Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Daphne
I spend the rest of my weekend doing laundry, meal prepping, and taking a hike with the dogs.
Darrell has texted and called me numerous times.
He wants to spend time with me, but I keep pushing him off.
Early Saturday morning, Lyla called to warn me that being in a relationship with Darrell could be construed as a conflict of interest or favoritism by the other members of staff.
I need to tell him, but I can’t stop the feeling that I’m meant to be with him. I know it in my heart.
By Monday, I’m miserable and miss him. I told him I needed time to think, but I didn’t share what Lyla said.
After taking care of the girls, I load them into the back of my Jeep to take them to doggy daycare.
That feeling of being watched creeps over me again, but this time it’s different.
It’s like my body knows whoever is behind me.
I turn, and Darrell is striding toward me. He’s just climbed out of a classic muscle car, and his long legs eat up the distance between us.
I turn back to the girls and close the back of the Jeep before I give him my attention.
“Morning, Darrell. What brings you here?” I go for friendly.
“Why are you avoiding me, little girl?” He presses his body into mine, pushing me into the back of my vehicle.
“I’m not avoiding you.” I look over his shoulder so he doesn’t know I’m lying.
“Bullshit,” he barks, and I rear my head back, hitting the window. “I’d never hurt you, Daphne,” he says, gentling his voice.
“I know that. I trust you, but you’re so angry right now. Besides, I can’t see you.” I spit out the words, and he shakes his head like he didn’t hear me correctly. “It’s a conflict of interest.”
“Really? Where did you hear that?”
“Lyla.”
“How does she know we went on a date?”
I look down and pull my upper lip into my mouth. I’ve been getting texts all weekend from my family.
“We were blasted all over social media.”
“I didn’t know. I had Jethro stop telling me about those because it happens so much.”
“You said you haven’t dated in a couple of years.” Now I’m upset. Did he lie to me?
“I haven’t. The gossip rags are constantly trying to link me with someone. I didn’t think they would get pictures of us because Judson doesn’t allow those animals on the property. He pays for extra security to keep them away.”
“It was pictures of us going into and leaving the restaurant.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“No, you can’t do that. I already worked one place where there were issues with staff. I don’t want to go through that again. A couple of women are already upset that I’m going to the gala and they aren’t. Now it looks like you personally asked me to go.”
“I did. I want you with me all the time. This weekend was hell on me.” He pushes into my body, and I feel his erection through our clothing.
“I’m not into one-night stands. I told you that.”
“And I told you this isn’t that. We are forever. I’ll take care of the conflict of interest, even if I have to quit the Board of Regents.”
My hands flex against his chest. “No. Don’t do that. They need you on the board. Please don’t.”
“I’ll figure it out. Let me worry about that. You worry about what you’re wearing Friday.” He leans in and nuzzles my neck, but I pull away as far as I can.
“Darrell, please don’t. Not until I know my job is safe and your integrity is too.”
“Got it.” He steps back, leaving me bereft without him against me, but I asked for this. “I’ll text you later.”
He turns and walks away, and I get into the Jeep and head into work.
This week I’m on the closing shift, which means I won’t get home until after nine at night. I’m glad I got the girls into a twenty-four-hour doggy daycare.
When I get to the aquarium, I can tell some of the staff have seen the pictures of Darrell and me from Friday. Lyla pulls me into her office.
“How long have you and Mr. Boseman been in a relationship? Was he faking not knowing you during the tour last week?”
“No, not at all. I just met him on Thursday. I swear,” I say, defending myself.
“You looked very comfortable together in the photos. The reason I’m not asking you to resign is because the board never voted on hiring you.
That was all management. As for your relationship, I was going to tell you not to attend the gala, but Mr. Boseman called earlier and paid your ticket fee.
He also said he would recuse himself from any votes regarding staffing.
He threatened to pull all funding and his membership if you faced any repercussions. ”
“I don’t want him to quit. I told him that when I saw him earlier. I will send him the money for my ticket so it doesn’t look like a conflict of interest.”
“No. It shouldn’t. There will be an emergency vote this afternoon regarding you and him being in a relationship.”
“I told him we couldn’t.”
