Trained One ✓

Chapter 18

"What do you mean, we can't go?" Josh asked as everyone filed out of the conference room at the end of the meeting. "I sat back yesterday."

Dylan stood in front of Josh and I's path out, blocking us from exiting around the table. Owen stood behind.

"We need the two of you here."

I put a hand on my hip. "Is this because I made him mad? I'll say sorry if you want me to," I spit out but I wouldn't mean it.

"No," Owen said and I dropped my hand, the urge to scream at Dylan only lessening slightly.

"Owen's heading up the business at the house and I've got some other leads I need to check up on. After that, I need help with something," Dylan explained, holding his hands out to keep the two of us at bay.

"More paperwork," Josh muttered swinging his hands out dejectedly. His arm came in contact with my side and I held in wince as he hit my fresh tattoo.

"Sorry," Josh quickly apologized for the unexpected contact.

"Not paperwork, back-up," Dylan said. "Real work. Unless you want to join Owen..."

I opened my mouth to ask what work but Josh was already lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"Hell yeah!"

That was all the confirmation they needed before they left the room with us following. The two began looking over some paperwork in Owen's hand down the hall by the exit. From the hallway, I could see straight out of the hotel's main glass sliding doors, a few of the cars I recognized as my co-workers' were pulling out.

Dylan grabbed his keys from his pocket, the jingle filling the hallway as he twirled them around his finger. I couldn't hear what they were saying or see what they were looking at but it was clear he was also about to leave.

I turned to Josh who was mumbling about what movies we could watch while we waited.

"Go get your backpack," I said quietly under my breath. "Meet me in the parking lot."

"Uh, what?" He looked at me like I'd gone insane.

I glanced back to Dylan and Owen. Owen looked like he was also ready to leave and Dylan now had his phone out as the two talked.

"Now," I ordered as best I could. "Hurry."

That time, thankfully, he listened as he turned to the elevator. I went over to the concierge desk and started looking at the snacks they had on the back wall.

"Hi," I grinned to woman. "Do you have anything drinks to help settle my stomach?"

She started listing them and I saw out of the corner of my eye, Owen walk out of the hotel doors.

I started tapping my foot, anxiously trying to keep watching Dylan. The woman was looking at me expectantly. Oh, whoops. I had no idea what she said.

"I thought I was going to puke for a second. It passed," I put a hand to my neck as I lied. "The ginger ale, please."

She handed me a can and I fished in my purse for my room key, turning to my side as I did so. The bad thing about my purse, besides it being forever old and in dire need of a wash, was it was more of a tote bag. It had no individual pockets in it to keep things organized. The good thing was even as I found the card, I was able to keep pushing my hand around in my purse like it was an absolute mess and to Dylan, it would look like I was still searching for it if he happened to look over.

He was on his phone and hung up not a second later. Crap. He started to walk out and I quickly handed my card to the woman. She swiped it to charge the soda to my room and I walked into to the stairwell next to the elevator, throwing both the can of ginger ale and my room key in my purse without a second thought.