Ready to leave, she faced a dilemma at the door exiting the condo. A tug on the handle showed it was locked. There was a keyhole, however, that required a key, or lock-picking skills that she didn't have. She eyed the touch screen alongside the portal. She didn't expect it to work, but she tried anyway, tapping the surface. The stupid control panel chirped its irritating message.
"Access denied."
"Argh!" She didn't hold in her scream of frustration. Locked in. A prisoner even if Arik hadn't done so intentionally. Then again, he probably would have done it on purpose if he saw she intended to leave.
The man really had a Neanderthal streak when it came to a woman's place, and he seemed convinced her place was with him. She ignored the spurt of pleasure in favor of annoyance.
She couldn't remain here. She had stuff to do. People to check on. A man to thwart.
Pacing Arik's living room, a sumptuous man cave of ridiculous dimensions, didn't soothe her anger. She ignored the most enormous television screen she'd ever seen in her life. She stared unseeingly at the polished bamboo hardwood underfoot. She avoided running into the large and curved, leather-wrapped theatre seating with built-in cup holders. She did pay slight attention to the enormous pillow on the floor that was currently bathed in bright sunlight. Given the few golden hairs she noted clinging to the fabric, she had to wonder if he owned a pet-a rather large one, given the size of the animal bed.
Out of the blue, a female voice announced, "Access granted." With a click, the door to the condo swung open. Pushing a wheeled cart topped with silver-domed, covered plates was a young woman dressed in black slacks and a white button shirt.
"How did you get in?" Kira gasped.
"Through the door," the puzzled woman replied.
A door that mocked her attempts to open it. "But how? Who gave you access?"
"Arik did, of course."
"He's in the hall?" Kira couldn't help but crane to peek, wondering if he lurked.
The young woman laughed as she shook her head. "No. I meant he gave me a one time access when he ordered the food."
So it wasn't just Arik who could use the touchscreens. They could be programmed for use by other people-just not her.
"I've brought your breakfast, ma'am," the servant explained with a wave of her hand over the cart.
Room service had arrived, but more important than the food, the woman brought with her a chance for escape.
Kira strode toward her and the open door to freedom. "Thanks, but I've got other places to be."
The waitress positioned herself in front of the door. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but my orders are to deliver your food and not let you leave."
Kira halted by the service cart. "Oh. But I have an appointment I need to get to."
"Again, I apologize, but I have my orders."
With a shrug, Kira sighed and turned to the silver domes. "I see. I guess I'll have to wait for Arik then. So what's on the menu?"
The waitress moved forward and leaned to grasp the knobs of the domes, whisking a pair off to reveal the plate underneath.
Not that Kira cared, or spared it a glance. Before the waitress could react, Kira bolted past her to the elevator. It was still open, so she slid inside, only to find herself confronted by the damned touch screen again. How had she not noticed all this technology when she made the trip up? Probably because someone was distracting me.
Despite knowing it wouldn't do any good, she plastered her thumb against the screen. It asked her to identify herself.
"Screw you and your access denied," Kira snarled as the damned thing foiled her plot to escape.
"Come back," the waitress cried, having deposited the lids and coming at her with determination in her gait.
Kira banged the touch screen in frustration. Screwed.
Or maybe not.
The doors slid shut before the waitress could reach her. Was the tongue she stuck out childish? Probably, but she did it anyhow.
The elevator descended, and Kira watched the numbers as they lit up atop the door, only to groan in frustration as they stopped well short of her destination.
When the portal slid open, Kira pretended nonchalance, staring at her nails, which were in major need of a manicure, given the chipped state of her nail polish.
A pair of young women boarded, both blonde, their hair a wild, long mess in serious need of a hot oil treatment, a decent trim, and layers for proper shaping.
How she itched for a pair of scissors and at least ten minutes with each of them. But she wasn't here to dispense beauty advice. She was escaping a megalomaniac-with a hot ass and hotter kisses-so she could deal with her psychotic stalker ex-boyfriend. Talk about a more exciting life than a regular hairdresser should experience.
While she feigned disinterest, the new occupants didn't attempt to hide their curiosity.
The elevator began to descend again, and Kira did her best to ignore the other passengers. They, on the other hand, openly stared until finally Kira couldn't help but blurt our, "What is it? Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
To her surprise, they didn't deny their interest. "We're trying to see why Arik chose you."
"You know him?"
The query met with giggles. "Of course we do. Everyone who lives in the building does."
Everyone female at any rate Kira would wager, and not without a touch of jealousy. Then again, who could blame them? Arik's good looks mixed with his powerful presence made him impossible to ignore.
"So have you two been an item for long?" asked one of the girls.
"We just recently met," Kira replied.
"And he's already bringing you home to meet the pride."
Meet the who? Kira's brow furrowed.
"I've heard that's how it happens," the one with split ends replied with a sage nod of her head, which was at odds with the piercing in her nose and left eyebrow. "One sniff and bam. Mated for life."
Kira blinked. "Excuse me? I'm not sure I understand." She really didn't. Both of them alluded to things that made no sense. Perhaps the blonde hair wasn't natural, and the girls had sniffed more fumes than was healthy.
"I don't think she knows," the non-pierced girl said with a tilt of her head. "Oh, boy. Wait until she finds out."
"Finds out what?" asked the newest person to embark the elevator, which had slowed and opened on yet another floor.
"This is Arik's, um, girlfriend," snickered the one with the piercings.
"Really?" Amber eyes, much like Arik's actually, which also resembled those of the girls who'd first boarded, perused her from head to toe.
She resisted the urge to squirm.
"I expected someone … taller."
Again the sense that she was missing something tickled at Kira, but she really didn't care enough to pursue it.
When the doors opened again, finally onto the lobby, Kira couldn't exit fast enough, eager to leave the crazy company she'd just met.
However, they weren't as keen on letting her go.
Literally.
Piercing girl grabbed Kira by the arm and began tugging her toward the couches in the main lobby lounge area.
"Um, what are you doing?" Kira asked as she gently tried tugging loose. To no avail. The young lady had a firm grip, and she wasn't relinquishing it.
"You have got to meet the gang."
"I really don't have time for this. I have to go."
"Does Arik know you're leaving?" The question came from her friend.
"Why would his knowing matter?"
The girl laughed. "Oh, that's priceless. Wait until the others hear about this. Hey, Lolly, you gotta meet Arik's new girlfriend."
Several sets of amber eyes swung her way, and Kira dropped any pretense of subtle as she tried to yank free.
And failed.
"Hey, I never did find out, what's your name?" Piercing Girl asked, oblivious, intentionally, at Kira's attempts to extricate herself.
A big sigh left her before she replied. "Kira."
"Cute name. I'm Zena, and this is my cousin, Reba. And that other lady riding with us was Aunt Kate."
"Nice to meet you, really, but I have to go."
"Sure you do. But you can't leave before meeting the crew. This will only take a minute, or two, promise."
Against her better judgment, but not really given a choice, Kira found herself propelled toward the avid gang of women lounging. And she did mean gang.
A ridiculous number of amber eyes locked on Kira, the freaky gazes mixed in with a few blue, green, and brown ones. Most of the women sported golden manes, but a few were of a darker mix, and one had a bright red crown of curly locks.
And they were all very unsubtle about their perusal of Kira from head to toe.
Zena pulled her right into the midst of the curious gazes and announced, "Hey, everyone, I want you to meet Arik's girlfriend. Her name is Kira."