Codex

by Megan Fatheree

  Eadric nodded. “We have an empty space on the tenth floor and we don’t have a bookstore. It’s not like the company is hurting for money.”

  “What’s the rent?”

  “For you... I think we could work out a deal.”

  Truth be told, Eadric would let her move in for free if it meant Amorette would be safe inside his building. No one came in or out of Hawkmore Tower without his knowledge.

  Besides, his employees would undoubtedly find the bookstore intriguing. Most of the other shops inside the building were cafes or coffee shops.

  Melodia nibbled at her lip. “This has a lot more motive behind it than the goodness of your heart, doesn’t it?”

  “It’s safer for everyone if this store moves into my building. Security is tight there.”

  “You’re going to have to give me a little more to go on.”

  “You have to learn to take no as an answer.” Eadric folded his arms across his chest. “You can move the store into my building or I can offer Amorette a full-time secretarial position. I’m positive it pays more than what she makes here. She stays out of loyalty, nothing else.”

  “What makes you so sure that money will outweigh her loyalty to this shop?”

  Eadric chuckled. “Melodia Morris, you and I both know that Amorette currently has nowhere to go except my house. You don’t want her to stay there indefinitely, do you?”

  “If I’m honest, I can’t say I completely oppose the idea. I think I like you better than Malibu Ken.”

  Finally, someone on Eadric’s side. He couldn’t suppress a smirk at the news that Amorette’s most trusted friend preferred him over the boy. “Then move the bookstore. I can have people here to help in a matter of hours. It should be done before Amorette recovers. She won’t have a say if she doesn’t know until then.”

  “You think she would refuse you?”

  “Absolutely.” Eadric pushed off the counter and ventured to the nearest bookshelf. “She opposes me every chance she gets. This would be no different.”

  “So you’re saying I shouldn’t tell her it was your idea that we move.”

  “You’re an intelligent woman.” Eadric grinned over his shoulder. “How much will your silence cost me?”

  “Free coffee anytime I want it from one of the shops in your building. None of this paying for coffee business for me.”

  “Done. I’ll tell them to put it on my tab. Anything you like.” Eadric plucked a novel from the shelf and held it out to Melodia. “I’ll take this, as well. And something for Amorette to read while she’s indisposed.”

  “I like a man who knows how to negotiate.” Melodia snatched a classic from a nearby shelf. It took less than thirty seconds to ring up both purchases.

  Eadric paid the tab and reached for the small paper sack.

  Melodia’s fingers folded over his. She waited until he looked up at her to say anything.

  Even then, Melodia's request startled Eadric. “Take good care of my girl. Don’t make her cry. She’s had enough of that.”

  “Tell me what makes her cry.” The request was out before Eadric had time to think about it.

  He heard, once, that what a person truly thought in his heart would come out when he had nothing else to say. Eadric didn’t want to believe its truth now.

  Melodia grinned. “Ask her yourself. I think it’s part of your job to figure out what hurts lie in her heart. If she doesn’t tell you anything, I have a list of names. I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”

  The more this woman spoke, the more Eadric liked her. He knew some of the circumstances around Amorette’s unhappiness, but he had so many to discover. Asking and getting an answer immediately would be anticlimactic. Melodia was right in her assessment of the situation. Eadric had work to do.

  “We will speak again.” Eadric tucked the books under his arm and nodded his head in a respectful bow.

  Melodia waved and reached for her own book. “Send some people this afternoon. We’ll start the move immediately.”

  “Consider it done.”

  Eadric exited The Nook with a spring in his step. He hadn’t felt so alive and content in years. Things were going his way, for once in his life. It appeared this situation could be diffused before any real tragedy occurred. That was what he hoped for the most.

  “DOON!” AMORETTE KNOCKED furiously on the man’s door. “Did you steal my shoe? I can’t find it and since it didn’t have my leg in it I assume it didn’t walk off by itself.”

  “I’ve been told not to let you out of the house yet.” Doon’s voice sounded muffled through the solid wood. “I’m sorry, but it’s the only thing I could think of.”

