The office door opened, and Keith slid in, shutting it behind him. He took a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. I couldn’t get over how weird it was when he did that. This was his shop, his and JJ’s. He shouldn’t sit across from me like I’m the boss when it was the other way around.
“How are you doing?” he asked, quickly eyeing the door. “I don’t just mean with work. You have shadows wherever you go.”
I’d decided there was no point in hiding what was going on from him. I had two guards with me now. Besides, if someone wanted to get to me, I needed Keith and others to know what I was up against. This wasn’t an ex who was jealous because their lover was with another person. Not to downplay that at all. Vail’s ex was proof of how unhinged someone could be. What I was dealing with was a different kind of fucked up.
“I try not to think about it,” I told him. “At least while I’m here. My brother or V will call me if anything happens with Sheldon or anyone else. I’m more worried about Sheldon getting hurt. He’s out there all day. When he’s in the building, he’s safe. When he’s with Jordan, going wherever, he’s in the open.”
“I’d feel the same way. The only reason I don’t worry about my partners is because I work with them. It’s a blessing and acurse. I’m their boss on top of their lover. There can’t be any favoritism with Damian and Jeremy. At the same time, everyone here knows we’re together and is comfortable with it. You’re dating a bodyguard for the mafia. That’s a different ball game.” He put his hands up. “No judgment. I’m the last person who’ll do that. I saw some shit with JJ a while back. It wasn’t pretty. I’m here for you though. We all are.”
“I appreciate it. Any other place wouldn’t tolerate this.” I motioned toward the door. On the other side was either Micah or Winnie. They took turns manning it and walking the perimeter of the shop and property.
Keith leaned forward, putting his forearms on the desk. “Is it fucked up that I like having them here? It means more security for all the employees. They won’t let anything happen.”
“Not at all. I like that Sheldon has other badass people with him every day. They’re more than capable.”
A knock on the door halted our conversation.
Winnie stuck her head in. Her black hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She wore a formfitting T-shirt tucked into a pair of cargo pants and boots that looked like they could kick the shit out of someone. “He’s really laying it on thick.” She grinned and presented a bouquet of orchids. Dark pink and white, they were gorgeous, perfectly arranged in a clear glass vase. I still had the bouquet of pink roses on my desk from two days ago.
I hadn’t given much thought to receiving flowers. It wasn’t that I thought only women should get them. I’d never received them. Now that I had, I realized how much I loved it.
Standing, I carefully took the flowers from Winnie and set them on the desk. She closed the door as she stepped back into the hallway. There was a card nestled in the middle, much like the others.
Roses. What an amateur. Sheldon can do better.
Do you like my gift to you? I thought they’d brighten up an otherwise dull work environment.
Til I see you again.
“Winnie!”
Keith was on his feet, taking the card from my hand as the door slammed open.
“What?” she asked.
“This wasn’t from Sheldon,” I said in a shaky voice. It wasn’t just my lips that were trembling. My whole body was.
Everything started to fade as my vision tunneled to the flowers. My body swayed, the room spun. Arms wrapped around me, slowly lowering me to the floor.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
“Keith?”
“Yeah. We’ve called Sheldon.”
Darkness crept in, trying to pull me under, but I shook it away, focused on the sounds around me. Micah yelled to pull the bay doors down and lock the front. Winnie spoke to someone, I thought, on the phone. It was all distant yet not.
Keith didn’t let me go, sat with my back to his chest.
Damian filled my vision, his hair falling onto his forehead. “Focus on me.”
I nodded. At least I thought I did.
“You see me?”
“Yes,” I whispered. Nothing had happened to me and yet my throat was raw.
“Good. Sheldon’s coming, okay? Until then, no one’s going to get to you. We won’t let them touch you.”
