Page 13 of Chief-of-Security

“You could be my date.”

“I could be your date?”

Frankie’s eyes go so wide at my words that I’m afraid they might pop out of her head. “You…I…I didn’t think you’d actually…”

“It would solve your problem, wouldn’t it? There’s no way Derek will bother you at the party if I’m your date.”

“Well. Yeah.”

“And since we’re just friends, it’s no big deal, right?” I may have put a little more emphasis on the word “friends” than necessary, but the reminder won’t hurt. For either of us.

She leans back in her chair, making solid eye contact with me for the first time. “Friends. Right.”

I nod. “I’ll keep you safe at the party, don’t worry.” My phone buzzes in my pocket, and a glance at my watch tells me my hour break is almost up. There’re only the crusts left on Frankie’s plate. “Ready to walk back?”

She nods and grabs the plates to bus our table. I snatch a crust off her plate as it passes under my nose. She pauses, half-turned back to me. “Want the other one? I never eat the crusts.”

Embarrassed, I wave her off. Pushing back, I catch up to Frankie at the coat rack by the front door, holding it open as she ducks beneath my arm.

“What’s in it for you, though?” Her question takes me by surprise.

“What’s in it for me? Why would I need to get something out of it?”

Frankie shrugs. “You’d be doing me a huge favor. I know what I get out of this, but what about you?”

It’s my turn to shrug. “It’s one night, Frankie. I’m just helping a friend. Maybe I wanted an excuse to go to the party?”

Frankie snorts. “Didn’t you get an invitation?”

“Nope. VIP only, I guess. Besides, now I get to go and I’ll have the prettiest developer on the team as my date.”

Frankie lets out a full laugh at that. “Oh, I don’t know. Manesh has those cheekbones…”

“As if Raj would let me anywhere near his husband.” I poke her in the side, relieved that our old ease is back. I would never say anything to either of them, but work has been lonely with Sophie gone and Frankie avoiding me.

The drizzle in the air gathers on my already damp hair, a cold drop running down the back of my neck as we near the front doors of Mailbox, sending a shiver down my spine. Or maybe it’s the sight of Derek leaning a little too close over Tina’s desk.

“Julian,” Tina squeaks as we step inside. Goddammit, I really hate that fucking dickhead. I wish he would actually do something so I could report him to HR. Instead, he just does this fucking fake chivalrous act that makes all the women uncomfortable but gives them no ammunition to get him to stop. The night of the holiday party when I caught him cornering Frankie is the closest he’s come to crossing a line.

Derek straightens up, his smile freezing when he spots Frankie coming in the door behind me. “Frankie. Did you just get back from lunch?”

Frankie steps back, bumping against my chest. Instinctively, my hands squeeze her shoulders and they relax under the pressure. I wait a beat for her to respond, but when she doesn’t, Derek’s eyes meet mine. The look of revulsion that flashes across his picture-perfect features at the way my hands are touching her has something deep and protective roaring inside me.

“Yeah, she was kind enough to wait until my break.” I shouldn’t be saying it, but hell if I can stop myself. I also don’t stop myself from shifting her to my side, where I can drape my arm over her shoulder. “See you at five?”

Frankie’s staring up at me when I look down, her green eyes full of questions.

“Bad news, man. We’re all working late to get this software ready in time for the launch next month.” Derek’s words echo through the lobby, and Frankie flinches.

The way her eyes dart toward him tells me more than she knows. What tells me even more is the way Frankie stiffens beneath the weight of my arm. But the way she presses against my side, one hand sliding behind my back, breaks me.

I meet Derek’s gaze. “Didn’t Frankie tell you? We’re watching the Blazers game tonight.” It’s not a total lie—I was planning to watch the game at the bar down the street from my house. “We’re still on, right?” I break eye contact with the asshole to glance at Frankie as she shrugs.

A beat passes, and her spine straightens under me. “I came in early today, Derek.”

“You always come in early,” he counters.

“Yeah. So I’m leaving at five.” She steps out from under my arm before turning back to me. “Thanks.” Her whisper is so quiet I almost miss it before she speaks louder. “I’ll meet you down here, okay?”

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