Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Gigi
The sound of the copier covers our voices as I make an unnecessary number of copies. Honestly, I didn’t really need to make any.
But it’s the perfect excuse for me and Erika to spend a few minutes talking. And the fact that I got to come down to her floor, because the copiers were all full, is even better.
I can dally for a bit longer, and justify being gone…
“So, tell me about your date,” I whisper, glancing toward the door.
She wrinkles her nose. “It was going so well and then he turned into an octopus.”
My brows lift. “Octopus?”
“His hands were…everywhere.”
I wince in sympathy. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to ask this weekend. Big Bad was in my apartment both Saturday and Sunday, getting ready for that meeting with legal.”
“How’s it going with…Big Bad?”
I sigh. “It’s complicated.” I haven’t even told her about the chemistry between us. It’s so intimate.
“Complicated like you want to jump his bones?”
“Erika,” I hiss, stepping closer. “You can’t say that and…maybe.”
She grins, turning her chin away for a moment. “Can’t say I blame you.”
“But it’s more than that. He’s demanding, and grumpy, the job is so much more than I ever imagined, but when I go to bed at night, I sleep better than I have in years. I feel safe here.”
Erika touches my arm. “I get that.”
“On Saturday, he made this frustrated grunt. It scared Emma and she started to cry so he brought her M&Ms. By dinnertime, she climbed in his lap to eat his chicken. She never even did that with?—”
I don’t want to say his name. Not here.
The copier stops as I nip at my lip. “Whatever I feel for him, I can’t mess this job up, you know what I mean? I can’t imagine a better place for me and Emma to be.”
“I know.”
That’s when my phone lights up. It’s on silent, but the screen still flashes, Rush’s name on it.
And that’s when I realize, this is his third call, in addition to texts. “Shit.” I pick up the phone, expecting an angry boss, knowing he’s likely pissed I’ve been gone so long and didn’t respond.
But what I hear is…crying. Emma’s. I’d know that sound anywhere. “Rush?”
“I need your safe word.”
“My what?” I ask, my heart hammering in my chest, my brain buzzing.
“Your safe word. So I can bring Emma up to your apartment.” He says, sounding unusually calm. “For the daycare, so they know I have your permission.”
“Peanut,” I answer. “What’s wrong? Is Emma all right?”
“She’s fine. Promise. Meet me upstairs.” And then the line goes dead.
“What’s the matter?”
“Rush is taking Emma out of daycare. She was crying,” I say, leaving all the papers as I spin toward the door.
She grabs the sheets from the copier, sprinting after me. “Need me to come with you?”
“No. It’s all right.” Running down the hall in my heels and skirt, I nearly knock into one of the lawyers we’d just met with. “Sorry,” I gasp, holding out my hands even as I keep moving.
“No apologies necessary. Big Bad Bossman is on a tear,” he mumbles as I pass.
I had no idea the nickname was so widespread. But I throw another apology over my shoulder as I race toward the bank of elevators. One elevator door slides open, several people get out, and then I jump in.
It’s only after the doors close, I realize that it’s going down.
Letting out a string of curses, I get off when it stops next and then push the up button, my toe tapping on the marble floor as I wait.
It seems to take forever, but one of the elevators finally opens. I slide my key in, choosing the penthouse.
The elevator whooshes up but my heart is still beating wildly in my chest.
I have no idea what’s happened with Emma or why Rush was called, but none of it is good, I know that.
The doors finally open and I’m racing down the hall again until I reach my door.
Two men pass me in the hall, carrying large metal cases. I give them a quick glance, but I’m too worried to pay them much mind as I reach my door.
I insert the key in the lock, but before I’ve even finished turning it, the door opens.
Rush stands in the doorway, Emma curled in his arms. I stop, staring, my eyes travelling down them both.
“Are you…are those…feathers?” I ask as I reach for his lapel and pull off a small, blue feather. There’s another in Emma’s hair.
He grimaces. “There was a bird that hit the glass of one of the building’s windows on the playground. Emma was very sad.”
I blink, sure I’ve missed something. “You brought her home from school because she was sad?”
Emma wrinkles her nose, her hand coming to Rush’s chest. “The birdie is hurt. He needs help.”
Killian appears down the hall, his trench coat flapping in some breeze that doesn’t exist for anyone but him, as he eats the ground between us. “Who is hurt?”
Emma wiggles out of Rush’s arms, and runs down the hall toward Killian. “Come see. My birdie is beautiful, but he hurt his wing.”
