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I followed my guide past the closed door he’d labeled as “Deck’s room” and opened another door further down. It was a cozy room for sure, soft greens and grays were the color palette and it looked far more feminine than the rest of the apartment. I was wondering if they’d worked to decorate it for me, when Fitz let out a giant yawn and started to back down the hall toward the front door.
“I need to get to my own bed before I pass out,” he mumbled, half to himself. I nodded and he flung a hand uselessly back at my room. “There should still be towels and stuff in the bathroom. It’s kept up for Avery when she decides to spend the night here with the bossman.”
And with that, Fitz was gone and I was left, eyes wide, jaw dropped, in the middle of a strange hallway, wondering just who the fuck Avery was and why she spent nights here. I turned back to the room and investigated it more thoroughly. A woman’s space for sure, but not in a claimed way. I couldn’t tell anything about the woman Decker kept, except when I opened the drawers across from the queen sized bed and found a few pieces of clothing. She was skinnier than me, that was for sure.
I found an expensive looking bathroom next to the dresser, and tried not to let the random travel soaps and toothbrush irritate me even more. I had no claim to this man and it wasn’t like I could pretend I did. He was hired to protect me. He hadn’t chosen me. We’d been flung together, but I couldn’t stop the increasing anger that he’d step out on someone who obviously meant enough to have her own stuff here.
It was the thought of her belongings that had me looking around for my own. They hadn’t made their way up yet and I needed to shower. I felt like I was caked in grime and knew I needed to wash blood off multiple parts of my body. More than anything I wanted to climb under the hot spray and let it seep into my skin and down to my achingly cold bones.
Fuck it, I need this more than I need to scrub, I thought as I turned on the shower, marveling at the rain fall showerhead that seemed to take up a majority of the stall. Luckily the hot water took no time at all and I was peeling off my clothes and climbing in.
The drops of water hitting my skin hurt for just a moment before the heat penetrated my skin and I moaned into the feeling of being engulfed in heat I hadn’t known I’d been missing. After several long minutes of just letting the water cover me in warmth, I glared at the bottles of body wash and hair care products along the shelf in the shower. Begrudgingly, I popped the cap on the body wash and sniffed. It smelled flowery and sweet and not bad. I contemplated using it, but the idea of smelling like Decker’s girlfriend pissed me off to the point that I set it back and just spent the next twenty minutes standing under the spray of water. I’d just shower again when my stuff arrived.
It was the thought of climbing back into this wonderful shower again soon that finally got my feet moving as I turned the water off and climbed out slowly, wary of my aching body. It was hard to believe I’d ended up with little more than a concussion and a cut on my hand that had required a liquid bandage that hurt worse than the cut. The aching in my body felt like I’d barely survived a car accident, not walked away from one.
Wrapping a towel around myself I stepped out into the bedroom to notice my luggage had made it up here finally and I wondered if I should grab my toiletries bag and climb back into the shower. An impatient gurgle from my stomach and following hollow feeling told me that I needed food first. I dressed quickly in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt before brushing my hair up into a wet mess knotted together on the top of my head and went in search of food.
The kitchen was a bust, since it didn’t look like Decker had shopped for anything recently, and I was in no mood to wait for someone to come fetch me for a meal. Remembering the third floor offices that also held a large break room full of snacks and easily microwaved meals, I hurried out the door, stopping for just a moment to wonder how I would get back in, before shrugging it off and calling for the elevator. This building was full of people who could help me get back in.
I hadn’t expected to see Decker slumped in a chair at a lone table when I entered the break room. He was staring into a mug of coffee, lost in some internal debate and I wondered if I should back out of the room before I interrupted.
That was the moment the gurgling in my stomach became a rumble of protest, and I’d been exposed. Decker’s head shot up and our eyes connected, tension exploding from us instantaneously. How could this man warm me up faster than a scalding shower with just a look? He nodded to the chair next to him in silent invitation and I’d taken a single step toward him when the sound of running caused me to stop and turn toward the hall that led into this room.
