Page 64 of His Ruthless Match

“Damn right I am. I’ll call you when I’ve got something.”

“Thanks, Gabe. You’re the best.”

“Don’t I know it,” he replied. “Stay safe, boss lady.”

I slumped back in my chair and buried my face in my hands. My head throbbed. Every instinct screamed that I was running out of time. I closed my eyes, allowing myself a moment of rest.

I heard footsteps approaching, and I glanced up to see Jareth strolling back into the office. He looked entirely too smug for someone who’d just been hauling his things around The Below. How the hell did he have time to go to The Below, pick up his stuff, and drop it off at my apartment?

I looked at the time. Somehow, three hours had gone by. So much for a quick rest.

“You look fantastic,” he said, his golden eyes glittering with amusement. “I’ve never seen you look better.”

“Go to hell,” I muttered, flipping him off. I caught my reflection in the darkened screen of my monitor and winced. My hair was a mess, my makeup smeared, and the dark circles under my eyes were impressive. Fantastic, indeed.

Jareth grinned and dropped into the chair across from my desk. “There’s nothing more you can do from here,” he said. “You’re going to burn out. Let’s go back to your apartment so you can rest. You need to take care of yourself for a change.”

“I’m fine,” I snapped, though my voice lacked conviction. “I can’t just sit around doing nothing.”

“Okay. I can wait.” Jareth propped his dirty boots on the side of my desk like a fucking animal.

I glared at him, but my exhaustion won out, and I sighed. “Fine. I’ll grab my laptop and let Theo and Nadia know to hold down the fort.”

Jareth stood, his grin widening. “Good decision.”

When we arrivedat my building, Jareth trailed behind me like a shadow, scanning the hallways as though someone might leap out of the potted plants. I shook my head but didn’t bother saying anything. It wasn’t worth the argument, and if I werebeing honest with myself, it felt reassuring. Not that I’d admit that to him.

As I stepped into my apartment, I froze. The place was spotless. And not my usual “quick tidying before guests come over” spotless. No, it looked like it had been scrubbed from top to bottom. The floors gleamed, the counters sparkled, and the faint scent of lemon lingered in the air.

“Did someone break in and… clean?”

Jareth smirked. “Not quite.”

Suspicious, I made my way to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab a glass of wine. What I found nearly made me drop the bottle in shock. The fridge was packed. Fruits, vegetables, containers of prepped meals, snacks, drinks—everything perfectly organized like something out of a home magazine.

“What the hell? When did this happen?”

Jareth followed me into the kitchen, watching with a bemused expression as I pulled open the pantry. Every shelf was full with neatly arranged staples. There were even a few of my favorite brands that were hard to find. I turned to him, narrowing my eyes.

“What is this?” I demanded. “Did you…?”

“I’d love to take all the credit, but the truth is, I had Grelth do the shopping while I tackled the cleaning.”

I gaped at him, completely at a loss for words.

Jareth chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Look, I know having me around isn’t exactly convenient for you. The least I can do is make sure I’m not making your life harder. I figured I’d try to add to it instead of just getting in your way.”

Jareth—sarcastic, infuriating, maddeningly confident Jareth—was being… thoughtful?

“On that note,” he said as he strode past me. “I’m going to go run you a hot bath.”

I blinked again, fully speechless now. Before I could formulate a response, a sharp popping sound cracked through the air, and I let out a startled squeal. I grabbed the first solid thing within reach, which just so happened to be Jareth’s bicep.

Grelth stood in the middle of my spotless kitchen, holding a cast iron pan in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other.

“Master Grelth,” the creature announced grandly, “has brought his own pots and pans for dinner.”

I clutched Jareth’s arm like a lifeline. After a moment, I realized what I was doing and let go, quickly straightening my posture. My heart, however, hadn’t caught up.