Secured Sevenfold

Matt’s POV
With two full cups of coffee I walked back to my office. I don’t know what was going on between Brian, Jacky and Joe, but I had enough of the bickering. I had heard it in my office and I think I was just in time to not let it escalate. When I came back with the coffee, Jacky was gone and so was Brian, guess that was settled then.

When I walked back into the office I was greeted by very angry back, Joe turned around when she heard me walk in and shot me an angry glare. Her mouth was pushed into a tight thin line and I couldn’t help but wonder if those lips would relax, the minute I would touch them with mine. We were so close at her office, but she just showed me a little bit of her pain and I needed to stop kissing her when she was most vulnerable. That wasn’t the woman she wanted to be and I really wanted her to know I liked all of her, because I guess it was too late to deny that… I liked her, really liked her. She stood up and walked over to me, fire in her eyes, guess she didn’t care much for me sending her back, but just before she could even start her phone rang. She rushed back to her desk, put on her headset and quickly pushed some buttons.

“Josephine Thompkinson” She didn’t grant me one more look, she was completely focused on her laptop and phone call.
“So good for you to call, Bill, did you receive the files I send you?”
She was all businesswoman now and damn she looked like she had all the control, playing the part perfectly. I didn’t really listen to the conversation, but I did look at her over the top of my screen. She had a smile on her face and her voice was silky smooth, she was definitely buttering up her customer.
“As I have told you before several times, something like what happened with Zachary and your management will definitely not happen again. As I already told you, I am excited to start our co-operation, I think I gave you a very good offer”
She was humming, and giving some reactions to the things “Bill” was saying.
“Of course we can have dinner, no problem at all. If you let me know where you would like to meet I will make a reservation for two. I will call your secretary to plan a date…. Yes… Oh, no problem at all, I would love to meet your wife, of course she can join us.”
Suddenly her face fell.
“Ofcourse, I understand what you are saying, a woman of my age shouldn’t be alone. Don’t you worry about that Bill” she laughed lightly, but the scared look in her eyes gave me a clue on how real that laugh was.
“Hmm” another hum in confirmation “Let me get back to you on that after I try to arrange that. Yes, thank you for calling, Bill. You have a nice day too”
She took of the headset and looked at me, I could see her torn between telling me, not telling me, but by the sound of her side of the conversation, I guess she had no other choice than to tell me and I would definitely enjoy myself watching her squirm.

Brian’s POV
I paced the room and Arin stood at edge of the bed looking at me a little helpless.
I had to sort through my thoughts, didn’t know where to start.
“Brian?” Arin asked finally. “Can I... I mean... why..”
I looked up to him and he looked uncertain and I sighed heavily.
“I need your help.” I admitted finally.
“My help? You don’t wanna lecture me?” Arin asked and I lifted my eyebrow at him.
“Okay, then let me start this another way. You don’t have any feelings towards Jacky? You are not doing the first friend then lover kinda thing with her, right?” I asked and finally let out the thought that was creeping into my mind, remembering everything Arin had done for Jacky and brought her joy.
Him - not me...

“What? Me and Jacky? Lovers? What?” Arin looked really astonished and I was relieved.
“What made you think that?” Arin asked and I shrugged my shoulder.
“You did things for her... you brought her the laptop, you went with her to that... thing I still don’t know what it was...” I said and Arin had a smile on his face suddenly.
“Are you jealous? Of me?”
“Me jealous? Hell no... why would.. okay a little maybe... You know... The thing is... Jacky and I, we have this... we... I know we shouldn’t, but...” I didn’t really know how to put it to words, but it became clearer to me that it wasn’t only the lust, the attraction between us anymore, I wanted her more. More than only sex, I wanted to get to know her, know what she liked and disliked, what made her happy or sad. I wanted to see if she could be the one I wanted “all” with.

When I looked at Arin again he looked disgusted and I frowned.
“What?”
“Please don’t say more... I already know all of this, alright? She told me... and I also know you fucked up.” Arin stated and my mouth hung open, he knew?
“She told you?”
“Well, I nearly walked into you two doing... you know and I am not stupid... She likes you Brian, but she was really hurt by your action. I don’t know if you can mend that back together.” Arin shrugged his shoulders and I sighed.
“Fuck, Arin... You gotta help me. I need time with her, I want to do something for her, with her... I want her to see I don’t only see the sex. I want something like... a date. I want to make it up to her.”
“Wow, really? I mean... okay.”
“Tell me what she likes, since she isn’t talking to me anymore...” I asked and Arin creased his eyebrows together, thinking a little.
“I don’t know... maybe you could drive her to her apartment tomorrow, get some stuff for her, try to be a gentleman, make her talk to you, maybe ask her what she would like to do or haven’t done in a while? I will also try to get something out of her... But Brian, just a small advice, she is way more than just the outer shell, she is not only that party girl... keep that in mind.”

