Page 96 of Reckless Devotion

“I have arms.” Her eyebrows form a thick bridge above her nose.Yikes.

“Me too, aren’t they fun?” I place one of them behind her back and guide her through the doorway, hearing her grumble something too quietly for me to make out.

“Ah, good!” A male voice I don’t recognize draws my attention to Tessa’s desk, where the old woman scowls at a guy dressed in chinos and a quarter-zip jumper. I feel Pepper freeze as the man with floppy brown hair strides toward me with his hand stuck out. “Jeremy Rénir, pleasure to meet you.”

My brain zips to a muddled memory of this man’s name being spoken before…by Zeke on the phone in my office that day. My focus zeros in on Pepper, who is staring wide-eyed at the man, her face taking on a distinct green tinge. Plush lips part and air rushes out and back in at breakneck speed, her wide eyes leaping to mine.

All it takes is one split second for me to know that something is very, very fucking wrong. I bristle instantly, drawing myself up to full height and sweeping her out of sight behind me.

“You need to leave right fucking now.”

Tessa flinches out of the corner of my eye at the arctic chill to my tone. The guy pauses, clearly not expecting my unwelcoming greeting.

“There must be some misunderstanding.” He lets out a snotty little chuckle, using his proffered hand to sweep the hair off his face instead. “I’m from—”

I feel Pepper’s figure trembling violently at my back and hear her staccato little gasps as she fights for breath.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are, or where you’re from. Get the fuck out of my building, before I drag you out.” I send a sharp glance Tessa’s way, heat slapping the back of my neck. “Call security and tell them it’s urgent.”

She nods without a sarcastic eyebrow or a smart word in sight, rushing to fulfil my order.

“Look…” The guy scoffs, a gaudy gold pinky ring flashing in the sunlight pouring in from the wide windows. “There is no need—”

My brain whirs, every possibility flashing before my eyes like an old-fashioned rolodex. Surely it can’t be…no, that would be insanity. But then who the fuck would this person be to Pepper to make her react this way?

“You don’t get another warning,” I cut across him, pointing to the bank of elevators along the hall—the ones that ding open and four beefy security guards pour out of.

The man’s shit-colored eyes slide their way, and for the first time I see past the coiffed arrogance he outwardly presents to the entitlement that curls his upper lip. I brace myself for a fight, every muscle in my body locking into place, but nothing happens. Whatever brief lapse in control flashed across his mousey features is lost, replaced by a manufactured indifference. He glances down to the space where Pepper’s hides behind me and then turns without another word, striding right past the security team and into the elevator bank. I wait until the doors are fully closed before I dismiss the guards and turn to Pepper.

The untethered version of her I find there tears something in my chest. I reach for her instinctively, but she flinches, lungs heaving and face pale. The unadulterated fear she shows in her mahogany eyes takes my breath away, akin to a wounded animal.

“It’s me.” I reach a hand slowly to her again.

Her plump bottom lip wobbles and the dam breaks, great heaving sobs tearing from her, leaving her struggling to keep air down. She collapses into me and I scoop her up against my chest, heading for the privacy of my office.

“Cancel my day,” I throw over my shoulder at Tessa, kicking the door open and couriering Pepper inside.

Placing her onto the long couch on one side of the room, I get onto my knees in front of her so that we’re nose to nose. Her hair sticks to her face, and she tries to hide it from me in her hands before I capture them and stop her.

“You’re safe, Pepper. Look at me.”

Shallow breath still whistles into her lungs, mascara smudges the edges of her big, beautiful eyes, and her mouth flounders for a second as if trying to find words.

“You’re safe.”

“H-he’s gone?” She swipes at her nose, glancing fearfully at the closed door.

“He’s gone, and he’s not coming back.” I gently brush the hair from her face and wipe away a fresh tear with my thumb when it falls.

Her shoulders wilt, her head dipping forward to rest on my chest as she tries to get herself under control. I wrap my arms around her and wait, rubbing my hand up and down her back soothingly.

We stay this way for who knows how long, her head leaning on me with the occasional hiccup and me resting my cheek on top, her heart rate finally coming back down to normal.I inhale her sweetly soft scent, taking comfort in the solid feel of her in my arms.

My thoughts race, all the way back in time to another image of someone equally as panicked…equally as violated. Except it’s not an image, it’s a reflection. It’sme. A much younger me with skinny limbs and boyish features.

“I know I’m fucked up,” she murmurs against my chest, the noise slightly muffled.

I jerk my head up, cupping her face and forcing her to look at me. “You are not fucked up.”