He’d decided to bring it back to work to see if someone on his team could figure out what was going on. When everyone put their heads together, they could figure out anything. It was how they made the code in the first place.
He pulled up his badge, getting them through the front doors. Jarad, the security guard, stared at Hannah, who in turn glared right back at him. If anyone was going to put Jarad on his ass, it was Hannah. He smirked, imagining it.
They took the elevator up to the twentieth floor, where it opened to a wide space. He grabbed Hannah’s hand, pulling her to the left. “This way.”
“This place is huge,” she said, looking around with wide eyes. “I didn’t expect there to be so much space. Honestly, when you said you worked with tech stuff, I pictured a dark and scary basement.”
Levi snorted. “This is the entrance.” He pushed open another door, stepping into the technical part of his business. Clicking keyboards and people muttering filled the sleek, enormous room. Hannah’s eyes grew wider.
“Wow. This place is ... wow.”
“‘Wow’ is right.” Levi liked to see her impressed, but he didn’t have time to wait around. He had too much to do. “I’ll show you my team. They are in the meeting room waiting for us.” He stopped and looked at her. “Please don’t scare them. I’m rather fond of every one of them.”
They continued, and Levi pulled the doors open to the meeting room. His team sat around the table, and everyone looked up when the doors opened. Hannah looked at each of them but remained quiet.
“Morning, everyone,” Levi said, walking to his seat. Everyone followed him and Hannah, who stayed just a step behind him. He didn’t know what to expect. She was his bodyguard, after all.
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Hannah. She is my bodyguard for the time being. Don’t mind her. She’s just going to sit down and listen.”‘ He gave Hannah a wave, who stood right next to him. He figured she wasn’t moving. And he was right. She wasn’t.
Hannah was wherever Levi was. If Levi walked to get water, she followed. If Levi went to talk to someone, Hannah went with him. Hannah even followed Levi to the bathroom.
“Hold on,” she said, stopping him at the door. Levi froze, looking at her, confused. “Let me check it. I need to make sure it’s empty.”
“It’s a bathroom. It’s my private bathroom,” he said, watching her walk inside, looking around the space. Levi shook his head. “Hannah, I understand your job is serious, but it’s a bathroom. My private bathroom, mind you. What are you expecting to happen? The toilet to eat me?”
She looked over at him, holding a glare. “For your information, snake shifters could easily go through your toilet. I’m just being careful.”
Levi didn’t like the image that formed in his head as she said that. He certainly didn’t want to witness it happen.
“Hannah, it’s all clear. Now can I use the restroom?”
Hannah stood at the door, and although he would have liked more privacy, Levi got over it, knowing she was just being protective.
Once he finished, they went back to the meeting room. Levi noticed that everyone was watching her. They watched her walk with him and stand just inches behind him. Levi figured maybe it would get better as the day wore on, but it didn’t.
He sighed, looking at her. She stood rigid, like a soldier. Everyone was stiff in their chairs, afraid she would jump if they made a sound. They weren’t getting much work done.
“Hannah,” he said, pointing at the water cooler out in the hallway. “Can you grab me some water? I’m getting a headache.”
Hannah watched him for a second, but she turned, stepping out. He sighed, and Dan looked at him. “What the hell is she doing here, Levi?”
“She’s my bodyguard,” Levi said. “I already told you that. It’s just for a while until they figure out who wants me dead.”
“She’s making it hard to focus,” Yolanda spoke up. “I feel her staring at me. I’m waiting for her to jump me and ask me why my phone is buzzing.”
Levi looked at Hannah, who stood by the water cooler. She wasn’t getting him water, though. She was watching, and maybe she knew he wanted a moment alone with his team.
“I have seen bodyguards, Levi,” Dan said. “And this is different. Is there something going on between you guys? She’s been watching you do everything, even writing, and her eyes when she looks at you ...”
Levi started to chuckle and was about to ask them if they really thought he’d get involved with a woman when he had important work to do, but he froze, realizing he couldn’t say that this time.
That would be a lie, and Levi didn’t lie to his team. It was one thing he promised never to do.
Dan smirked as the silence ran too long. “So, something is going on between you two then? That explains a few things.”
“Are you dating?” Yolanda asked. “Because I could see that.”
“Yeah, are you?” Dan pushed, leaning closer. “Come on, you can tell us. We’re with you all the time. If you don’t tell us, we will figure it out sooner or later.”