Page 12 of Room Twenty-Four: Under Their Hands

CHAPTER7

Seth

There’s something going on. The office is buzzing with gossip but I don’t know these people so I can’t ask them. But when I see the stretcher heading up to the top floor, I hit the damn stairs three at a time.

Huffing slightly, I open the door and race to the office where I saw our little dove earlier. “What’s going on?” I holler as I push the damn door open.

Our dove is lying on the floor, her face pale and her glorious green eyes closed.

“What the hell?” My head whips back and forth looking for some kind of threat. Some enemy to kill.

Her friend is sitting next to her on the floor, her eyes watering, tears dripping down her pale cheeks. “What are you doing?” She asks, pulling a tissue out of her pocket and blowing her little nose.

“What the hell happened?” I kneel next to her, my hand touching her throat, relief flooding me when I feel her pulse. The paramedics run into the room but I stand between her and them. “What happened, Alexia?”

“She was on the phone with one of our new hires, a new guard and he was telling her what went wrong on the job he just finished and she was practically pulling her hair out. Then she grabbed at her chest and started gurgling. I got to her right as she fell out of her chair and landed on the floor.”

“Shit. Has anything else happened today beyond the asshole this morning?”

“Just the usual. We had several small problems on jobs that seemed to be going really well. Then…this.”

“Right. Well, these guys can take a look at her but it sounds like a panic attack to me. Not that I’m a doctor. I’ve just played one on tv.”

Alexia’s brow wrinkles. “I don’t get it.”

“Doesn’t matter. All that matters is her.” I nod at the fallen woman. “I know this seems like a damn stupid question but apparently I’m a damn stupid man. I never introduced myself and I forgot her name even though I know you told me what it was.”

Alexia grins as the other men push through the two of us. “Her name is Violetta Winters and she owns Winters Security.”

“Which just had a public offering.” I nod my head like this answers my question. “Very stressful.”

Alexia twists her lips. “That’s not all of it. The board’s been trying to push her out and you saw Jeremy yesterday. He’s the son of one of the board members and they’ve been trying to get Jeremy in as the controlling President of Winters Security.” She huffs angrily. “Like he did a god-damned thing for this company besides fuck Vi over.”

Anger sizzles through me and I have to struggle not to rush out there and find the dickhead I should have destroyed yesterday. If I had, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. Violetta is moaning and I see her dark lashes flutter on her pale cheeks. It hurts to see her like this. Lying there so still and not glaring around like the queen of her castle like she is.

“She needs a break. She needs to remember what it is to relax and to be the queen that she is. She needs reminding that she’s a strong woman who’s capable of proving to the board of her own damn company that they don’t deserve to even be a shadow in her company. They sure as hell don’t deserve to suckle off of her hard work.”

Alexia nods her head and the little woman growls, “You know it. Especially Jeremy and his dad. They should both be getting poked in hell for what they’ve done to her.”

I glance over at her and grin. “You’re a bloodthirsty little thing, aren’t you?”

She gives me the most innocent grin. “You have no idea.”

I lift a brow. “Oh. I think I do. I’m gonna stay here and keep an eye on things today. Can you find me somewhere to work?”

“I’ll have them bring a desk and laptop up here. You can work in her office since I’m sure she won’t leave even though she should.”

“I know. That’s why I’m staying. Consider me your very own Cerberus, little one.”

She giggles like a little pixie and I have to smile. There’s just something about this little fairy that makes me think she’s got darker depths and I can’t wait to get to know her better. After all, I get the feeling she’s the only one who’s been looking out for our princess. I watch the gorgeous green eyes that I love to see open and stare vacantly around her before she finds me and gasps softly.

Not anymore. We’re here for her. I’m gonna call Bruno and Marco and we’re gonna get the ball rolling because nobody threatens what’s ours.

She might not know it yet but Violetta Winters is about to become a made woman. Our woman.

She sits up slowly with the paramedic’s help and I growl under my breath, not liking the way his hands are touching her right now.

Alexia giggles again and ducks out of the room, heading for the antechamber where her desk and computer are.

---