After her discussion with Rufus, Senna was thrilled that she had been able to sleep for the rest of the night without any more weird dreams. Her head ached a little, but otherwise, she felt refreshed. When she looked at the clock, she saw it was almost 10:00 a.m. and chuckled. She had a feeling that Rufus wouldn't be around to bother her for a little while, and she planned to take advantage of the opportunity.
It didn't take much more than an hour for her to shower and get dressed. She still wasn't thrilled at the lack of professional clothing, but at least none of it was obscene. Well, none except that damn nightgown, which she planned to burn at the earliest opportunity.
That idea had a smile on her face when she finally decided to confront whatever was waiting. She wasn't sure if she was pleased it wasn't Rufus or irritated that it was Reno. The red-head had been playing a game of solitaire when she walked in, but he let the cards drop and grinned at her as he sat back. "Damn, you know, I think you get prettier every time I see you. Do you have a sister?"
Senna rolled her eyes but didn't bother answering. Instead, she looked around before she said, "How long until Rufus returns? There were a few things I wanted to ask him."
Reno chuckled and shook his head before he put one hand on his chin and gave her a contemplative look. A spark of shrewdness was evident when he said, "Ya know, the little prince has never been as active as his old man, but he's not been a saint either. Still, can't say I've ever seen him take these kinds of measures to get a piece, so tell me whatcha got on him?"
As disgusting as Senna found Reno's question, she was thankful it wasn't the worst she had ever heard. She was able to keep her irritation hidden as she looked around again. She finally noticed the dining room through a nearby arch and the table with several covered dishes. She turned back to Reno with a raised brow. "Are those for me?"
The Turk chuckled at her non-answer but gestured toward the other room. "I was told ya hadn't eaten in days. Figured you might be hungry. The bossman told me to make sure ya get what ya need, cuz ya ain't leavin'."
None of that was a surprise to Senna, not even the hard look in Reno's eyes that his grin failed to hide. Instead of worrying about getting away, for the moment, she focused on what she could do. She gave him a nod before she said, "Thank you for the food. My stomach has already reminded me that I am in dire need of it. Although, before I eat—if you really have been told to provide me with what I need, I would like to order a few things."
Reno lifted one brow at her calm and confident tone, but he only chuckled and shrugged. "What can I get for ya?"
Senna could tell he was mocking her, but again, it was expected. She ignored it and said, "First, I would appreciate clothing that does not look like I'm ready for a night on the town. Something appropriate for business attire. Also, I need writing supplies. Notebooks and pens would work better than looseleaf, if you could please."
Reno's first response was a raised brow before he said, "Huh, can't say that's what I was expectin', but shouldn't be a problem. This afternoon be ok with you?"
That was actually a better time frame than she had expected, but she didn't say that. Nor did her voice indicate her surprise when she nodded and said, "Perfectly. Thank you."
Reno chuckled again and shook his head but didn't bother adding anything as she walked off. She could still see him from where she sat as he pulled out a cell phone to place her orders. When he was finished, instead of looking her way, he picked his cards up again. Senna watched him for a minute to ensure he wouldn't keep harassing her before she finally gave up and lifted the lids off the containers.
The dishes were still warm, and as soon as the smell lifted from the steam, Senna's stomach loudly let her know that she was even hungrier than she thought. She caught Reno sneaking a peek at her and laughing, but she didn't care. The spread included poached eggs, thick slices of bacon, wheat toast, and a few other things that she didn't recognize. There was also a carafe that ended up being filled with hot coffee. She wasn't sure if they simply had amazing technology for keeping stuff warm, or it hadn't been long since the meal was brought, but either way, she was thrilled with it.
As hungry as she was, Senna still took the time to savor the meal. The dishes might have been common, but the quality was not. Even on her best days, she hadn't been able to get ingredients that good. When she was finally full enough, she refilled the coffee cup and made her way back into the living room.
Reno glanced up with a smirk as he said, "Feel better? You sure took your time."
Senna only shrugged and smirked back as she took a sip of her coffee and cream. She then said, "With food that good, it would have been a waste to rush." She took another sip before she gestured toward the dining area. "By the way, if you haven't eaten, there is some left. I would recommend the toast with cream and jam."
