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As I escaped into one of the elevators and quickly hit the button to prevent anyone else frohts to drift back to the place they'd been all night

Get it together, Jude Focus

I used the couple of hten my tie and sically appeared in my suit By the time I stepped off the elevator, I felt a little bitht before h the various contracts I'd been hoping to get signed off on before Monday and I'd been too jittery to attempt to read them at home I reminded myself that there would still be weeks of days like this Endless days where I had to push myself to the limit But it would all be worth it Every lost hour of sleep, every headache fro myself to work beyond my brain’s naturally set limits… it would all be proof that those looks of pity asted on me That they'd always been wasted on me

As I left the elevator and rounded the corner that led to ed to avoid running into anyone That was, until I reached uard, though he wasn't so extra precautions, so I didn't spare the guard any mind as I moved past him and into the office I also tried to convinceto do with a co outside my door

Despite being pissed at Cliff for hiring Falkov in the first place, I knew he’d meant well And I doubted that he had any idea that he'd hired a mercenary wannabe instead of an actual security professional In any case, I needed to give Cliff some time to deal with the close call that hadn't really been one But the last thing I needed was for hi so-called protection my way I understood that the olderuard not only perpetuated the rumors about my relationship with him, it also allowed for self-doubt to creep in where it wasn't welco and no one would change that I didn't believe in fate

Fate was just an excuse people used to not push themselves

By the tiain Thankfully, my brain clicked over into work ht tomy computer up

"Is what's on that computer more important than your life?"

The unexpected yet very recognizable voice caused ed to prevent the contents froot doused with a hefty splash of the hot liquid "Fuck!" I shouted as the coffee soaked through an to burn h to prevent any significant pain My heart raced as I searched out the source of the voice

He was sitting in the ht before, he was all dressed in black And yet, soain Hoas that even possible?

I hated the fear that reverberated through uy wasn't there to hurtpointed atflicker in theone

"Good," he said as he cliraceful "Re—the one that reminds you that no matter how hard you try, you aren't always in control"

His words hit so close to ho in ed to tamp down on the unwanted sensation I reached for the handset on my phone I fully expected themore than stand in front of htly separated The stance had a very military feel to it

"Yes, Mr Archer? Can I help you?" the operator asked