Her smile drops, and she crosses her arms over her chest. Bitch mode activated. The spike between her eyes and hoop that hangs from her nose doesn’t help to make her look any friendlier. All she’s missing is the smoke coming out of her ears and she’d look like a cartoon bull about to charge me. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No. But he is here?”
“He’s not available. For you,” she answers slowly as if I’m hard of hearing while her hazel eyes sweep me over. Obviously judging me for what she sees—lack of ink and piercings I’m sure.
I push off the desk and walk down the narrow hallway.
“Hey, get back here,” she calls out.
I ignore her.
“Hey … I said he’s unavailable …”
Taking another turn, I walk past the open doors. The last one on the right is closed. I shove it open without knocking.
A woman lies on her back. Her legs up in what look like stirrups. All she wears is a pair of soft pink underwear from the waist down. Her jeans lie over the back of a chair in the corner of the room. And Cross is between her legs tattooing her inner thigh. “Oh my gosh … I’m so sorry …”
“Emilee?” He looks up at me. “What are you …?”
“I told her you were busy,” the young girl snaps, coming in behind me.
“She’s fine.” He waves her off, and I hear her growl.
“What can I do for you?” he asks, pushing up his black rimmed glasses to his head and removing his gloves. Cross always had that bad boy—I’ll fuck you on the couch while your parents are in the other room with the door open kind of guy. All he’d need is to wrap a hand around your throat and cut off your air to keep you from screaming his name. He’s always been mysterious but the guy could get any girl he wanted. And he lined them up. He had daddy issues just like Jasmine. I wonder if they got together and talked about them if that would help?
He has thick, dark hair that most women dream of. He’s always kept it long. Right now, it’s hidden under a backward baseball cap. And his beard—it matches his hair in thickness and color. I never cared for them because I felt like they covered up too much of his handsome face. But Cross has his own way of making everything look hot. His eyes are what make him, though. They’re a deep emerald shade. I avoided him back in school. Every time he makes eye contact with you, you feel like he’s undressing you. It’s intimate and makes your legs weak. Like now. He wears a black T-shirt with a skull on it that looks like it’s on fire. The top of the shirt reads—light up my soul. With faded blue jeans and black combat boots. He is every dad’s nightmare and ever mother’s wild fantasy.
I stop eye-fucking him and remember why I’m here. “How do I get to the sixteenth floor?”
His brows arch.
“The Palace?” I continue when he just stares at me.
He nods. “Right. Palace. Nigel can help you with that. I’ll let him know you’re coming.”
“Got it. Thanks.” It must be one of those levels that only he has access to.
He laughs and shakes his head, grabbing a new set of gloves. “No problem.”
I close the door and head back to where I entered the shop. “Thanks for nothing, bitch,” I say to the girl still glaring at me as I walk out.
It takes me ten minutes to get to the far side of Kingdom—tower one.
“Hello, Miss York,” Nigel greets me before we step onto the elevator. He’s always happy. I also notice that he’s always working. I’m not sure the guy ever gets a day off. Or if he sleeps.
“I was given a code.”
“Ah, yes. You will need it to enter the room.” He nods.
What in the hell? What kind of room is this? Is it the vault? Is it where they stash their billions of dollars? Dead bodies?
We come to a stop, and he gestures for me to exit. “You have a great day, young lady.”
“Thanks for your help.”
He nods. “Anytime.” Then the elevator closes, and he’s gone.
I look over the flat black painted walls and dark purple carpet. Black sconces hang on the wall, shining purple lights down onto the floor. The carpet is so thick, my shoes sinking into it. I turn in a full circle to look at my surroundings. I can either go back to the elevator or toward the door at the end of the hall. Those are the only options I have.
The door it is. I make my way toward it and see a keypad. On the door is written The Palace in rose gold letters and then every queen needs a palace written below it. I press in the code I was given, and a lock clicks. I push down the gold handle and open the big black door. It’s darker than the hallway. A purple light is all that shines from the top of the ceiling in the rather large entrance.