by Lucy Lambert
Charlotte's stomach growled as she looked at the rows of pastries. But she just ordered a plain green tea.
The bell tinkled again as she paid for the tea, so she couldn't turn around. When she took a seat, she couldn't see anyone new in the room.
I've been stood up, she thought. She spun the paper cup with its cardboard sleeve slowly on the round tabletop.
Suddenly, images flooded her mind. She remembered sitting in the hospital waiting room, paper water cup crumpled in her fist. The frantic energy that came with wondering if Landon was alive or dead returned to her.
How could she do this to him? Maybe he was right. He was just trying to keep her safe. No man had ever been like that with her before.
Silly girl, you're just overreacting. He cares about you, that's all. She knew she had to get out of there, right away. She couldn't believe what she'd been considering doing. Landon wasn't out to hurt her. If he felt anywhere near as deeply about her as she felt about him, it had to be one of the most difficult decisions he'd ever made to "fire" her, keeping them both separated.
Charlotte started standing. A hand touched her on the shoulder. She jerked with surprise, sending hot tea onto her hand. She bit her tongue to keep herself from making a scene.
"Miss Montgomery, please, take a seat."
It was the same smooth, comforting voice she'd heard on the phone. It was the kind of voice that people would be willing to listen to just reading random dictionary entries, or a shopping list. The kind of voice able to convince a person that what it was saying was right merely from its sound alone.
Something inside told Charlotte to run, to get up out of her chair, get onto the subway or into a cab, and hope she never heard that voice again.
Another part of her told her that if she knew what was good for her, she'd stay in her chair. This was a group that had orchestrated several nearly-successful assassination attempts on one of the richest men in the country. Killing Charlotte would be the equivalent of stepping on a worm that had crawled out onto the sidewalk during a rainstorm.
With a voice like that, she was startled by how ordinary the man looked. Clean-shaven, somewhere in his late forties. He could have been anyone's favorite uncle. His smile was the only thing that gave him away. It never touched his eyes, making him look like a creepy doll.
Steepling his fingers, he leaned forward and rested his chin on his fingertips.
"Thank you so much for agreeing to hear our proposal, Miss Montgomery."
When she tried to speak, he took one of his hands and held it out. He had a pair of black leather gloves on. The leather creaked slightly as he waggled his index finger at her. The image of those long fingers wrapping around her throat filled her mind with a primal fear. She didn't try to speak again.
"Please don't interrupt. I am part of an organization that believes that Landon Pierce and those like him are at the heart of the corruption in this country. We believe that their... removal is the only way to ensure our future prosperity. Think of them as the spot of rot on an apple. Leave it, and it spreads until it has corrupted the entire fruit. Cut it out... and it leaves the rest of the flesh unblemished, ready to eat."
His smile widened. He had perfect white teeth, just like Landon. This time, the smile did touch his eyes. She could see the heat of his passion for this undertaking in those eyes. It was a feverish heat, one that burned away any common sense, any morality.
Her skin crawled. She wanted so badly just to get up and run. This man talked about killing people. The image of those fingers closing off her windpipe was replaced by one of them encircling Landon's throat, choking the life from him.
Be brave, she told herself. She tried to cover up her nerves by taking a mouthful of tea. It was still too hot. The barista had used water of the wrong temperature, making the tea bitter.
Steeling herself, she listened to him. Landon had tried to protect her. Now it was her turn to protect him. She had no idea what she was going to do with what she heard. But maybe the FBI would have a better idea.
Her hands began shaking so badly that she had to put them between her thighs.
"So, Miss Montgomery, you see, this is for the best. We know Pierce has hurt you. All you need to do is make sure he's at this location at this time, and we'll take care of the rest."
He reached into his inside pocket. Charlotte saw the grip of a pistol in there. It lay nestled in its shoulder holster like an extension of his body. But the fingers moved passed, grabbing out a small business card. He slid that across the table, got up, and left.
Charlotte waited for the bells to stop tinkling before she turned it over.
"Library, 2:30 PM, tomorrow," it said. The words had been written in flowing cursive. She'd never seen finer handwriting. It would have looked impressive on an invitation to a wedding. This, however, was an invitation to an assassination. There was nothing else on the card. Nothing anyone could use to identify the writer, aside from the writing.
There was no time to contact the authorities. She stood on shaky legs. The chair squealed as it pushed back along the floor.
No, there was only one person she could go to for help: the very person she was supposed to lead to his death.
Landon Pierce, CEO of Pierce Technologies.
***
Another taxi ride later, she stood in front of the office tower. She craned her neck and looked up at its gleaming face as crowds of men and women in business suits flowed past and around her like water.
Just weeks ago, she'd been happily working as an office drone. The biggest worry on her mind had been how the upcoming corporate takeover was going to affect her job security.
She envied that previous version of herself. Then more memories came back to her. Memories of two bodies pressed together, their heat mingling. For the first time in a while, a small smile curved her lips.
Perhaps that previous version would have more than a little jealousy for the present Charlotte, as well.
