Absolute Trust

by Piper J. Drake

  And then he pulled back and she was left trying to catch her breath.

  Slowly, carefully, he slid his arms around her back and under her knees. He cradled her against his chest and tucked her head under his chin. With her circled as she was in his embrace, he held her close. He pressed his lips against her hair.

  “That was too close yesterday, Sophie.” His voice was low and gruff and almost cracked with emotion. “The thought of losing you just about killed me.”

  Trembling with reaction, and very much wanting him to kiss her again, Sophie buried her face in the hollow of his neck. “I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

  She’d stayed right where he left her, for the most part. Because this was where her family was and this was where she had her best memories to build on for the future. Maybe he’d come back knowing he’d find her here, too.

  She had another question, but she wasn’t willing to break the moment to ask it. Instead, she melted into his embrace and savored the heat of his touch. Later, she’d try to figure out what was supposed to happen next.

  Chapter Five

  Walking with a medical boot strapped to her right foot wasn’t as doable as Sophie had thought. Lyn had come by to help Sophie that morning and given her a ride into Philly on the way to the airport and another West Coast consulting trip.

  Sophie’s ankle already throbbed, and she’d only just arrived at her office. Navigating the sidewalk, lobby, and elevator, then the long hallway to the cluster of offices on the corner had been draining.

  She fumbled in her purse for the slim, white access card, but when she found it and pressed it to the sensor pad, it didn’t work.

  Weird.

  Maybe it’d become demagnetized at the hospital or during the explosion. She’d have to ask Brandon if that sort of thing even happened. It was easy enough to have reset by building security, in any case.

  Thinking of him set butterflies loose in her belly and she bit her lip to hide the silly smile forming on her lips. She’d think more about what their kiss had meant after work, or at least when she was seated at her desk and not likely to trip over nothing.

  She rang the doorbell.

  Someone was in the office already. Her boss tended to come in early, around seven a.m. Some of the other accountants came in around the same time, too, so they could leave for home before the rush hour traffic got really bad.

  The second time she rang the doorbell, she heard steps and could see the shadow of someone coming to the tiny reception area on the other side of the door.

  Whew. Standing there was becoming a challenge. Her right ankle definitely wasn’t up to taking her weight for too much longer. She’d have to find a way to prop it in her office. It should remain elevated.

  “Sophie, you should have called ahead.”

  Sophie blinked, startled.

  Her boss, Jeff Santos, stood in the doorway, holding the door partially ajar but standing directly in the opening. “We weren’t sure if you were going to make it in today.”

  “I’m fine.” The words fell out of her mouth with the ease of frequent use. It was her go-to phrase whenever there was too much to explain about her current state. And, honestly, there was no reason for her boss or anyone else she worked with to care so long as she could do her work well.

  Jeff studied her, then stepped back and gave her enough space to hobble into the office. “Before you go to your office, please come to mine. We need to have a chat.”

  A mental alarm dinged, and she squashed the sudden surge of anxiety. Maybe he just wanted to discuss what work needed to be done to make up for her day out of the office. The afternoon prior to her sick day had been at his recommendation but there was always work to catch up on at their firm. Being out a day and a half meant there was plenty to do.

  Their cluster of offices were split by two hallways extending from the reception area. The reception area itself was really only large enough to hold two chairs and an unmanned desk. Occasionally, they had an intern sitting there doing filing in the summer. But most of the time, there was no receptionist.

  Her boss’s office was down a different hallway from hers, and it was all the way at the end. He’d set a brisk pace she normally could’ve matched, but hobbling as she was, she struggled to keep up.

  By the time they reached his office, she was doing her best not to let her discomfort show in her expression. Most of the other offices were glass from floor to ceiling. She’d thought it was a sleek, elegant layout at first. It definitely allowed for more natural light to filter into the interior of the office. But the glass also meant her office and the others were essentially fish bowls. Anyone could see what they were doing at any time of the day.

  In contrast, her boss’s office had frosted glass, completely opaque. It allowed Jeff—and any clients he had—privacy. His office was large, spacious, elegantly appointed with comfortable chairs for his clients, as well as a pair of armchairs to one side for more casual conversation. His desk was huge, made of dark wood with a glass panel set over the surface. And on top of his desk was a box.

  Peeking out of the box were the corners of a few picture frames and the ear of her favorite stuffed animal—a German Shepherd Dog wearing a collar with a tag that read “Hope’s Crossing Kennels.”

  “Have a seat, Sophie.” Jeff’s voice had turned grim.

  This wasn’t happening.

  She sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, staring at the box holding her personal items. They hadn’t been packed with care if so many random corners were jutting out the top.

  Jeff took his seat on the other side of the desk and sighed. “I would have liked to have been better prepared to have this conversation.”

  Funny. She couldn’t decide if she would’ve wanted to be prepared or if she just wanted this over with now.

  “The incident from the other day is not only all over the local news but has also gained coverage on national news channels.” Jeff glowered at her. “Even though your name wasn’t mentioned in the newscasts, someone who knows you would recognize your car.”

