“Hey, I was just joking,” he uttered.
As soon as the door clicked behind her, she started shaking; however, her hand managed to slide into the pocket of her dress to pull out her phone. Praying silently to herself, she pressed Beth’s number and put the phone to her ear, aware of Bliss, Jewell and Georgia looking at her strangely.
Shakily, she managed to begin the walk to her workstation, becoming more and more upset that Beth wasn’t answering. She needed Beth when the darkness was about to hit. Beth could talk to her and calm her down.
Shade was standing by Train in his office, but she noticed his eyes were on her. She ran her fingers through her hair as a whimper passed her lips. She needed Beth!
The door opened and Razer’s familiar figure walked through as another whimper unconsciously passed her lips. She took a step toward him.
“Lily!” Lily stopped, her hands going to her hair. “Lily, come here. Now!” Lily’s feet changed direction and she moved toward Shade, trying not to whimper again as both men moved out of the doorway.
“Go take your chair.” Lily wanted Razer if she couldn’t have Beth. He would get Beth for her.
“I need Beth,” she managed to get out between chattering teeth.
“Go take your chair,” Shade repeated, his expression hard. He took her jaw in his hand. “What did I tell you about me repeating instructions?”
“Shade?” Razer’s concerned voice was behind Lily’s back, but she couldn’t turn to him because Shade still had her jaw in his grip.
“I will handle this, Razer.” Lily shivered at the look Shade gave Razer. Shade’s hand dropped from her face.
She heard Train mutter, “I’ll take care of it,” before Shade came inside the office and shut the door.
“Go stand in the corner, Lily.” Shade’s hard voice kept the darkness from taking over.
“Now,” he snapped.
Lily’s feet immediately took her to the corner where she stood, facing the office, while Shade took his seat back at the desk and resumed doing his paperwork as if she wasn’t there.
Lily didn’t know what to do or how to feel. She took a deep, shuddering breath, leaning her head on the wall.
“Stand up straight.” Shade didn’t take his eyes off his paperwork, pushing a few buttons on his computer before making more notes. Lily straightened, her hand going to her wrist.
“No.” This time his eyes looked up, daring her to snap the rubber band. Her hand reluctantly fell to her side. Concentrating on what she could and couldn’t do, she eventually drew her mind away from Gaige touching her. The dual pressures of remaining straight and not snapping the rubber band were not letting her focus on the feel of his hand under her dress.
Lily’s eyes found the clock, watching it as the minutes ticked by.
It was weird, yet she felt herself gradually letting the stress of the encounter leave her body, feeling safe in the enclosed office with Shade.
“Come here, Lily.” Lily didn’t hesitate; she went to his side as he pushed his chair back from his desk. His hand reached out to snag her hand, jerking her down to sit on his thigh.
Lily started to go wild.
“Sit still.”
Lily quit fighting, sitting stiffly on his thigh. Shade didn’t attempt to touch her further, his hand going back to the computer screen, moving the cursor to begin going through the email.
“The Farthings ordered three more cases of MREs. I think they’re planning for World War III.” He went down the emails, checking them off one by one. Sometimes he would make a remark, sometimes he wouldn’t.
“So what happened to get you upset?” Shade finally asked as he scrolled down the list for the next email.
Lily, reading the email requesting survival kits, told him without thinking. “When I was in the back room, Gaige came in. I was bent over the refrigerator and he slid his hand underneath my dress.”
“I would be upset if he tried to touch my ass, too,” Shade remarked, still working and not looking at her.
Lily laughed. She couldn’t believe it, but she laughed.
“Did he try to stop you from leaving the room?” Shade probed.
“No. I probably overreacted. I know how silly I sound.”
“You didn’t overreact. He had no business touching you,” Shade said, his hand going to her hip, adjusting her so that she sat more comfortably on his leg. Several more minutes passed.
“Are you all right now?”
“Yes. Thanks, Shade.” She stood up, feeling ridiculous for freaking out over something that women had dealt with for years in the workplace.
Lily opened the door, going back to work, aware that everyone’s eyes were on her with Georgia throwing her annoyed glances.
“Are you okay?” Bliss and Jewell both stopped by her workstation as they left.
“I’m fine. I just overreacted.”
“Do you need anything before we leave?” Bliss gave her a friendly smile.