Waves of heat seemed to rebound throughout her body as she stepped into the lobby. They left parts of her too warm, and other parts too cold. She felt uncomfortable in her own skin. Immediately, various security cameras turned to peer at her with their singular lenses.
As she approached the security desk, with its blue-shirted guard, the phone rang. The guard picked it up and put it to his ear. She was still too far to hear what he was saying. But she recognized the meaning of his eyes when they levelled on her.
Charlotte reached into her purse, fishing around for her ID badge before remembering that she no longer worked there. The guard stood. He was tall, and broadly built. He put his hands on his hips, elbows pointed out, making him seem even more imposing.
Directly over the security desk, an unblinking security camera stared down at them. Its little red LED flashed as it tracked their movement.
"Miss Montgomery, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, ma’am," the guard said. He had a surprisingly high voice for a man so large.
Charlotte balked, her eyebrows crinkling together.
"Excuse me?"
The guard, whose nametag read only, "John," stepped out from around the desk.
"You have to exit the building immediately. If you refuse, you will be removed and the police will be informed of your trespassing."
Security guard John cracked his knuckles, obviously hoping she'd choose removal by force.
Charlotte took a step back. She looked past John the guard to the elevator doors. They were so close. She could be talking to Landon in just a few minutes. She could be saving his life in just a few minutes.
"I can't, I'm sorry. I need to see Landon right away. Please!"
She tried to get past him. He grabbed her by the shoulder, making her spin partway around him as her momentum continued carrying her forward. His fingers dug into her shoulder, sending sharp spikes of pain down her back and chest.
"Mister Pierce has left very specific instructions that you are to be restrained from entering the building," J
ohn the guard said. He grunted as he began hauling her back towards the door.
By then, they had the attention of the other people in the lobby. Men and women in business suits looked up from the chairs and couches lining the walls. All conversations had fallen silent as they watched the guard struggle with the curvy, crazy woman demanding to see Landon Pierce.
"No! Please let me by. You don't know why I need to see him..."
John snorted as though he'd heard all this before. He'd already brought her nearly halfway back to the door. The soles of her flats squeaked as her feet flailed against the polished floor, looking for enough grip to keep from losing any more ground.
All of the security cameras pointed at them.
"Please let me go!"
They were nearly to the door, then. She had to see Landon. Her mind sought desperately for some solution, some way to get past the oafish guard and to the elevator.
Landon had done all this to protect her. Her eyes widened.
"Stop! I'm in danger. There's someone threatening to hurt me..."
"If I had a dollar for every time..." John began.
Their bodies triggered the doors, which slid to the side. The cool fall air rushed in at them, making Charlotte's body breakout in goosebumps.
The radio on John's shoulder crackled. Charlotte didn't catch what it said, but John did. He stopped. His fingers stayed clamped on her shoulder as he turned his head to face the radio.
"What? Are you kidding?"
The radio let out another incomprehensible crackle. Charlotte trembled, her whole body tense.
Then John let her go. He looked down at her with an expression like he had a bad taste in his mouth.
"You are to see Mister Pierce right away."
He hadn't even finished talking when she rushed the elevator. The door opened. two businessmen jumped out of her way, wide-eyed as she barrelled toward them.
As the door closed, she caught her breath. She caught a glimpse of all the eyes on her. She wondered if any of them worked for the organization that wanted Landon dead. She hoped she'd been convincing. If she'd yelled out that Landon had been the one in danger, they may have suspected something and changed their plans.
No, she believed that surprise was still on her side.
It was a long elevator ride to the top floor.
"Come on, come on..." Charlotte muttered. Watching the floor number count up was painful. She also noticed that it never stopped to pick up any other passengers on their ways to higher floors. The little red LED labelled "Override" was on.
Then the door opened. Charlotte almost ran into another broad-chested guard (this one wearing a black suit and sunglasses). He stepped out of her way.
The twin secretarial desks nestled between the two winding staircases were still vacant.
Charlotte was breathless by the time she reached the top stair. The only barrier then was the ornate mahogany doors. These parted before she got to them.
"Charlotte?"
Landon had a look of concern on his face. It made two little wrinkles between his eyebrows. His hands flexed as though he wanted to grab her up, but he wasn't letting them.
"Landon! Oh, dear God, Landon!" Charlotte rushed over to him, looking up into his wide eyes. She wanted so desperately for him to wrap those strong arms around her, pull her onto her toes, and kiss her until the fear left her body.
But she couldn't, not if she wanted him to live.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him into his office. No one else could hear what she had to say. Any of the guards out there could be a double agent, looking for any sort of opening.
"Charlotte? What the hell is the matter with you?" Landon said as she slammed the door closed.
She felt overwhelmed. On one hand, being back in Landon's office filled her with a sort of wordless joy and triumph. On the other, urgency tugged at her, badgering her to get on with it.
Landon saw her distress. His eyes softened. He put his hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly. Her one shoulder hurt at the touch, still tender from where John the guard had tried to use the spot as a handle to haul her from the building. Still, she didn't stop him. Just that little bit of contact soothed her nerves somewhat.
