Page 1 of Master Heimdall

Chapter One

Heimdall

The plastic of the cell phone holder creaked as I punched the end-call button. What I wanted to do was slam the phone into the dash of my car. But no matter how pissed I was, I had to rein it in. There was no way I was going to have to explain to my assistant that I needed a new phone for the third time this month.

Booking a flight to Greece to strangle my now ex-employee was out of the question as well because I was too damn busy. It was as if the universe had decided to toss as much shit into my lap as it could and then laugh about it. I should’ve been turning the car around and heading back to the office to clean up the newest mess, but no, tonight was about time with my best friends. I turned my phone off and got out of my vehicle.

The parking lot below Erik’s waterfront building was only half full as I stepped out and took a deep breath. It was time to shut off business and have some fun. We all had insanely busy lives, so when we could all get together, it was important to at least try to shut off all the things that had been stressing me out.

There were eight of us who’d met in college. Seven men and one woman, but we were far from Snow White and the seven dwarves, though Marissa had managed to blackmail us into dressing up like them one Halloween. You would think that with seven alpha males around, Mari would be a protected gentle flower, but like the rest of us, she was dominant and bowed to no man.

I stepped into the elevator and used my pass card to activate it and entered the security code to access the top floor. From my quick perusal of the cars I’d seen parked in the lot, I was the last of us to arrive.

I appreciated the level of security that Erik had my company install after his woman, Raia, almost got kidnapped, in that very lot, but it did slow things down. However, any delay was worth it to make sure they were safe.

“Gabriel!” several voices thundered when the doors of the elevator opened and I stepped out.

Erik’s place was a world of opulence and wonder, with a marbled foyer adorned with rich wooden beams and posts that created an air of timeless elegance. His living room was something stolen out of a fantasy novel. Plexiglass flanked the stone path, revealing a surreal underwater paradise. Fish gracefully wove through mature vegetation, creating a spectacle that defied the conventional boundaries of interior design.

The sliding glass doors opened to a vast deck, where I could see Jared and Lincoln in conversation, against the backdrop of the city's sparkling lights and the Delaware River. It was like a crossroads between an ancient Scandinavian aesthetic and an otherworldly aquatic haven. A gigantic double-sided fireplace dominated one wall, casting a warm and inviting glow across the room. A few of my friends were lazing on the cozy furniture in the sunken portion of the room.

On the other side of this luxurious penthouse, in the dining room, Erik and Noah sat at the solid and imposing hand-carved table, their submissives on their laps. The intricately designed chairs featured engraved ravens perched on the wide backs. Down the center of the table stood three antique vases with elaborate flower arrangements.

Noah and Shelby, the Daddy and Middle of our group, exuded a carefree energy, their laughter blending seamlessly as they exchanged playful glances. She leaned in to whisper something, her eyes sparkling with affection. Their connection was evident, and the genuine warmth between them tugged at my heart. Erik and Raia, on the other hand, had a contentment that radiated from them. Her fingers entwined with his as if they existed in a world of their own. Their togetherness was a stark reminder of the companionship I yearned for and still didn’t have.

It was hard not to show the jealousy that roiled my stomach as the two couples smiled at me. They were too damn perfect! Without even trying, they forced me to take a hard look at myself. Ending up alone had never been my plan, but time had slipped by me. At least I wasn’t the only bachelor in the group. In fact, five of us as well as one bachelorette were single, but it still rankled that the two most unlikely candidates to pair up were now in committed relationships.

Marissa sat near the couples drinking a beer. A stranger wouldn’t have been able to tell she was uncomfortable, but we’d known each other too long for me to miss the tight muscles and tired eyes. The happy couples were oblivious to her state of mind, caught up as they were in their bubbles of love. I had to fight the temptation to say something to make them stop being so lost in one another. Not only would it not serve the purpose I intended, but it would also bring my discontent to the forefront, something I didn’t wish to do. I just wanted to sit back with my adopted family, have a few drinks, laugh a bit and eat the amazing food that Erik always served. Now I wondered if maybe it would have been better for me to skip tonight.

“Here, brother.” Colin handed me a double Lagavulin, our resident drink, before joining Declan in the billiards room.

Marissa raised an eyebrow at me. I nodded, and she rose to join me. We moved away from prying ears to the pool outside.

“You seem stressed, Gabe. What’s going on?”

“What isn’t?” I said with a sigh, stretching out on the chaise lounge, and almost groaning with pleasure when my body sank into the soft cushions. It wasn’t often I could relax with my feet up, and I took a moment to enjoy the sensation. Mari laughed and joined me. She cuddled close.

It wasn’t anything sexual, the two of us more like siblings than anything else. I always forgot how small she was until she did something like this. Her attitude and dominance always made her seem larger. We enjoyed a few moments of comfort snuggled together.

“Tell Mistress Mari all your problems.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Not looking for a mistress, brat.”

She sighed as if in disappointment. “Fine. But I am your friend. Let me help.”

Mari traveled all over the world almost constantly, so she might understand my frustration better than anyone. “We’ve got several jobs coming up and I have to figure out the travel and supplies. All before I go to handle that deal at the Japanese tech conference.”

She looked up at me, confused. “What happened to David? I thought he was in charge of travel and logistics.”

My jaw grew tight and I could hear my teeth grinding. Deep breathing was supposed to help control heightened emotions, but it wasn’t doing the trick. David had been barely adequate at his job. The only reason I hadn’t replaced him sooner was the time it would take to find someone new. Someone who wouldn’t flirt with everything with a heartbeat and wouldn’t forget things twenty percent of the time. Damn it, why hadn’t I replaced the asshole?

Truth was David had done me a favor by finding the “love of his life”. It would force me to find someone better. Though giving no notice before quitting was a dick move. I really didn’t care that it was a chance of a lifetime to travel through the Grecian islands, putting it off for two weeks would have been professional.

I had just returned from protecting a spoiled K-pop singer because one of my guys got injured. I needed some downtime before dealing with this shit. But, instead of getting to relax before leaving again, I would have to spend my time doing his job while searching for a replacement.

I shook my head. “He and Martin left to get their rocks off touring Greece. He won’t be back.” I tried to keep the bitterness out of my voice but didn’t think I succeeded. How long had it been since I’d had the luxury of enjoying myself, getting my rocks off with a willing woman?

Mari tapped her lips as if considering.