Page 45 of Learn For Me
“Bereavement leave,” he said, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. “Regardless, they won’t embarrass you in the office, Olivia. That ain’t their style. Anarchy might tease you some, but she’s highly adept at reading situations. She’s a good friend to have.”
Her steps faltered. “Tease me?”
“Archie’s what we call a brat,” he explained. “She enjoys riling Jasper up, and sometimes that mischievousness expands into her family circle. Don’t pay any mind to her when she’s in that mood—and don’t let her drag you into any of her schemes.”
They stepped under the portico, and the doors loomed ahead of her. Tinted glass, she noted as she got a whiff of fresh varnish. She gripped Zeke’s forearm as he led her directly to them, and through into a small reception area.
The wide, half-circle desk was manned by a perky blonde whose hair resembled an electrocuted hedgehog. She beamed a smile and accepted the card Zeke handed to her, scanning it over a small glass screen set in the wooden desktop. When it beeped softly, she gestured to a small black box. “Thumbprint please, sir.”
Zeke obliged, pressing his thumb into the box. A light flashed green, and the girl handed back the card with an extra shot of dazzle in her smile. He just nodded his head, then gestured to Olivia. “My sub should have a card waiting to be activated.”
“Of course, let me have a look. Name, please?”
Olivia tried to speak and failed miserably. Clearing her throat, she whispered, “Olivia Hilliard.”
“One moment.” Turning to the keyboard, the blonde’s long nails clattered over the keys like machine guns, ramping up Olivia’s anxiety. “Ah yes, here we go.” She clicked on something, then opened a drawer and pulled out a box, setting it on the desk and sifting through dozens of cards like Zeke’s. Pulling one out, she shoved the box back in the drawer. “I’ll just scan this for you, then if you can insert your thumb into the scanner, I can link your card to the print.”
“Are you a submissive?” Zeke asked, wariness in his eyes.
“Yes, sir, but I’m not here to play tonight. My job is to oversee the security system and ensure it runs smoothly. I’ll be teaching a few people how to handle things, but for now, I’m the gatekeeper.” She swiped the card over the screen, then nodded to Olivia. “Ready.”
Hand unsteady, she reached for the scanner. Zeke’s fingers curled around her wrist carefully, supporting her as she set her thumb into place. The computer beeped in acknowledgement, and Olivia wondered what software it was running.
“All done.” Still smiling—which was unnatural, surely?—the blonde held out the card.
“Thank you.” Zeke took it, sliding it into his pocket along with his own. “Have a good evening.”
“You too! Do you require the locker room?”
“Not tonight.” Still grasping Olivia’s wrist, he guided her away from the desk toward the doors on their right. He pushed through them, urging her to follow him; her stomach plunged into her feet with a sickening plop. “Take a breath, Livvy.”
The hum of conversation was akin to a hive of busy bees. It vibrated over her skin, setting her teeth on edge as she took in the amount of people gathered in the spacious area, talking in small groups, loitering around the sleekly curved bar across the room.
By her calculations, there were more than a hundred people in here, which was mathematically incorrect. The present number did not correlate to the number of cars in the lot.
“This doesn’t make sense,” she mumbled, stepping behind Zeke for cover.
“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, turning to face her. “Livvy?”
“Where did all these people come from?”
It took him a second to figure it out. “There’s an overflow parking lot around the back of the club, angel. The previous area was too small, so they expanded it.” He bent and kissed her cheek, murmuring, “If you get overwhelmed, just say yellow. We’ll go outside and assess the rest of the night, okay?”
It was sufficient to hold the panic attack at bay. “Yes, Sir.”
“That’s my girl.” Another kiss, this time on the lips. “Let’s see if we can find a quiet corner. We can explore a little after Braun’s speech if you’re up to it.”
Olivia rolled her lips together, savoring the taste of him. Swallowing, she nodded, tottering behind him on her stupid heels as he guided her through a maze of booths. Some were small and square, designed for two or three people; others were circular and obviously meant for groups. All padded green leather seats and varnished wood, with tables integrated in the center.
She counted a dozen of them, but they were full.
Maybe she could just sit in the corner on the brand new, plush carpet. The black of her dress wouldn’t stand out too much against the dark hunter green, so she’d blend in if she kept still.
“Zeke!” someone yelled happily.
Her eyes darted over to the far corner of the room where the biggest booth of them all dominated the space, raised on a small dais requiring two steps. Her heart pounded once, then stuttered to a halt as she recognized several faces, and realized his friends were waiting for his arrival.
Allfourteenof them.