  “I haven’t seen the newscasts.” She really hadn’t watched any television at all, either at the hospital or once she’d gotten home. She preferred to watch movies or TV series that’d already completed. Currently, she was rewatching a few favorite Korean dramas on her laptop as a comfort watch.

  “We might be a small accounting group, Sophie, but we do have a certain reputation for respectability and reliability.” Jeff grunted as he leaned to one side and pulled his smartphone from his pants pocket and placed the device on his desk.

  “How does my being the victim of a random accident impact the company?” They couldn’t possibly think she was involved in…

  “Obviously you must be involved in questionable activities.” Jeff dropped his hand flat on the desk surface in a show of temper. “Car bombings aren’t like flat tires. They don’t just happen randomly. You or someone associated with you has gotten tangled up in unsavory business.”

  Jeff’s lips were pressed in a hard line, and his brows were drawn together as he glowered at her. His focus was somewhere around her forehead; no direct eye contact.

  He was really taking their discussion down this path, and even he probably knew deep down that this was bullshit.

  “I’m sure you know what comes next.”

  Oh, there was no reason to make this easy on him.

  “I’d like to go over it in detail.” She sat straight, her shoulders back, the pain from her ankle suddenly inconsequential. She wouldn’t give the man the gratification of seeing her vulnerable or upset. “I’m sure you have the appropriate paperwork drawn up. I’d like to review it carefully and understand the exact grounds of my termination.”

  “Sophie, really, just sign.” Jeff pulled a packet of papers out and placed them on the desk.

  “I’ll read everything first.” She set her jaw and reached for the paperwork. “Then I’ll go clean out the rest of my office.”

  T
here’d been papers, desk accessories, an extra pair of shoes tucked away in one drawer in case the weather got bad and she couldn’t wear her heels home.

  “No need to clean out your office. We’ve collected all of your personal effects here.” Jeff stood, agitated. “Anything else was generated on behalf of and is the property of this company. Just read and sign. Then you can go home.”

  Bitterness welled up and spread across her tongue. She swallowed the shame threatening to choke her. This was the first time she’d ever been fired.

  She hadn’t done anything wrong. “Is there any question regarding the quality of my work?”

  “Excuse me?” Jeff’s attention had strayed to something on his smartphone.

  “This termination is specifically due to my involvement in the accident two days ago.” She kept her tone carefully calm. “Is there any concern about my ability to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in my job description or the quality of my work?”

  It was important to clarify. She didn’t want any nasty surprises if a future employer contacted this company to confirm her employment history. Besides, it mattered to her. She was a good accountant.

  Jeff sighed. “The reason for your termination is stated in the paperwork. Just read and sign.”

  Sophie gritted her teeth and made a point of reading every line. He stood over her, but she remained seated and made sure she understood the exact terms for her termination. And honestly, she was a fast reader, but she took her time because he was trying to rush her.

  Twenty minutes later, she was making her way down the long hallway back to the elevator. Jeff hadn’t even offered to help her with her box to the front of the office, much less out the door and into the hallway. Now she’d be damned if she’d put this thing down before she got down the elevator and to the lobby.

  Her ankle throbbed with every step, and her eyes burned with the effort to keep her tears from falling. This had been her dream job after finishing her MBA. Her father had been so proud when she’d gotten this position.

  Worse, she was embarrassed. She shouldn’t be. While they had the right to end her employment at will, the reasons provided were ridiculous. She knew that. But it’d been humiliating limping her way out.

  She tried to maintain her indignation over their claims, letting it fuel her progress toward the exit, but she got to the lobby wrung out and exhausted. As she stepped out of the building, she thought of the comforting warmth of Brandon’s strong arms around her.

  Something between them had changed last evening and she wanted to see him, know that he was there. Beyond losing her job, fear was growing in her chest that her life was only going to get more insane. And the worst thing she could think of would be to find out he’d gone again.

  So she called, and asked him to come for her.

  * * *

  As Forte pulled up to the front of the building where Sophie worked, he spotted her right away. She was standing out in the open and easily visible. Vulnerable.

  Damn it. Something was wrong, but at least it wasn’t of the life-threatening, immediate kind. It was broad daylight, and she wasn’t standing near anything that might unexpectedly blow up…unless you counted the building behind her.

  “Haydn, blijf.” The big, black dog remained obediently on his belly in the back of the SUV, safely kenneled in the custom-altered trunk area.

  Satisfied that Haydn was good to wait in the vehicle, Forte exited and headed for Sophie.

  “Put the box down. I’ll get it.” Damn it. She shouldn’t be on her feet this much, and she especially shouldn’t be carrying boxes around. What the hell?

  Sophie regarded him with large, dark eyes glistening with tears on the verge of spilling over.

  Shit.

  Rage burned up from deep in his chest. Someone had made her cry. Suddenly, he had the urge to run past her into the building and tear the place to pieces for hurting her. But stronger than the destructive impulse was the need to wrap her in his arms and make her safe.

  He’d compromise.

