Looking both ways, I catch a break in the traffic, and hurry across, making my way to the sidewalk before slowing down. A sudden sensation of anxiousness pulses through me, as I approach the three-story front entrance. I take a deep breath and swallow hard, bracing myself. Whatever it is, I still have to face it.
I glance up, catching something in my peripheral. Curtains sway back and forth behind a third-floor window but no one is there. Could it be Ascot? That’s his apartment, is he watching me? I shrug it off, trying to suppress the feeling that he’s just not into me and keep walking.
The front door bursts open. “Elise!” Ascot shouts, heading straight for me. “We have to go!” he reaches out his hand and I take it, totally stunned.
“Wh—what’s going on?” I get out as he breaks into a run, pulling me with him toward a black sedan.
“Just get in,” he lets go of my hand, yanking open the passenger door. I lean down, sliding in on the tan leather seats just before the door slams shut. Ascot rushes around the front of the car, hoping in on the driver’s side and starts the engine.
“Where are we going?” I ask, heart pounding with adrenaline.
“Hang on!” he jerks the gear into drive, flooring the gas as we fishtail out of the parking lot. Somehow, we manage to miss several lanes of oncoming traffic, pulling in front of a loud symphony of car horns behind us.
“Holy shit!” I look back at angry faces and several middle fingers. “If you’re trying to get us killed by road rage, trust me, we’re about to die.” I blurt out, grasping tightly on the handle above my window.
“Watch that silver two-door!” Ascot shouts, ignoring my warning as he turns sharply. “Don’t let it out of your sight!”
I look straight ahead and spot the car between an SUV and us. I’ve seen it before. “Isn’t that the guy who lives on the first floo…”
“Yes, his name is Marcus Logan,” he interrupts, nostrils flaring, “and he’s up to nothing good.”
I glance ahead, watching the vehicle weave in and out of traffic. “Why the hell do you care?” I ask but he ignores me, eyes focused as he follows his tenant. Several turns and one near collision later, Ascot slows down as the silver car turns into a La Quinta parking lot.
Ascot keeps his distance, taking a parking spot several feet away as we watch the driver’s side door open. A young guy, maybe in his early twenties, with dirty blond hair gets out, wearing a black t-shirt and tattered jeans. Clearly, he hasn’t noticed us as he palms his left bulging black eye. He suddenly picks up his pace and races up a flight of stairs to a room on the second floor, beating the door before someone lets him in.
I look over to Ascot, his eyes still fixed on the door Marcus disappeared through. “Are you going to tell me what the hell you’re doing?” I fold my arms with more confidence than I feel.
He blinks, shifting in his seat. “Wait here,” he gets out and turns, leaning down. “I’m gonna to grab us a room.”
“What? No, wait!” I call out and his head pops back in, eyes locking with mine. “I’m not staying the night here,” I say, shaking my head.
His lips form a thin line, expression a mix of frustration and anger. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.”
“Fine, I’ll call an Uber,” I pull up on the handle, turning to get out when a warm hand gently takes my wrist.
“Elise,” Ascot whispers and I look back. “I need to talk to you,” he admits, his face softens. “And I might need your abilities, I haven’t worked that out yet.”
I pause, staring into his deep green eyes, a different kind of vulnerability gazing back at me. But something isn’t right and I don’t want to cave into his good looks.
“I can’t, not now,” I pull away from him. “Take me home.”
“At least give me time to explain,” he pleads and I sigh, shaking my head. His lips slowly curl into a tentative smile. “Stay here, I’ll get a room,” he moves away, sprinting toward the hotel’s front sliding doors.
Chapter Eight
Somehow, Ascot managed to get a room directly across from the room Marcus Logan ran into. As we walk in, I look to my right and swallow at the king-sized bed staring back at me. I try to ignore immediate thoughts of how that will work, spotting a lamp, glowing on a small corner table with two chairs pushed underneath. I take a seat, placing my purse on top and look up. Ascot is already peeking out the window through the curtains.
“Time to start talking,” I look up at him. “What the hell is going on, Ascot?” I say his name, and he turns, glancing down at me.
“Yeah, of course,” he whispers, stepping closer to the chair opposite me and takes a seat. “Not sure if you’ve noticed, but Mr. Logan’s apartment becomes quite active at night,” he shakes his head. “And some of them have escalated into fights.”
I nod. “Well, that explains his black eye.”
“Mm hum.”
“I just figured he was selling weed or something?”
“Yes,” Ascot says through clenched teeth. “Among other things,” he shakes his head. “He’s increasing his inventory to cocaine and heroine.”
“Jesus,” I whisper. “Are you going to evict him?”
“Eventually it will have to come to that,” he says. “But that’s not why we’re here,” he looks back at me but I stay silent. “We’re here because I have to stop him from any kind of further activity at the apartment building.”
“Well, lucky for you, he’s not there,” I say, still a little confused.
Ascot sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t allow him to go back, Elise, not now, anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Because someone is after him.”
“Oh,” I swallow, “what, like a gang member?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then who?”
“My father.”
Huh?
“Are you telling me that Apollo, the Greek god, is coming for a visit?” I snicker and his face clears.
“It’s no laughing matter, Elise, I assure you,” Ascot lets out a long breath. “Between the portal and Mr. Logan’s higher than normal drug trafficking, I’m pretty sure my father has been alerted of my general whereabouts.”
“Wait, he doesn’t know where you live?” my eyes widen.
“No,” he admits. “He hasn’t in years.”
“What? Why not?”
“It’s a long story, but the massive negative energy of both Marcus’ drug trafficking, and that fucking portal in my bedroom…” he walks back to the window and looks through the slightly open curtains. “They’re practically giving off a signal straight to me.”
I cock my head. “Oh wait, all that energy. Is that what draws Apollo’s attention?
Ascot glances back at me. “Exactly,” he nods. “I know we’ve briefly discussed this already but, how much do you actually know about Greek Mythology?”
“A little,” I scratch my head. “I mean, I remember learning in school that Zeus is like the king of the gods or something like that.”