Chapter Twelve
“Can I see you in my office?” Murph asked, startling Laramie out of lala land.
She’d been replaying memories from last night, when she’d gone out with Stellan and his family to a bar that had a band playing live music. It had been one of the most fun nights of her entire life.
She looked around his computer desk right behind her workstation and frowned. “You have an office?”
“Yes,” Murph ground out, striding past her desk and into a door at the back corner of the shop that she’d never paid attention to.
He sounded angry.
Stellan walked in from the service center with a frown etched into every part of his expression. He flashed her a gold-eyed glance and gestured for her to go first.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“I’ll handle it,” he ground out.
Okay. She followed Stellan into a small office that was half-full of parts boxes.
Stellan moved a few of the boxes off of a chair and gestured for her to sit down, while he stood and waited, glaring unblinking at Murph as he took a seat on the other side of the desk.
She could see why Murph didn’t treat this room like an office. It was more like parts storage.
“Someone has filed a complaint,” Murph started.
“Craig the Crotch Stain filed a complaint,” Stellan corrected him.
Murph stared at Stellan. “You aren’t supposed to know when a complaint is filed with HR anonymously.”
Stellan pointed to his ear. “Then tell the Chatty Crotch Stain to talk quieter. Pretty sure everyone in the building knows he’s going after me.”
“Well, not just after you. After the both of you, and in a way, after me.”
“Tell him to suck a dick,” Stellan advised his boss. “A gross one.”
“I’m pretty sure HR would frown on that response.”
“What’s happening?” Laramie asked. “Are we in trouble?”
“Apparently there is a rule that no inner office relationships are allowed. If it happens, one of the people involved is supposed to be asked to leave.”
“Fine, I quit, and tomorrow, you’ll see me running Auto’s down the street,” Stellan said in a frigid tone.
Murph’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“You heard me. You also know me. They’ve offered me a job three times. If you push on this absolute bullshit, and you know it’s bullshit, I will work for your competition, and you can keep Craig the Crotch Stain running your service center.”
Murph swallowed hard. “Look, can’t you two just cool it? Just break up. You weren’t even talking for days, and you’ve only been getting along again for the last twenty-four hours, so can’t you just take a break on the relationship?”
“No can do, bossman, I’m not in the habit of letting crotch stains control my life.”
“Stop calling Craig that.”
Softly, Laramie offered, “I can leave.”
“No,” Stellan said sternly.
Murph tipped his head. “Look, if she leaves, it does solve some problems. I bet Auto’s would pick her up, especially with a good word from me—”
“Are you firing either one of us?” Stellan cut him off.
“Well…”
“Yes or no?”
Murph narrowed his eyes. “I’m just saying that if she left, Craig wouldn’t—”
“Have anything to bitch about because I will leave too, and again, you can have Craig run the service center. I’m sure he will fix his laziness issues with the added responsibility.”
“Stellan, it’s in the handbook. No inner office relationships.”
“Cool, I’m in the service center, Laramie is in the office.”
“So what? Is it an ultimatum? If I let Laramie go, you go too?”
“One hundred percent and I will lose zero sleep over it. Fuck, I may just buy the building across the street out of spite and open my own tire shop, and we can see who’s business goes under first.”
Murph just stared at Stellan. “If I didn’t know you better, I would say you are bluffing.”
Stellan’s smile was cold as ice. “I don’t bluff.”
Murph blew out a breath of frustration and leaned back into his creaking office chair. “Can’t you just pretend you aren’t together?”
“No.” Stellan didn’t even hesitate. “Can’t you just change the stupid rule?”
“Well…I don’t think so. The handbook was made by our corporate office.”
“Then pretend you don’t see us,” Stellan advised. “Blink real long when we walk by or have lunch together. It’s not like we’re fucking in the hallway.”
Stellan didn’t seem to need her help, so Laramie just sat there looking back and forth between the man she had a mega-crush on, and her boss.
“Look, I have my boss on my back right now and I don’t have time for any of this, Stellan. We’re freaking busy this week. They’re asking for someone to be fired!”
“Great.” Stellan jammed a finger at the oversized computer monitor that had a bunch of squares with computer footage. “Watch that,” he gritted out.
Stellan had filled the room with a heaviness that was starting to suffocate Laramie. He gripped the back of her neck gently, and it comforted her. It was a quick squeeze to say, ‘it’s okay.’ He left the office and the door swung closed behind.
Murph was pinching the bridge of his nose like he had a headache.
From here, she could see part of the security footage, but Laramie stood and locked her arms on the desk to get a better look. She could see Stellan walking through each frame as he made his way to the service department.
Craig was loading a tire on the machine, and Stellan said something to him. Craig popped back, and then Stellan said something else. And then Craig reared back and hit Stellan right across the face. Hard.
Only Stellan’s face didn’t snap back, or even flinch, and Craig doubled over holding his hand.
Stellan said something else and then left. Just…let Craig hit him and left the service center with all the other guys meandering over and wondering what was happening.
Stellan could be seen drifting in and out of the different camera angles and then he made it back to the office, closed the door behind him, and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
“He hit me,” Stellan said simply. “It super-hurt and I don’t feel safe in this work environment. ” His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Laramie snorted and ducked her gaze and covered her mouth with her hand to contain the shocked giggle she was trying to hide. Stellan’s face wasn’t even red from being punched, but in the security footage, Craig was throwing a fit about his hand and yelling at everyone.
