Tease Me - Page 165

Before they caught my stalker, I worried about being recorded.

Thinking about those videos makes me think of Anna and how she’s dealing with Patrick’s death. She obviously didn’t love him anymore, but they built a family and life together. He threw that all away. Now his children don’t even have a father in prison to visit.

“What’s going on in your mind, kitten?”

I meet Noah’s dark eyes. “Thinking about Anna.”

He nods and squeezes my hand. “She’ll be okay.”

He’s right. She has a support system in place now. She had to. Either way, Patrick was no longer part of her life.

When our food arrives, I focus on eating and enjoying my men.

They’ve made it a point to watch movies on Sundays with me. We’re playing catch up since I didn’t watch TV during high school or college. So we talk about movies and they usually all have opinions on what I should watch next.

But I decide based on their recommendations.

“It’s a classic,” Noah says.

“So is mine.” Coop gestures with his fork. “I just can’t believe you’ve never seen it before.”

I shake my head, trying not to laugh.

“You can’t compare Casablanca to Die Hard.” Noah lets out a frustrated sigh.

Seth chuckles and takes my hand on the table. “This one might go on for a while.”

I smile and lean in to brush a kiss on his cheek. “If you’ll excuse me.”

When I rise, Blake begins to push his chair back but I hold up my hand.

“It’s a crowded restaurant, Blake. I’ll be fine to go alone.” I smile because he wants to protect me. “There’s nothing to protect me from anymore. And if someone tries something, you know I can handle myself.”

Blake returns my smile. We’ve kept up with self-defense training. I’ve actually taken him down multiple times now. Things usually get heated during our sparring matches though. Sometimes I don’t want to get away.

I move through the tables to the restroom. Awareness of my surroundings seeps into my conscious mind. Some women lean close to each other and whisper as I pass. Some men watch me walk. I’m aware of everything, but I’m determined to not let it make me cower or run to get Blake to walk with me.

The bathroom is empty when I enter it. I breathe a sigh of relief. When I’m washing my hands, the door opens and Deidre Byrne walks in. She’s dressed up tonight and her silver hair is pulled into a beautiful bun with diamond clips.

Her sharp brown eyes focus on me. “Madison Harris, how have you been?”

I’m surprised she remembers me. “Good. I’ve been meaning to call you about a mentorship.”

I dry my hands and she smiles.

“We definitely should talk.” She glances at the door. “Are you here with your men?”

My cheeks grow hot. It’s still odd that everyone knows about us, but I’m getting more used to it. “Yes.”

“I thought there was something more between you when we had lunch. I’ve never seen four men so smitten with one woman. You must be exhausted all the time.” Deidre gives me a knowing smile.

“They keep me busy at work and at play.” I gesture to the couch in the bathroom. “Would you like to talk for a minute?”

She nods and we both sit.

“I’m not looking to leave Morrigan Technology yet, but in a year or so, I want to explore my options and figure out what I want to do. I’d love if you would mentor me and help me navigate a career similar to yours.”

She smiles and arches an eyebrow. “How about a career just like mine?”