Electus (Regnum Series Book 1) (29 page)

“Don’t mention it. Just so you know, I don’t believe what Quade was saying last night. You know, about you sleeping your way to the top. It didn’t look like you and Mr. Leporem had that kind of arrangement. I mean, I don’t know if you two slept together, and it’s not my business. From what I saw, he cares for you in a lot deeper way than how Quade made it sound.”

Tia’s lips curl up slightly at her kind words. “I appreciate you believing the best of me. I never slept with him, or anyone for that matter,” Tia responds, her face pink.

“It’s cool. I haven’t either. I’m not ready for that yet,” Delilah mentions.

“Do you think that you will with Nathan?” Tia jumps in, accepting the chance to change the subject.

“I haven’t decided. I mean, it’s too soon to tell. Although, I really like him,” she admits.

Someone knocks on the door. “I’ll get it,” Delilah offers. “That’s probably Nathan now.” She exits the room and Tia sits down on the couch, taking a break.

“Tia! It’s for you!” Delilah calls from the front door. Tia walks over to find Quade standing in the doorway, his face now completely healed. “Thanks, Delilah. Come on, we can chat outside.” Tia grabs Quade’s arm and pulls him into the driveway.

“What do you want?” Tia snaps at Quade, her arms crossed. He appears frightened by her, like usual.

“I wanted to see if you would come get some coffee with me, so we can discuss last night.”

“You know what, I don’t want to talk about last night. Your behavior...there are no words for it. It was completely uncalled for, Quade. You were an ass!” she yells at him, causing people passing to stare at them.

“I know, I came to apologize,” Quade begins.

“Honestly, I am tired of the apologies. When you are sober, you are the greatest guy, so sweet and loving. We have fun together, I enjoy spending time with that guy. Then, when you are drunk...it feels like I’m talking to your father,” she admits, releasing the tension, she held on to all night.

“I’m not my father,” he responds, annoyed at her judgement call.

“You are right. You aren’t your father, but you need to start proving that to me if you want this friendship to last,” she advises.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you, Tia.” His eyes are begging for her forgiveness, just like they did before. This time, she is less than open to the idea.

“I know you are. I need to finish helping Delilah unpack. We can discuss this more, later,” Tia turns back and enters her house, once more.

“Everything alright?” Delilah quizzes Tia, who is looking out the window.

“Someday it will be,” she replies, watching Quade fall to his knees in her driveway, having a complete breakdown.

Day 8: The Offer

Chapter 24

Monday morning, each of the new employees are required to meet with their leader, one on one, to inform them of their positions. This allows the leaders to discuss guidelines with the new employee. Delilah had her meeting first thing, at eight o’clock, then Quade followed at eight fifteen. Tia’s meeting with Javan isn’t until nine.

She takes a bus into the city of Elatus, with no clue where she is heading. Tia arrives at a bus stop, just a few blocks down from the head office of Javan’s company. It’s a sweltering summer day and Tia dons a plaid skirt with a button up blouse for the meeting. Her hair is resting in a bun, to appear professional.

Tia turns the last corner and glances up at the words
Alim Co
across the crest of the sky scraper. She enters the lobby, and a receptionist asks for her name.

“Conscientia Trumble. I have a meeting at nine.” She smiles, politely, at the receptionist.

“Yes, take the elevator up to the twenty-fifth floor. Mr. Leporem’s office is to the left. I’ll inform him that you are on your way up. His last meeting just ended a few moments ago,” the lady responds, softly.

“Thank you.” Tia heads over to the elevator that takes her up to the twenty-fifth floor. She inhales deeply, her nerves catching up to her. She knows that once she opens that door to his office, it will just be the two of them. Tia is not ready for alone time with him after the fight the other evening.
Hopefully this will end quick and I can go home,
she thinks.

Javan’s office is behind two wooden doors. Tia opens one, Javan turning towards her as she enters. He is silent, watching her saunter across the room and sit down. Tia avoids his gaze. Javan seats himself at his desk, across from Tia.

