Dangerous Life

Chapter Six

My thumbs been hovering over the name on my phone for a good few minutes. Ms O'Conner, it's right there and all I have to do is press it.

Curling my knees to my chest I swallow, I can't believe I'm so terrified of doing this. I need to man up and press it, it's only calling my boss. She might eat me for doing it but that's okay. I'll be fine.

"Grace?" I pull my bottom lip between my teeth when she answers. Although she's deemed the heartless dragon by all of my colleges - I haven't had any problems with her... yet. That doesn't stop me from being absolutely terrified whenever I talk to her, probably because she's the managing partner of one of the most successful law firms in the country.  I could never imagine being as talented as her. "Surely you have more to do with your life than call me on a Sunday night?"

My worry eases slightly when I hear the teasing evident in her voice. I barely know anything about her or her personal life or what she could actually be doing right now. I've never talked to her outside of office hours, but she's always a very shut off and serious person. Our conversations only ever involve work.

I have to wonder if there's more to her than everyone says. She'd only be in her late thirties or early forties and she's incredibly good looking. I know she must spend hours in the gym and she always wears designer clothes. Surely she doesn't sit at home in a huge house by herself all night like everyone seems to say she does.

"Hi Ms O'Conner, I'm sorry for calling you this late on a weekend...."

"It's barely eight o'clock Grace" she chuckles slightly and even through the phone my cheeks still darken. "What do you need?"

Her friendliness surprises me but I'm thankful for it. "I wondered if I could have the morning off tomorrow? I know the timing isn't great with all the clients coming through and everything so I understand if I can't. I just don't think I can get another doctors appointment this week if I don't."

"It's fine, when was the last time you even took time off?" I sigh relieved as I place my hand gently against my tummy without realising what I'm doing. It's comforting in strange kind of way. "You'll be in after lunch for our meeting? I have some things to talk to you about."

"Yes, yes of course" I answer quickly. I have no idea why she could want to talk to me. "Thank you for letting me have the time off."

"It's fine Grace, I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nod, thanking her again before she ends the call, leaving me alone with my laptop. Xavier hasn't been home all day. After I ate and showered I decided to hide out in here, in his little study space I usually don't come into. I've replied to so many work emails and read through so many forms and agreements my heads starting to spin. I think I've even managed to get ahead of my workload for the first time in months, but I feel exhausted. More than usual now.

Placing the laptop next to me, I lean back into the comfort of the chair and pull the blanket over me up to my chin. The flames of the fireplace in front of me put on some kind of hypnotising show, making my eyes feel immediately heavier than before. I can kind of see why Xavier likes it in here. It's smaller than most of the rooms in our house and it's cozy.  There's an earthly warmth to the wooden walls and thick carpet I never took the time to notice before.

I don't know how much later it is when something crashing and heavy footsteps wakes me up. I'm almost completely sunken into the sofa and it takes my eyes a second to realise they're not dreaming when I see Xavier and his tense figure standing in the dark corner of the room.