“Just one. You’ll enjoy it, I’m sure.” Eadric grinned at his friend. “Call the company and have the security team bring Melodia Morris here. There are things I need to discuss with her. You can join.”
Doon’s jaw went slack. “You... Me and her... How... how did you know?”
“Whoever doesn’t know is clearly blind or deaf.” Eadric shrugged a shoulder. It didn’t take long to deduce Doon’s feelings for the woman. Not many women rejected Doon, twice, and caught a second look from him. “Have them bring her in. They know where she lives and a mention of Amorette should be all it takes to bring her willingly.”
“Sir, yes, sir.” Doon saluted and jogged off.
Eadric stopped at the top of the stairs to look back toward Amorette’s room. She should be safe there. With guards outside the door and bullet-proof glass, she should be secure for the night. That didn’t stop him from worrying.
“YOU’RE SURE YOU’LL be okay?” Doon asked Amorette for the fifth time.
Amorette sighed and folded her arms. “Doon. Seriously?”
“Twelve hours ago you were in hysterics. Besides, someone threatened my life if I didn’t keep an eye on you today.” Doon sighed.
Amorette couldn’t help but grin.
She didn’t know what shifted between her and Eadric last night, but something did. Something had been brewing ever since the day in the maze. Did it finally break last night? She didn’t know the details, she barely knew the emotions she felt, but she was willing to explore them.
Right now, none of that was the problem.
“Why do you need to keep an eye on me?” Amorette arched a brow.
“Amy has a point.” Melodia dumped her bag onto the counter and spun to face Doon. “He has security plastered to her shadow, I don’t think you’re a necessity.”
Doon held up a finger, as if to begin an argument.
Amorette swatted it down. “On top of that, even Eadric says this is the most secure building in the city. No one’s going to get to me here. I think you can leave me alone to do my job.”
“You heard the woman.” Melodia brushed her fingers through the air toward the door. “See you later.”
“What if I wanted to stay?” Doon pouted.
Both women shot him a look of disdain. “No.”
“Oh, come on! Why not? I’m good for business, trust me.”
“Make a purchase or come back later.” Melodia spun on her heel and marched behind the counter.
“Don’t be like that, Mel...” Doon leaned his elbows on the counter and rested his chin in his hands. “How about lunch? Just you and I? Nice little cafe downstairs. I’ll buy and everything.”
“Oh, so tempting. I’m gonna have to pass.” Melodia logged into the computer and brought up the necessary pages for business.
Doon reached out and snagged her hand in his. “Please? It’s lonely eating alone.”
“Take Amorette.”
“She’s not allowed into the lobby without security and a notification to the big boss and... let’s just say it’s complicated.”
“And there isn’t an eatery on any other floor?” Melodia arched a brow again.
Doon shook his head. “Not one that I want to take you to lunch at. Please? Please? I’m begging you. Do I need to get on my knees?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Doon.”
Amorette raised her hand, unsure whether to interrupt them or not. “Um...”
“No. Don’t say anything. I’m so close to getting a second date.” Doon lifted wide eyes up to Melodia. “Please, please, please? I promise to be on my best behavior and I’ll stay out of the store for the rest of the day.”
“The week.”
“Two days.”
“Three.”
“Okay, two and a half but that’s as far as I go. And I take exception for any time Eadric makes me come check on her highness over there.” He jabbed a thumb in Amorette’s direction.
“Again, he has security spies on her. I think they can report pretty well.”
Doon sighed and held out a hand. “Okay. Fine. Two and a half days without coming into the store, as long as you’ll agree to lunch with me.”
Melodia took a deep breath. “Okay. Deal.” She shook his hand.
Amorette wasn’t entirely sure what happened, but it seemed like their relationship progressed.
Truth be told, she liked them together. Doon was a nice, considerate guy and Melodia needed a guy like that. She deserved a guy like that. Simple, uncomplicated, and willing to treat her like a queen.
