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It makes all of us look stupid, unorganized, and ill-informed. My reputation is important to me, and Trevor is trashing it.
Well, fuck him.
Hayden arriving pulls me out of my pity-party and gives me something else to focus on: her. She’s too damn sweet for me. When she wraps her arms around me and pulls me close, I can’t help but relaxing. I don’t know how she does it. Everything about her is so fucking perfect, and she’s the only one who seems to be able to free me from my own mind.
Agreeing to go to Galaxy with Hayden isn’t a hard choice. We’ve been plenty of times before, but today we’re going because the stress of the world is just a little too much to bear right now. Even Hayden doesn’t know the entire reason I’m so shaken up by the arrival of the Orchidian police, but I’m sure after a couple of glasses of petal juice, I’m going to be pouring my royal heart out to her.
We head out of the office.
“Izzie,” I say to my receptionist. “Can you please cancel my afternoon appointments?”
“Already done, sir,” she says with a smile. She winks at Hayden, and I wonder if the two of them collaborated on this. “And if you don’t mind,” she stands, picking up her leather jacket. “I’m going to take the rest of the afternoon off with pay.”
“Please do.” I wouldn’t be where I am without Izzie. Seriously. That woman takes care of every aspect of my life. Without her, my entire business would fall apart. Yeah, I’m the one arguing in court, but Izzie is the one who makes that possible.
Hayden and I head out of the building and I pull my remote from my pocket. After inputting my ID number, my hovercar whirls around the side of the building from the parking area.
“Talk about front door service,” Hayden slides in the passenger side. I walk around and get in my side of the vehicle. “Is this a new feature?”
“Yeah. Programmed it myself.” Until recently, we actually had to walk to the parking area and start the hovercar. Now it comes directly to the front of the building.
“You’re get lazy in your old age,” Hayden points out.
“I just like to simplify my life as much as possible.”
“It’s really not a long walk, you know. How much time did you spend getting the programming right? Probably more than it would have taken you to just walk over, get in your hovercar, and start the damn thing.”
“It’s the principle of the thing,” I wink at Hayden, and she rolls her eyes.
“You’re insufferable,” she says.
“And you’re adorable.”
She stiffens, and I realize maybe I’ve taken our bantering a little too far. I love Hayden. I’m super, completely, totally in love with her, but I also know that she’s not interested in me that way. She’s the little sister of two of my best friends. I would do anything for Quinn and Ezra. Anything. And I would definitely, totally, completely do anything for Hayden.
All she has to do is ask.
Still, she hasn’t really dated anyone since she was kidnapped. Why would she? It’s been years, but as long as I’ve known her, Hayden has been single. If it wasn’t for Quinn drinking too much one night and pouring out his sorry heart, I probably wou
ld never even have known about what happened to her.
And it was my pleasure to get rid of the fucker who hurt her.
Although, to be honest, I would have rather choked the bastard to death than know he’s been sent to some prison planet. It’s better than nothing, I suppose, and Hayden was so relieved when she found out he was gone.
She became a different person: calmer, more relaxed. It was only once Hector was locked away that I saw her finally start to come out of her shell, even just a little bit.
I don’t say anything, but neither does Hayden. Instead, my comment hangs in the air, awkwardly, and with a sigh, I start to drive. I know the way to Galaxy and although my car can drive itself with just a simple word, I want the control of doing it myself tonight.
“You don’t want to walk to your car, but you want to drive?” She finally asks, looking at me.
“You know me, Hayden.”
“Yeah,” she says. “And I know it was a hard day. You know,” she sighs. “When I feel out of control in one area of my life, I overcompensate in other areas.”
“Explain.” I think I know what she means, but Hayden doesn’t open up often. I want to hear her talk to me. Her voice calms me, relaxes me, and reminds me that I’m not just a lawyer. I’m also a male. I’m an Orchidian who needs to feel grounded, just as she does.
“You know what happened to me, Gaz,” her voice is quiet. Hayden and I have never talked about her torturer, but it would be impossible for me to have properly defended her brother when he stole the bastard’s ship if Quinn and Ezra hadn’t filled me in.
