Page 179 of Gates of Tartarus

“Ahhh... So Deo didn’t get his, um, birthday... day?” I begin slowly, not sure exactly where I’m going with this.

The guys all look at me with sudden interest. My voice was a little shaky when I said his name, and these fuckers couldn’t let a girl just have a minute. Christ. Deo focuses on me with laser-like precision.

“What’s up, Kai?” he says softly.

“Um. There’s a cool cemetery down the street…” Everyone but Hideo and Gemma look confused, Gemma smiling a secret little smile and ducking her head, and Deo checking his watch immediately.

“I think you could make it before it closes,” he replies.

“Yeah. So. Um…” I kick my toe into the floor for a minute, then look up at him directly. “Would you like to go with me? Dinner’s not due for another hour or so, and then we’ll do your cake, so we should have time.”

“Sure, Kai,” he says slowly, careful happiness in his voice.

“Okay then,” I smile tremulously. “It’s a date. Ah, Gemms? Could you... would you mind helping me get ready?”

She bounces off her chair, smiling broadly. “On it!” she chirps.

Deo is still sitting in the corner, looking stunned, then, like the sun breaking through a rain-drenched sky, a smile so bright it’s painful to look at eclipses his face, and he meets my eyes with heart-wrenching happiness.

“It’s a date,” he repeats softly.

???

We don’t have long to get me ready, but Gemma works miracles in the fifteen minutes it takes to do makeup and hair. She doesn’t say a word about the date, just carefully does my eyes and cheeks before asking quietly, “How do you want your hair?”

“Just loose waves maybe?” I ask, voice shaking slightly.I’m going on a date with Hideo. A date I asked him on. Christ in a handbasket.

Gemma lays a hand on my shoulder – I think she can hear my erratic breathing. “You okay?”

“Mostly. Just nervous.”

Nodding, she looks through my case and pulls out my jeans and an enormous, fluffy white sweater I brought. “Want to borrow my boots?” she asks, looking critically at my limited footwear. It’s a strange fact about Gemms – she’s tiny in every way but her oversized feet. It’s part of the reason she wears heels so often.

I nod, and she runs to her room then back, carrying a beautiful pair of soft, suede boots that I’ve always loved. They’re knee high, slightly slouchy, and gorgeous, and I slip them on, then look myself over despairingly.

“Jewelry,” she says thoughtfully and flips open my case. “Oooo…” she breathes out happily. “You brought the good stuff! Let me know what I’m allowed to borrow!”

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “When have you ever asked me before?”

She grins and shrugs. “I don’t know if ‘boyfriend gifts’ are off limits.” Combing through my bag, she pauses for a second. “I haven’t seen these before – where’d you get them? They’re gorgeous!”

Looking at her hand, I see a pair of gold plumeria earrings, with small diamonds set in the center of the flowers, and a cluster of small, raw white pearls cascading down from them.

“Ah. From Deo. For my birthday.” She opens a second matching box and finds the matching ring and bracelet that go with the earrings.

“Kai…” she begins slowly. “Not to step where I’m not wanted, but... maybe wear these?” I nod and put them on. “You look stunning,” Gemma says softly. “Go ahead now.”

Walking out of my bedroom, I suddenly feel shy, like I’m on display, and in a way I am, all four of the guys looking up at me, three with hungry gazes, one with an unknown battle in his eyes. Deo steps forward from the group, looking mind-numbingly handsome. He’s in dark jeans with a tight grey and white striped Henley and a slouchy, black hoodie open over it. There’s nothing of Agent Tanaka in the outfit – no carefully pressed clothes or neatly tied shoes – he’s shed everything tied to that image and is just boyish, happy Hideo, like I’ve never seen him before. And it makes my heart stop beating for a moment.

“Ready, KaiKai?” he asks, holding out his hand hesitantly, and, just as hesitantly, I take it in mine. The moment our fingers touch, a grin breaks out across his face. “Bye, guys!” he calls over his shoulder, not looking away from me for a second.

“Before you head out…” Jonah calls and ambles over to us. Wrapping his arms around me as much as possible with me still holding Deo’s hand, he kisses my cheek. “Have fun. Be safe. London at night and all that. I’ll text you when the food gets here.”

Walker punches him lightly on the shoulder, pushing him aside, and hugs me the same way, mirroring Jonah’s actions, though more awkwardly. He kisses me, too, then turns to Deo, voice stern. “Be careful. It’s just down the street, but we don’t know what’s happening right now with Cole and Kronos and all. Just be smart.”

Deo nods seriously. “Roger. And we both have tracking turned on on our phones in case something goes awry.”

Maddox is sitting in the corner of the room by the fireplace, watching the interactions through burning eyes. “This is justfinewith you two?” he asks Walker and Jonah, tone biting, but face perplexed. “This whole thing is just – she’s going on adate. With another guy.”