Doon tapped a palm against Amorette’s shoulder as he headed for the door. “See you at lunchtime.”
“Have fun!” Amorette called after him. She had no clue where he went during the day, but she didn’t need to know.
Doon merely waved his hand once more and disappeared down the hall.
“What a piece of work.” Melodia huffed and shuffled through her bag until she found her current romance novel.
“I’m sorry about security.” Amorette ran her hands back through her hair and twisted it up into a ponytail.
Melodia shook her head. “No, he’s right about that. After what happened last night, security is a must.”
“How do you know about all that?”
Melodia paused. “Um... that’s because he brought me over to explain what was going on. Apparently, he didn’t want the added guards to freak me out. Or something.”
“Wait, you were at the house?” Amorette looped a rubber band around her bunched hair. “When?”
“Last night. You were pretty passed out, so I didn’t try to wake you up or anything.” Melodia thumbed her book open. “It’s all good. Mr. Hawkmore explained the situation and I’m cool with all the extra security. No more running off by yourself, okay?”
“I went to see my dad. It wasn’t like I expected invisible crazy people to start shooting.” Amorette rolled her eyes.
She didn’t run away. She did, however, sneak off for an hour or two. How was she to know that Eadric would freak out and come looking for her? She still didn’t understand why her dad said and did the things he did. He and Eadric spoke in a language all their own.
Which meant she needed to learn it.
Which meant she should speak to Eadric.
Despite his promise to “talk later” Amorette hadn’t seen him since he tucked her in. Even this morning, Doon drove her instead of Eadric.
From the message Eadric left, she deduced he had some sort of important business to tend to. He apologized, but it still felt wrong. After only a few days, she got used to riding with Eadric to work. When she couldn’t, everything felt... off. She didn’t have the strength or courage to psychoanalyze herself.
With a sigh, Amorette pulled a box from behind the desk and set to work re-shelving.
[Episode 13]
A Matter of Sincerity
DOON BURST INTO EADRIC’S office and settled in a chair. “Melodia agreed to lunch, so Amorette is all yours during that hour. You’re welcome, that’s the most groveling I’ve done in a lifetime.”
“You loved every second of it.” Eadric swiped a stylus against his tablet to fix a mistake in the graphic.
In every possible scenario, Doon enjoyed this particular mission too much.
Doon shrugged. “So what if I did?”
“I don’t meddle in your personal affairs.” Eadric saved the graphic and sent it back to the team. One day, someone competent would work for him. He hadn’t found that person yet. “Why Melodia?”
“I thought you didn’t meddle in my personal affairs.” Doon flipped one leg up over the other.
Eadric chuckled. Over the past few months, he came to appreciate Doon’s evasiveness, but sometimes Doon overdid it. Then again, Doon’s personal life wasn’t any of Eadric’s business. Perhaps, over the years, Eadric had become something of a busybody.
Eadric threw his hands in the air. “Alright. I won’t ask. Did you finish the other preparations?”
Do
on stood and extracted an envelope from his inner jacket pocket. “Reserved and waiting. Here are the files you asked for.” He dropped the envelope on Eadric’s desk. “They were difficult to get and even harder to read.”
“You read them?”
“Of course. What kind of valet am I if I don’t read the documents you ask me to purloin?” Doon clucked his tongue. “Really, you should have known that when you hired me.”
“I didn’t hire you, you inherited the position.” Eadric tucked the envelope into his own jacket. “If your ancestors hadn’t worked my land and discovered my secret, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Oh, please, you need friends.” Doon grinned. “Mr. Hawkmore, can we be friends? I’m sure grandpa would approve.”
“I thought we were already friends.”
Doon was the closest he could get to friendship. Eadric didn’t risk the lives of just anyone. His people consisted of a small group, but he would guard them all with his life.
Doon blinked and made a face somewhere between admiration and confusion. “Oh. And all this time I thought I was your underling or something like that.”
