Lila

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When she realized it was after seven and she couldn't do anything else until they had some progress, she walked down to Dane's office—trying to ignore that Josh shadowed her—and knocked quietly on the door.

Dane stood over the table, leaning on his fists, with Chris and John, the computer guy, sitting in front of laptops. He'd taken off his jacket, loosened his tie, and his sleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows.

He looked good enough to eat, but when he straightened and turned his head to see her, his eyes didn't light up the way they usually would. All conversation in the room stopped and Lila stood awkwardly at the door wondering what she'd interrupted.

"You okay?" he asked quietly. But it lacked warmth.

She nodded. "I'm as done as I can be until you guys have something new and poor Josh has been standing here since lunch. We're going to head home, get some dinner. Did you want me to order something for y—"

"Take the car," he snapped, dropping his head to look at some of the papers in front of him. "And Josh?" He raised his voice.

Josh popped his head around the door. "Yes, sir?"

"You've got a team for the car? And a back-up vehicle?"

"Yes, sir."

Dane stared at him for a second, and even Lila shivered in that gaze that wasn't even pointed at her. "I'll walk you out," he muttered and put the papers down, but Lila put a hand out towards him and he stopped, still behind the table.

"Don't be silly. No one's going to attack us in the elevator. You'll just make yourself have to work even later. We'll be fine, Dane. You know they'll take care of me. But what about you? What time are you coming—"

"I'll be hours yet. You go get some rest. I'll find you when I'm done." Like she was an employee. Not a lover—let alone a wife.

She twisted her lips, very aware of the audience and her agreement not to mention the wedding. "Rupert mentioned having some concerns," she said pointedly. "I'll check in on him. He's lonely."

Dane blinked, but otherwise gave no indication that he'd understood her meaning.

When he didn't answer, Lila sighed and waved at the other men. "See you all in the morning if not before."

"Bye, Lila," they both said, though John didn't look up from his computer. She turned on her heel and left without looking back.

Stupid, pig-headed, messed up, robot husband of hers. Husbot. That's what she was going to call him when he snapped out of it. She tried to grin, but her heart wasn't in it.

She knew he shut down like this when things got overwhelming. But now she feared that with everything going on, he might never snap out of it.

The only reassurance she had was that when she and Josh finally stepped onto the elevator and she turned to face the doors, Dane was standing in his office doorway, watching them. She waved.

He didn't.

*****

In the elevator, Lila let herself think about what to do for the rest of the evening since she obviously wasn't going to spend it with Dane.

Rupert. Using their codeword had reminded her: Her poor cat. She really did need to go check on him. She'd gotten that automatic feeder, but she should make sure it was working and filled up, and she'd clean his tray. She made a mental note to ask Dane about whether she could bring him up to the Penthouse.

"Do you mind dropping by my apartment with me, Josh?" she asked as they rode down to the second floor. "I need to check the cat and pick up a couple more things."

"No problem," he said. "I'm on until Midnight, like I said."

There was a comfortable pause, then Josh cleared his throat. "Dane's pretty paranoid about this whole thing. You think he's right? That this is connected to Becky?"

Lila sighed. "I hope not. I really do. But… I don't think we can rule it out. And no matter what, it's not going to help the company."

"That's for sure. You okay?" he asked kindly. "Seems like things must be kind of… uncomfortable."

Lila closed her eyes. He was referring to the photograph. She had a hunch Dane had put an order out before they got there, or something, because she hadn't had a single comment on it all day—which, it turned out, had felt more uncomfortable than if everyone had been teasing her, or asking questions. At least then she'd know what they thought. This way she couldn't tell if they felt sorry for her, or were judging, or just didn't care. She sighed.

"I'm fine," she said quietly. "Tired, mostly."

"Big weekend."

You have no idea, she thought.

She was about to make a joke about the picture and tell him to let the others know they could talk to her about it, when the elevator doors opened. The car was already at the curb, engine running. The driver stood next to the back door where she'd get in, and he opened it as soon as they appeared.

It was like she was royalty, or something. Lila rolled her eyes. She better get used it, she figured. So she thanked the driver for holding the door while she put her bag and laptop in the car first, then got in. John took over the door while the driver trotted around and got behind the wheel. Then when she was inside, John closed the door and got in the passenger side at the front.

The barrier between the driver and the back was up, which was odd, but she supposed she'd just seen them both. And frankly she could use the alone time. So she didn't lower it.

She was about to dig through her purse for her phone when the door on the other side of the car opened and she looked up, expecting John with some stupid security check, or something. But every hair on her body rose as she was faced with a small, female body scrambling into the car and curling up on the floor, wrenching the door closed behind her and turning to Lila, wide-eyed over bruises and a swollen lip, her chest heaving.

"Help me. Please! They can't know I'm here!"

Lila froze, every muscle in her body rigid.

It was Tish. A very badly beaten and terrified Tish.

"Please!" she whisper-screamed. "They're going to kill me!"

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