“Miss Trumble,” he begins, and Tia is a little upset she is back to such a proper acknowledgment, “welcome to the company. I am thrilled with the team that I acquired for my first year as head of Elatus. You excelled in the Electus, and I couldn’t be happier to have you as part of my crew.

“What this meeting is designed to do is to review what your position will be, so that you know your goals as employee.” He is as professional as ever, but Tia notices his nails bit down to the beds, again. Javan stands to pace around the office.

“A position opened up within the capitol. See, when Mr. Tersus passed away, one of our Regnumian employees disappeared. Some believe he might have been involved in the murder, and that is why he fled. Others think he just took off because he was afraid that he would be killed next.

“This gentleman held a rather high priority job under the rule of Mr. Tersus. This position requires that you maintain focus and keep long hours. After your performance this past week, I feel that you are suited for it.”

“What is the position?” Tia inquires, watching him pace back and forth.

“I wish for you to take Lucas’s uncle’s old job,” he exhales. Tia just stares at him, unsure what that means.

“Miss Trumble, I am asking you to be my body guard.”

“Your body guard?” she repeats, making sure she heard him correctly.

“Yes. You are highly intelligent. Therefore, you can sense danger, as well as think on your feet,” Javan mentions, appearing nervous.

“You think I can protect you?” Tia is baffled.

“I’ve seen your fighting abilities, trust me, you cause damage,” he replies, lifting an eyebrow. “I understand your apprehension. I’m not asking you to take a bullet for me, Miss Trumble. I could not bare the thought of allowing anyone to do that. I’m asking you to be more of the preventive body guard. Solve the crime before it has the chance to unfold.”

“Are you certain you want me? What about Quade or Daniel? They did fantastic in the Brawns category,” Tia offers, feeling her stomach knot up.

“Yes, but they are just physically qualified. Like I said, I need more of a preventive approach to this position. I can’t think of anyone more qualified.”

Tia absorbs his words.
He has to be kidding
, is all she can think.

“There is a catch, however,” he adds.

“Oh a catch to the already scary job you are forcing me to take. Can’t wait for this,” Tia mocks.

Javan continues, ignoring her comment. “The catch, Miss Trumble, is that you would not be able to live with Delilah. Body guard is a full-time position. It requires you stay in my household. I can set up a room for you, even have your own separate bathroom and kitchen, if you wish,” Javan responds, his hands still shaking.

Tia is speechless. In all her life she never expected a position such as this. Not only will she be fighting crime, so to speak, but she will be living within a leader’s home. Javan watches her intently.

“Now, I need you to understand something. The law states, you have to take whatever job I require of you, unless it interferes with your private life. Say you wish to start a family, marry Quade, perhaps. Then I am, by law, required to give you the option. I’m not allowed to interfere with the breading of new Regnumian workers.”

“Whoa! Back the train up here,” Tia’s brow is furrowed. “Why do you think I want to marry Quade?”

“Miss Trumble, what you two do is none of my business. I am simply your leader now. It is just in case you two reach that point in your relationship.”

“What relationship?!” Tia is annoyed at this random assumption.

“Tia, the other day, before Lucas knocked me out, he informed me that he was spying on you this past week. Lucas told me everything.”

“Like what?” Tia questions, wondering what bullshit he fed Javan.

“I know you slept with Quade,” he exhales.

“What?!” Tia’s voice is squeaky.

“I’m guessing that didn’t happen,” he inquires, puzzled.

“Uh, no! What else did he try to tell you?”

“He mainly said that one night, after our dinner together, Quade came over and you two started making out and one thing led to another.”

“That is way off. First of all, Quade was drunk and forced himself on me, then I yelled at him and we had a huge fight,” Tia explains, extremely annoyed.

“Is it true you kissed him the other morning in your hotel room?” he questions, his eyes piercing through hers.

“Well, yes, but we aren’t dating. Quade and I are just friends. He wants more, I don’t,” Tia answers, now realizing what the tension between them was all about.

Javan sits down at his desk. His face turns pink from embarrassment.

“That son of a bitch,” she mumbles, realizing that he tried to pin Javan against her just like Merve tried to do.

“So, it’s all false, Miss Trumble?” he questions her.