“You are.” Eadric treasured the absolute disappointment on Doon’s face. “At work. After hours, it’s a different matter. Those who look after me are qualified into a short list of people I show interest in.”
“You’re interested in me? Sir, I’m honored and flattered-”
“Don’t be.” Eadric regretted telling Doon all that. If he knew Doon would react so over-dramatically, again, he never would have bothered. “Is the car ready?”
“Yes, and Collins has been briefed.”
“Good.” Eadric stood from his desk and reached for his coat. “And the item?”
Doon patted his pockets, came up empty, and held up a finger. A quick look through his coat, hanging in the corner, revealed the box he’d been looking for.
Doon held it out to Eadric. “Exactly as you ordered it.”
Eadric flipped the lid to study the object, then smiled. Yes. It was exactly as he ordered it. Doon didn’t need to say more for him to know everything.
Eadric stuffed the box into his own coat pocket. “Thank you, Doon.”
“Gratitude? What’s that?” Doon grinned wider. “You’re welcome, but don’t sound too over-eager when you go see her. And put down the coat. It’s only ten. You have two hours.”
“So do you.” Eadric pointed out.
Doon collapsed into a chair. “It’s so long. Can you make some gadget that skips time forward?”
“If I could, I would have made it by now.”
Eadric sighed. If only that were possible. If only time existed in relativity to one’s lifespan. He didn’t have those luxuries. Time ticked by slowly and wore him down without ever leaving a visible mark.
Eadric stood again and grabbed his coat. “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going? Are you leaving me to suffer alone?” Doon turned as he watched Eadric storm out, each twist of his body allowing him to see the older man’s progress.
Eadric chuckled. “I think you’ll survive.”
“I won’t! I’ll die of boredom! Mr. Hawkmore, come back!”
That was the last plea Eadric heard before the door shut behind him.
In truth, he didn’t know where he would go for the next two hours. But, Eadric knew he couldn’t sit behind his desk without anything to distract him. He needed to move.
First, naturally, a stop by The Nook. Once he knew it was secure, Eadric knew he could find something else to do.
Eadric took the elevator down to the fifteenth floor. If he stepped out and then back in, it should be enough time to ensure security presence and view any customer interaction.
Plan in place, Eadric stepped into the hall.
The Nook seemed busy today. Several Hawkmore employees roamed the aisles, despite the obvious security presence at the entrance. Good. At least they knew enough to overlook the men in black.
Eadric was about to step back into the elevator when he spotted it.
Hunter stood at the front counter. Across from him, Amorette leaned on the smooth surface with a smile on her face and her chin on her palms.
Eadric’s expression ticked into a sneer. What right did Hunter have to be here, of all places? And what made him worthy of Amorette’s attention or affection? Did he do anything to keep her out of harm’s way? The answer: a resounding no.
Eadric didn’t like Hunter from the beginning, but today he liked him even less. No doubt the boy charmed his way into a visitor’s pass to get up here. Eadric made a mental note to crack down on security in the lobby, too.
This instant, he needed to find a way to get rid of Hunter. Not permanently, but long enough to have a heart-to-heart with Amorette. Long enough to woo her for himself.
Sometime in the last twenty-four hours, Eadric somehow accepted that Amorette wasn’t meant for someone else. The way she looked at him, the way his heart turned when she was hurt, all attested to the growing bond between them. That’s what scared him most.
Eadric reached his fingers up to run them over the scabbed gouges on his cheek. Unlike the dog bite from a few days ago, these wounds hadn’t disappeared. The strange part was, they should have. They weren’t nearly as deep as the bite. It left only one hypothesis, and the implications terrified Eadric.
His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides as he thought. There didn’t appear to be a good solution right now, but he would come up with something.
Eadric stepped back into the elevator and opened his phone. The least he could do was demand someone keep an eye on Hunter. At least find out how he got in.
Eadric phoned the lobby first.
