Protect My Heart

three

[ 03 ]

Titan was smirking at me. The bastard, I thought wildly. My fists clenched at my side and I held back from punching him square in the jaw.

James glanced between us, sensing the tension in the air. "Otterson, come into my office so we can talk," he said finally. Slanting a glance at Titan, he told him, "Thanks for your time, Connor."

Titan nodded and sauntered off, not before flashing me a grin. Breathe in, breathe out.

"You're late," James said, not bothering to look my way as he walked back into his office.

I shut the door and turned to face him. "I'm sorry, I only heard your message at three, and I rushed here as soon as-"

James held up a hand, cutting me off immediately. "Details of your incompetence do not interest me."

I held in a giggle. Did he just quote The Devil Wears Prada?

He glared at me. "Is something funny?"

I straightened my face. "No, sir."

"Right, back to the subject at hand. Do you think your client will give a fuck about the reason why you weren't there when they asked you to?"

"That is-"

"No! They won't. All they'll care about is that you were not there."

"I under-"

"You live on their schedule, not the other way round! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," I answered immediately. "But-"

"No buts, Otterson. Bore someone else with your excuses. Now, let's get to your assignment."

That shut me right up.

James threw over a file, the blue folder sliding across his messy desk. "Read through it and tell me if you have any questions."

I opened the file eagerly. "What kind of case is this?"

"You'll be protecting the son of Harvey Black."

I glanced up, bemused. "Who?"

"He's a new face in Fortune 500," he said.

"I'll be protecting his son?"

James nodded.

My brows knitted together. "Please don't tell me this is a babysitting case. I bought James that teddy bear like two weeks ago!"

"As much as I appreciate you doing that, I'm not one to mix business with pleasure."

I refrained from rolling my eyes. Bullshit. "James adores me," I told him.

"That she does, but-"

"And she made me pinky-promise her to go with her to some school carnival next week."