  “I have other pairs of shoes.”

  “And yet here you are at my door instead of changing them.”

  Okay, so he had a point there.

  Amorette had about four pairs of shoes, but she liked these the best. They were both cute and comfortable, a hard balance to find. If Doon didn’t steal it, she would be well on her way to work by now. Melodia needed her, whether she admitted it or not.

  “Doon, give me my shoe!” Amorette slammed a hand against the door. Hard enough to rattle it.

  Something crashed on the other side. “Good gravy, woman, do you have to be so violent about it?”

  From the outburst, Amorette deduced that the noise she heard was Doon tripping over his own two feet. He had a tendency to do that when someone freaked him out.

  “What’s wrong over here, Mi Amor?” Hunter asked from the end of the hallway.

  “Doon won’t give me my shoes.” Amorette ran her fingers back through her hair. “I need to go to work! The car is waiting, you inconsistent lunatic!”

  The door shot open. “Hey, be nice!” Doon pouted at her. “Do you have to go? I don’t have anything to do today and Melodia isn’t answering my calls. Again.”

  “She’s never answered your calls.” Amorette held out a hand and wiggled her fingers. “Shoe.”

  “No.”

  “Doon,” Hunter gave a warning glare.

  Doon stuck his tongue out. “You don’t scare me, pretty boy. Get a life, get a job, and get out.”

  “It’s not your house, so that’s not your decision.”

  “And here I thought we were friends.” Doon sighed dramatically.

  “Guys, my shoe!” Amorette slapped the back of her hand against Doon’s chest. “Give it!”

  A chime sounded from Doon’s pocket. He held up a finger and pulled out his phone to check the notification.

  Finally, with a smile, he held out Amorette’s shoe. “Thank you for your patience.”

  “You’re insane.” Amorette snatched her shoe and slid it onto her foot. “Really, you should think about getting someone to look into it.”

  “I second that motion.” Hunter raised a hand.

  “No one asked you.” Doon slammed his door in their faces.

  “Rude,” Hunter mumbled.

  Amorette raked her hair back from her face and breezed past Hunter. She had places to be and the fight with Doon wrecked her timetable. How would she ever get to work on time now?

  “I’ll drive you,” Hunter offered.

  Amorette flicked her fingers through the air. “Doon has a car waiting for me. I’ll see you tonight!”

  She didn’t wait for his answer. She could finally leave the house without a herd of boys around her, trying to convince her to rest. No way would she give up her free time for a ride with Hunter.

  As promised, a familiar SUV sat idling outside the front doors. Amorette climbed into the passenger seat and turned to smile at the driver.

  Her jaw fell slack.

  Eadric lifted one corner of his lips in the closest thing to a smile Amorette had seen from him. “Surprised?”

  “That’s one word for it.” Amorette reached for the door handle, fully intending to exit the vehicle.

  The lock clicked shut.

  “Hey!” Amorette shot a glare Eadric’s direction.

  Ead
ric put the car in drive. “I’ll drive you to work this morning. Please buckle your seat-belt.”

  “This is kidnapping.”

  “This is kindness. Buckle.”

  “I don’t want to.” Amorette sat back in her seat, arms folded.

  Eadric sighed.

  Before Amorette registered his movement, his arm was around her, snatching the belt. Eadric clicked it into place across her arms and torso.

  “Safety first. Then you can argue all you want.”

  Great. Close proximity. Just what she needed to deal with this morning. The walk from outside into the kitchen still confused her. She didn’t need another reason for her brain to go blank.

  After what felt like ages, Eadric chuckled and settled in his own seat. “Breathe, Amorette. You don’t have to go so still any time I’m near. I won’t hurt you.”

  “I don’t think I’m worried about that.”

  Amorette pulled the corner of her lip between her teeth. She didn’t mean to say that out loud. She didn’t mean to say a lot of things out loud around Eadric, but somehow they slipped out.

