Page 54 of Inevitable Secrets

“Yeah, this was not my most shining moment, huh?”

Taylor shook her head.

“I’m sorry.” He slid his arms around her and tried to win her over with a dimpled grin. “If it makes you feel any better, Claire yelled at me as soon as I walked through the door.”

“Give her a raise,” Taylor said.

“Please don’t be mad,” Derrick whispered to Taylor, still looking a little nervous.

“I’m still mad,” Taylor admitted, “but if this works for you, we will get through it.” She kissed Derrick lightly on the lips. “I have to get back to work now.”

“Okay,” he said and gave her another soft kiss.

Taylor turned and made her way to the door. “Hey,” Derrick called after her as she opened the door, “do you want to catch me up on what you worked on while I was out?” he asked.

Taylor looked over her shoulder as she opened the door. “You wanted to come back to work,” she reminded him. “Figure it out yourself,” she said and shut Derrick in his office. She walked calmly back out of the outer office, and knocked on Claire’s desk as she went by. “You’re getting a raise, don’t let him forget,” Taylor told her.

“Thank you, Mrs. Preston-Fletcher, always good to see you.”

Seventeen

Derrick wasglad to be back to work, to be in the grind, to actually feel useful again.

But he was tired as fuck as the afternoon went on. At four he decided he had put in enough time for his first day back.

Calling it a day, he texted to Taylor.

Okay, heading into one last meeting, I will meet you back home.

Derrick made a face at her response. He really wanted her to drive home with him, like they used to, but he had figured she wouldn’t jump to leave just yet. He was sure she had a lot to get done, and he was sure she was also still a little pissed at him for his spontaneous return to work.

Maybe he should stop for tulips.

His phone chimed and he checked it to find a selfie of Taylor blowing him a kiss. She had captioned itI love you, you giant pain in the ass.

Derrick smiled at the picture.I love you too, you are my whole world,he replied and made his way out. He said goodnight to Claire and picked up his security detail of Rog and Sam on the way out. It was annoying to be followed around, but he really had not enjoyed being shot, so he would put up with it for now.

Once Derrick climbed into the SUV he sank into the leather and rested his head back. Next thing he knew the car was stopped and he was home. Derrick felt ridiculous at how much just being in an office for a few hours had exhausted him, but it also fired him up to get back to full strength.

Derrick made his way inside the mansion and headed toward his bedroom. His incision sites were pulling, and he knew a shower would help them ease a little. He climbed the stairs and was making his way down the hall toward the wing where his room was when he heard loud voices. He turned the corner and found Marty and Henry talking in the hallway near his room. And from what he could see and hear it didn’t seem like a pleasant conversation.

“I don’t care, I am not going out with all these guys following me,” he heard Marty hiss.

“Marty,” he heard Henry’s thick brogue growl back at her, “it isn’t safe right now for you to be out without—”

“Tough. Shit.” Marty growled. “I am not a child, and I—”

Both figures froze as Derrick came closer to them. He looked between the two. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“I want to go out,” Marty said hotly, “and he,” she added, throwing her thumb in Henry’s direction, “says I can’t without two guards, a police detail and a helicopter flyover.”

“Miss Fletcher, that is not what I said,” Henry said tensely, his restraint palpable. He turned to Derrick. “I told Miss Fletcher that it is best if she has a security detail with her when she leaves to ensure—”

“I don’t want an entourage to go to the store!” Marty shouted.

“Marty, he’s right,” Derrick said, “it isn’t safe.”

“Why not? They shot the guy who shot you, didn’t they?” she asked Derrick.

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