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Damn it. He’d known it. He had to calm Lou down, and thatmeant denying himself everything he wanted. But he would do it for her. “I’llhandle it. You taking off?”
“I figured you would stay with her the rest of the day.”Kala started for the elevator. “I’ve got some stuff she wants me to talk toZach about. Timelines and such. He’s picking me up in a couple of minutes becauseKenz is hanging with the foreigners, and I have to hide. Sometimes this jobsucks.” She stopped in front of him. “You know you look guilty to the outsideeye.”
His gut threatened to twist. She was talking about TheJester. “Lou thinks I did it?”
He still wasn’t sure what “it” was, but he didn’t want Louto think he did it.
Kala’s eyes rolled. “Not even for a second, and if myopinion is important, neither do I.” She reached up and put a hand on hischeek. “Take care of her. You know I love you, TJ, right?”
“Shit. Am I about to die?” It felt a little like that momentin the Godfather when Corleone knew it was Fredo.
“I am not that bad, cousin.” She stepped back. “And I amperfectly capable of love. Also, you need to talk to my dad about joining theteam. This isn’t going to work if you’re on a different continent.”
“Uh, I already planned to do that.”
She strode away. “Well, I’ll tell everyone it was my plananyway. Wear a condom, TJ. I’m not ready to be an aunt again.”
He watched her disappear and then used his key card to enterwhat he thought of as Lou’s paradise lab. It was big and sleek, with everytechnological feature Drew Lawless’s money could buy. He walked through theentryway with its small reception desk for an assistant Lou never hired. Many atime he’d sat at that desk and played games while waiting for Lou to make her latestbreakthrough.
He made his way to the main lab where Lou was sitting at oneof the long tables, carefully studying her laptop.
He stared at her for a moment, loving every inch of her. Theway her hair brushed the top of her shoulders and the lines of her nose andlips and chin.
He had no idea what he would do with the rest of his life ifhe couldn’t convince her to take a chance on him.
“I brought you lunch. Pad see ewwith chicken and extra egg.”
Her face turned, and he saw tears in her eyes.
Shit.
“Lou, we should talk,” he began, placing the bag and thecoffee on the end of the table.
She shook her head. “No. I can’t talk about this a secondlonger. This morning was precisely why I wanted to avoid my parents findingout.”
“I’m sorry,” he offered. “I told your mom not to push you,and I explained to Jayce that we’re not anything but friends. I know I’vepushed you, Lou, but I’m not going to do that anymore. We’re on your timeline.However long you need. If having me as a bodyguard bothers you, I’ll talk toZach and we can bring in an MT guard.”
“I told you I can’t talk about this.” Her hands were infists at her side, a sure sign she was emotional and fighting it.
“Baby, you’re killing me. Do you want me to leave? I cancatch Kala. I don’t want to be the guy who makes you cry. I’ll go if that’swhat you need.”
“And if what I need is for you to stay?”
What was she… Fuck. She was wound up and had no idea how toget out of her own head. When they’d been younger, he would take her for a walkor sit with her while they watched some silly movie.
Now he knew exactly what she needed. “This doesn’t have tomean anything, baby. Like I said, we’re on your timeline, but when you need me,I’ll always be here. Do you need a spanking?”
“I need you.” Tears spilled over her cheeks. “But I don’twant to need you.”
The words hurt, but he couldn’t argue with her. She neededsomething from him, and it wasn’t softness. “That sounds like a you problem,sub. Take your clothes off.”
His heart started to pound as he moved to the door and madesure it was locked in a way that not even keycards would get through. Securitywould call if anyone from outside the building was coming up without a card. Louhad a few people who got to breeze through security, but they’d mostly alreadybeen here today.
This wasn’t how he wanted to be with her. He wanted to kissher and be gentle and loving, but she didn’t need that. She felt out of controland needed to know he could take the whole situation in hand.
He turned back and she was standing there, her jaw astubborn line.
So she wanted this to get nasty. “Lou, I gave you an order.If you want me to handle this situation, you have to submit. Otherwise, I’ll callKala back. Unless your plan is to punish me. Do you think that will make youfeel better? Yelling at me for whatever thoughts your mom put in your head? Israiling at me going to get you back to normal? I don’t think it’s going towork. I think if you yell at me, all that’s going to do is add anger to thefear you’re feeling.”
