Lucie V.

Parker clears her throat. “Are you allowed to return to work?”
“I was given the okay to do desk work,” I say.
“And it sounds like you’re planning on doing stuff that doesn’t use your desk at all,” she says.
As she scrutinizes me, I pick up the end of the desk. “I’ll just take it with me,” I say until Hiro starts smacking me away from it.
“Dear god, don’t hurt yourself trying to be a smartass. What the hell, Maddox?” he asks, actually looking irritated.
“She said I needed—”
Parker and Hiro lock eyes. “See what I deal with?” he asks.
She nods. “I honestly pity you.”

“What the fuck is this?” Keaton asks as he steps into the room. “Oh dear god.”
“Just pretend you’re reading,” I say as the “Ohhh yeah… fuck me, you dirty Daddy” goes on in the background. I turn and lock eyes with Keaton. There’s a long moment where we share something. I’m not sure if it’s pity or maybe it’s shame… but it’s something.
“You enable them,” he decides.
“I don’t! They looked sad and it’s just some porn,” I say.
“I’m going to go read in the other room.”
“No!” Reggie protests as he sits on my lap. “If you leave who will switch it to the next one? I get to pick next.”

A ghost passes through me, the absolute worst feeling, but when I see that it’s Reggie and he’s in the process of shoving them back, I relax as he says, “Back the fuck off, dickhead. I might be small, but I’ll fuck you up. I got my guard dog ready.”
“Am I the guard dog?” Natalie asks as she takes her stance behind me.
“I don’t know but our orders are to protect this booty. Keaton, you get the booty,” Reggie says.

“Um… I really regret not knocking,” Barry says.
“I was… sweaty and just trying to air off, and you know how it is,” I say.
“Do we?” Maddox asks as he glances at Barry, like he wants to see if Barry knows how it is. Barry nods.
“Yes. Exactly.” Maddox raises an eyebrow.
“You’re just trying to save his self-esteem, aren’t you?”
“One hundred percent.”
“You deserve a raise,” Maddox decides.

“Smack dat ass!” Reggie shouts.
“I swear to god, if you smack my ass I’m going to—”
“Going to what?” Maddox asks from the doorway.
Grudgingly, I look up at him. “It’s not what it seems.”
“I’m going to be honest… I’m not even sure what it seems… seems uncomfortable if anything,” Maddox says.
“Save me,” I plead.
“From?”
“Antoine wants to ‘rub the tension out of me’ and Reggie wants to smack my ass and Natalie is painting the scene,” I cry.
“Sounds like a rough start to your day.”