Page 5 of All Tied Down

“I’m not asking you to change who you are. I’m asking for a favor.”

“Garrett, do I look like I’m a woman interested in granting favors?”

“No, but you are a woman who might benefit from a short-term commitment that helps alleviate the nagging about your love life.” I watch as she opens her mouth and then closes it, her cranberry-red lips pursing. “I’ll grant your divorce in six months and you can claim you tried to make it work—that we were happy but we’re better off as friends.”

“You’re serious.”

“As a heart attack.”

“Bold choice seeing as my uncle had one at his desk.”

“Shit,” I bite out but she waves her hand.

“It’s fine. He’s retired, married, and living his best life as a Pappy.”

“I’m glad he’s doing better.”

“Me too. But⁠—”

Whatever she was about to say is interrupted by a hasty knock and the entrance of a guy in business attire who looks like he moonlights as a bodybuilder.

“Miss Andrews,” he says, his eyes sliding to me for only a second before returning to hers. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a crowd forming outside the building. Security has been called, but Mr. Oakden is still on vacation.”

Emerson’s nails click against the desk, the sound jarring in combination with the whirring of the computer.

“You brought a crowd?” The accusation is sharp and I wince.

“I didn’t, I swear. I was careful.” And I was because I know how fast things can escalate. How did they know I was here?

“Des, what is the thing I value most at Andrews International?” she asks, her nails poised against the wood.

“Loyalty.”

“And if that is compromised?”

“Immediate termination.” He answers as if by rote, unfazed, while I feel like I’m about to start sweating.

“Des, this is my husband, for the time being, Garrett North.” She delivers it so casually I can’t stop my eyebrows from shooting into my hairline, unlike Des, who remains completely expressionless.

“Mr. North.” Des nods but doesn’t offer me his hand.

“Nice to meet you.” I smile but he doesn’t return it, just the slightest twitch of his mouth to say he’s amused by this turn of events.

“I need you to reschedule my next two days. I’ll work remotely from Ironwood tomorrow. It’s too much to try and handle from here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Des replies, typing something on his phone as she continues.

“I need you available for the next seventy-two hours. Get ahold of security and find out when the paparazzi showed up. We need to know if someone followed him or if they were tipped off by someone in this building.” Glaring at me, she adds, “See? I’ve been married to you for five minutes and you’re already fucking up my system.”

“You say the sweetest things,” I tease as she shoves papers and a laptop into an oversized bag that probably costs more than my daily driver.

“You’re on my shit list, Rockstar.”

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

“You can’t deliver the number of orgasms this is going to require.”

“Try me,” I fire back, keenly aware that Des has not moved.