  Eadric stopped at the gate to allow it to open. “If you aren’t worried I’ll hurt you, why do you look so frightened?”

  “Good question.” Amorette shook her head in hopes of kick-starting her brain again. She had to keep her wits about her. Eadric pulled out onto the road and stopped to watch the gate close. “You’ve never found issue with setting me straight before. Are you concerned I’ll put you out on the street?”

  “No.” Amorette dug her phone out of her pocket.

  Maybe if she had something to do, he would stop talking. She needed to sort her thoughts before she tried to engage with him. On cue, the device chimed.

  Amorette glanced sideways at Eadric, but he didn’t take his eyes from the road. Good. She didn’t want him to pay attention to her, anyway. A quick flick of her thumbs opened the screen. A single text jump-started Amorette’s brain again.

  Your father is coming. Friday.

  Leave it to her step-mother to fill Amorette in now that they didn’t live together. The woman never cared before, but apparently she cared now.

  Amorette exited the message and slid her phone back into her pocket.

  If her step-mother thought she would come at any beck and call, she was mistaken. Amorette was through being bullied and pushed around. She had somewhere else to go now, outside of her father’s home.

  Amorette leaned her head back and watched out the window. For about three seconds.

  “This isn’t the way to The Nook.”

  Eadric finally tore his eyes from the road to spare Amorette a glance. “Yes, it is. Trust me.”

  “Um, no. This is definitely not the way we should be going. This is going to take you downtown, and the traffic will slow you down. Besides, The Nook is in the other direction.” Amorette jabbed a thumb in the general direction they should be going.

  “Trust me.” Eadric turned his full attention back to the road.

  Amorette wrinkled her nose. As if she didn’t know how to get to her own workplace. She wasn’t an infidel. Melodia would rip her a new one when she arrived over thirty minutes late.

  But, hey, that wasn’t her problem. It was her idiot driver who needed to open his eyes to the situation.

  “I can feel your anger from here.”

  “Good.” Amorette shifted to face away from him.

  Eadric’s fingers wrapped around her arm and turned her back. “If you have something to say, say it.”

  “You’re a jerk and terrible at listening.”

  “I probably deserve that, but it isn’t true.”

  “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”

  A heavy sigh came from Eadric’s side of the car. His fingers slipped away from Amorette’s arm. “You’ll see, just trust me for thirty minutes.”

  “Ten.”

  “Twenty.”

  Amorette tipped her head, considering. “Okay. Twenty minutes, but you explain to Melodia why we’re late.”

  “Of course.” Eadric grinned at her.

  Actually grinned, as if he didn’t have the most unreadable face of all time.

  Why? Why would he do something so trivial but send Amorette’s mind to racing like it was the craziest thing? She had to get a hold of herself before she completely lost her mind.

  Eadric passed sights that seemed far too familiar for Amorette’s liking. Around the time he pulled into an underground parking garage, she caught on. Somewhat. This garage seemed empty, but Amorette recognized the entrance.

  She debated the benefits of bringing it up. Right up to the moment Eadric opened the console and held out a lanyard.

  “You’ll need this.”

  “This isn’t The Nook.” Amorette narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

  Eadric wrapped a hand around the back of Amorette’s hand and pressed the lanyard into her palm. “You’ll need this.” He grabbed the keys and stepped out of the car.

  “Hey!” Amorette fumbled with her seat-belt, then the door. She reached back in for her bag. “Hey, this isn’t The Nook!”

  Eadric pressed the elevator button and turned to look over his shoulder. “Come along, then.”

  “But this isn’t The Nook.” Amorette jogged to his side and wrapped a hand around his wrist. “You have to take me to work, Eadric. I can’t skip. I’m an employee, not a CEO.”

  “You think I skip work?” Eadric chuckled again. “You don’t know much, do you? I work harder for this company than anyone else.”

  “That’s nice, but can we talk about it while you drive me to work?” Amorette gave his arm a gentle tug. “Or give me the keys. I know how to drive.”

