Claimed (For Her 3)

I shake my head and eat my lunch while clicking the email Jordan sent me this morning. It was sent long after I went into Miles’s office for our morning meeting.

From:

Subject: RE: Cooking

No worries, little bird. You can make it up to me by giving me your whole Saturday, and maybe even your lunch break today.

I wanted to let you know I had to get a new phone this morning. If you texted me last night, there’s a chance I didn’t get it.

I miss you, and I’ll be coming for the goodnight kiss I didn’t get last night as soon as I can.

J

I look down at my lunch, feeling guilty. If I had read that email this morning, I could be having lunch with him right now. But then I wouldn’t have gotten him in the break room just now. Something about him seemed a little different in there. That was a side of him I’d never seen before.

My email pings again, and I see it’s a new email from Jordan.

From:

Subject: Smile

Smile, little bird. I had the best tasting lunch a man could ask for in your break room.

I glance up at the camera and smile. Then I end up blushing, which is what I seem to do a lot around him anyway.

I click out of my emails and get back to work. I’m glad that I have a stack of things to do today. It will keep me busy so time won’t pass so slowly until I see Jordan again. When the time nears five o’clock, I start packing up my desk. I go over my last emails to try to clear them out, answering the ones I can and forwarding the ones I’m unsure of directly to Miles.

As I’m working, one pops up.

From:

Subject: none

Watch your step, you little bitch. Or you won’t be smiling much longer.

I read the email and roll my eyes. For half a second, I think maybe I should send it to Jordan, but then I decide not to. I’ve been called worse and threatened before. Most of our corporate mergers piss someone off, and my email address is on our website. Disgruntled employees create fake accounts and send me hate mail at least once a week. This doesn’t even make the top fifty.

“You ready?”

I look up to see Mallory and Skyler standing in front of my desk, looking excited, with a brooding Miles standing behind them. His eyes never leave Mallory, and I shake my head. I delete the email and grab my bag.

“Yep! Where we going? I want to text my boyfriend and let him know the place.”

Both Mallory and Skyler make “ahh!” sounds, and Skyler grabs me by the arm, locking mine with hers. “So you and the big scary man are back on? I want the details before he shows up and becomes your shadow.” She looks over at Miles, whom she’s clearly taking a dig at. She’s trying to poke at him, but I like the idea of having a shadow of my own.

Chapter Eleven

Jordan

When I get to the place Jay texted me, I see there’s a crowd already forming near the bar.

“I’m going to the bar,” McCoy says, walking around me and making a beeline for it.

“Grab me one,” I say and he throws his hand up and signals he heard me.

I scan the place, and it takes only a second before I spot my chestnut beauty toward the back. She’s surrounded by several people I know by face, but not because I’ve met them. I probably know more about their lives than any of them would like, but it’s the nature of the beast.

“Hey.” She pops up from her seat, all smiles and red cheeks. “This is everybody. Everybody, this is Jordan.” She waves around to the group of women, who all look at me with knowing smiles.

I wonder for a second what she’s been telling them, but then the one to her right fills me in. “Yes, we know all about you. I’m Skyler.” She holds up her drink in toast before she smiles at me.

“Nice to meet you,” I say, walking around and taking Jay’s hand. I’ve seen Skyler a few times, and I appreciate that she’s direct. She gives off a cold vibe, but that’s definitely not a bad thing.

“Mallory,” I say, nodding to her as she sips her water.

“Hey, Jordan. Is he outside?” she asks, looking over her shoulder.

“Right by the door. Don’t worry. Paige and Captain are keeping him company.”

I got to know Mallory a little when I was assigned to her security detail. But I’m not normally her protection and am usually a last resort. The whole team is trained in combat, and we all know how to use a gun, but I’m usually the one behind the computer when it comes down to it.