Page 40 of My Ghost

So today, I walked to work on my own.The office building is located only a few blocks from The Atrium, and walking there only took fifteen minutes.However, I am frustrated that I haven’t been able to locate the shop where he buys the coffee and bagel for me every morning.It should be here somewhere on the way, or at least close by.I’ll have to ask Allan and Dave, maybe they know where it is.

I place my hand on the biometric scanner and step into the office floor.Matteo green-lighted me the week I started working here and now I can pretty much come and go as I want.The two techs are not here yet and I enter Matteo’s office, unlocking it with my palm.My desk had been moved right next to his on the second day I’d started working, and it galled me at first that he’d go so far solely to keep an eye on me.But now it all seems unimportant.

I shrug my denim jacket off and sit down to power on my endpoint, ready to bury myself in message boards and data flow.After an hour of blissful quiet, I hear Allan and Dave come in.They stick their heads through the open door to greet me.

“Hey, Erin, you’re early today,” Dave states.

“Hi, guys!”I try to sound more upbeat than I feel.“I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d get a head start on the day.”

“Wanna grab a coffee later?”Dave offers and I give him a thumbs-up with a cheery smile.We have become good friends, he is funny and outgoing, and I enjoy his company a lot.

They set up shop, and for a while all I hear is the rhythmic clacking of keys, grounding and reassuring in their normalcy.Then I hear the elevator doors open and I know Matteo is here.

His heavy footsteps stomp across the floor in my direction and a wave of panic hits me.

I’m not nearly ready to face him.

I try to look composed although my fingers start to shake.

I hear his deep growl when he greets Allan and Dave, then Ifeelhim looming over me like a thundercloud.He drops the coffee cup and the bag with the bagel on my desk.Still, I don’t look up.

“You didn’t wait for me,” he grits out, low and dangerous.

One point for your deductive skill.

I force my face into a serene mask and smile, eyes still on my screen.“Hi, boss.It’s such a beautiful day, I wanted to make the most of it.In fact, I’ll be walking here every day now.”

He just stands there, silent and seething, then he turns on his heels to stalk to the door.He closes it with a loud click, and suddenly I’m trapped in the confined space with him.I can’t avoid looking up at him anymore.So I do, wiping any expression from my face to hide the fact that my mouth is dry and my heart is somewhere in my throat.He looks like his usual self—dark suit, dark stubble, dark hair, dark expression.

But I won’t cower, so I beam up at him.“Can I help you?”

He is now leaning over my desk, both fists bracing on the wood.His enraged face is hovering a few inches over mine.“You will wait for me to pick you up.Every damn morning.Is that clear?”

The nerve of this man.

My neck heats from fury and I slowly stand up to look him straight in the eyes.

“No.”

He recoils, disbelief written on every line of his face.

“No?”His voice is low and lethal, but I hold my ground.What could he possibly do that I haven’t envisioned before?Shoot me?Be my guest.

“No.”I smile sweetly again.“Now, if you have nothing work-related to discuss, I’ll go grab a coffee.”I round my desk, deliberately ignoring the cup he put down in front of me minutes ago, and open the door to walk out.

“Dave, Allan, you guys ready for our coffee?”I say brightly.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Erin

The rest of the week is shrouded in uncomfortable silence only interrupted here and there by Matteo’s antagonistic grunts when I ask a question or point something out to him.

He wants to sulk?Fine by me.

I have been working for him for three weeks now, but it has still not gotten me closer to Manticore.Every lead fizzles out, every thread leads to another dead end and frustration is starting to gnaw at me.And apparently, I’m not the only one, judging from the constant foul mood my boss is in.

He tried to talk to me a few times after my rebellion to ask what was going on but I shut him down with a bright smile, pretending everything was fine.He still showed up at my door every morning, though, waiting to drive me to work, until I couldn’t take it anymore.