𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝 | 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟷

𝙴𝚙𝚒𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎

𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎

☆═━┈┈━═☆

"Mr. Rogers," my secretary buzzed through on my office phone, "Mrs. Rogers is here, shall I send her up?"

"You never have to ask," I replied when I pressed the intercom, "she's always allowed in, I don't give a shit if I'm in a meeting."

"Yes sir."

I leaned back against the chair, running my hand through my hair. I missed baseball in my off-season so much, Sofia was so much better at the paperwork and running the companies, I just signed the checks. But she was taking an extra class this summer to make up for the time lost in the beginning of the school year, so I elected to not do summer training with the team and focus on the three high rises we were in the middle of constructing. Ethan officially retired two months ago, and I had taken over the title of CEO, but god was this all overwhelming.

My office door opened, Sofia appeared before me and I swear she gets more beautiful every day. She wore a simple tank top and a pair of spandex, yet she looked like she could've walked the red carpet at any moment. She dropped her bag by the door, walking towards the desk when I pushed back, creating room between the oak and my body. Sofia settled on my knees, her back resting against the desk while she played with my tie. "Hi, Stevie."

I hated that nickname, but it sounded like a melody leaving her lips.

"Hi, baby. How was class?" I wrapped my arms around her waist, leaning forward to press my lips against her jaw, her smile growing. We've been married for seven months now, and every day it feels like the first morning waking up beside her all over again. The honeymoon phase has yet to disappear.

Sofia was the air in my lungs, she was the reason I got up in the morning and did this stupid job. I hadn't loved anyone or anything like I love Sofia. She was my everything. The light at the end of a dark tunnel, the stars in the sky. My world would seize to exist if Sofia wasn't in it anymore. I know it annoyed her, but she relented when I asked to put bodyguards on her, Bucky was still missing and I wasn't willing to risk her being vulnerable. I didn't want her to be an easy target for Bucky or anyone else.

Sofia was the exposed nerve on me that the world enjoyed pressing on.

I wouldn't take long to consider, you wouldn't want anything to happen to your wife.

Sofia would be collateral, we don't want that, do we?

It would be a shame if something happened to Sofia, don't you think?

My worst fear was losing her, and everyone knew it. She was my weak spot, a beautiful, sweet, loving weak spot, but a weak spot no less.

"It was good," she was fixing my tie, it was a habit I had to tug at it when I was stressed out, and I had been so stressed out. With the search for Bucky, with lawyers pertaining to our case against Logan, the three buildings that kept hitting delay after delay, and trying to help Mickey ease his relationship with Elena. The only time I felt a little peace was when I was buried in Sofia, or laying on her while ran her finger through my hair at the end of the night. "I got a call halfway through about the stuff in Jade Lake."

I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to her chest, being an adult sucked, nothing ever seemed to stop. "What stuff in Jade Lake? You need to be more specific sweetheart."

"George Barnes," I nodded, pressing my lips to the spot her heart was below, sighing when I pulled her closer, Sofia got what I needed, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me against her body, "I have Curtis, Mickey, Elena, and Julianna meeting me at the house here in a little while, I just wanted to stop by and check on you."