For a moment, it looked like he was considering the offer, but before he could make up his mind, a knock was heard at the door. The Turk was instantly on his feet, and any mirth fell away as he pinned Senna with a frown. "Stay outta sight, and don't try anything funny."
Her only response was to roll her eyes as she took another sip of coffee. Reno's frown deepened at her casual attitude, but he pulled his gun out as he crept closer to the door. Whoever it was knocked again right before Reno hit a nearly invisible pad next to it. A screen hidden by a panel popped out and presumably showed him who was there. Senna couldn't see from where she was sitting, but apparently, it was someone that wasn't a threat. Reno relaxed and put his gun away as he opened the door.
Another familiar face entered, carrying a couple of bags. Rude nodded to her politely before he moved to set his burden down so he could properly address her. "You can call me Rude, ma'am."
Senna raised one brow at the stark difference between the two men and found a smile lifting the corner of her lips at the fact that they were partners. Although, it made sense that they would balance each other out. Finally, she stood with her hand out and a bright smile as she said, "Nice to meet you, Rude; my name is Senna Rhodes."
Reno made a disgusted noise when Rude shook her hand, but she only looked at him with a lifted brow and said, "Perhaps I would have greeted you the same if your first reaction upon meeting me hadn't been a wolf-whistle."
Instead of looking like he had just been reprimanded, Reno smirked with a shrug. Senna tried not to roll her eyes as she returned her focus to Rude. The man gestured to the bags he had just put down as he said, "The rest will be here tomorrow, but these were readily available, and I was asked to bring them to you."
Senna had a feeling she knew what was in the bag and was pleased that it had happened faster than she expected. Still, she needed to confirm, so she pulled the larger of the two bags closer and pulled out two complete outfits. They were both skirt suits, but one was deep indigo, and the other was a darker crimson. Both had the typical white under-blouse.
She was so pleased to have something other than a flashy dress that she shot Rude a grin before she looked into the other bag. That one contained several blank notebooks, a package of pens, and a sealed envelope. Senna pulled the last out with a curious glance at the Turk who brought it, but he just shrugged.
Rude's silence was something Senna would have to get used to, but she didn't press. Instead, she ran her finger under the flap and pulled out a single folded sheet with a quickly scrawled note. 'While your demands were not troublesome, do not forget that I agreed with the expectation that you will fulfill your part of the bargain.'
It irritated the hell out of Senna that she could hear his arrogant voice in her head as she read the note, figuratively speaking. He acted like she was some unpredictable, insecure twit. It especially pissed her off because the note pads were for his benefit. She had planned to start writing everything she could remember down so her thoughts would be lined out when it came time for them to have a heart-to-heart.
Speaking of voices in her head, it was only as that thought passed through that she realized the voice of the planet was muted enough to be barely noticeable. She wondered if Minerva was helping until she got used to them or if it was just that they weren't always as loud as they had been the day before. She hoped it was the latter.
Either way, standing in front of two observant Turks was not the time to be contemplating the issue. Instead, she put everything back in the bags and put the one with the stationery on the coffee table. The other she took with her as she headed to the bedroom she had been using.
Senna quickly changed from her dress into the red suit. The energy it gave off was a boost to her mood that she desperately needed. Since she was only changing, it did not take long before she was finished and headed back into the main room. Unfortunately, Reno was the only one waiting. He flashed her a smirk as he said, "Ya still got me. Until later this afternoon anyway."
Her boosted mood dimmed slightly, but she didn't let him get to her. She already knew what to expect from him, so she ignored his jab and grabbed the bag with the notebooks. She spared a quick glance at Reno before she decided to do a little snooping. There was no doubt in her mind that if Rufus objected, he would have given instructions before he left, and she would be stopped. Not that she had any plans to do anything wrong—she just wanted to find a desk—but she also knew the Turks were paranoid by nature.
Her doubts were proven when she walked toward the closest closed door. It hadn't even looked like Reno was watching, but his voice had an edge when he said, "Where do ya think you're goin'?"
Senna swallowed her sigh and turned to face him with a tight smile. "I was hoping to find a desk. I have quite a bit of work lined out, and I would rather do it somewhere where I can remain organized."
