The words died as Damien entered through the glass doors, crossing the marble floor in long strides that pulled every pair of eyes with them.
"Good morning, Mr. Holt," the receptionist said, voice tipping a little too bright as she looked him over. His shoulders. His chest.
Noted.
"Good morning, Jill." He tipped his head politely before turning to me. "Ms. Sinclair. I'm happy to see you. We're excited to have you here with us."
"I'm excited to be here," I answered pleasantly, while every cell in my body screamed.
He choked on a laugh, covering it with a cough. "Apologies," he wheezed.
"Can I get you a water, Mr. Holt?" Jill asked, tone suggesting she'd fetch him much more than that.
"No, thank you," he said.
I shot her a look that could have curdled milk. Then, to him, I said, "Are you sure you don't want a water?"
He caught the meaning, fake-coughing again. I let him suffer.
"I'd love to escort you to your new office."
I smiled. "I would love—"
"Emma!" someone called, an arm looping over my shoulders. "I'm so glad to see you."
Damien straightened instantly, gaze zeroing in on Nathan Bell—and on the arm he'd draped across me like we were old friends.
I opened my mouth to decline, but Nathan turned to Damien instead.
"Damien, they need you on the fourth floor. Something with accounting."
"I was just about to show Ms. Sinclair to her office."
Nathan grinned. "I'd be happy to show her. If that's alright with you, Emma."
The air shifted.
"Ms. Sinclair," I corrected, voice cold enough to frost the marble.
"Jesus, are we still on that bullshit?"
"It isn't bullshit," Damien snapped. He caught himself a second later—Jill stiffening at the desk. "It's called respect."
"Yeah, yeah," Nathan drawled. "Either way. I'll show Emma to her desk."
"Ms. Sinclair," Damien said again. "And it's an office."
But Nathan was already steering me toward the elevators.
His grip was too firm. Every instinct screamed to shrug him off, tell him where he could shove his escort services.
But not here. Not on my first day. Not with an entire lobby watching.
So I walked. Smile fixed. Body loose. Damien's stare heavy on my back.
The elevator doors slid shut.
Nathan's arm finally dropped away. Small mercy.
