Page 60 of The Reluctant Hero

His lips flatten out angrily as the guard clears his throat again. It’s more pointed this time. If I don’t turn around, I can just pretend he isn’t there.

I slurp my coffee again.

“Fuck,fine,” Cade snaps and juggles the box to open the door himself. I’m one step behind him when a firm hand goes to the back of my neck.

The guard holds me still as Cade moves out of the way, leaving me a clear view of Mr. Matthias looking impatient at his desk. Ace is next to him and gives me a wide smile. The view is cut off as the guard calmly reaches for the handle and pulls the door closed with us outside it.

The man just scruffed me like a cat. I’m shocked that it’s actually working. It’s a heavy weight and so warm I feel branded by the touch despite the subtle threat.

I stay quiet, knowing I messed up in his eyes, but refusing to back down. I am not swallowing one more jerk trying to belittle me so he can amuse himself. I’m not going to sit there and pretend it’s ok or waste time wondering what I did to make someone unhappy. That part of me is still struggling, but I’m holding it underwater until it stops.

I’m going to be really disappointed with this lecture. I can already tell. I want him to be the nice one, damn it!

When the insults and threats don’t start, my brows begin to furrow. It’s the only part of my body I can move while his fingers are wrapped around my neck. He’s big enough that his thumb and fingers almost meet. I feel like I’m wearing a loose collar. At least he isn’t squeezing.

“Relax,” he mutters in his gravelly tone. “We’re just giving Cade a minute to let it sink in that you aren’t begging at his feet the second he sees you as a person.”

My eyes widen in surprise as I tilt my head. “He’ll just think the same thing I did. That you’re out here reading me my rights before you toss me down the stairs.”

“I would hope after knowing me this long, he’d realize I wouldn’t say anything if I wanted to throw you down the stairs.”

My imagination takes over from there. But it leads me to another question. “Would you use one hand or two?”

He takes a slow, deep breath and releases it. “One.”

“I can see that happening,” I mutter in a daze. The muscles on this guy are more than a little concerning. I don’t doubt him for a second.

The fingers tighten, raising goosebumps of what should be fear along my arms. Instead, the feeling is almost erotic. Relaxing. A strength I could place all my burdens on and let him carry them.

Whoa. No. This guy and everyone else in there is bad news. Maybe I need to start a dating profile and get back out there. With normal guys that don’t look like they could bench press me.

Then again, the so-called normal guy I married didn’t turn out to be much, either.

His fingers slowly drag away from my neck, and he opens the door for me to go in. I hurry away from him, not bothering to hide my panic. At this point, I’m hoping it looks like he gave me a lecture so I can explain the fear without embarrassing myself.

Mr. Matthias is waiting, spinning a metal pen between his fingers. The cold expression doesn’t relent as he watches me and glances back to see the guard.

“I trust everything is ok?”

No, I need to go home and change my panties.

“Yes,” the guard answers calmly and passes me by.

Oh, he was talking to him.

When Mr. Matthias looks back at my frozen form, an eyebrow rises, and he points to the corner.

A foldable table has been set up in what looks like a hurry. As far away from all of them as it can get. The box Cade was carrying is on top with a folding metal chair beside it. It looks like I’m being punished for something. Maybe my fat mouth. I can understand that.

I’ve had worse jobs. Like a boss that fucked my husband. A diner where I witnessed food fall to the floor and get slapped back on the plate to be served. Metal chair and rickety table? No problem.

Without a word I sit down and pull the pages and a list I made of the names out to set to the side. The two highlighters get arranged, and I grab the first folder to start working. The more I ignore them, the better off I’ll be.

That becomes more difficult as Ace starts muttering, and I try to catch his accent at work. Then Cade starts having a loud conversation with Jake about the type of women he likes and asking for opinions. Jake turns the TV up until it’s stupidly loud.

I wasn’t ready for this at all. My peaceful shut-the-door and block-out-the-world time may be gone, but I have a contingency plan.

I dig in my purse and take out the earbuds I stashed this morning. I figured why not because it wouldn’t be a big deal if he told me to get out. I plan on using my lunch break to send out more resumes. When my music comes on I get back into the zone and work.

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