She grabs Killian’s hand and pulls him back toward the apartment. My fist comes to my mouth as I watch my daughter’s easy way with him.
Killian is the scariest looking man I’ve ever seen, but Emma treats him like he’s a giant teddy bear. I’m not sure if it’s the sweetest thing I’ve seen or kind of disturbing.
He lets her pull him along, even as he picks the feather out of her hair. “We’ll have to get him food, and a water dish,” he says as they pass, like he’s fully committed to help her care for this bird.
“Wait. Is the bird…in my apartment?”
Rush grimaces, as his hand wraps around my waist, pulling me into my own apartment and closing the door behind me. “It would have died in the heat.”
On the living room floor is a box that Killian is crouched over as he tentatively lifts one flap. “Pretty,” he rumbles. Then he clears his throat.
“Can we help him?” Emma asks, her hand on top of Killian’s.
“I have a friend who runs an animal sanctuary,” Killian tells Emma. “I’ll call her and ask her what to do.”
Rush pulls out his phone, typing on the screen. “I’ll order us lunch. Emma, do you want some more of the tikka masala chicken?”
“Yes,” Emma chirps back. “That’s my favorite.”
Rush looks at me as I stare back, my eyes wide. What is happening? “I’ll tell you what,” he clears his throat. “We’ll have lunch, Killian will get some supplies for our new birdie friend, and then you’ll go back to school.”
Her little lip juts out but she nods her agreement to the plan. I can’t help it, I slump against the closed door because…
It’s all just so normal.
And because Emma is interacting with these men like she’s not afraid, like she can and does trust them.
I swallow down a lump, overwhelmed by emotion.
Rush’s hand comes to the door, next to my head, as he leans in. “You’re angry with me?”
Even that question catches me off guard.
He’s the boss every person in this building is afraid of.
He’s widely known as Big Bad Bossman for crying out loud.
“No. I’m grateful.” I turn my face to the side, staring at the wall.
“I’ve been worried about Emma but…” One of my shoulders raises.
“Here she’s got the opportunity to grow, flourish.
” I swallow again, tears stinging my eyes.
His hand skims down my arm. “She didn’t before?”
I shake my head, my skin breaking out in goose pimples at his touch. “You don’t need to hear about my problems. You’re my boss?—”
“I’m asking.”
I draw in a shaky breath. “No. She didn’t. We both spent most of our time being…” I nip at my lip, the tears welling in my eyes threatening to spill over. “Afraid.”
“Afraid of your ex?”
I start to shake, even thinking about Vigo, about what my life was like as his wife, is terrifying. “Yes.”
From down on the floor, Killian clears his throat. “Maddie says that most broken wings will heal on their own. This little fellow should just spend the next month caged so as not to use the wing.”
“Can we get a cage?” Emma asks.
Killian ruffles her hair. “Of course we can. Let’s give our friend a drink of water now and while you’re at school, I’ll get everything else we’ll need.”
“Good idea,” Emma nods. “When I’m hurt, I don’t like to eat anyway.”
“Me either,” Killian says with a smile as Emma leans over the box, her shirt riding up her back.
I catch sight of her scars, and I know he does too, his gaze narrowing in on them. But my attention is pulled to Rush again, as his breath fans over my ear. “You can tell me if it will make you feel better.”
My teeth sink down on my lip even harder.
It’s tempting, the idea of sharing all the pain with someone as strong as Rush.
But I need him for so much more than moral support.
This place, his grace, they keep our world together.
“I don’t need to tell you in order for you to make me feel better,” I softly answer.
“Being here makes me feel so much lighter. Thank you.”
A knock sounds at the door. “Who is it?” Rush calls out.
“Concierge, Mr. Smith. I’ve got your food delivery.”
He wraps a hand around my waist, pulling me off the door and into his body, before he gently lets me go again. Then he opens the door and takes the bag of food from the concierge.
Emma jumps up, bird forgotten, as Rush pulls out the mac and cheese he bought for her and the salad he chose for me. Then he pulls out his chicken, Emma scurrying into his lap as he sits so that she can have some too.
But I haven’t moved.
It’s just… It’s so wonderful that my heart is threatening to burst.
Killian crosses in front of me, momentarily blocking my view as he holds out a card to me. My brow furrows as I take it.
“Your business card?” I ask.
“On the back is a private number. You need anything, you call. Got it?”
“Got it.” I can’t imagine using it, but I appreciate the thought. Today, I will just enjoy the fact that Emma and I are safe and happy.
I don’t even want to think about future problems or what could happen…