Page 52 of It Starts With A No

“Never happened before.”

Despite the darkness, she could sense him turning his head toward her.

Clary tipped her chin up toward him, only then realizing how close his face was to hers and how she’d pressed up against his back.

She quickly took a step back. “Sorry. I didn’t—”

“Stay here. I’ll go see what’s wrong.”

She tightened her grip on his shirt. “Wait. No. I’ll go with you.” She took out her phone and turned on the flashlight.

But Seth immediately put his hand over her phone. “It’s probably nothing, but keep the light off and stay here.”

“That doesn’t sound like nothing.”

“You’re safe here.” He pressed something into her hand. “I’ll lock the door. You can still leave with the pass, but—”

“Please let me go with you.” She heard how whiney she sounded, but she really didn’t want to sit around and wait and wonder what was going on.

“Are you sure?”

She licked her lips. “Maybe the cleaners or security saw the lights were left on and switched them off.”

“Security has no entry into the office itself. Our cleaners come in during office hours.”

“Then I’m definitely going with you.”

He put a hand over hers, holding it in place as he tugged his shirt out of her grip. “Are you an adrenaline junkie or something?” He took her hand in a gentle grip and moved forward. “Stay close.”

“Exactly what I intend to do.” They were a few steps along before she remembered what he said. “I’m not an adrenaline junkie,” she whispered.

“Yet you step between a gun and me, and now that you think something’s wrong, you insist on coming along.”

“I couldn’t possibly let you go on your own.” She shrugged. “And I don’t want to be left behind, waiting and wondering. I have the ability to imagine a thousand and one different horrible disasters in a single minute.”

He laughed softly. “Are there even a thousand and one disasters? Why the hell am I whispering with you?”

“I’m sure there are,” she continued whispering. She wasn’t sure why she kept doing that. “Could the deranged man have followed us here?”

“It’s probably just a trip.” Despite saying that, Seth took a longer step forward and pulled her behind him.

“And you know how to fix that?”

“Yes. If I can find where the—” Seth stopped walking, and his grip on her hand tightened.

She moved forward, pressing up against his arm without a word.

“Who are you?” Seth asked.

It clearly wasn’t directed at her, but Clary couldn’t see anyone else in the dark.

“You shouldn’t be here,” a female voice replied shakily.

Clary relaxed at the sound of the frightened female. Seth’s tense stance, however, didn’t let up one bit.

“There’s security in the building and—”

“Are you a Movement employee?” Seth cut off the voice in the dark. “What are you doing here this late?”

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