Nicole, the current receptionist, answered on the second ring. “Hawkmore Industries, this is Nicole speaking, how may I assist you today?”
“This is CEO Hawkmore. Did you issue an unauthorized visitor’s badge this morning?” Eadric had never been one for pleasantries and, quite frankly, Nicole's voice irritated him. She appealed to visiting elites, the only reason she kept the job.
“Yes?” Nicole hesitated. “Did I do something wrong? He had one of our security personnel trailing him and he said he needed to see someone who works here. Her information was in the computer, so I assumed...”
“No need to apologize. Thank you for the information.” Eadric ended the call.
His own fault for having one of the security staff trailing Hunter. Logically, it wouldn’t work to kick the boy out, which left one option only.
Eadric texted the guard assigned to Hunter. The woman doesn’t go anywhere with him. Don’t let him out of your sight.
He didn’t need to receive an answer to know his order would be carried out.
AMORETTE HANDED THE plastic sack of books to the customer and flashed her brightest smile. “Thank you for shopping at The Nook. Please come again.”
The customer waved as she left.
Amorette dropped the smile and turned to Hunter. He arrived earlier, but she couldn’t get him to leave. Not for lack of trying. He simply wouldn’t go.
Amorette was used to Hunter’s persistence, but this represented a whole new level of stubborn. Why didn’t he leave her alone?
An hour and a half had come and gone, with Hunter still conspicuously situated in the corner. If he was trying to earn her sympathy, it wasn’t working so well. The longer he didn’t listen, the more tempted Amorette became to have security kick him out. She liked Hunter’s company, but she hated his interruption to her work.
“Mi Amor, let’s do lunch,” Hunter suggested.
A quick glance at the clock revealed the hands at high noon.
Amorette sighed and tossed him a look. “Will it make you leave?”
“I promise I won’t come back this afternoon if you agree.” Hunter grinned, his classic boyish charm shining through.
Melodia sauntered by and mouthed two words at Amorette. Malibu Ken.
Amorette laughed and shook her head at her boss
. Melodia’s distaste for Hunter didn’t surprise her anymore. He was a pretty boy, through and through. Amorette could see how that would turn some people away. But she knew the kind man inside the facade.
“Fine. Let’s do lunch.” Amorette retrieved her bag from behind the counter.
Hunter grabbed her hand with a wide grin. “Great! Let’s go.” He dragged her toward the door.
Hunter’s security tail stepped into their path and put a hand against Hunter’s chest. “I’m sorry, sir. The young lady can’t go with you.”
Amorette couldn’t say she felt any sense of remorse at the thought of not going to lunch with Hunter. He seemed especially clingy today. She didn’t want to deal with that if she didn’t have to.
“What? Why?” Hunter chuckled and flicked the man’s hand away. “Stop joking around.”
The man stepped into his path again. “Again, I’m sorry. I’m under strict orders to not allow her to leave the store with you.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Hunter huffed. “We’re just going to lunch. You’ll be there. Her bozos will be there. It isn’t super difficult to go with it.”
“I’m under orders.”
“Really? Whose orders?” Hunter’s voice sounded strained, barely held in check.
“Under my orders.”
Amorette recognized the voice immediately. She didn’t understand why Eadric didn’t want her going anywhere with Hunter, but he saved her from listening to Hunter whine. She could forgive it.
The guards all stepped aside, each with a slight bow. For a split second, Eadric seemed like the king of the world, revered by many and obeyed by all.
With his hands shoved in his coat pockets, Eadric stopped where Hunter’s security tail previously stood. “Amorette and I have a standing appointment.”
“That’s not the story I got two minutes ago.” Hunter tightened his grip on Amorette’s hand.
Amorette winced and gingerly pried each finger from his grasp. “I forgot. Okay, actually, I didn’t know, but I believe him. If he says we have a standing appointment, I should keep that. Right?”
Hunter’s laugh sounded more incredulous than amused. “You’re dumping me for him right now?”
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