Chapter 14 #3
He scooted closer, cupped her cheek, and said, “Yes, E. I am certain of it. However, if you’d like me to do more to help– “
“No. No. If there’s no proof, there’s nothing he can do.
They don’t even have proof the book was there, so it’s not like anyone would believe a book was stolen from a secure facility and erased from the database without a trace because some wily grad student wanted it.
It’s just an issue because we’ve been having issues with books being erased from the employee database, which has Mitchel’s panties all in a bunch. ”
“If you say so,” he hedged, worry creasing his forehead.
“What?”
“I don’t want to worry you, E, but in my long experience, if someone with authority wants to blame someone without it of something, they will.”
She twisted the now-empty hot dog foil in her grip, doubt creeping slowly and surely over her.
“Hey,” he said, snagging her chin to have her look up into his eyes. “I’m here. Anything happens, we’ll figure it out. Together.”
Ease settled as the rope between them thumped a deep bass note. She never trusted anyone, much less men she’d just met, but she trusted Plutus to help her. Knew he would if anything happened. Which was the only reason she refocused and shoved the worry to the side.
“Right. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like you allowing me to take you to a nice restaurant tonight?”
“No request to spirit me off to Paris for dinner on the Eiffel Tower?”
He pulled her up with him and led her back to the museum. “Believe me, E. If I even for a second believed you’d let me do something like that, you’d be on my jet with champagne in hand within the hour.”
She snorted. “I did not need to know you have a jet.”
“Of course I do. How else would I travel? I’m not Boreas.”
She was about to ask how his god friend travelled but he’d led them back to her work, and they stood beside the car, the driver holding the door open for him.
“See? Only twenty minutes of your time.”
She couldn’t believe it’d only been twenty minutes, but digging out her phone, she saw he didn’t lie. Not that he would, she knew that about him. “Thanks for the mini lunch.”
He ran a hand down her cheek then gripped the back of her neck, bringing her face close to his. “Don’t think I’ll forget about your little move with paying for lunch.”
“If you want to buy me things, you should let me buy you things.”
“Touché.” A pause then he added, “Still, you’ll get my palm later for that one.”
She shivered in his grip then laughed and pulled herself away. Only because he let her. “Stop. I have to go.”
His smirk melted, replaced with a glacial look past her. E followed his gaze to see Mitchel standing there, upright and uptight, staring at them from just outside the door.
“Your boss?”
E gave a big sigh. “Sadly, yes.”
“I should walk you in.”
She stopped him with a palm to his hard, hot chest. Which somehow seared her hand even through his suit jacket and tie and button-down shirt. “No, you will not.”
He stiffened, then took his eyes from Mitchel and trailed them down to her. He paused, huffed, and gritted his teeth. She imagined his fangs would be bared if he wasn’t wearing his little magic necklace “Fine. But only for you, little one.”
Before she could reply, he swept her up in his arms and gave her a quick but thorough kiss.
She was half dazed when he sat her down and turned her around by her shoulders.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Go get him,” and gave her a little shove.
The push propelled her, but not awkwardly.
It gave her force, a little pep in her step, as she walked away from the god.
“Mitchel,” she said with a nod as she reached the man. She didn’t bother looking behind her to Plutus, but she knew he was still there, as evidenced by Mitchel’s stare still lingering at the curb.
“Your… friend… should not block the entryway.”
“He’s nowhere near the entry. He is clearly at the curb.”
Mitchel looked at her, gave an open sneer, and said, “Maybe I misjudged you, Edith. Considering the value some of our books might have on the black market, I did wonder about your change in appearance. As have others, thanks to our continued book entry ‘glitches.’ Now seeing your friend, maybe you’ve come into your new-found luxuries in another way. ”
E gaped. He’d not only out right said he suspected her of stealing because of the little bits of wealth she now wore, he also implied she slept with Plutus for money.
Mitchel was an ass, but that seemed like even more ass-ish behavior.
She managed to pull herself together and rein in her anger enough to ask, “Should we continue this conversation with HR?” They’d likely do nothing, of course, but being questioned by anyone was enough to annoy a man like Mitchel.
“No need, Edith. We both have work to do. I have a book I must find.”
“Then you should go find it,” she bit out, stepping past him. E kept her head high, her walk steady, but she seethed inside. Her high from lunch with Plutus was now gone, thanks to the idiocy of her stick-in-the-ass boss.