Reno raised one brow at her response before he stood and stared at her for several seconds. She was sure he was debating whether she meant it or not. Finally, he shrugged and pointed to another door. "There ain't an office in the apartment, but that's a study. Should be fine to use."
Senna smiled at his explanation as she thanked him. She thought about throwing in a jab about it not being as hard to help her as he acted, but she kept it in. More for her own sanity than any desire to be nice to the man. Not that she had anything against him, per se, but unnecessarily provoking him would only make things harder for herself.
She was glad to find that the room had a sizable table tucked into one corner. She was even more impressed by the shelves lined with books along one wall. Although, at a glance, she couldn't see anything other than books dealing with learning business acumen and other such things. How boring. At least the room gave her the peace and quiet she needed to get started.
She pulled out the first notebook and a pen, then looked at the blank page with a sigh. Her plan had been to write down everything she could remember from the beginning. She figured it would be easier to talk it through without distractions if she could just hand it over, but where did she start? Did she need to go all the way back to Gast's days with the company? Probably. Honestly, the more she thought about it, the better it seemed. At least the history would be verifiable with a bit of digging, and it could potentially help prove what was to come. With those thoughts in mind, she put pen to paper and tried to write out everything she could remember.
She had no idea how much time had passed, but her aggravation was growing along with the small pile of paper that had accumulated next to her. Her perfectionist tendencies kept coming out at the worst moments. Every time she thought she had it all, something else would come to mind, and she had to go back and change things. Sometimes that meant ripping out what she had and starting that page again.
Her irritation was not helped when Reno swaggered in with a curious look. He looked around at the mess for a few seconds before he reached out for the nearest crumpled page. Senna didn't even look up as she said, "Unless you would like to have a couple of new holes in uncomfortable places, I suggest you keep your hands to yourself."
Reno's response was to huff a laugh as he snatched the paper off the table. "Whatcha gonna do to me? Not like you have a weapon."
Instead of jumping up to try and grab it, Senna looked up with the expression she reserved for recalcitrant witnesses. "Obviously, you have never met a woman who was able to throw a heel with accuracy. Besides, the information on that page is for Rufus's eyes only. You are obviously free to ignore my warning, but know that if you do, his ire will be the one you have to face, not mine alone."
Her threat hadn't done any good, but her last warning seemed to have him hesitating. He didn't open the paper, but he did hold it up as he said, "What is this?"
Senna tried not to sigh as she said, "I am working with Rufus on a potential project. The details are his to share as he sees fit. For now, I suggest you put that down, walk out of here, and pretend that you and I have continued to ignore each other all day."
Reno rolled his eyes at her tone, and it looked like he was still debating what to do. Finally, he tossed the ball of paper back into the pile with the rest and shrugged. "You may be bluffin', but I ain't one to push my luck."
Senna had to fight to repress a triumphant smile as she nodded and said, "Smart man." The Turk made a dismissive noise, but he still turned and walked back out to leave her in peace.
Once Reno quit bothering her, she returned to work, but it wasn't long until she was interrupted again. She looked up in aggravation when the door opened again, but that turned to a blank face when she was confronted with Rufus. He looked around for a moment before he shut the door and said, "I was told you have confined yourself in here all day. Supposedly working on something for me. Should I believe that or not?"
It took all Senna had not to snap at the man. His attitude always seemed to bring out the worst in her. Still, she had not done all that work for nothing. She stood and held out the notebook that already had several filled pages. "Yes, you should. I requested these notebooks to write down everything I know in order. It all started more than twenty years ago, so there is a lot to cover, and I felt this would be easier than a drawn-out conversation that would only annoy both of us."
Rufus took the notebook with a raised brow, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead, he flipped to the first page and skimmed it. Both of his brows rose when he looked back up and said, "I am unsure if I should believe any of this. If it is true, how could you possibly explain your knowledge?"
That was one question Senna still didn't have a good answer to. She tried not to let it show as she stood there under his constant scrutiny. She was grateful for the knock on the door that drew their attention away from the question. Or she would have been if Reno had said anything different when he poked his head in. "Hey, Bossman, your old man came to visit. Said to bring your 'guest' too."
