Keepers of the Underworld

Chapter 3

Sephi was finishing the last of her charting when she looked up to see Dee approaching the nurses' station. He had shed his jacket and tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, and rolled up the sleeves to just below his elbows. The white shirt showed off his perfectly tanned skin, which always took Sephi's breath away. He was carrying a brown paper bag containing their lunch as he stopped at the desk.

"I have come to collect my queen and whisk her away to feast before she withers away to nothing," Dee said with a grin as he made his Greek accent thicker.

Roxy looked at Sephi and wiggled her finger between Sephi and Dee. "See, this is what I was talking about earlier. If Reginald spoke to me like that, we would have a kid for each year we've been married."

"Oh no. Not me. Two was my limit. No matter how charming he can be," Sephi giggled as she stood and joined Dee.

"I promise to return her in precisely an hour," Dee smiled at Roxy.

"Oh, please, take your time. I know you have work to discuss, and lunch takes a little longer because of that, I understand," Roxy smirked.

"Thank you, Roxy," Dee said softly, his deep voice vibrating through his chest as he spoke. "I'm sure I can manage to have her back on time, even when discussing work-related subjects." Dee tightened his arm around Sephi's waist and kissed her head. "Come, my love. I ordered caprese salad and roast lamb for our lunch. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful. I'm starving," Sephi said as Dee escorted her down the hall.

Roxy rolled her chair around so she could watch the pair walk away. She did not know what was sexier, Dee's physique, which could rival sculptures of the Greek gods, or his undying love and devotion for his wife. Smiled as she rolled her chair back to the desk and muttered, "Yup, twenty-three kids and fun practicing in between."

-

When they arrived at Dee's office, he closed the door behind them. He smiled as he lay their food out on a small table while Sephi took her seat. He had not failed to notice how Roxy looked at him and watched them as they walked away.

"Have you told your new friend that it is alright if she looks as long as she keeps her hands to herself?" Dee asked with a crooked grin as he sat across from her.

Sephi laughed, "She is madly in love with her husband, Reginald, and has no intention of doing anything. I told her it was fine to look because it boosts your ego. We both know I will benefit from that later in our bedroom."

"It isn't my fault that when I am admired, it makes me amorous, and I only want to be with you," Dee chuckled as he served Sephi her lunch. "Eat, my love."

"Have you found out anything about Travis or his family yet?" Sephi asked as she began to eat.

"I have found that you and Roxy have good instincts regarding this young man. The paper copies I have in his file differ from what is in the computer system. I found a copy of his life insurance policy but not an original or notarized copy. It looks as if it was altered before the copy was made," Dee explained.

"Who is the beneficiary?" Sephi asked.

Dee replied, "His mother."

Sephi leaned back in her chair and sighed. "That would explain why she is so anxious for her son to die. I will never understand parents like her. If Zach were in Travis' place, I would be making deals with all the gods to help him, not wishing for his death."

Dee took Sephi's hand, squeezing it to comfort her, and said, "I feel the same way. The young man's family has already secured how their souls will be sorted when their time comes. I promise you that. You never mistreat your child, no matter how old they are. There is more to Travis' story. Darius is looking into it and will give me the information as soon as he has it."

"Will you tell Darius I appreciate the effort he is putting in?"

"Of course. Even though he already knows and would do anything for you," Dee chuckled. "Sometimes I feel he serves you and not me."

"Technically, he serves both of us because we rule together. It isn't my fault he likes me more," Sephi teased with a grin.

"That is because your heart has not been hardened like mine," Dee told her.

"HA! We have two children and an eons-long marriage that proves your heart is anything but hard. You are firm but fair. You do not give anyone rewards or torments they have not earned. That is on them, not you," Sephi firmly told him. "Now, let's finish eating so we can have a little time together. If you don't muss my hair a little, Roxy will be heartbroken."

Dee roared with laughter at that. He was thrilled that Sephi already had a friend. "Does that mean you will take your hair down so I can run my hands through it? You can roll it back up so it is messy."

"That's what I was thinking. Roxy told me she would never think of doing anything with you, then asked me if I objected to her living vicariously through me," Sephi giggled. "I told her that was fine."

