Page 166 of With Us

“Good luck.” I opened the door and climbed out. “Thanks, Ben,” I added before closing it. Pulling my coat tight around me, I rushed through the cold and into the lobby. With a wave to the security guards, and another to Ms. Suze at the big front desk, I made my way to the private elevator.

When I reached Theo’s lobby, Rosa wasn’t at her desk. I hung up my coat before hesitantly peeking into Theo’s office to find him missing, too.

I turned around, unsure what to do when I saw Rosa coming out of the restroom.

“I knew it,” she said, shaking her head as she approached. “I’ve had togofor like an hour, but I was convinced as soon as I did, you’d show. I couldn’t hold it any longer, and of course you came.” She laughed and tilted her head toward the elevator. “Theo’s in a meeting upstairs. He said you could wait down here or I could bring you up.”

I glanced down the hallway that had several conference rooms. There were more on the lower Amaric floors. I hadn’t known there were any in the floors above him.

“We can go,” I said.

Rosa looked around before lowering her voice. “So you know, the upstairs is used for Amato business, not Amaric. If you’d rather, we can go grab a coffee from the cafeteria.”

My curiosity got the better of me. “It’s okay.”

Strangely, she grinned at my answer as she pressed the button for the elevator. “Great. I’ll bring you up, but then I have to come back here.” She made the talking gesture with her hands. “Chatty Steve is calling, and Theo’s refusing to take the calls. Which means yours truly is dealing with them.”

I gave her a sympathetic smile. “Maybe the power will go out.”

“One can only hope. I did pack a sandwich to eat at my desk in case the call goes into dinner time. Again.” When the doors opened, we got in and she inserted a small key before punching in a code. “Anyway, if you feel uncomfortable, come down and hang out.”

He wouldn’t have me go if they were discussing anything too bad.

Right?

“Thanks. Though, I’ve heard a call from Steve before, and it’s not an experience I’m racing to repeat.”

“Try being the one who has to talk to him. Last time, I swear I was about to lose my voice because it went on so long.”

The elevator doors opened to what looked more like a living room than a reception area. There was a large TV mounted to the wall with a few couches aimed toward it. On one of the couches, a humongously tall and muscular man lounged.

His eyes went alert and his face was set in a stern glower until he saw who it was. Smiling, he stood quickly and offered me his hand. “Hi, I’m Grenade... I mean Greg. Nice to finally meet you, ma’am.”

If he hadn’t been looking right at me, I would’ve sworn he was talking to someone else. “Oh, no, please don’t call me ma’am. Ever.” I took his outstretched hand. “Dahlia. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Greg is head of security for the fights,” Rosa told me before looking back at him. “Why aren’t you in the meeting?”

“My part is done. I had Luc DVR my stories, so I’m getting caught up.” He gestured down the hall. “They’re in the second room on the right.”

“Thanks,” I said.

As I walked away, I heard him lower his voice to ask Rosa, “When you gonna let me take you out?”

“Don’t let Luc hear you asking that,” she said with a laugh, her voice teasing.

I was tempted to creep back and eavesdrop on the rest of the conversation, but I knocked on the door instead. It was opened a moment later by another massive man. His grin was even bigger than Greg’s had been. “Nice to finally meet you, Ma—”

“If you call me ma’am,” I interrupted, “I’m going to develop a complex. Just Dahlia.”

He chuckled. “Nice to finally meet you,Dahlia.”

Theo stood and came around the large table. With a dimpled grin, he wrapped an arm around me. “Gattina, this is Sammy. He’s in charge of all the fights.”

I shook Sammy’s hand before he sat back at the table.

Theo pulled me closer and whispered, “You smell good.”

“I showered, but I think the almond fondant smell may be permanent.”

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