Page 41 of To Have and To Hold

My fist went to my hip. “Thank you, but I don’t need a lieutenant or a knight in shining armor.” I kept my stare locked with his, unwilling to let myself think about the toned abs beneath his shirt as he blocked the doorway. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to them before I get my lesson on the computer program.”

Em took a step back, his nostrils flaring and his lips pressed together.

Back in the front office, I went to the tall desk. “Ladies.” Reina and Celeste turned my way.

“We’re sorry if we scared you,” Celeste offered.

I shook my head. “You did, but don’t be sorry. I’m here because Mia can’t be. I can’t help her if everyone here is afraid of scaring me. Forget what Emiliano said. My door is always open, and I want to do everything in my power to be here for you and all the residents.”

They both nodded.

“I’m going to go back to the office, and Em’s going to help me with Mia’s program. But that doesn’t mean I’m unavailable.”

Reina grinned. “Got it,jefe.”

“Yeah, I need to work on my Spanish as well.”

“Boss,” Celeste translated.

“Nope,” I corrected. “A better term would be coworker.”

When I returned to my temporary office, I stopped in the doorway. Em was sitting behind the desk in the white chair, his attention on the large screens. I stared at his profile, the sharp cut of his jawline, his prominent cheekbones, and his plump full lips pressed together. Being in his presence had become reassuring and at the same time frightening.

Maybe my father was right that the cartel was filled with murderers. What he’d failed to mention was that so was the Mafia.

Em turned to the sound of my footsteps on the vinyl flooring. His lips curled. “Are you ready for your first lesson?”

“Not my first. Mia worked with me yesterday.”

“Then your second.” He stood and took a seat in another chair he’d moved around to behind the desk. “I have no doubt you’ll have this up-to-date in a week or less.”

I sat in the leather chair. “Okay,jefe, tell me what to do.”

Em stilled at my side.

I turned toward him, seeing his darkening stare and the pulsating of a vein in his forehead. “Did I say something wrong? They told me that means boss.”

The tendons pulled taut in his neck as he moistened his lips. “It does.”

“Then why are you looking at me funny?”

“Is this one of those moments I’m not supposed to lie?”

“Of course,” I said, leaning back against the chair.

“If I tell you, you’ll go back to being scared of me.”

“I doubt that.”

“Having you call me boss and asking to be told what to do took my thoughts to an inappropriate place.”

My mouth felt suddenly dry and my core unexpectedly clenched. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific. I’m as uneducated on inappropriate places as I am on cartel and Mafia specifics.”

“Truth, not elaboration.”

As he began to give an overview of the program, my mind went to places I’d only thought about with movies and books. His large hand gripping the mouse made me wonder what it would be like to have it touching me. And then I remembered he had touched me, my arms, and held my hands. I couldn’t recall all that happened, but his touch had been comforting.

“Do you have any questions?” he asked.

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