She couldn't meet his eyes yet. Instead, she looked down at his perfectly polished shoes.
Her reflection looked back up at her.
His hands moved down her shoulders to her arms. They left a trail of heat on her flesh, even through her shirt. A shock of embarrassment shook her for a moment.
She'd never appeared dressed so casually in front of him before. She'd always been in her business wear, or some sort of dress. Her face flushed.
Landon put one finger under her chin. He lifted her face. She didn't resist.
"Tell me what's wrong. Who is trying to hurt you? Just let me know, and I will make certain it's taken care of."
His eyes flicked back and forth between hers. He smiled at her. His eyes took up the smile, too. Charlotte could have cried.
Wordlessly, she pulled the card from her purse and handed it to him. Landon, read the words and frowned. He turned the card over in his hands.
"What is this?" He asked.
Charlotte had to work some saliva into her suddenly dry mouth. When she managed to wet her tongue enough, she opened her mouth, taking a deep breath. Her body shuddered as the words left her.
"That's the time and place they're going to kill you."
Landon's jaw tightened. He looked from the card to her, then back to it. He pulled at the knot of his tie as though it had suddenly become too tight around his neck. Still, he pulled himself together remarkably quickly.
"Who? Who is going to kill me?"
"The same people who tried before. I don't know what they call themselves."
Landon put one hand on the side of her neck. He used his thumb to stroke lightly along her cheek.
"How do you know about this?"
She couldn't let him touch her any more. Again, she found it difficult to speak. It felt like someone had jammed a golf ball down her throat. She backed away, shame filling the pit of her stomach.
"I... I know because they asked me to help them."
Landon's eyes widened, and he turned around. She'd seen the hurt on his face for just a moment. It was enough for the tears to push out from behind her eyes.
"I'm so sorry. It's just... I felt hurt. After you left, I got a call to meet someone. I never wanted to hurt you. Please believe me... Please forgive me."
She stretched out her hand slowly, her fingers extending. She wanted so badly to put her hand on his shoulder, but she didn't.
Landon ran his fingers through his hair. It took him a long while to turn around. His eyes cut into her heart like a knife blade. The concern had mostly drained from them.
"I think it's clear how you feel. Thanks for the warning. I'll be sure to let the feds know. You can let yourself out; you know the way."
"Landon... Please, forgive me. I was angry. Please don't push me out of your life. I need you... I..."
She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but he'd turned around again. She remembered how he'd told her she was free to leave when he stopped talking. Back when she worked for him. That felt so long ago, a lifetime, to her at that moment.
She couldn't let it end that easily. She wasn't going to let her own anger, her own mistake, force her from his life.
"Listen to me," she said.
He made no reply.
She grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. His eyes were wide still, but more in shock than anger and hurt at that moment.
"I made a mistake, but haven't we both? Isn't what we have worth saving? Worth forgiving each other? Landon... I would die if something happened to you. I almost did when I saw you lying on the pavement after getting shot. It felt like my life was over. Please, please, see past this. I know what kind of man you are."
For just a moment, his armor cracked. His eyes softened. Charlotte allowed herself a flutter of
hope.
Then his eyes hardened again. He wrenched his shoulder from her grip, then spun around. He started walking over to his desk. Somehow, Charlotte knew that if he managed to sit down, to become the corporate CEO again, he'd be lost to her forever.
She couldn't let that happen.
Shoulders heaving, she rushed him. He heard, turning at the sound of her feet squeaking off the floor.
"What?" He began.
She wrapped her arms around him, bearing him to the floor.
"I'm not going to let this happen. You aren't slipping through my fingers."
He couldn't meet her eyes. She could feel his body trembling against hers. Charlotte put her ear against his chest. His heart pounded so quickly it practically hummed. The heat of his body seemed to infuse her.
Landon managed to get his arms around her back. She could feel his fingers tightening against her, getting ready to tear her away again. Panic and adrenaline giving her strength, Charlotte did the only thing she could.
She kissed him. His lips refused her, tightening. She kept going as his powerful arms began lifting her away from him. His hands trembled, their grip loosening.
Finally, his lips relaxed, then kissed her back. His arms wrapped around her, crushing her harder against him. He held her so tightly that she couldn't breathe. But Charlotte didn't care. The only thing her body needed at that moment was his touch, to feel the force of his need for her.
Their kiss deepened, became more desperate as they did. Their lips parted, and their tongues mingled together. Charlotte moaned at the heat she felt from his mouth.
How can his kisses be so hot?
That heat was all she could feel after a few moments. Their bodies writhed, grinding together as they gave into their need.
Even though they'd only been apart for a day, Charlotte felt as though it had been years since Landon had touched her. She shuddered against him, her breath catching in her throat, as her body expressed its need with crashing waves of warmth.
Heat and blood seemed to flood into her sex. She felt wet for him. With effort, she pulled her lips from his. She ran her mouth down his throat. The musky scent of his aftershave gave her a heady feeling. She nipped at him. He groaned, his fingers squeezing her back.
