Which seems to have become a habit of theirs.
And I just wanted to be left alone to dwell in my misery.
But now it’s Wednesday, and the company has a mandatory team-building day. The whole leadership board will be there, so I can’t skip it. I don’t think they even know who I am or that I exist, but I wouldn’t put it past Langley to rat me out and make me look bad.
The bus ride to the event is a blur. My mind is filled with a jumble of emotions and thoughts.
How can I pretend everything is okay when I’m a mess inside?
I arrive at the building almost a little late, which is a first for me, and take a deep breath before stepping inside. The room is buzzing with activity. People are chatting, laughing, and mingling. I spot Hendricks across the room, and he gives me a small, encouraging smile. I force a smile back, but my stomach is in knots as I walk over to him. I avoid looking for Oliver, Misha, or Grey, afraid of what I’ll see in their eyes.
“Hey,” I whisper to Hendricks when I come to stand beside him.
“Hey, do you feel better?” he asks with genuine concern in his eyes.
“I do.”I don’t.
Langley catches sight of me from a few feet away and strides over, a smug look on his face. “Glad to see you could make it, Amelia. I was beginning to think you were going to skip out on us.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I reply, keeping my voice steady.
“Good. We need everyone to participate today. It’s important for team synergy,” he says, giving me a pointed look before walking away.
Hendricks and I are at the back of the room, so I’m hoping to blend in and avoid any unnecessary interactions. The event kicks off with a few speeches from the leadership team, but I can barely focus on their words. My mind keeps drifting back to the mess I’ve made.
After the speeches, the event organizer steps up to the microphone. “All right, everyone, it’s time for our team-building activity. This whole building is set up with different escape rooms. You’ll need to form teams of four, and each team must include at least one person from a different department to strengthen inter-departmental relationships.”
This is the worst.
I turn to look at Hendricks, about to ask if he wants to go ask the guys from the hardware department to build a team with us, when someone grabs my wrist.
“Come on,” says a familiar voice. I turn to look up at Grey, who’s trying to pull me away, but I hold against it. He stops and turns to look at me, frowning. “What?”
“What are you doing?” I ask, my voice tinged with frustration.
“Gathering my last team member,” he mutters, pulling me once more.
“I was going to build a team with Hendricks,” I protest, my heart pounding.
“No, you’re not. You’reours.”
A strange thrill runs through me at the possessiveness in his tone.
Ours.
The word lingers in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. I glance back at Hendricks, whose shrug does little to alleviate the guilt gnawing at my stomach.
“Traitor,” I mutter under my breath, though I know it’s not fair to blame him.
When Grey pulls me a few steps away, I hiss at him, “You’re unbelievable. That was rude. I don’t like to be rude.”
“Well, you were perfectly fine being rude to me and not answering any of my texts or phone calls the last two days.” He stops abruptly and turns, nudging my chin up so I have to look at him. His touch is firm but gentle, and his eyes bore into mine with an intensity that makes my heart skip a beat. “I don’t like not knowing if you’re fine, Amelia. If I hadn’t…” He trails off. “Next time, just give me a fucking sign that you’re still alive. Just tell me to shut up or whatever. It’s fine as long as I know that you’re still breathing. Okay?”
Fuck. I’m the worst.
His eyes reveal more than he probably wants me to see—worry, frustration, and something deeper. I think about how he said he texts his parents but never hears back from them, and guilt washes over me, making me feel even worse than I did before.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