Murph parted his lips but then seemed to change his mind on whatever he was going to say. Instead, he cleared his throat, and told Stellan, “Tell Craig to come in here.”
“Sure thing, boss,” Stellan said, did an about-face and he could be seen drifting in and out of the camera angles again.
Laramie was pursing her lips as hard as she could, trying to keep her laugh hidden in her throat. This was insane.
“It’s not funny,” Murph muttered.
Laramie would laugh if she said anything, so she shook her head. Nope, not funny at all.
“Seriously, this is not funny.” Murph crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head as he watched the video footage of Stellan opening the service center door and yelling out something to Craig. The guys were still gathered around him.
“Am I dismissed?” she asked.
“Stellan is a huge pain in my ass, you know,” he told her.
She nodded. Okay.
“But he’s so freaking good. Our sales have doubled and our production time has been cut in half since he started here.”
“Double edge sword,” she said, trying to sound understanding.
“Get out of here. You and Stellan both take the rest of the day off. Let me handle Craig.”
“Thanks, boss,” she said, giving him a little wave.
“Laramie?”
“Yeah?” she asked at the door.
“I like your work. I didn’t want to let you go, just so you know. You’re not expendable. It’s just office politics. I don’t want you resenting me or letting the office culture get poisoned because of our discussion in here.”
“I figured you were in a tough spot. I’m the newest hire. It’s okay. I am really glad I’m not fired though. I like this job. I like working with you guys.”
“And I also don’t hate the two of you together.” He rolled his eyes. “Stellan is less monstrous when you are on the same shift as him. You’re like a shock collar for an aggressive dog.”
She hid another smile and nodded. “Thanks. I think.”
“Just…be cool when you two are on the same shift. Don’t let it affect your work.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. See you tomorrow.”
She let the door close after her and mouthed, Oh my gosh, as the shock of what had just happened hit her. She was just almost fired, but Stellan had all the answers and hadn’t negotiated an inch. He wasn’t going to let her get fired. He’d been willing to walk away from this job if Murph let her go.
She couldn’t recall a single time a man had ever gone to bat for her like that.
Craig was headed this way, clutching his hand to his chest, glaring at her. “Move,” he gritted out, shoving the office door open.
Stellan trailed behind, his eyes glowing as he stared at the door as it slammed closed. “He’s not allowed to talk to you like that,” Stellan told her in a voice she didn’t recognize. It was gritty, and snarly. “No one is.”
The promise of retaliation was etched into every sharp angle of his face, and there was a snarl in his throat that didn’t sound human.
Oh crap. She needed to distract him. “I’m hungry.”
His gold eyes glanced at her and back to the door.
“I’m really hungry, Stellan. And Murph said we can take the rest of the day off.” She approached him slowly. “Hey,” she said, cupping his cheeks. “I need food.”
He forced his attention to her and nodded. “I’ll get it.”
She shook her head. “I want to go out. Let’s leave right now and get a breather, you and me.”
Jerkily, he nodded. His pupils were tiny little pinpoints right now, and he looked like an animal.
“Follow me,” she said, hoping it would work if she just gave him simple instructions. Maybe it would pull him off his hunt.
She grabbed her purse on the way out and walked straight to the door, hoping to God he would just follow. What they didn’t need was for Craig to come out of that office full of fury right now.
Stellan was dangerous, but he had control over the Cat side of him. To an extent. Craig was pushing it.
Stellan reached in front of her and pushed open the door for her, then waited for her to go outside before he followed.
They were both still in their work coveralls, but that was okay. They could bring them back tomorrow. Right now, she just needed to get him out of here.
Laramie scrambled up into his truck and he shut the door, then strode around the front of it and got behind the wheel.
Her heart raced faster as she watched the front door, sure at any moment Craig would burst out of there yelling and Stellan would react.
He was stalling. Putting on his seatbelt too slow, eyes on the door.
“Hey,” she gritted out. “Leave right now, and I’ll blow you.”
And his pupils normalized in the three seconds he stared at her, and then he hit the gas and left the shop behind.
Laramie watched the sideview mirror as they pulled out of the parking lot.
She was absolutely not afraid of what Craig would do to Stellan.
She was afraid on Craig’s behalf. Stellan was powerful.
Much more powerful than she’d realized. He hadn’t even flinched when Craig put all of that force into his punch.
Likely, Craig had broken his hand on Stellan’s jaw, and for Stellan, his face looked completely normal.
“So,” she said softly as he drove. “The Cat stuff makes you really strong?”
“Do you want to see,” he asked suddenly. There was a grittiness to his voice.
“See the cat?” she asked.
“I need to Change.”
She nodded. “Okay. Will I be safe?”
“I would never hurt you,” he said glancing over at her with such earnestness in his golden eyes. “Never. I can’t.”
And she thought about it. He was worked up, and needed some kind of relief, and she did really want to know about the hidden side of his life. So she said, “Okay. I want to see.”
“Good. There is just one rule,” he said as he pulled a sharp right onto a road that would lead out of town.
“What rule?”
“No matter what, you can’t run.”