Page 49 of A Reclusive Heart

“Police are on their way, sir,” one of the guards informed Rick, but he didn’t seem to be listening as he headed towards the crowd.

A feeling of dread twisted Nick’s stomach as he followed Rick. When he heard some of the questions being yelled, he moved faster, shoving anyone who got in his way aside as hefought to find his little recluse. When he finally found her, he felt his heart break.

“Please just leave me alone,” Jamie begged, her voice breaking on a sob as she buried her face against her knees.

Nick bent down and scooped her up in his arms. At first, she went rigid and moved to push him away, but then she looked up and when she saw him, her body relaxed as she buried her tear-soaked face against his shirt.

“Is this your boyfriend?”

“Are you using her for her money?” a woman demanded as she snapped their picture. Nick ignored them as he shouldered his way through the crowd. Rick stepped in front of him and cleared the path.

When they reached the front doors, one of the guards noticeably swallowed. “She didn’t have a pass and wasn’t on the list,” he explained.

“Did she ask you to call us?” Rick asked coldly. When he reluctantly nodded, Rick didn’t even hesitate when he said, “Then, you’re fired.” It probably saved him from a trip to the hospital. That and Nick wasn’t about to put his little recluse down so that he could beat the shit out of him.

As Jamie trembled in his arms, Nick followed a very somber Rick to the elevators.

“Are you okay?” Nick asked softly, wishing for Jamie’s sake that everyone would stop staring at them so that she could calm down.

“I-I could really use some chocolate right about now,” Jamie said softly with a sniffle.

“I’ll hunt down the biggest chocolate bar I can find. How does that sound?” Nick asked soothingly as he stepped into the elevator behind Rick.

She sniffled as she thought it over. “Can I have two?”

“Yes.”

“And a Coke?” Jamie asked, sounding hopeful, but no less pathetic as she continued to sniffle and tremble in his arms.

He sighed heavily as he pointedly ignored the questioning look Rick was sending their way. “Fine, you little sugar addict. You can have a Coke.”

“Can I have two?”

“No,” Nick said, knowing that she’d regret consuming that much sugar at once.

“You’re mean,” she grumbled even as she snuggled closer in his arms.

“Yes, I am,” Nick said, adjusting her in his arms as he waited to arrive at their floor.

“Take her to my office,” Rick said, but Nick had no intention of listening to him. He wanted to take Jamie to his office, where he could take care of her.

“I’ll take her to mine. We have a few things to go over,” Nick said, hoping Rick would just drop it and let him have some time with his little recluse.

“I need to talk to her about a few things,” Rick stubbornly pointed out.

“We can talk about them in my office,” Nick argued just as his little recluse started to struggle for freedom.

“Um, guys? I can walk to my office,” Jamie said, drawing his attention. He looked down at her tear-streaked face and noted the deep blush burning her cheeks. Of course, she was embarrassed, he realized feeling like an idiot.

His little recluse embarrassed too damn easily. He also knew how hard she tried to blend in and having him carry her to his office wasn’t going to help. After a slight hesitation, he reluctantly set her down on her feet.

“Better?” Nick asked, pushing a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

“Much better,” Jamie mumbled, hugging her bag tightly against her chest.

He watched as she threw Rick a nervous look. “Is there a morning meeting?”

“No, not this morning,” Rick said, giving her a reassuring smile.

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