Eros reclined, grinning wider. ‘I think it’s adorable. It humanises you.’
Venus stared at her brother incredulously. ‘Exactly.’
Eros laughed and shook his head. ‘Fine. Anything else or can I go now?’
Venus looked down at her computer. ‘Yes. You need to stop doing whatever you’re doing with my assistant or I’ll fire her.’
Eros straightened up, his smile melting from his face. ‘Excuse me?’
Venus’s eyes calmly lifted from her screen. ‘I have eyes everywhere. I need her focused. Plus, if she has a relationship with you, she’s going to feel like she has some kind of affinity with me. People are already mentioning her name to me in my circles—’
‘Isn’t that a good thing? You should be proud—’
‘Of what? An upstart who hasn’t paid her dues being seen as of the same stature as me because of a little blog? Our name is power, Eros. I can’t have her further connected to my legacy and, unfortunately, you’re tied to that. So let her go or I’ll fire her.’
Eros’s jaw tightened. ‘Come on, Venus. This is messed up. Even for you. You can’t do this—’
Venus’s gaze flashed sharply in amusement. ‘Or what? You’ll quit? We both know you’re not going to do that. This job is too convenient for you, and you get paid way more than you’re worth, thanks to me. And if you quit, I’ll fire her.’
‘No you won’t.’
Venus didn’t blink. ‘Try me.’
Eros had never truly despised his sister until that moment. He had honestly loved her, but now he definitely hated her. She was obsessed with power for power’s sake. This job meant everything to Psy and Venus used it to punish her, to keep her captive. She knew she would never have another assistant more dedicated. The fact that Psy and Eros cared about each other was just another chain to Venus.
Eros nodded. ‘I’ll end it. But just know that I’ll never forgive you for this, Venus.’
Venus smiled for the first time during their entire interaction. It was dazzling, alarmingly beautiful, and if you didn’t know any better, charming. ‘I don’t need your forgiveness, Eros. Oh, don’t look so sad: it’s messing with my office aura. Look, I’ve sorted out a month-long assignment for you. It starts today. I’ve had a flight booked for you. You’ll enjoy it and you’ll be away long enough for whatever you think you feel for her to die. This way you won’t actually have to reject her. See? I have a heart. Love you, bro.’
And so, Eros let Psy go.
Psy couldn’t breathe. She shouldn’t have said what she’d just said. It was just him talking about how it was nuts that she hadn’t found anybody, as if she hadn’t found him six months before. It had roiled up emotions she thought she’d buried. The hurt and anger spilt out of her and over their friendship, much like, say, a non-fat soy latté on a high-end high-street top she’d got on sale. Psy knew she shouldn’t have resented Eros for not wanting her the way she wanted him: she wasn’t his type and she knew that. He liked women who had fewer sharp edges, who were bubbly and preferred matcha-and-flax-seed smoothies to doughnuts, and that was entirely his prerogative. Eros was fun and sweet and Psy was focused and acerbic. Knowing this didn’t stop her from going over that night in her head, wondering what she’d misread. She could have sworn she noticed something in the way he looked at her, tasted something in the way he’d kissed her, his arms immediately drawing her close to his body. It was as if he was as hungry as she was, as if he’d been waiting as long as she had.
Psy took a deep breath outside the glass walls of the conference room. She’d arrived just in time for the general meeting. Her plan was to propose an idea that would wow Venus and the team so much that, when she asked for a promotion, Venus would find that she couldn’t say no. Psy decided she was going to pull herself together and think about the mess she’d made with Eros later.
She opened the door and beamed brightly at the team. ‘Morning everyone!’
‘Love the fit, Psy!’
Psy smiled at Pheme, a celebrity gossip reporter who she didn’t trust with a lick of information. Nevertheless, at this moment, Psy was grateful for Pheme’s warm, welcoming face, because Venus was currently staring icicles into her chest.
Venus’s chin was resting on a single elegant finger, the shiny black talon on it seemed like a weapon ready to go. She tilted her head to the side, voice cool. ‘Nice of you to join us.’