A woman tore around the corner, horror clear on her tear streaked face. She didn’t even notice me as she practically screamed Decker’s name and rushed past me, the scent of her immediately familiar from the body wash I’d elected not to use in the shower. I turned to see Decker had risen from his seat and taken two steps toward the woman, wrapping her tightly in his arms as she threw herself at him, sobbing words I couldn’t hear.
The love and relief on both of their faces made my stomach turn as I took a step back, ready to flee. As if he could sense my retreat, Decker's eyes opened and pinned me in that hypnotic hazel gaze that froze me on the spot. After another squeeze, he disentangled himself from the sobbing woman and shushed her with soft words. The moment was so full of love and comfort that I felt like a voyeur.
The woman finally turned to face me and I was struck by how gorgeous she was, even with puffy eyes full of tears and a running nose that she kept sniffling. Long black hair and eyes that were so blue they could have been silver, her face was almost pixie-like, and yet… familiar. She gave me a tentative smile before trying to collect herself and turned back to Decker, raising a hand to his cheek, lovingly. “I’ll call mom and tell her you’re okay. Jack said you were, but I saw the news… I lost it.” She sounded sheepish, but my attention was on her words, not her tone.
It clicked into place, one facial feature at a time. It hadn’t been instant since this woman was emoting so much, but when she’d calmed, I could see the parts of Decker so clear in her. She was his sister. And now that that little fact had snapped into place, I could kick myself for the stupid interpretations. If a woman had been fucking Decker, her stuff would have been in his room, not a guest room.
Well done,Lake. My inner scolding was halted as the woman stepped up to me and held a shaky hand out.
“I’m so sorry for ignoring you just now,” she rambled as if still trying to control herself. “I’m Avery.”
I shook the outstretched hand and gave her a polite and understanding smile. At least I hope it was. I was still trying to regulate my emotions after the afternoon from hell. “Lake Harrington.”
“Oh, I know,” she said, patting my held hand with her free one. “I recognize you from the papers.” I flinched at the knowledge she knew me based on a false reputation and she waved it off. “I’ve never read the articles, but I recognized you from the cover of a few of them. Can’t stand in line at the grocery store without seeing a few headlines.”
“Ave, why don’t you give mom and dad a call now,” Decker said, breaking into his sister’s rambling. “If you’re staying, you can head up, but we’ve still got work to do.”
“Not staying and Jack said Lake was taking my room for now, so I’ll just head back home.” She turned her attention back toward me, and I thought she was going to reach for my hand to shake again but this time, she pulled me in for a tight hug.
Stunned, I stood frozen in her embrace, faintly aware of Decker’s groan of impatience, before my limbs decided to respond and I was hugging her back. I wasn’t sure if this ball of manic energy was holding me formysanity or her own, but I embraced her and let her rock us for a moment before she finally stepped back. “Sorry, I’m just a mess and I’m so glad you’re okay.”
So glad you’re okay.
The words shattered my heart and I fought the lump in my throat as tears rose behind my eyes. Here was a woman I didn’t even know, glad I was alive, and my only family had sent his assistant to belittle me only hours before. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cling to this woman again or let my heart break further for a parent that just didn’t care. Decker’s strong hand on the small of my back pulled me from the impending downward spiral, and I blinked back the tears and smiled at Avery.
“Thank you,” I managed to choke out as she reached for my hand and gave it one more compassionate squeeze before leaving her brother and I alone in the break room.
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DECKER
Ishould have known that Kasey would have called Avery about the accident. It would be difficult to keep the company’s name out of a car bombing during rush hour, but if he’d just waited until the public had the information, I could have already sat the family down and explained that I wasn’t dead.
But two of our own were. Along with two other fatalities and many injuries from the huge pile-up caused by the explosion. The entire morning had turned into the biggest nightmare to face the company since we’d started it. And yet, I couldn’t seem to give a single shit about the business optics. Daniels and Lambert were dead, leaving loved ones to grieve and I still had no fucking clue who had hired The Wraith.