A frown raced across Rufus's face before he could conceal it. Although he looked completely unruffled when he turned back to Senna. "This conversation will be continued later." She could only nod mutely before she followed him back into the living room.
Shinra senior was standing next to the large window and had his back to them when they entered the room. He only turned when Rufus said, "Father. It isn't often that you come here. Is there something I can help you with?"
The older Shinra turned with a slight frown. His gaze flickered over Senna, and she thought she saw a spark of something other than irritation, but she wasn't given a chance to figure it out before his gaze continued to his son. "I was told that you have been harboring an unknown woman in your apartment. I see that the news was correct."
He paused as his eyes flicked to her once again, but whatever he thought was concealed behind his frown as he continued. "While I will not comment on what you do in your personal time, have I not taught you to be more discreet? We may not need to worry about what the populace thinks, but that is no reason to give the impression of affection for an unknown woman. You need to think about the future of this company first."
From the moment Senna realized he was there because of her presence, her mind started furiously working to develop a valid explanation. Thankfully, she thought she had it figured out. And it wasn't really a lie, either.
When Rufus hesitated after his father finished speaking, Senna was quick to step forward with her hand extended. "Pleased to meet you, sir. My name is Senna Rhodes. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it seems there has been some misunderstanding. My relationship with Mr. Shinra is purely professional."
Shinra senior took her offered hand. His grip was tight, and he let it linger a beat too long before he released her. It took all she had to keep her professionalism and not let his tactics intimidate her. Despite Rufus's hold on her, working with him was far better than what might happen if his father got involved. She kept that in mind as she continued.
"You see, I am a legal expert and am working on a project with him to help shape his image and advise him on the future of the company in the decades to come. Not that your rule will end any time soon, but it is always best to be prepared ahead of time."
Senna cringed internally as she thought about what she said. It was the best she could think of, but did she really have to mention the future? That was just as likely to blow up in her face and cause complications she didn't need.
Thankfully, Shinra senior didn't mention it. Instead, he said, "And what of your presence here? It is not commonplace to house our employees in our personal spaces."
Senna's mind went blank on that one. What reason would be believable? Thankfully, she didn't need to come up with a response. Rufus answered for her. "No, we don't typically take those measures, but Miss Rhodes's assistance is valuable to me, so when she was diagnosed with a sickness that could not be handled with normal means, I had her transferred here temporarily to be looked after with the best resources. There is no point in discarding a useful tool before necessary, is there?"
For just a moment, Senna wasn't sure if she was more pissed at Rufus than she was scared of his father. However, his words seemed to have done the trick. Shinra senior looked between the two of them one last time before he focused on Rufus and said, "If this 'project' of yours has something to do with the future of the company, I expect a full report by the end of the day tomorrow. I'd like to see for myself if her assistance is that valuable."
It wasn't a perfect answer, and Senna had no idea how they would devise a complete plan in a day, but at least the man was leaving. He didn't even wait for confirmation before he turned and left them alone in the room.
His sudden absence left Senna reeling. She felt boneless as she flopped down into the nearest seat. It wasn't until Rufus sat across from her that she was brought back to the moment. His frown was pronounced as he said, "It would seem we have a report to write. I hope your supposed knowledge of the future is worth this hassle."
Senna sat back with a frustrated sigh. That was not how she envisioned her day going, but he was right about one thing. If she didn't help him figure out something, it could put her life in danger. Despite her irritation with Rufus, it would seem they were in it together for the time being, whether they wanted to be or not.
A/N: Woah boy, how many of you saw that coming? It isn't bad enough that they still have issues to work out between them, but the stakes just got a lot higher, for both of them. Do you think they can survive being forced to work together? 😂 On another note, for any that missed my announcement, with everything I have going on, I have put myself on a schedule. Being 'not random' helps me get stuff done. That being said, I have four stories that I am currently working on (not counting the work for publication). My plan is to update them all every other week. This gives me structure and you all a set schedule. So, this and the other three will be updated again on Sunday, May 15th, then every other week afterward. I hope this makes it better for you all too. Thank you for reading and cheers!