Page 68 of Time Stops With You

I laugh. That confidence alone makes me double glad I chose Josiah as my legacy. “I’ll let you know how it works out. And no more coding behind your sister’s back. Don’t let Nardi worry about you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He goes back to his computer.

With a smile, I call for a ride, and map out my ideas all the way back to HQ. My head is bursting with hope, excitement and new ideas and I’m in such a rush to get inside that I don’t notice a giant boulder of a man step around the bend until it’s too late.

I reel back to avoid crashing into him, but I do end up knocking into his shoulder.

“Sorry,” I mumble, side-stepping him to make my way inside.

The man blocks my way and grunts out, “Sorry? You think sorry’s enough White Boy?”

I look up and recognize the guy who’d been flirting with Nardi outside the apartment entrance. He’s got a sneer on his lips and disgust in his eyes. I can tell immediately that he’s itching to pick a fight.

I don’t have time for this.

“You remember me?” The man lifts his chin so I can get a good look at the gold chain around his neck.

“I do.” I look past him at the entrance.

“I remember you too. You spent a long time in Nardi’s apartment last night.”

A sense of disquiet runs through me. Is this man stalking Nardi?

He stares at me intently, as if he’s waiting for me to say something to defend myself. I don’t. I owe this man nothing.

Instead, I step back and wait for him to tell me whatever threats he’s eager to unleash. Finally, he tires of the staring game and steps forward threateningly.

“Nardi and I have something going on, so you better not get any ideas. You feel me?” He slaps my chest with the back of his hand.

It’s technically assault, but I’m not petty enough to make a big deal of it. It’s more important to me that I get to my team to share the idea I have—and also give Sara the task of installing security cameras in front of Nardi’s apartment for safety.

When I still say nothing, he backs off and allows me to continue on my way. I look over my shoulder just before entering the front entrance, frowning at the man’s back.

Him and Nardi?

I’m pretty sure Nardi wasn’t all that interested when he was talking to her. Poor guy has no idea he’s on the way to the friend zone.

For some reason, that makes me giddy.

Why do you care? If she turns him down, it doesn’t mean she’ll say yes to you.

I push the thought away and march straight to the conference room. The door opens and I hear the clacking of fingers to keyboards, the rumble of conversation, and the buzz of earnest energy.

Although I’ve always had a ‘team’, it's my first time gathering them all together in person. At first, no one notices me. They’re too entrenched in their work.

Someone at the door spots me.

He pats his neighbor on the back and points.

Soon, whispers flow through the room like a raging wildfire.

“It’s him!”

“Mr. Cullen!”

“Sir, you’re back.” Sara runs toward me and points to the projector. She gestures to the webcam attached to it. “Everyone is here, as you requested.”

I nod, my knee bouncing.

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