The ride to the office is pretty silent besides the radio playing quietly in the background. I had only been to the office once when I was younger.

My dad had to stop on the way to dropping me off to school and didn't want to leave me in the car alone while he went in, otherwise he was adamant about me having no involvement with his work. It would always make me mad when he would bring Oliver in with no issue. Like he was picking favorites.

Just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I can't handle it.

We pull up to a warehouse style building about ten minutes later. Oliver sighs heavily, pleading with me one last time.

"Camden, can you please just let me do this alone? Just give me twenty minutes to sort this out and I'll cancel the rest of my plans and spend the day with you."

His hand tightens on the steering wheel until his knuckles whiten and his veins pop out.

"I don't give a fuck about the rest of your plans. Why is everyone always trying to protect me from this place? I can handle myself."

"I know that. I know you're a badass and you can hold your own, but these guys are dangerous. Your dad and I have gained a lot of enemies over the years who would love to hurt you to get to us. I couldn't handle it if something happened to you because of me."

The hand on the wheel reaches out to place a comforting touch on my shoulder. I jerk away and pull my seatbelt off before opening the door.

"Like you give a fuck," I mutter under my breath as I step out.

I hear him get out behind me and slam his door angrily. He rushes up to my side to open the building door. There's an electronic panel on the door that he enters an eight digit password into. There's a faint clicking noise and he opens it for me, both of us still silently fuming at each other.

The inside is nothing like what I expected.

The floor plan is wide and open concrete flooring with several desks set up in the middle. There are no windows, but there are a few closed off rooms in a loft on the second floor. It looks more like some trendy internet startup than a shady business front.

Several people stop what they're doing to look up at us curiously.

A few of the guys look me over with creepy smiles. I'm uncomfortable. I can feel Oliver tense up beside me and I try not to squirm under their salacious glares. He presses his hand to the small of my back and pulls me closer to him.

Any other time I probably would have been pissed at the obvious display of dominance, but in this instance, it was comforting.

"Hey guys. I can't stay long, but I wanted a rundown on the situation with Jasper and his crew," Oliver greets them.

"Who's your friend?" The creepy guy asks.

We walk in a little further so that we're not standing right in front of the door. Everyone in front of us moves in closer as well so that we're standing in a circle. A few of them lean against the desks, obviously at ease even in their boss's presence.

"Shut it, Kingston," Oliver growls in response.

"Camden Foster. Nice to meet everyone," I reach out to shake Kingston's hand despite the way Oliver's grip on my waist tightens.

I roll my eyes even though he can't see it.

"Wait, like Joe Foster? You're his daughter?" One of the girls leaning against the desk asks.

She's tiny, barely pushing five feet tall if I had to guess, but she's built like a tank. Solid muscle from head to toe, no doubt one of Oliver's hitmen.

"The one and only... that I know of," I joke.

They all laugh in response and I start to feel a little less awkward.

"Lydia, Kingston. My office."

Oliver takes Kingston and another, much taller girl up the loft to his office, leaving me alone with the other five. I try to make small talk with them and find myself really enjoying their company, especially tank girl- Freya, she introduces herself to me.

One of three of the men still down here just glares at me, but since everyone else is being nice, I just ignore it.

Oliver and the other two come back down ten minutes later. They seem scared and Oliver just looks even more pissed off than he was before.

Great.

"Let's go," he barks at me.

I raise my eyebrow at him in shock.

"I don't know who you're talking to like that, but I know it certainly isn't me," I retort.

His jaw clenches and he fidgets with his tie angrily. Everyone giggles and whispers to each other in wonder at my open defiance towards him, which just pisses him off more.

"Not now, Camden. I said let's go. And I suggest the rest of you shut the fuck up before I get really irritated."

The group quiets instantly, their smirks replaced with concern.

He grabs my wrist and tries to pull me towards the door. I pull my arm away angrily and step back from him.

"I was in the middle of a conversation. You can leave if you want."

Of course, he's my ride, but I'll figure that out later. I won't let him boss me around, even if it is at work.

"I need to speak with you in private. Now."

He starts walking back up to his office, no doubt expecting that I'm following him. I stand in place for a few seconds, weighing out my options. I'm really not in the mood for a fight right now, but I know it'll be worse if I don't follow him up there.

We're both so stubborn, and though his temper is worse than mine, I've gotten pretty good at diffusing it over the years.

With a huff and another eye roll for good measure, I head up to meet him.