Chapter 53

"Elena, there's no we involved here," Charles said about five minutes later, his large hands wrapped around a mug of freshly made coffee.

He had slumped down on my couch and was leaning back, looking at the ceiling. "You already have people following you. We don't know who those donuts were targeting. I don't want there to be anything else."

I sat next to him with my own cup and leaned against the cushions. "Okay, but I don't want to stop working on my story."

Charles sighed. "I really need you to be okay with some security, please. If you don't care about my feelings, then think of it for insurance purposes for the company."

I sat up. "What makes you think I don't care about your feelings?"

He looked at me with tired eyes but said nothing. I slumped back down against the cushions.

"Okay," I said. "I'm not going to lie. All of this scares the heck out of me."

"You can stop. It's totally okay."

I shook my head. I couldn't stop now.

Charles smiled and reached an arm out to me. I knew what he wanted, and slumped sideway so that I was nestled under his arm.

"Mm," he said, and pulled me closer. I wiggled in as best I could without spilling my coffee. He put his nose into my hair and inhaled. I felt his entire body relax around me.

We sat there for a few minutes, both of breathing and occasionally taking sips of the coffee. Despite the somber circumstances, I felt my heart filling with warmth.

This coziness, this comfort, it was exactly what I wanted for my life. I had always envisioned a relationship where I could just exist, enjoying the morning with someone.

It was too bad this wasn't a morning to be enjoyed. Our reality was grim, but for a few moments I felt safe and completely content nestled quietly there in his arms.

Eventually Charles sighed.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, aware he wasn't having the blissful moments of relaxation that I was.

"I feel personally responsible for this," he said, his voice low.

"How? That's not possible, Charles."

I sat up and looked at him with as much sternness as I could muster when staring at an Alpha.

"You didn't send him into a bad situation. You didn't even assign him to cover anything specific. And besides, we don't even know what happened. It could just be one of those fluke heart attacks."

Charles shook his head. "You know Alphas have a bit of intuition, kind of like you females have."

I nodded. It was a common trait, a way they were able to keep their subordinates together so well. They anticipated certain things and sensed others. Alpha intuition.

"Everything in my gut is telling me this wasn't a fluke, that there is something sinister about it."

"Okay," I said. "So what does this mean for you?"

"I means," he said, "that I need to find out really happened, and I need to make sure things get put right."

"Revenge?" I say, the word filling me with dread.

"Not necessarily revenge. More like justice."

The word resonated in my chest. I nodded. There was a difference, that was for sure.

"You may be right, that he was a grown-up, he made his own choices, but he was my employee and I want to protect my people."

I could see the fire begin to burn in his eyes again.

"No one does this to one of mine and gets away with it."

I nodded, a little in awe, a little nervous. He was speaking calmly, softly, but there was an intensity underneath that made my hair raise.

"What's your first move, then?" I ask, taking his empty cup and getting up. I went to the counter and refilled it while he answered.

"It's going to be busy around my office the next few days," he said. "Of course press conferences, statements. I may come out and say some things that are going to make me unpopular."

"Not with the employees, if you're take the stance you're talking about. It feels good to know the boss has your back."

"Thanks, Elena," he said, taking the refilled mug. "And I'm hoping to coordinate it with your stories, too. I don't want to play all my cards directly, but I might hint that there's something else going on and direct people to your story."

I nodded. "So not accusing per se, but implying there may be more going on?"

Charles took a sip of the coffee. "Exactly."

He looked into the cup. "You make a good cup of coffee, did you know that?"

I smiled. "I didn't actually. I just made it to please myself. You're the first morning visitor I've had since, well, college really."

He grinned. "I see. Well you have good taste, then."

"Because it matches yours?"

"Exactly."

He pulled me to him again, and sighed as I leaned back. I closed my eyes, trying to absorb his scent and his warmth into my cells.

Is this what he does with my scent? Do I feel like this to him? I wonder.

"Elena?"

I looked up at him and his face is close to mine. So close that I can see his individual eyelashes again and a few freckles on his cheekbones.

"Um?"

"I have coffee breath," he said, smiling.

"Me, too." I said.

"Perfect."

He leaned a fraction of an inch and pressed his lips softly to mine. Then he pulled away and took my mug from me. He put both mugs gingerly on the coffee table and turned back to me.

This time he wasn't soft. He pulled me roughly to him and grinned before he kissed me. "Coffee," he said, and kissed me hard.

I was taken aback but he didn't let me go, pulling me closer. My body had reacted in surprise but I found I absolutely did not want to be let go.

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back. His mouth parted and I could taste the coffee and feel the hot wetness of his mouth on mine.

I moved my right leg around him and he pulled me around so I was straddling him. I could feel him between my legs and through my flannel pajama pants, hot and hard.

I moaned a little as his hands went up under my top, hot against my back. It felt so good to feel his skin on me, to feel his hands gripping into my flesh as he pressed me tighter to his chest.

My nipples hardened and I found myself pushing my breasts forward to meet him, to rise to up to him as his hot mouth went down my neck. I leaned my head back, exposing my throat.

He kissed my neck, my collar bone, and when he bit down lightly on my clavicle I flinched a little, but with a thrill of desire rather than fear.

He could break me so easily, but he was perfect, just rough enough for me to sense his need, for it to make me equally hot with desire.

His mouth found mine again, and as he kissed me the rest of his body slowed. He began to release me, to pull back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart plummeting. "Did I do something wrong?"

He looked into my worried face and brushed my hair away. "No, beautiful," he whispered. "It's just it's getting late, and I need to go be the boss."

He shifted and pulled his phone from his back pocket. He looked at it and frowned.

"See?" He held it up . Thirty one missed calls and messages.

"Oh my gosh," I said, looking at him with concern. "Will you be okay?"

He smiled and nodded. "It's what I do. But this..." He suddenly stood, lifting me with him with strength and power that I'd only imagined was possible under all those perfectly tailored shirts. He held me against, him my legs still wrapped around his waist.

"... This helps me so much, Elena. You have no idea."

I put a leg down and stood up.

"My pleasure, I think," I said.

He smirked, looking at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"What are you looking at?" I demanded.

"Nice jammies."

"Hey!" I put my hands on my hips. "These are warm, high-grade flannel I'll have you know."

"I love them," he said. "They smell so much like you. Will I see you later?"

"I'll see you in less than an hour," I said. "Don't worry, Charles. I'll be there."