Tessa opened her mouth to say something abrasive, but Guiscard cut her off.
"My associate must have just arrived. Short guy. Wiry hair. Goes by the name Lucas. Could you let him in?"
Tessa gave a frigid expression, rushed to her workstation, and talked into the intercom.
"Dwi, do we have someone named Lucas waiting?"
"Yes, ma'am. Shall I bring him to you?"
"Please do."
"--And ma'am?" Dmitri said.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Packer is here."
Todd Packer was Tessa's boyfriend. Ashley narrowed her eyes at Tessa with disapproval. She had no intentions of dragging another teenager into the mess.
Tessa returned a pleading look, which said, 'Please! I almost died today! I need some boyfriend time!'
"Fine," Ashley gave in, shaking her head. "But keep him away from our conversations."
"Will do." The girl nodded obediently.
Dmitri knocked and entered. He was startled and then perplexed by the dashing stranger sitting with his bosses, but Tessa waved him off with a gesture that said, 'I will tell you later.'
The secretary nodded and ushered in a short, bespectacled Russian dressed in a pullover and jeans. He seemed not much older than Tessa.
"Ma'am," Dmitri said. "The building security found some suspicious electronics during the scan of Mr. Lucas Ingot's belongings. They have detained his duffel bag at the security desk."
Tessa looked at Ashley inquiringly. However, the latter had already decided to place her trust in her new security guard.
"You can return the bag to him." Ashley asserted.
Dmitri, still sporting a confused expression, nodded again. Next, he led a delicious-looking teenager into the room.
Todd Packer.
Ashley could see why Tessa had fallen for the boy. He had a surfer's body and hair. Combined with that was a pretty face that would look good on a magazine cover. Perhaps he was an ace in studies as well since the teen billionaire liked nerds.
Todd came in and rushed to Tessa. They made out for a minute, to the discomfort of everyone else.
Dmitri excused himself and left the room.
"You have not been responding to my messages and calls." Todd looked worried.
"I was a tad busy. Sowie!" Tessa said, puckering her lips. Her baby voice could melt steel.
Guiscard cleared his throat.
"This is Lucas," he began, introducing his associate. "He does not speak much, but he is a tech genius. With his aid, we shall address your security concerns."
"What do you need security for?" Todd butted in.
"Umm. Just standard security. You know- billionaires." Tessa said, rolling her eyes.
Todd was from a well-to-do family, but his parents were not billionaires. Tessa had met him at a beach party. The boy had not realized then that he was dating a Grayson.
His girlfriend dragged him to the window garden, where there was foliage to screen their public displays of affection.
Ashley brought Guiscard to the workstation.
"Okay! What measures do you have in mind?" she asked the duo.
"Face recognition cameras, alarms, one button calls for help, and so on." Lucas fired, showing her a list on his smartphone. He had an East European accent, but his English was fluent and rapid.
"All management staff hired have to go through my permission. Every future appointment of yours will be under my supervision, including personal visits." Guiscard explained. What was initially a gig for a few days had quickly turned into a month-long security detail.
Ashley nodded. The Frenchman seemed professional. At times, his pronouncements felt like those of a doting brother. She felt more at ease by the time they finished their discussion.
"I will begin tomorrow early at 4 AM," Guiscard announced in the end, beckoning Lucas that it was time to leave. They shook hands with Ashley and left.
'Chevy is on my team. Now Elijah has to agree.' she told herself.
Ashley checked her messages and found that the detective Harry Doyle had postponed their meeting to the next day.
Apparently, he had 'car trouble' according to his message.
Ashley had advised him every time to get a new car in the past. Oh, wait! That was in a different 'timeline' altogether. In her present life, she had never met Harry Doyle. Yet.
She left the workstation to talk to Tessa, but she could hear moans approaching the garden window.
'Damn these kids!' she grumbled in her mind. 'They are like horny chipmunks! No self-control!'
Through the foliage, she saw Todd was shirtless.
Ashley turned around and left the room.
When was the last time she had sex?
Jake had brought her close to orgasm in the Mercedes.
Thinking about it made her heart race.
‘Yep, I am horny.’
A cup of coffee would do wonders.
There was an excellent coffee house opposite Malory Towers.
Ashley entered the VIP lift.
"Which floor, ma'am?" the operator asked.
"Ground floor. Thanks."
'From tomorrow, my life is going to be different. No more being afraid. Play your best cards, Scarlet,' she thought as the lift doors closed.