Page 7 of Sever
Chapter Four
Megan
I really hope this is some caffeine induced hallucination. I blink rapidly, but each time my eyes open, he is still standing there.
“Well, this is a surprise.” He smiles at me and my hands fist at my sides.
A smile?
The first time he’s seen me in seven goddamn years and he’s going tosmile?
If he wasn’t a client, I’d make it so he’d be crawling out of here.
“Mr. Smith, welcome.” Mr. Duncan walks past me and shakes “Mr. Smith’s” hand, completely unaware that he’s about to interact with the devil. “Please follow me. Would you like something to drink?”
“Actually, I could use some ice water. It’s a little hot in here.” His eyes find me as he finishes his sentence.
“Andrea, please go get Mr. Smith a water.” He walks toward his office. “Excuse us, Miss Hendrix.” He glares at me as if I’m a bumbling idiot, which I’m sure is what I look like.
I step to the side as he passes, and then as Ryder walks by me, I can feel his eyes drag along my body. I clench my teeth, fighting the urge to warn him to keep his eyes to himself before I pry them out of his head.
Once they’re gone, I don’t find it any easier to breathe. Instead, I mindlessly walk back to my desk and sit down, the figures on the screen merging into one incomprehensive ball.
Why now?
Why here?
The universe must hate me.
I cover my face with my hands, trying to get a grip on myself.
You are not that same little girl. You’ve grown up. You are stronger than you were before.
The pep talk, while a good one, doesn’t do much.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I drop my hands and see Connor leaning against my desk, legs crossed at the ankles, the picture of cool and calm and collected. Everything I’m not.
“I just have a major headache,” I say, rubbing at my temples and offering a weak smile. That’s close enough to the truth. In all reality, a major headache just walked back into my life.
Mr. Duncan’s door opens, and I don’t need to look up because I can already feelhimcoming toward me.
Be nice.
He comes to stand right next to my desk. Close enough that I can smell his cologne, but not close enough for me to stick out a leg and trip him up.
Pity.
“Long time no see. How about we grab lunch and catch up?” Ryder’s blues eyes bore into mine and it’s like I forget how to speak.
I clear my throat. “I’m actually already going to lunch with Connor today.”
Connor’s eyes widen at my admission but I glare and him and kick his foot with mine. I’m going to hell for using him, but I need an out. Luckily he catches my meaning and nods, tapping his hand on my desk. “Just came over to check we’re still good?”
“We are.”
As Connor walks the short distance back to his own desk, there are two sets of eyes on him. Ryder waits for Connor to sit down before he turns back to me. “Maybe another time?”
