Logan Chapter 122

-Logan-

Me:

Hey, I need your expertise, and maybe a favor

James:

What have you done?

Me:

Some guy accosted Emory while she was out shopping yesterday.

I’m thinking of getting her a detail.

Do you have anyone available?

Anyone who knows everything? Might be better that way

James:

I thought you already had someone on her or I would’ve suggested it already.

I’ll send one of my personal men for you.

Do you not have anyone up to the job?

Me:

Emory is trying to do some budget structuring so I don’t want to give

anyone a new job right now. Plus I don’t have anyone trained like yours.

James:

Fair enough. Expect him this evening.

My most important job of the day finished, I debate back and forth with myself for a minute before I decide that it’ll go more smoothly if Emory knows what to expect with James’ guy coming by later. I take a breath and pull my phone back out where I had stowed it after I finished lunch.

Me:

I texted James this morning. He’s sending over someone to be your bodyguard.

He’ll probably be like me, but trained for security.

I hope she understands that I mean “a shifter” when I tell her “like me” instead of anything else.

Emory:

I feel like one of the women from our community would be fine. What random man in the city is going to be any match for our girls? Plus, that way I could at least be friends with her.

Emory does have a bit of a point with that, and it seems she caught my euphemism easily. Maybe I am being paranoid, but I would really feel better if she had someone with training at her back. I try to think of a valid reason for what I’m wanting.

Me:

Someone trained in security would have known how to de-escalate that situation.

I worry that someone from the community without any training would hit first and ask later.

The last thing we need connected to us is more press

I can tell she’s mad that I’m right when she doesn’t answer but there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for her safety. She knows that I wouldn’t try to curtail her freedom without reason, and I know how independent she prefers to be. After a bit of silence, I check back at my emails.

Me:

You are such a temptation, baby, but I’ve got to get back to work.

Any chance I can find you in bed when I get home?.

Emory:

Depends. How well do you want this new babysitter of mine to get to know me on his first day?

Score one for Emory. I hate the thought of her smelling like what we’ve just done when she meets her new detail. I’m sure it’ll eventually happen, but I want to get the measure of him before anything like that.

Me:

Fine, then wear some of those leggings for me tonight.

And order new panties! You have no idea how hard it’s been not to rip the last few pairs.”

This finally gets me a smirk emoji as she scoffs at me, but that’s close enough to a smile for me. Feeling much better about her mood for the day, I get back to work. Maybe I’ll text Ollie and Deek to have them check in with her. They’re funny, and their banter always makes her laugh.

If I wasn’t so preoccupied with Emory and the press and our ridiculous situation, I would have noticed sooner that Anna seems tired lately. Less efficient. When I came in today and actually took a good look at her, I saw under her makeup that she looks tired today. Her hair is still perfect, but the bun is a little more relaxed than her usual sleek style. I’m already halfway through my office door when I turn to address what must be a huge issue to have such a competent woman thrown off.

“By the way, Anna, is everything okay? You seem like you’ve maybe been struggling with something lately. Is there anything I can do to make things a little easier on you right now?” She takes a deep breath for patience before she answers me. Usually I don’t get one of those unless I’ve been in a mood all day. I try not to take things out on her, but she’s always the messenger when I get bad news.

After what seems to be some internal counting, she opens her eyes and gives me a tired version of her usual sassy smile for when we’re bantering. “You could keep your dick to yourself so I don’t have to deal with these crybabies every time a camera flashes. Oooh, or you could actually come to work!”

Her sarcasm is a little sharper today than usual, but I have to admit I’ve earned it and more. “I’ll get right on it. Pencil all that in for just after lunch, if you can.” I try for my usual smirk, and the grateful smile she shoots my way after makes it all the more difficult. Clearly, she’s not ready to tell me what’s bothering her. I’m not entitled to her personal life outside of work, but I’d like to think we’ve been friends as well as coworkers for years now and we’ve talked about life outside of work plenty in that time.

Whatever Anna is working through, she’ll have to go it alone until she’s ready to open up about it. Ironically, Emory would have been a great sounding board for her, if they’d met under better circumstances. Maybe one day they really will be friends like Emory is hoping. I wrap up as much as I can during the day and head home to see my mate and meet her new protector.