“I appreciate your honesty, Daphne. As long as the board is aware and he ensures he doesn’t participate in any staffing votes, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
She leans back in her chair, and I sit there, trying to figure out what she’s waiting for from me. I’ve been completely honest with her.
She shakes her head, like she’s reached a conclusion. “I’ll be moving you from the main aquarium to full-time training with the river otters for a bit. Sound good?”
“Yes.”
“Next time, come to me as soon as something like this happens.”
“I will, but honestly, Friday was our first date.”
“I get that, but I know you saw each other on Thursday too. Pictures were sent to the board this morning along with the reports from Friday.”
“Pictures? He helped me walk my dogs. That’s all.” How could the paparazzi have found out about us on Thursday?
“Here are copies.”
She slides a small stack of photos across her desk. I pick them up and flip through them. There are a couple of me in my pajamas with my girls, and Darrell standing over us. He has a hold of my hand and is pulling me back toward my building.
“He showed up, but I wasn’t expecting him. I was shocked to see him. He walked with me because he thought it was dangerous for me to be out in the dark. I have a taser, so I was safe. I walk my dogs every night. He left shortly after.”
“I understand that. Keep looking.” She points at the photos, and I notice the timestamp showing Darrell leaving a little after he tucked me into bed.
I’m confused. Unless he was being followed already, no one should’ve known about me.
I shake my head as I see pictures of me on Saturday. “I felt like someone was following me. I’m not sure I’ll be continuing a relationship with Darrell if this is how it’s going to be. I like my privacy.”
“I understand. Head out to the back tanks and check in with the other team members.”
I do as she says, and after a quick conversation with my team, we get to work.
I spend the day training with the river otters. I miss being a part of the big aquarium, but this is what I wanted.
Taking a quiet lunch, I try to ignore Darrell’s text messages while I process everything that happened over the weekend.
Dare
Don’t ignore me, little girl, or I will come to your work.
Me
You can’t. Don’t come here. I need time to think about this. I don’t like that my privacy was invaded from the moment you showed up at my condo on Thursday.
Dare
What are you talking about? I only know about paparazzi being there on our date.
Me
Dare, there are pictures of us outside my building on Thursday. The board was also sent copies.
Dare
I’ll take care of it, Daphne. I swear. I have a meeting with the board shortly. I’ll message you later.
Me
Okay.
I head back from my lunch break to help with a senior otter who isn’t feeling well and learn he might be sicker than we thought. He’s one of the older otters in the romp. One of the mammal team members has worked with him since she came to the aquarium years ago, so she’s struggling with today.
Darrell
I contact Titan to have him look into it. One of the guards I have on Daphne said they caught someone following her, but when they tried to get closer, the person took off. I send a quick message to Cronus, reminding him about my request for an operative to be with Daphne at all times.
“Sir, I’ve added the meeting with the board at the aquarium to your schedule. I also have legal shutting down as much information as possible about this weekend’s escapades. Is there anything else you want from me?” Jethro asks.
I look up from one of my screens showing the internal aquarium cameras. I can watch my girl while she’s at work, and she doesn’t know it.
“It wasn’t an escapade. It’s how it’s going to be. Daphne will be a permanent fixture in my life.” I correct him and turn back to the monitor.
“Darrell, I also have everything extra you wanted to set up. Instead of canceling the other appointments, I rearranged them.”
“Perfect. Did legal get back to you on the offer for the board?”
“Not yet, but they should have it done by the time you leave.”
“Okay.”
He walks out, and I focus back on my girl while I continue working.
My phone rings, and I answer it without checking the caller ID.
“Hello.”
“Well, well, well, you found her finally.” Titan’s voice comes across the line, and I lean into the screen as I notice my girl getting upset about something.
“I did. You still hiding Cronus’s girl from him?”
“Fuck yeah. She asked me to. I’m going to help her out because she was there for my wife.”
“I get it, but maybe it would be better if he saw her. It might help him get out of his funk. He’s drinking.”
“I know. I’ve talked to a couple of the guys about it. I can’t break her trust. It’s really fragile, and she needs help right now.”
I clue in on his words. “Is she in danger? Because if she is, he deserves to know.”
“Not yet. Both of them have been safe from Andrus, and he’d be stupid to show his face up here. There are too many ways to hide his body and get away with it.”