“Yes, I mean he told me that he loved me but I didn’t say it back. He knows I don’t feel that way. He just wanted to kiss me one last time, for closure.”

Javan appears embarrassed. “Well, anyway, I should give you time to think about this. I do need your answer by tonight, though, because you start tomorrow.” Javan stands up. Tia rises, as well. He reaches out to shake her hand, and she grabs it.

“I will think about it. Thank you for giving me the choice, Javan. I mean, Mr. Leporem.” She turns around and walks toward the door, exiting his office. Tia begins her trek to the bus stop. Her mind is wrapped around the offer Javan made to her just moments before.   

Tia can’t imagine being skilled enough for that kind of position. Then again, this past week she never felt more alive.
The job does sound thrilling, preventing someone from being killed. It would be a lot less boring than some other job.

She would have to live with Javan, though. Would she be able to handle living with him with the way she feels, knowing that they could never be together? What if she did want to start a family later on in life? It would be impossible. Tia never really wanted a family before, but if she changes her mind someday, it will be too late.

Tia wonders why he would offer her a position in which she would need to protect him, if he promised her father to protect her. That’s the whole reason he even approached her this week. Then she realizes, she would be in the same house. He would be able to protect her, because she would be there with him twenty-four seven.

She grazes the pendent, from her mother’s necklace, with her index finger.
What should I do, mom?
she thinks, sitting on a bench at the bus stop.

Tia watches people passing her on the street as well as the buildings surrounding her in the city. There is a large screen with videos playing. A commercial finishes, followed by footage from the Electus.

It appears to be an interview with some of the capitol leaders on the first day. The woman interviewing each leader, poses a question to Javan.

“What do you think of the candidates thus far?”

“Well, so far, I believe we have quite a nice selection this year. Although, it’s difficult to make an assessment of their strengths just from today’s event,” Javan remarks, politely.

“What is your opinion of the one candidate, Conscientia Trumble, who appears to have made quite an impression of her weakness already?” The lady pries, attempting to make a mockery out of Tia.

“Personally, I feel she is the strongest candidate this year,” Javan replies. The other leaders chuckle as well as the interviewer.

“How so, Mr. Leporem?”

“After her ego is bruised in front of the entire world, her main concern is for the man cleaning up her mess. How often do you see strength like that?” Javan responds, resting his chin in his hand.

Javan believed in me from the beginning.
He knew Tia’s strengths, long before she did. The bus pulls up and the door opens.

“You getting on, miss?” a hefty man asks Tia.

“No,” she mumbles, then jets from the bench, down the block. Tia knows now what she must do. Her race to Javan’s building takes longer than she remembers it taking an hour ago.

She reaches the lobby, running past the receptionist, who is yelling for her to stop. Tia rides the elevator up to the twenty-fifth floor. She runs to the two wooden doors of Javan’s office, and flings them open.

Javan turns to look at Tia, who is catching her breath as two security guards fall to the floor, behind her. He is in the middle of his meeting with Daniel.

“It’s alright men, she isn’t hurting anyone,” Javan advises the security guards, who give him annoyed glances, then walk away.

“Mr. Cloud, that is really all I had to discuss with you, today. Head down to the front desk, advise them that I sent you to start paperwork.” Javan shakes Daniel’s hand, and Daniel exits, shaking his head at Tia and making kissy noises as he passes.

“Annabell, hold my meetings for now, something came up,” Javan holds down the button on the intercom.

“Alright, Mr. Leporem,” she replies, sounding annoyed. Javan places his hands in his pockets, leaning against his desk.

“How may I help you, Miss Trumble?” his voice is firm.

“When did my father approach you about looking after me?” Tia quizzes him, not removing her gaze.

“He didn’t technically approach me,” he admits.

“What?” she replies.

“I mean, he asked me to, but I contacted him the day after your kidnapping, so as to fill him in on what was going on with you,” Javan responds, appearing confused by her question. Tia realizes that Javan sought her out on his own. Not because he was working for Mr. Avery, not because he was watching out for her due to a promise made to her father, but because he really believed she was a strong candidate.