  “No.”

  The elevator doors opened.

  This time, Amorette’s hold on Eadric worked to her disadvantage. He was taller and stronger than she was, so he merely pulled her into the elevator after him.

  She stumbled to a stop by his side. “Mr. Hawkmore—”

  “I don’t answer to that from you anymore.”

  Amorette sighed. “Eadric. Please? I really need to get to work.”

  Eadric tugged his arm out of her grip and flicked a wrist. He stared at his watch, then looked up at Amorette. His fingers were gentle as they pried the lanyard from her hand.

  Eadric looped the strap around Amorette’s neck. “I still have two minutes. Trust me for two more minutes.”

  Two minutes. Could she trust him for those precious two minutes? On the one hand, she needed to get to work. On the other, Eadric seemed to have something planned. She couldn’t place what it was, but those dark eyes pleaded with her to understand.

  “Fine. Two minutes.”

  Eadric smiled.

  In all honesty, Amorette wished he would stop smiling. It took years off his face and sucked her into whatever scheme he crafted. Yes, she would admit to being soft for his smile, but only because he looked so grumpy the majority of the time. Everyone deserved to be happy sometimes.

  The elevator doors dinged.

  Eadric motioned to the hall outside and waited for Amorette to precede him.

  Amorette studied his smile. Why now? Did he have something big planned? This was definitely Hawkmore Tower, but why did he bring her here?

  If he planned to hold her in his office, he had another thing coming. She didn’t even have the journal with her, so he couldn’t make her hand it over. She had half of it left to read. Then he could have it.

  “Sixty seconds.” Eadric pressed a hand against the elevator door to keep it from closing.

  “Oh. Right.” Amorette tried not to trip over her own two feet as she hustled out of the elevator and into the hall.

  Eadric stepped out after her. “This is the fifteenth floor.”

  “Okay...”

  He reached out to flick a finger against the card on Amorette’s lanyard. “This allows you access to the gates in the lobby and the elevator we exited.”

  “I still don’t get why you’re telling me all
of this.”

  “Follow me.” Eadric gripped her elbow to steer her down the hall.

  Amorette tilted her head to look up at him again. How did she ever think he was scary? Eadric had the softest touch and the most intriguing words. Had she known, she wouldn’t have been so harsh at the beginning.

  Right now, Eadric seemed to be the only person who always spoke honestly with her. She could admire that.

  A slight tug on her arm signaled a stop. Amorette stumbled to a halt and fixed her eyes on the floor instead of the man beside her. She needed to get a hold of herself. Butterflies and obsession weren’t her things.

  “We’re here.” Eadric let his fingers slip away.

  Amorette rolled her tongue over her lips to wet them, then looked up. “What in the world?” This wasn’t possible. No way this happened in the last three days. Right? “How is this here?”

  “Aren’t you late for work?” Eadric consulted his phone this time instead of his watch.

  All thoughts of fascination fled Amorette’s head. How did she think he had something wonderful planned? Clearly, this was all a ruse so she didn’t get angry with him earlier.

  “This is low. You could have told me.”

  “It appears Melodia is waiting on you.” Eadric pointed in a direction over Amorette’s shoulder.

  “We’ll talk when I get home.”

  Amorette spun on her heel, sure to flip her hair defiantly. She meant to put it up this morning, but Doon’s theft of her shoe postponed that idea. She sincerely hoped she hit Eadric in the eye. Not likely, but a nice thought.

  The store-front was entirely glass, which afforded Amorette the opportunity to see Melodia smiling and interacting with a customer. A customer. A weird, and rare, experience.

  Maybe moving here wouldn’t be so bad, but the secrecy behind it all scared Amorette to no end. Why would they hide this from her? Aside from the obvious temper tantrum, but that was bound to happen anyway.

  Might as well get it over with.

  Amorette shoved the door open and marched inside the brightly lit space. Yes, okay, it felt more open and much nicer than the hole-in-the-wall she was used to. They still should have told her.