Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(82)

Not so, now. As Krista hurried toward a room Sean had set aside for her, invaded by another male, something primal in Sean opened up and blossomed out, consuming him. Filling every inch of his sizable frame with purpose he felt raw and invigorated, as if a pure shot of testosterone boosted his strength and prowess, making him feel more powerful. If he didn’t feel like such a man, he’d be worried about the reason behind this sudden rush.

“Krista, wait,” Sean instructed as he drew near, Marcus following along behind.

Krista stopped, bowed in on herself, embarrassed at her behavior. She needn’t have been, but Sean couldn’t deal with that now.

He stepped in front of Krista into the room, blocking her from view, eyes finding, then sticking, to Jacob, currently sitting in a visitor chair with a notepad resting on his lap, “Jacob.”

Startled, Jacob looked up with wide eyes.

“Why are you sitting, unattended, in someone else’s office?”

The color drained from Jacob’s face before indignation rushed in. Jacob’s chin tilted upwards. “That isn’t any of your business, McAdams.”

Sean took two more steps into the room, now further in than Jacob. “Despite the fact that it is rude and unprofessional, as someone in your position should know, this office belongs to one of my team members, who is working on a sensitive project. You shouldn’t be in here, especially unattended.”

“I’m here on business,” Jacob said brusquely, defending his position with a puffed up chest.

“Ooo, he’s going for the showdown. Risky,” Marcus whispered in a hurried hush.

Sean ignored Marcus, though he couldn’t help but notice Jacob flinch. They both knew Marcus was right.

“What business?” Sean asked, stepping closer to Krista’s chair.

Jacob’s face hardened by Sean trying to claim the space, “I am checking out her equipment. Making sure it is satisfactory.”

“You could have left a message or sent an email. Even so, being that you were sitting in the chair, you’ve finished your analysis, I presume?”

Jacob stared in defiance.

“Well, then,” Sean continued, “I assume that means you have no reason to be loitering in her office?”

“I also planned to warn her about her email use.”

Krista’s face lost its color. Her lush lips slimmed down into a thin line as her body imploded, the strength of her character sapping at the threat. Her eyes sunk to the ground, waiting for punishment from a clown acting like nothing more than a bully.

An urge to bodily throw Jacob from the room came over Sean in a wave. Like it did when he’d realized Krista had been abused in the past, something awoke. Something violent. Those witnessing saw a new light shining in his eyes. Something wild. Something disturbed and unruly.

Jacob unconsciously took a step back.

“Who do you report to? Chris, isn’t it?” Sean asked in the smooth tones of a predator. Marcus faintly gasped.

Jacob brought himself to his full height. “Just doing my job,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Nothing you can do about that, despite your threats.”

“No?” Sean asked quietly.

“They’re throwing down!” Marcus whispered excitedly into Krista’s ear. “Going for a power play to see who rates over the other. They’ve wanted to do this forever, but never had a good enough reason. You are gossip gold, girlie.”

Jacob stared at Sean, suddenly faltering on confidence. He turned to Krista. “Sorry Krista,” he said, in a tone that did not sound sorry in the least. “Personal email is a warning for your file. If it doesn’t stop you may be terminated. I’m going to have to write you up.”

Krista gasped.

“You will address the complaint, as is standard for your department, and I will take up the matter,” Sean said, slowly sauntering to Krista’s side. He wanted to put his arm around her so badly he had to put it in his pocket to keep it at bay. “You will then be shut out of reviewing the emails or web content of everyone on my team.”

“Is that so, McAdams? On whose authority? Yours?”

“If I don’t get you fired first. Now please leave. You’ve overstayed your welcome.”

Jacob huffed as he left the room, confidence restored at the firing threat. He didn’t think Sean could do it, a mistake he wouldn’t realize until he was packing his desk.

“I should have handled that myself,” Krista said in a small voice.

The power play had shaken her.

“Do you have reason to believe he is reading your emails?” Sean asked, bending to catch her eye.

“I told Kate yesterday that I was having second thoughts about Paul. He shows up today. In the past he has only shown up to ask me out. You do the math.”

“Have you ever mentioned anything in emails about our project?”

“To me, all the time,” Marcus chimed in gleefully, mentally taking notes on the conversation, adding it to the story in progress.

“To Ben, getting help on format, to Kate and Jasmine about a couple of statistical issues. There was never anything in there about the client’s name or anything. It was just numbers or colors. Ben or the girls wouldn’t know anything beyond that.”

Sean nodded, thinking. He turned to Marcus. “Get some gossip. Find out who else Jacob has been spying on. Get some proof if you can.”