Page 25 of Maximus

“Good. I’m glad you weren’t too badly injured, but I’m also not happy someone dared to attack a person who works forme.”

“I think the man was a bit deranged.” Sokolov was absolutely not thinking before he acted last night. That was a fact.

“That is not an excuse.” Abrasha brushed her off. “Sokolov will find him. If not, I’ll have the local officials work on it.”

“Whatever you think is best.” She shivered. “I just want to forget it ever happened.”

Max’s arm went around her, and she leaned into him.

Abrasha made a sound in his throat. “That is a woman’s way of thinking. Letting this slide will not stop it from happening again. It must be stopped in its tracks.”

She shivered at the menace she heard in his voice. “I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot to deal with, to say the least.”

Abrasha made a dismissive sound before saying, “I’ll have Sokolov call when Mr. Stryker is cleared to enter the vault.” The line went dead. She put the phone down and stared at him. He’d warned her not to say anything in the office because it was probably bugged. He’d said he’d check for electronic devices when he returned from the hotel.

“I should let you get changed.”

“I’ll be packing my bag and checking out of the hotel. I’m staying with you.” Max wrapped his other arm around her, and God help her, she melted into his big, hard body. She wanted him with her. Not only because of what had happened last night but because of the feelings that had grown since she’d met him.

She sighed. “I should go to work. I have a lot of calls to make.”

“I just placed a jamming device in the office—that box. No one will listen to what you’re saying if there are bugs in there. Your desk phone will work, but your cell phone won’t. It won’t interfere with your internet connection. There’ll be someone watching the building. You’re safe. I promise.”

She nodded. “I know. I trust you to protect me.” She did. Only, no matter what her rational brain told her to believe, her raw nerves vibrated with tension, fear, and anxiety.

Max cocked his head to the left and then shook his head. “I’ll be right back.”

Elena sat down and watched as he left. As soon as he was out of sight, she went to the front door, entered the code to activate the alarm, and locked the door. If Sokolov came to the door, it would take him time to enter, and she could lock herself in thedelivery area. As far as she knew, he didn’t have any codes for the interior of the building. Abrasha wanted two people to have the code: her and, of course, himself.

She huddled behind her computer and tried to stop shivering. It wasn’t cold in the office, but still, she was freezing. Her world had turned on its head last night. The violence Sokolov had unleashed had stripped her of her sense of safety in a matter of minutes. She never wanted to feel that way again. She reached up and touched her neck. The bruises there were a reminder she could be dead. A whole-body shiver ran through those raw nerves, and she closed her eyes, praying tears wouldn’t flow. No, she needed to be stronger than that. Max needed her help to take Abrasha and Sokolov into custody. She had no recourse except to be strong. Lifting her shoulders, she took a deep breath and then another. She powered up her computer and reached for her phone. She had calls to make and an event to push back. Sitting like a lump wouldn’t get either done.

The office's familiar needs eased the stress, and while she still glanced at the door anytime someone walked by, she’d made a dent in the items she needed to do and was feeling good about where she was when the phone rang. She answered and froze at Sokolov’s voice. “Max Stryker is cleared.”

She couldn’t find her voice and didn’t answer. The line went dead, and she dropped the phone onto the desktop. She pushed away from the desk, rolling her chair to the wall, staring at the phone. Her heart was beating hard against her ribs, and she started shaking again. No. No, she wouldn’t let him affect her that way. She rolled her chair back to the desk, hung up the phone, and put her hands on her keyboard. The buzzer for the front door made her jump. She looked at the monitor, and relief flooded through her. She hit the buzzer to let Max in throughthe front door, and when it clicked shut, she went to the interior door and let him in.

She launched at him and wrapped her arms around him. His free arm went around her and held her tight. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Well, that’s not true. Sokolov called and told me you were clear.”

“When did that happen?” he asked as he inched them into the office and shut the door behind him.

“Just now.”

“Ah, that explains the shaking.” He rocked a bit right and left as he held her.

She sighed and nodded. “I was doing so well until I heard his voice.”

“That’s understandable. The shock triggered the physical response.”

She pulled away from him and looked up at him. “Did you become a psychiatrist once?” He smiled at her and winked. Her jaw dropped. “You did?”

“I may have been bored one summer.” He shrugged.

She blinked and then laughed. “What is it like to be so smart?”

His smile fell. “It isn’t what you’d think.”

Reaching up, she slid her fingers along his cheek. “It’s hard, isn’t it? Having all that ability and keeping it all locked up.”

---