"Are you sure of her intentions?"

"Positive. The love I feel emanating from her when she talks about her Reginald proves it. They are meant to be and will always be faithful to one another. She does, however, enjoy looking, and you seem to be just her type."

"I don't mind as long as looking is the only thing she does," Dee smiled at her. "Tell me what the plans are for dinner. I know it is with our children, but that is all I know."

"Melanie wants to go to a small Mom-and-Pop diner she knows of. She swears it has some of the best food she has ever had. I thought it might be worth a try and a nice change from our regular diet."

"Hmm…a burger does sound good. I haven't had one in a long time."

"That's your own doing. We could have them whenever you want, but you always stick to the old staples."

"You say that as you devour the last of your meal," Dee smirked.

"I never said I didn't enjoy what you chose. I only said that what you pick is rather…predictable."

Dee chuckled as his cell phone began to ring. He pulled it from his pants pocket to see that Darius was calling him. That could only mean he had already found something of interest.

Dee answered the phone and put it on speaker before lying it on the table so Sephi could participate in the conversation. "What did you find, Darius?"

"I have just emailed the accident report to you along with the background checks for the young man and his family. Travis Collins was not alone in the car. His brother and cousin were with him. None of the witnesses could positively say who was driving, but the cousin and brother both claim it was Travis," Darius said.

"Thank you, Darius. I will review the information when I finish my lunch with Sephi."

"Sephi's there? Why didn't you tell me? Hello, my queen. I hope your day is going well," Darius said.

Sephi giggled as she replied, "It is, Darius. Thank you. And thank you for looking into the Travis Collins situation. I can feel it in my bones that something is not right."

"It is my pleasure, my queen. I learned long ago that if you feel something is wrong, it needs to be addressed," Darius told her respectfully. "My king, I will send you the rest of the information as soon as I have obtained it."

"Thank you, Darius," Dee said before ending the call.

"I knew it. There is more than Travis causing a crash that killed people," Sephi fumed.

"There is, and we will get to the bottom of it," Dee told her as she took the last bite of her lunch. "And now that you have finished eating, why don't we give something for Roxy to think about?"

Sephi let out a deep, throaty laugh as she reached up and pulled the pin from her hair. She shook out her hair as she stood and moved to sit on Dee's lap. He immediately engulfed her in his arms, pulled her close, and kissed her passionately. A soft, involuntary moan left her as she felt Dee wrapping her hair in his fist, pulling it slightly. Dee chuckled as he broke their kiss and continued to give her quick pecks on her lips.

"I'm afraid you had better go back to work. If you don't, we might really give Roxy something to think about," Dee said between kisses.

"If I must," Sephi grinned as she stood up and rolled her hair back into a bun.

"You must," Dee agreed with her. "Just as I must go to see Travis and his despicable family. I will walk you as far as his hallway. First, let me put my jacket and tie on again. I must look the part of the distinguished attorney since that is what I am."

Sephi giggled as she helped Dee button his shirt sleeves. She watched him as he slipped his tie over his head and adjusted it before she took over. He tipped his head back so she could fix it for him more easily. Sephi stepped back and smiled at him as he slipped on his jacket and buttoned it, giving him a nod of approval.

"Come, my dear. I need to get this unpleasantness over with so I can enjoy the rest of my day," Dee said as he offered her his elbow.

They walked together until they reached the point where they had to go their separate ways. They exchanged a quick, chaste kiss before Sephi turned and returned to the nurses' station. He watched her for a moment before he walked to the room assigned to Travis Collins. He paused outside the door for a moment as he thought.

Dee muttered to himself, "Alright, Travis. Let's see what secrets you have."

-

Sephi was met by a smirking Roxy when she arrived back at the nurses' station. She carefully appraised Sephi and broadly grinned when she saw her hair was different from before she went to lunch.

"Did you have fun at lunch?" Roxy asked with a giggle.

"I had a nice lunch and took my hair down while I ate. When I put it up this morning, it was a bit tight. Nothing happened except a kiss. Sorry to burst your bubble," Sephi told her.

"Killjoy," Roxy laughed. "That's alright. I can still use my imagination and pretend."