  Taking the box from her, he herded her back to his SUV. Once he had her settled in the front passenger seat, he placed her box carefully in the seat behind her. Then he skirted around and got back behind the wheel. “Where to?”

  “Huh?” Sophie’s voice was strained.

  “I’ll take you home if you want to go home.” He turned his upper body to face her and reached out to catch a tear as one finally fell down her cheek. “Or I can take you someplace else, anyplace. You pick.”

  At this moment, he ached for her. He could guess what the box meant. She worked so hard, with long hours, taking pride in her work the way so few did in whatever their jobs were. She wouldn’t walk out with all her things like this unless she wasn’t planning to come back.

  His years in the military had taught him to be ready to move on. Assignments changed. He could be deployed, and those deployments could change in length of time or locale. He recognized the signs when plans changed without warning.

  The career Sophie had built for herself was completely changing, and he wanted to help her keep her footing as her world shifted around her.

  “Anywhere?” she asked. “I could ask you to keep driving until we hit the ocean or, say, Canada or Mexico.”

  He’d go anywhere if she asked. Leave everything behind if she needed him to. She just didn’t know it.

  He grinned at her. “Well, we’d get started and I figure we’d stop in about an hour when you realized you had to use the restroom.”

  She gasped and gave him a solid whack to his shoulder.

  There. That was the spunky Sophie he liked to be around every day. “What? You have a bladder the size of a Cocker Spaniel’s.”

  Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Ooh. Not nice, Brandon. My mother’s Cocker Spaniel is high-strung.”

  He snickered. “Sure she is. She pees when she’s gotta go. She pees when she’s scared. She also pees when she’s happy, or excited, or surprised. Generally, that dog drinks a lot of water and pees. Often.”

  Actually, he had nothing against Cocker Spaniels, but he was totally willing to tease the breed to keep that spark of Sophie’s temper going.

  Tears forgotten for the time being, Sophie was almost grinding her teeth. “I’d like to go home, please.”

  Of course. He’d figured. But maybe he’d take a small detour along the way.

  Her decision made, she turned in her seat to look into the back of the vehicle. “Hey, Haydn. How are you?”

  Haydn was still under the command to stay, but he stretched his neck just enough to pant happily in her direction.

  “So do you want to talk about it?” He figured he knew the answer but decided to give her the opening anyway.

  “Not really.” Her words were short.

  He waited. He wouldn’t push her, but if she decided to uncork, it’d be better. He’d found that out with his own bad days. And if Sophie was having a bad day, it was serious.

  “I got fired today.” It hadn’t taken her long. Her words were sort of strangled as she got them out. “Because they were sure I must be involved with unsavory persons to be mixed up with a car bombing. Like I’m involved with some sort of mafia.”

  Guilt stabbed him in the gut and twisted his innards. His worst nightmare was happening. He was becoming a blight on her life. “I’m—”

  She held up a hand. “Don’t. Don’t you dare take the blame. You and Haydn saved my life. Don’t even think this is remotely related to you.”

  “But it could be,” he snapped. He hadn’t meant to. It took a minute to modulate his tone. “You’re recovering and part of it is trying to leave the shock of the explosion behind, but you need to be careful. It might not have been an accident and you know we haven’t been making new friends over the last several months.”

  “You all were helping Lyn and Elisa.” Sophie had found her indignation. She paused for a moment, thinking. “And fine. If this wasn’t an accident, I’m betting you asked both of them to be
careful. It explains why you came home with me yesterday. I get it. But Ky is investigating. Do you really think there could be more?”

  His chest squeezed tight in sympathy for her. The last question had come out quieter, with a hint of fear. And she needed it. He couldn’t offer her comfort if it was going to make her less cautious. “There could be. You need to be careful.”

  I need to keep you safe.

  Otherwise, he ought to take his shitty influence out of her life before he completely ruined it.

  “Oh.” The word came out small. “Is that the only reason why you stayed yesterday? You have the kennel to run. If there’s danger, I could ask Ky for police protection.”

  “No.” It came out fast and he didn’t regret it one bit. “It’s not the only reason. If you want to request additional protection, that’s fine. But, Sophie, I’ll be there, too.”

  She chewed on her lip and didn’t say anything more. And damn, the silence was awkward. It took another minute for Sophie to realize he wasn’t taking the direct route home.

  “I thought you were going to take me where I wanted to go?” She sounded tired still and defeated.

  Glad of the change in topic, he really hoped this was going to be a good idea. “We are. We’re just making a stop first.”

  Speaking of which, he’d found a good parking place. He stepped out of the driver’s side and jogged around to help Sophie out before she exited the vehicle on her own.

  He scowled when he saw the way she stood. She’d been putting too much pressure on her ankle. He didn’t have a wheelchair with him.

  “What about Hayd—” Sophie let out a yelp as Forte scooped her up, cradling her in his arms as he walked the few steps to the front of the place.

  “Trust me.” He gripped Sophie tighter to him as he kicked the handicap button to trigger the automated door to open. “Haydn will be fine in the SUV for this quick visit. This time of year, it’s cool enough outside for him to be completely safe. It’ll be better for everyone involved.”