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I’d implemented a new rule from here on out to alleviate any of this discomfort in the future.
No Veronica on my trips.
I just had to get through this one, and then I could change up my plans for the next ones.
I heard the elevators ping and looked up to see Reid walking towards me with an agitated look on his face and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I dropped my pen and stood up, already knowing something was wrong.
“She’s okay.” He started, raising his hands to get me to settle before I’d even reacted.
“What do you mean?” I ground out through my teeth.
“Angela Valentine was at a shop with Cora and Nat. She accused Cora of stealing and things got… messy.” He grimaced and I erupted.
“Where is she?” I yelled as I walked around him to get down to Halo.
“She’s on her way up.” He said, blocking my path. “Dexter and Nat are with her.”
“Dexter? What the fuck happened?” I roared, trying to piece together information as my brain short circuited knowing that Cora was upset, and I knew she was upset because I could feel it in my blood.
“The manager got handsy, he shoved her around a bit and her earring got snagged, tearing her piercing open a bit, but other than that she’s fine, I promise.”
“Why the fuck are you telling me this and not her!”
“She called Dexter for help.”
“Why?” I shoved his hands off my shoulders and paced. “Why the fuck didn’t she call me?”
“Because she knew you’d react this way and she didn’t want to cause any more of a scene in public.” He said, looking at me uncomfortably. “She’s mortified.”
“What the fuck was Angela Valentine doing there at the same time? How did she know Cora was linked to me?” I shot out, trying to figure out how new spread that quickly after my meeting with Jake and Dennis and how the Valentine’s had gotten the info that Cora and I were together.
“I don’t think she did.” He said, forcing me to stop walking and look at him. “I don’t think Angela knew who she was at all, honestly. I think she’s just that much of a vapid bitch that she started drama for the fun of it. But she fucked up, because she fucked with you. And Dexter and I made that clear when we took Cora away from there.”
“For fucks sake.” I cursed as my hands balled into fists and my skin tightened around my body. I loosened my tie and paced as it felt like my skin was strangling me as I imagined how embarrassed Cora had been. And it was all because of her own sister-in-law.
The elevator bay pinged again, and I turned in anxiousness as I watched Cora and Dexter walk off the car and towards my office. I was on her the second she cleared the doorway, tangling my hands into her honey blond hair and pulling her into my fierce embrace.
“I’m okay.” She said, but her voice broke, and she buried her face in my chest as I looked over her head at Dex and Reid in complete shock as I was for once, speechless.
I pulled her back and ran my hands over her face, careful of her red and irritated ear before running them down her arms to hold her hands in mine. “No, you’re not.” I said, taking in her pale complexion and watery eyes. “And it’s all my fault.”
“No it’s not.” She argued, shaking her head, before laying it against my chest again. “She didn’t know who I was, she was just being… a cunt.” She said exasperatedly as frustration filled her body. “I was just so… I couldn’t do anything. They didn’t believe me because I’m a nobody!” She looked up into my eyes as her tears crested over her lashes. “How is it that those kind of people still have the power to make me feel so insignificant, even after all of these years?” Her heart was breaking in my arms as her insecurities and triggers were being brought to life. “I hate them.” She whispered. “I hate every single last one of them.”
“I know.” I whispered back, kissing her forehead, and holding her as her shoulders shook as I looked back at Dex and Reid. “What are we doing about this?”
Dex’s eyes were burning bright with anger, and it struck me that twice in one day I’d seen strong emotions from him for the first time in years. Earlier was humor and mirth, and now was anger and determination. How long had I not noticed that he was just existing in a permanent state of blankness?
“Cora is filing assault and battery charges against the manager and defamation charges against Angela to start with. I’m also going to contact the owner of the store and threaten to wipe them off the face of the Earth for the way they treated her. If their lucky, I’ll let you let them stay open without shutting them down.” He said, letting his anger out vocally in a way that was very un-Dexter like.
Reid watched on in curiosity like me before turning to where I stood still holding Cora tight in my arms. “I think it’s time to reevaluate your plan of waiting to announce to the world that Cora is to be your wife.”
“Why?” Cora asked, stepping back, and wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her sweater.
“Because I can’t stomach to see you like this again.” I answered for him. “Twice in two weeks someone has put their hands on you when I should have been there to protect you. If I can’t be there physically, then I need to have the threat of me known to every man on Earth; no one touches you and just gets away with it.”
“Mav…” She started, but I wasn’t going to let her talk me out if it.
“He’s right, Cora.” Reid said with the still uncharacteristically serious look on his face. “You’re stepping into a whole new world, it’s different then it was ten years ago when you both were just kids. People will stop at nothing to get what they want, at least now they’ll think twice about it if they know what kind of monsters are standing in your corner to protect you.”