“I know, I hope she lets me see more of it... Did she tell you anything about that – guy?” I asked and Arin frowned.
“They are really close friends, Brian. It’s more than the benefits thing, and I think they haven’t been together like that in a while... maybe you should try to talk to her about it, make clear that you want more between the two of you, that you are exclusive, so you don’t have to worry about the guy all the time. I know it’s hard, I watched them during the job, and asked her about it... but she sees him as a friend first you know, and you as a concurrent, try to... at least understand her a little, or avoid the topic if that’s not possible.” Arin said and I nodded.
“Fuck, I don’t know if I can do that, this guy... I mean.. they have a past, but I will try to avoid it at least, I want this to work... but how can I plan a date... without Matt knowing?” I haven’t thought this through at all. I was only thinking about this for half an hour now and I already forgot the biggest obstacle.
“We have to hide it from Matt, make it seem like something else, disguise it... Let me think about it... We will figure it out. I will help you...” Arin smiled and I clapped his shoulder.
“You aren’t so bad, kid.” I told him with a smile. “Oh and one more thing, I won’t accept you taking away my responsibilities from me another time. I don’t care if she is begging you or whatever, she is mine.” I heard Arin’s light chuckle but ignored it, I will let him get away with it, this time.

Joe’s POV
“Ofcourse, I understand what you are saying, a woman of my age shouldn’t be alone. Don’t you worry about that Bill” I laughed, but I was freaking out, I was single and I liked it, but men like Bill…. They accepted me as vice president of a company, but didn’t accept me being alone in my personal life, they rather watched me juggle my job with three kids.
“So, I can tell my wife, she can meet my new business partner to be and her husband?”
Shit, shit, shit, how the hell should I get out of this? There was no other way, but damn, I didn’t want to go there, I wanted this assignment, my company needed this assignment.
“Hmm” I hummed another listening sound to confirm me hearing him “Let me get back to you on that after I try to arrange that. Yes, thank you for calling, Bill. You have a nice day too”

I looked over at Matt, I needed to talk to him and I dreaded this moment, how was I going to ask him to come with me to this important dinner? And not only come with me, play the part?
“Do you want some more coffee?”
Matt held up his full cup, I could just face palm myself.
“I just got us some fresh coffee 2 minutes ago” his voice was teasing “What is up Joe?”
“I… I… need to have a business dinner in a few days, so you need to come with me”
Matt sat up straight and immediately clicked some buttons “I can’t go Thursday or Saturday, but any other night should work out. We need to set some ground rules, seeing your last business dinner didn’t quite go as you would have wanted, so tell me”
“You can join the dinner if you like?” my voice was soft and I could barely recognize myself, come on Josephine, just tell him to be there, he needs to, he wants to keep an eye on you, he is your bodyguard, you can slip that little kicker in later…
“I can join dinner?” Matt had a smile on his face and in his voice
I walked over to his desk and stood in front of it, my hands on the edge, leaning forward, better make everything count then. I saw Matt’s eyes darting down to my cleavage, back up to my eyes.
“Well, you need to be there, right? To protect me? I have a small dinner with my customer and his wife, it would be nice if you could join us, an odd number is always a little weird during these kind of things and I don’t want you sitting alone while we have fun, I mean, I got used to you and think you are kinda nice, so I won’t be that mean of letting you eat by yourself”
“You are rambling Joe, what is going on?” his voice seemed to get more and more amused by the moment and I guess he knew something more was coming up. If I would have just acted normal, I could have had control, I could have told him to be there, instead of begging him like the first kind of fool.
“Ineedyoutopretendyouaremyhusband”
Matt’s smile grew facewide, dimples full throttle, damn, that smile took my breath away. He got around his desk and turned me around, standing only inches away from me.
“Can you maybe repeat that again? I didn’t really hear you?” He bend over to me, putting his ear close to my mouth, giving me a sideways look.
I sighed and spoke slowly “I need you to pretend you are my husband, the man has strong feelings on family values and he doesn’t accept me being single. I need this assignment Matt, so, could you pretend you are my husband for one night? Please?”
He moved his face and pecked my lips real quick “That was all I needed, wifey” He walked around to his desk again and sat down “Let’s plan a date”

I sat behind my laptop and opened my digital calendar and agreed on a few dates with Matt and confirmed with Bill’s secretary. I was browsing through my calendar a little, when something caught my eye…. An entry at the day we flew back from Hawaii, an entry at the time I was almost taken by those ‘people’
“Matt”
He looked up from his computer and rushed over to me when he saw the look on my face
“What is it?”
He stood behind me, reading what I saw

“Don’t think you’ll get away that easy next time, your bodyguard won’t always be there”

Notes

Chapter 50! Whoot, Whoot!

Oh boy, what did Josephine get herself into, by asking Matt to play her husband for one night?
And Brian finally got his head straight with the help of the kid?

And did you guys notice the thread at the end... uh oh...

Comments please lovely readers <3