Page 33 of Draco's Fire

He stood up from his desk, and she tensed, ready to throw back at him all the bitterness he had stored up. But if that was what she wanted, she was going to be disappointed.

"I'm glad you came," he said with a smile.

Shayla was taken aback. She'd expected a screaming match or at least some form of push back after she'd called him a fucking idiot, but instead, he stood there grinning at her.

And it made her angrier.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You're not angry?"

"No. Shayla. I've been sad. But never angry. At least not at you. At least not about us."

She paused, her face contorting, ready for another round. If he wasn't going to fight back, that didn't mean she had to stop.

"Um ... sir, should I call building security?" Tyson's assistant asked.

"No. We're fine. Actually, would you bring us some coffee?"

Jeremy's eyes flit between the two.

"She takes hers black," Tyson added.

"Yes. I'll get that right away."

After the door closed behind the fleeing assistant, Tyson said, "I think he was trying to intimidate you to leave. Building security is minimal here, and I doubt any of them could do much to you. Now, would you like to continue yelling at me while we wait for coffee?"

Shayla tried to stifle it but laughed.

"Goddamn it, Tyson. I'm serious. This isn't funny."

Still, having a slight laugh was not helping her sell her point.

"I'm glad to see you," he said.

She collapsed in a chair on the other side of his desk, and he sat back down.

"Was there anything else you wanted to say?"

Shayla let out a long sigh.

"Can you promise me you'll cooperate with PEACE security this time? I don't want to see you get shot."

He looked at her and asked, "Will you be on my security detail?"

"No." Shayla bit her lower lip and said, "It's not because I don't want to be. I asked, and I was told no. But I hear that the team assigned to you are good people. You have to let them do their job. That means if they say it's too dangerous for you to go somewhere, you believe them."

"I will do my best to follow their guidance. If you're not part of my security detail, can you still attend?"

"What like a date?" she asked.

"Rallies don't tend to be the most romantic affairs. I'd just like to have you there."

He watched as she considered it, her brows furrowing and shifting as though the internal conflict needed an external release. After a minute, coffee was brought in.

Jeremy set them down on the desk and said, "Is there anything else you need, sir?"

"No, Jeremy. Thank you."

Jeremy again fled the office.

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