Hunting for Honey - THE SPECTER SERIES [book one]

Chapter TWENTY THREE: The Senators Son

Honey Sinclaire

...A FEW DAYS LATER...

You're sitting in your office finishing up your afternoon tasks when there's a firm knock at your door you look up to see a bright dimpled grin, "It's jus' me Hon." He calls out as a sing song..

You wave him into the room.."Come in Patrick, sit down, i'll just be a second.." Closing down all the tabs on your screen, you put your desktop to sleep, turning to Patrick with a shark like smile..

"Oh jeezuz.. Am I in trouble?" He tugs at the collar of his shirt, pretending to be nervous..

You narrow your gaze on him suspiciously, "That depends.. Patrick.. My dear, do you mind explaining what you're doing working in the marketing department of my company?.. And just what the heck do you think you are doing flirting with Yevette! She doesn't know who you are.. You're being a total asshole!"

He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair, fixing you with a stare, equally as sharp as yours.. "West assigned me to watch Sam, after she went all coo-coo on ya at the will readin'.. He thinks it's possible she could be involved with Asher or summit'.."

"What?..That.. Sounds crazy.." Sam is a little abrasive... Okay, bitchy.. But a hardcore criminal? You doubt it! You wonder why Archer didn't mention Sam to you.. Maybe because you hadn't really had a chance to ask the million questions you'd come up with since his big reveal...
"And Yevette?" You frown at him trying to work out his angle..

"I jus'... Ah, jeezus, I was jus' bein' friendly, Honey, I swear.. I won' do nothin' to hurt her.. She's.. Sweet.." His eyes drop to the pen you twirl in your hand as you squint at him, conspiratorially..
"Sweet?"

He answers a little too quickly.. "Yeah.. I spoze'.. Or whatever."
He shifts a shoulder trying to shrug it off..

You feel like you've exposed a raw nerve that you hadn't been expecting to, and maybe you'd been too harsh, so you adjust your tone and soften your stare, "Okay.. Just.. Be careful, Yevie hasn't had the best time recently.. She doesn't need you ghosting her whenever it is you guys are done here.."

"Ah shit.. Yep.. I understand, Honey... Sorry." He looks down at the floor like a little smacked puppy..
You notice the genuine disappointment on his face and you wonder if maybe this could be exactly what Yevie needs..

"Unless..."

His head snaps up, he watches you hopefully.. "Unless what?" He asks..

You bite your lip, nervous to share a secret that isn't yours.. But for the right reasons, you hope, "Patrick.. I don't know why I'm telling you this.. I don't think Yevie would want me to.. But.."
He leans forward resting one elbow on his knee, clearly very interested.. You lower your voice to almost a whisper.. "Zachary Ryan.."

His brow creases as he recognises the name..
"That scum-bag senator's son who's on trial for almos' beatin' his wife to death?"

You nod.. "His ex-wife.."

He shakes his head, not understanding, "What does that have to do with--?"

"Yevie.." You wince..

He sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, his face twisting in disgust.. His whole body suddenly rigid and buzzing with fury.. "Son-ov'a-bitch!" He growls under his breath...

You watch his reaction, beginning to feel like Patrick really does care about Yevette, maybe even more than he realises.. Maybe you made the right decision here.. "Patrick... Is there.. Anyway you could help her.. Keep her safe?"

His usually casual demeanour returns and he grins.. His smile however, is different.. It's dark.. Vengeful, "Consider it done, Honey.."

You nod.. You have no idea what he is going to do.. And you're not sure you want to.. "Okay, so then .. Sam?"

He settles back into the chair, on board with the subject change.. "Yeah, I haven' seen anythin' to make me particularly suspicious of 'er.. Except she does spend alotta' time with that fella from I.T.." He checks his watch, you ignore it..

"You mean Flynn Bexley?" You had noticed Flynn at the office a few days ago and recognised him as Sam's companion from the reading.. So you may have had a sneaky peek of his employee file.. Archer is obviously rubbing off on you.. But on paper, Flynn just seemed to be a regular geeky guy..

"That's 'him, Bexley.." He chimes, bobbing his head...

"He's Sam's boyfriend!?" This is pretty surprising given the type of plastic-is-fantastic person you know Sam to be..

He nods, folding his arms across his broad chest,"Seems that way, they spend a lot of time together.. At the office.. Outside the office.. Constant phone calls.."

"Wow.. Okay.. If that's the case I will have to notify HR.. They haven't submitted the necessary paperwork for a workplace relationship." You begin to rifle through the cabinet beside your desk, looking for the HR referral paperwork..

He snorts.. "Have you?"

You cock your head to one side, "Have I what?" glaring at him and refusing to take the bait..

"Submitted your relationship paperwork?" He smirks cheekily..
You're about to tell him to take a leap when he springs to his feet.."Never-mind, you're scarier than West.." He flashes his trademark dimpled grin, hustling out of your office before you can respond..

You shake your head looking down at your open notebook at another of Alex's gems; '
You are a star among a billion grains of sand, destiny awaits us all.'

"The heavens, stars, destiny? What the heck were you trying to tell me Alex!?" You laugh bitterly, packing your phone and notebook into your bag, ready to head over to Archers office..

He had asked you to stop by and see him before you left the office today.. You are a little bit too excited to see him as you approach his office door...