Whisper in the Shadows

weak

I blinked a couple times like that was going to help with what Layla had told me. "What do you mean, me?" I asked her.

"You, like you you. What you liked to do, did you have a boyfriend, what were your favorite places to eat, stuff like that", she told me, "I thought it was not something anyone should be asking me so I just told him we didn't speak that often, just friendly as fellow associates. But get this, later that week, he cornered me in the breakroom and called me a liar, telling me some of the other girls told him we were best friends. I didn't know what to say, so I told him we just acted like that at work. I guess he bought it, I mean, we're the only female associates here. So maybe he put two and two together and thought we just work bonded. I snuck up here because I didn't want him to see me and act like that again.", she told me, looking like she actually was nervous.

Not Layla Riche. One of the coldest lawyers I knew, scared of how a were wolf was acting around her? I bit my lip trying to come up with something so she was at ease. "I'll talk with him, maybe he's just interested because I'm Rumens daughter and he thinks I'm loaded now that he's passed", and I started laughing, trying to calm her down, as well as myself.

"No seriously Mae, you need to be careful. I know you never really cared for boys in school but he is very charismatic, and anyone who didn't have Rumen Erikson for a father might fall for it", and she laughed lightly like she was trying to make me less nervous now. "Anyways, you and I are going to lunch around 1, so you better be down in the garage waiting on me with wallet in hand, because I'm starving already". With that statement she walked out of the office while I just laughed and agreed with her.

-

Exactly at 1PM I was standing in the garage waiting on Layla to step out of the elevator. I was going to show her being on time. At 1:03PM she text me telling me she had to start on an important project that Mr. Bogdan threw on her last minute and was for a big new client, but she wanted a raincheck. I cursed under my breath and decided I would just order some delivery and get back to working since I had been away for so long.

I walked to the elevator and hit the call button. It glowed and then dinged and opened. Standing in the elevator was Geri. As soon as his eye landed on me he broke out into a big smile. I gave a slight smile and tried to slide past him walking out of the elevator, but he easily blocked my path.

"Hey Miss Erikson, how are you doing?", he spoke with a smooth tone.

"Hi Geri, I'm just heading back to my office, I was waiting on my lunch delivery but it hasn't come yet", I replied trying to come up with something that would throw him off and let me get safely back to my office.

He reached out and grabbed my upper arm right above my elbow and the elevator door shut behind him. "You can run if you'd like, I don't mind a chase", he smiled even bigger, "However, I think we should go to lunch, my treat, as I've been dying to get to know you better since I first laid eyes on you". He let go of my arm but had maneuvered me around so we were face to face. His eyes sparkled as he kept his big smile on his face, staring down at me as if he was daring me to try and run, all while know I wouldn't be able to get far from him.

His fingers had dug into my arm where he had gripped me with his massive hands. I finally brushed off where his hand had been and looked up at him. "No, thank you, I'm trying to finish some work-" but he cut me off.

"Nonsense, I don't take no for an answer." he said still smiling at me.

While I was trying to think of another excuse he grabbed my wrist and started pulling me behind him. "Come on, don't be mean to the new guy at work, you need to find a good man, and I'm a good catch if I do say so myself." He purred the words out like he thought any woman would swoon right into his arms.