancient Egypt, ankhs were a symbol of life, which was why I received it as a gift from her the day before her death, whether she knew it was the end or not. Returning to reality after a few moments, I observed the familiar area around me. There was a queen sized canopy bed with translucent curtains off to the far left corner from where I was. There was a side table with a lamp across the room in the other corner. I too had a fireplace about halfway across the room on the wall that was always kept up by the staff and had a couple pictures of my family up on the mantle since they were long gone. I had a dresser set and a dresser table that I usually only used for my hair since I barely wore makeup and a door that led to the bathroom.
Thinking on the bathroom, a shower sounded pretty nice about then. It had been a couple days since I had one and they were always welcome when I was upset. Stepping in the bathroom, my sight fell upon the ornate mirror above the sink surrounded by white marble counters. Out of habit, I went ahead and stared myself over to make sure there was nothing out of place, taking note of the new bruises to try and avoid hitting them if I could. My hair was a dark honey color and looked a ragged mess. My eyes were a molten honey color and almost that perfect almond shape. My face happened to be a soft diamond shape with perfectly placed slightly full lips and a straight nose. I wouldn't trade my features for the world since they accomplished the task of getting looks left and right from the men.
Flipping the light switch on, I went over to the shower stall and turned the chrome faucets on, cranking the hot on a bit more than the cold. The dirtied shirt came over my head and dropped to the tiled floor with a soft thump, followed by my boots, pants, bra and panties. I padded over to the counter and pulled my studs out, followed by the necklace I treasured so dearly. I stepped into the stall and shut the door, allowing the hot water to roll over my aching body with a small moan. As I washed up, I thought about what I was going to do for the day. Driving was out of the question till I was symptom free, but I still wanted to get out and do something. There was a restaurant just a block away I had wanted to try out but I was wondering if that would be too far of a walk… if anything happened, I could just text Avron or Syrus to come get me.
I turned the faucets off and climbed out, wrapping myself in a fluffy towel before going back into the main room and waltzing up to my drawers. When my fingers grazed over my favorite tank that read Fuck Your Pretty Face, I smirked and pulled it on once I got my bra back on. I delved into another drawer, pulling out a black pair of extra skinny jeans that fit like a glove and pulled them on after slipping into a lacy thong I adored. My feet took me over to my dressing table, which I sat myself down in the plush white chair to do my hair for the day. I didn't enjoy the thought of running my brush through my locks because they tended to get tangled quite easily.
I combed my hair back and twisted it into a makeshift bun, deciding makeup was a must today. I swore I took up half a bottle of foundation to cover the bruises that showed but the rest I applied with a gentle hand, struggling with the eyeliner as per usual and managing to get it done right the first time. I loved how my honey eyes were perfectly accented with the makeup color I had chosen to put on today. I slipped into a pair of flats that had skulls and crossbones on them before grabbing my wallet and phone before heading out of my bedroom.
"Mairyl, are you in the dog house again?"
I grimaced when I heard that voice and watched the bothersome girl saunter up. I could just make out the faux blonde hair with those piercing gray eyes that annoyed the shit out of me because the woman that owned them thought they were all knowing. I tried to withhold a growl of irritation before turning to see her dressed in one of the most slutty things I had seen her in to date. She had a skirt that would allow any guy easy access, a top that tied in a sexy knot and five inch heels that I'm sure clacked against the tiles and whatever else they could reach.
"For your information Vesta, I'm not in trouble. Thanks for asking." I grumbled.
I absolutely despised Vesta. She was always jealous of my "relationship" with my adopted brothers and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see what she found so beautiful about either of them.
"Well damn, I was hoping you'd get fired for fucking this last job up." She snickered.
Without thinking, my fist curled into a ball and I threw it at her, landing it in her self proclaimed pretty face. I absolutely enjoyed hearing her nose break under pressure, but I didn't appreciate the blood spurting out on my clean hand. She yelled out in pain and fell to the floor, clutching her nose whining. I grumbled under my breath before going to the sink and washing my hand clean of her fluids; I didn't want any part of her touching me longer than necessary. When I returned to look at her, she had a death glare on her face with a bit of crimson smeared on the tip of her nose.
"Wait till Avron hears you punched me. He's going to give it to you." She hissed, running back down the hall whining like a baby.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, walking out the front doors to my destination…
"Is this seat taken?"
Everything cringed upon hearing that familiar voice and after the events of the other night, I was certain I didn't want to see him again so soon. With a sigh and a head shake, I glanced up from my plate to stare at the blonde giant. He made a face when he looked at mine but he settled in the seat across the booth.
"What do you want Kyron? I've already got a headache and you're one of the last people in which I want to converse." I said, pressing my palm against my temple since my head started pounding.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here, but I figured I should come apologize for uhm… the other night." He said, lowering his voice so only I could hear him.
"What do you mean?" I frowned, slightly confused about the events that night in the first place.
"You… you don't remember still? Oh fuck… do I really have to be the one to tell you this?" – He asked mostly to himself before sighing – "We were fighting over the ring you had and I knocked you around hard enough you hit your head on the ground… I… I feel bad for hurting you and it wasn't my intention to do so."
As I listened to his words, the events of the night became clear and I gasped. "You – I can't – gah!"
"Please forgive me. Again, I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did… but don't think I won't stop you if you attack." He said, looking the utmost remorseful for causing the pain I suffered with now.
I clenched my jaw and took a breath through my nose, carefully thinking over his words before muttering, "If I forgive you, will you leave me alone?"
"On one condition: I can get your phone number."
I was taken aback. "What? Really? We hate each other."
"Correction: You hate me. I am just trying to make a living like you are and we happen to be rivals… that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to get to know you as a person to be honest. We've run into each other so many times…" He retorted.
"Well I'm too mad at you for giving me a hospital bill and injuries I didn't ask for in the first place, so no. You don't get my number." I snapped, picking at the food on my plate.
"Well then… if you change your mind, here's mine. We may be rivals, but I'm sure we could be good friends otherwise." He sighed, pulling a card out of his pocket and slipping it over to me.
I made a face but took it anyways. There were so many things I could do with the card. He stood up an offered a knee weakening smile. "Get out of here."
"Enjoy your lunch Mairyl." He said, leaving the booth in an almost formal manner.
With a small groan, I sank into my seat, feeling even more miserable than I thought I could in my life. I had the answers I had been wondering about the last couple days but to top it off, Kyron was playing nice. He did surprise me with being regretful over his actions, but completely blindsided me with wanting to be friends. I picked the card up and noticed it was his company card but there was ink bleeding from the other side and when I turned it over, I found a number on the back.
The giant wanted to play nice… I wasn't ready to forgive and forget, but I was going to think about the proposition.
*Special Thanks To My Fiance For Helping Me Figure This Chapter Out*
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