Read Online Equal Parts by Emma Winters - Free Book Online

living area, I would think the rest of it had to have been renovated as well.
    Unlike the rest of the office, this room was immaculate. Not one piece of furniture was out of place, no litter in sight, not a speck of dust or trace of bad hygiene. A smoky, citrusy smell clung to the room, such a welcome change from the stench of fear and blood downstairs.
    “Is this where I’m staying?” I asked, rather breathlessly. The sofa looked big enough for five people, with suede cushions and an ottoman at its front. The TV mounted on the wall encompassed most of its background, and the cabinet below it was stocked to the brim with movies.
    “I suppose so. You should stay in there until the boss comes up,” he replied, pointing to the closed door at the end of the living room. “Try not to touch anything – he’s a bit particular about his stuff.”
    I wasn’t really listening – I’d taken to examining the countless rows of DVDs stacked on the wall. “No problem.” As my guard turned to leave, I straightened. “I’m Felicity, by the way. I know you probably aren’t supposed to talk to me, but…”
    He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “Hugo,” he mumbled, and then he was gone.
    It wasn’t until I reached the bedroom Hugo had indicated that I realized what ‘ he’s particular about his stuff ’ meant, exactly: this was Achilles’s apartment. He had put me in his own apartment.
    What was worse, the bedroom was clearly not just for me. A double bed, complete with intricate wrought-iron headboard and black sheets, lay as the room’s centerpiece. A black chaise, a dresser, full-length mirror, and a nightstand lay around the room, perfectly arranged according to shape and size.
    Clearly, someone had a bit of OCD.
    And clearly, I wasn’t going to be sleeping alone.
    No , I told myself. You’ll sleep on the sofa. On the floor. In the bathroom. Anywhere but in the same room as him .
    The ulterior motive here was obvious: put me out of reach entirely. Molten was now a threat, as were his own men, and he must have known keeping me close was the only way to keep me safe. Not for my personal sake, obviously, but because my power was worth enough to warrant the effort.
    Well aware I only had a short time before Achilles appeared in the doorway, ready to interrogate me some more, I hastily rifled through the dresser, searching for any kind of clothing. I didn’t care if it belonged to my captor – any barrier between my skin and his was fine by me.
    Eventually I pulled on an old t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts – I had to fold the waist down a few times to stop them from falling down. Happy with the flimsy sense of security the clothes gave me, I sat on the edge of the chaise and waited for my captor to show up.
    I could have fetched something to attack him with, I supposed. There was a large window in the living room – I could easily overpower him somehow and make a jump for the outside world. But we were only on the second floor; the fall would, at best, incapacitate me long enough for Achilles to track me down and drag me back.
    And, somewhere, deep down in my soul, I knew I wouldn’t be able to attack Achilles, if push came to shove. He hadn’t hurt me, hadn’t struck the first blow, hadn’t done anything to deserve physical retribution. Part of being all about neutrality was believing that if there was no blood, there was no foul.
    I dragged the chaise over to the window, hoping the city below would distract me from the itchy feeling Molten’s touch and words had sent skittering across my skin. I’d never been so close to breaking point before; if Achilles made me feel, Molten made me number. There was no way I was going to let myself be cornered by him again. I would glue Achilles to my hip if I had to – I would take him over his protégé any day of the week.
    “Planning a daring escape, darling?” came a dark voice from the doorway. I jumped about a foot in the air.
    “Don’t