Lasting Effects (Sequel To After Effects)

Chapter 04 ~ Lasting Conversations

I was not expecting this at all.

The picture of my boss back on the balcony where we had our first serious talk was what met me when I first barged into his office. His hands were once again against the railing and his back hunched over as if he was burdened by work and its stresses.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and walked over to the doors of the balcony.

"Took you a while," I heard him say sarcastically once I reached there, and I couldn't help rolling my eyes with a smile.

"Yeah well, I couldn't allow you to run away again, now could I?" I responded bravely, stepping out onto the balcony beside him and looking down. "So, is this where we have our 'serious' talks?"

Riddian looked over at me and gave me a once over. "I'm free until two thirty, how about we go somewhere else," he said and then looked away to retrieve his phone and make a call while my heart beat out of my chest in anxiety.

"Let's go."

Riddian's voice saying these words were what pulled me out of my head, and then he was inside grabbing a wallet from off his desk and then heading towards the door. I followed right behind him and didn't even say a word when he opened the door and allowed me to go out first. I had come to realise that he had a system. He only did these gentleman-to-lady-like things when we were outside of work. He seemed to have no problem separating his personal and business life.

Riddian locked his door and then headed towards the elevator while I packed up my purse and sent Harper a quick text comprising of the words *It's happening now*.

Riddian pressed the button for the ground floor when I was standing next to him inside his elevator, and then we were going down, nothing unprofessional happening between us because the glass walls put us on show for everyone to see.

When the elevator reached the ground floor, we stepped out quickly and made our way to the building's front entrance. We were just about out the door when I heard running heels and a lot of panting. I turned to see Harper having a fit as she watched me from beside the stairs, giving me a thumbs up just before Riddian stopped walking and turned in her direction. Like nothing had happened, she turned away and began walking, straightening her posture before heading towards the elevator now. I shook my head and cleared my throat, walking pass Riddian and out the door as he stared after Harper in suspicion still.

"You coming?" I asked with a small smile. He shook his head and exited right after me.

I was a bit surprised when we walked towards the small steps that lead down to the street pavement however, as instead of a polite Mr. Jones waiting for us by a car, it was another man who handed the keys over to Riddian and then went on his way up towards the building.

"You coming?" Riddian repeated my words and I turned away from looking at the back of the man who was not driving us, to Riddian who was holding a door open for me again.

"Mr. Jones isn't with us today," I commented as I got in the front and he shut the door. He switched sides and sat in the driver's seat before driving off the pavement.

"No. I thought this conversation first needed to be between only the two of us," he answered, shocking me. Why? Because he said 'first'.

"Right. Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," I nodded and allowed the silence and awkwardness to settle between us in the car... But only for a minute because I am no longer good at staying silent in awkward situations. So...

"Inside a car... Maybe going somewhere far... Mali-di-dacky da roo-roo—"

"Katherine please."

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