Gen’s alarm went off at seven forty the next morning. She’d told Duke she needed to leave by eight, but felt bad about disturbing him as it’d been a little after one when they’d finally gone downstairs and crashed. They weren’t in the big couple’s room. Apparently, the top guys were afforded their own area downstairs when in lockdown, so they were in a room with four other couples instead of twenty plus.
Duke shut off her cellphone alarm, lifted her, and carried her into the hallway, closing the door quietly before setting her down, pulling her into his arms, and reaching for his own cellphone.
He hit a button and barked, “Status update.”
Gen felt Duke’s body tighten a little at whatever the news was, and jumped a little as he gave a curt, “Thanks,” and disconnected.
“Sorry you had to sleep in your clothes. C’mon, we both need coffee before we figure out how our days are gonna go.”
“I have an eleven o’clock appointment, Duke. I told you last night.”
“Coffee first, Gen.”
She was trying hard not to get too pissed off at him, but he wasn’t helping. She’d never dealt well with high-handed males trying to tell her what to do, and Duke had a way of pissing her off even faster than most.
“Please, Duke. I don’t want to fight. I did what you wanted last night and kept my questions to myself, but I need to go home and get dressed today, and just to be sure we keep up the communication, you’re rapidly heading towards irritating me.”
A few women were in the room, making coffee and arranging baked goods on a table against the wall. They watched quietly, but at least one of them seemed a little shocked.
For his part, Duke downed his cup of coffee and poured another. “Ten minutes. Sit down and drink your coffee. I’ll be ready to talk about your day in ten minutes.”
“What, you want me to bow to you or something? Yes, Your Majesty? I’ll do as you order? Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to find a bathroom and brush my teeth, pull my hair into a ponytail. Then I’m going to get in my car and leave. I realize I can’t open the damned garage door, so if you don’t arrange for someone to let me drive out, I’ll call a cab and I’m sure I can arrange to get my car back later. It’s eight o’clock in the morning. Bad guys are asleep. When you gave me the option of here or my brother’s house, I clearly chose wrong. Keep it up and I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Gen turned on her heels and went down the hall until she saw a bathroom. When she came out, Duke was leaning against the wall on the other side of the hall, his arms crossed, his eyes focused.
“Sorry I was gruff,” he said.
She shook her head. “I can’t deal with you right now, Duke. I just can’t.” She turned towards the steps. “Which is probably okay, because you apparently have a bunch of shit to deal with as well, and don’t have time for me.”
“I have to be sure you’re safe, Genesis. Paco cleans up okay, and I trust him to watch your back. He’s showering now. Give him ten or fifteen minutes to shave and change into dress clothes, and he’ll stick with you today. He’s young enough you can call him an assistant or an apprentice or whatever.”
“Brain said you were shorthanded last night. You don’t need to be sending people to bodyguard me, Duke.”
“Let me worry about manpower issues.”