Everyone Is Connected

Chapter 6 Whiskey and deep talk

I walked into the break room and grabbed an apple. The receptionist walked in shortly after and said, "Hello, Miss Walker. We've gotten you a phone so we can reach you and vice versa." She handed me the phone and then disappeared.

I unpacked it and started familiarizing myself, scanning it and downloading every bit of information I could find about its setup. Alright, let's add John's number and give him a call. I saved his contact and dialed right away.

"Hello, Mr. Owen's here," came John's voice through the phone.

"Hey, it's Elouise," I replied. "I have a phone now, so... do you maybe want to grab a drink tonight or something?"

"Oh, hey... yeah, sure. Same bar?" John agreed.

Just then, Claire walked in and noticed me on the phone. She raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Is that the guy you have to thank for all those hickeys?" I nodded slightly, and before I knew it, Claire snatched the phone out of my hand.

"Hey, this is Claire, a friend and colleague," she chirped. "So, how about we crash your date? The more, the merrier, right?"

I just listened as Claire and John chatted for a bit before she finally hung up and handed me back the phone. She grinned, "Looks like we're all going to meet your lover tonight."

I smiled nervously, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me. This was going to be beyond embarrassing. Why did he even agree?

I sighed, heading toward the training room, feeling my mood sink further. I'd have to train with Leon again. Damn it, at first it had been exciting—his touch, all that knowledge he shared. But now, there was only this harshness and that cold demeanor of his.

First, I stopped by the locker room to change. Claire had really picked out something tight this time. A pair of black leggings that hugged every inch, a sports bra that fit more like a push-up, and a fitted compression jacket. At least it offered some coverage. I stepped out and instantly felt the eyes on me. Piers even threw a suggestive grin my way and gave a low whistle. That bastard... I ignored him and spotted Leon doing bench presses across the room.

I walked over and leaned slightly over him, hoping to startle him a bit. He nearly dropped the barbell, but my reflexes kicked in, and I helped him steady it. He sighed, standing up.

"Let's just get this over with. I know you're as thrilled about this as I am," I muttered.

Leon cleared his throat and looked at me. "Look, I... I'm sorry. I was unfair yesterday, and today too. It's hard for me—Umbrella messed me up in ways that are hard to explain."

Seriously? As if he had any idea what I'd been through. I scoffed bitterly. "Oh, really? Were you tied up? Experimented on? Were you violated? Did you lose your memories? Do you have a chip in your head that could make you go cyberpsycho at any moment, threatening to destroy everything, including yourself?"

He looked at me, taken aback. "Damn... I'm just trying to apologize, and you... look, take it or leave it, but I'm putting it out there." He turned away and started putting weights back on the rack.

I stared after him, feeling torn. What do I do now? Forgive him, or hold on to the anger?

I kept stretching, focused on loosening my muscles, trying to ignore the weight of Leon's gaze on me. I could feel his eyes on me, calculating, waiting for my next move. There was something about the way he watched, almost as if he was analyzing every little detail of my movements.

When he spoke, his voice was low, challenging. "Okay, you're probably ready. Let's see if you've gotten any better."

I smirked slightly, the challenge in his voice triggering something inside me. Let's see if I can show him I'm stronger than he thinks.