Understanding You *Completed*

Twelve

Jocelyn groaned as she turned over, the bed beneath her shifting to hug her form. Immediately her eyes popped open at the feeling and she briefly panicked as she eyed the dark room.

The familiar greenery next to her soothed her worries and she sighed as she laid back in bed. She and Miles had been watching a movie when she must have fallen asleep. Like all other things in his home, the expensive t.v. came down from a slot in the ceiling before returning to its slot after hours of inactivity.

Opening her phone, she groaned as she realized it was 8:30pm and she'd missed her check in with the painting crew. She rolled a couple times to get to the edge of the massive bed before slipping her feet back into her shoes.

Throwing her hands above her head, she stretched wildly then stumbled to the door. An eerie silence sat in the space as she navigated her way to the large lounge near the stairs. She smiled as she noticed the window allowed her to clearly see the twinkling stars in the sky and the city lights.

"Miles?" She called before making her way downstairs. Silence met her ears and she timidly began searching the area for him.

Due to the darkness of the space, she used her phones flashlight to look along the walls for a light switch- careful of where she stepped and where she placed her hands. There were no switches along the walls so she chalked it up to some technology she hadn't been exposed to yet.

"Miles? I have to go!" She called to the space once more before pulling up his contact.

The line rang and she heard a vibration to her left. A bright phone screen showed he'd left his phone in the living room and she smiled at her contact name being simply her name with a red heart.

Leaving him a text message, she carefully navigated her way to the elevator thankful that there was a call button from this end. Once inside, she nervously shifted as the elevator moved down.

It stopped just three floors beneath Miles' and a man in a navy blue suit stepped on. She sent him a polite smile as he eyed her curiously but otherwise said nothing.

Checking her phone, she found it was on 10% so she'd need to charge it as soon as she got back to her car. "Have I seen you before?"

"I'm sorry?" Jocelyn questioned as she finally looked up at the man. He was about two inches taller than her with dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders. The dull brown eyes he possessed were full of confusion as he pondered her existence.

"I'm sorry, you just look so familiar." He smiled, showing off a set of beautiful teeth.

"Mmm, I don't think so." She muttered as her guard went up. It wasn't uncommon for abusers to look her up and try to intimidate her into telling their partners to return to them.

The pepper spray and knife she carried in her purse seemed like a good option as the man fully turned to her. "I think so. Your face is so familiar."

"I doubt we know each other. This is my first time even in this building." She laughed lightly while eyeing the floors they passed.

Just as they made it to the lobby, he snapped his fingers in recognition. "Do you know Harper Fields?"

The name sent a chill down her spine and she wasted no time in bursting from the elevator once the door opened. Thankfully, security sat by the door and there were a number of people milling about.

"Hey!" He called before grabbing her wrist, "I'm not her piece of shit boyfriend."

The rushed sentiment stopped her from grabbing the knife her fingertips had just made contact with.

"Ms. Major, are you alright?" The mention of her name made Jocelyn turn to the woman behind the desk. She harshly eyed the man's grip on Jocelyn's wrist. The woman's attention to her distressed stature made Jocelyn grateful that the staff clearly took security seriously.

"Yes, thank you." She muttered as the security guard at the door stood taller, his eyes locked on the interaction as well.

The woman nodded before picking up the phone at the desk and dialing a number.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put my hands on you especially with what profession you're in." The man smiled softly. "My name's Daniel Crawford. I'm Harper's brother in law. She mentions you all the time saying what a help you've been in getting her away from Robert."

"Okay," Jocelyn took another step back, "I cannot discuss client details with you if that's what you're here for."

"No, of course not. I just wanted to thank you. She's had a lot of people give up on her in her life and I can tell you care about her even outside of it being your job. She really appreciates all you've done for her."

Looking over, Jocelyn noticed the woman at the front desk speaking lowly on the phone yet her eyes were constantly flickering back to the pair.

"It's no problem, really. She's a good woman who deserves better. I have to get going though." Jocelyn smiled politely.

"Right and I'm sorry once again. It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable." He nodded before allowing her to make her way out of the building.

The valet was somehow already outside with her vehicle ready to be driven. "Thank you." She nodded as she took the key and climbed inside.
...

Jocelyn finally made it home, her face lighting up as she eyed the newly painted area. The orange she'd picked gave the room a more homely feeling while subtly brightening it. She noticed they'd taken the liberty of tidying her apartment as well, the dust along her baseboards and wooden fixtures now gone.

"Well I'll be damned." She laughed as she took in the new light they'd also put in over her table. A part of her assumed they must have broken her old one but the sleek design of the new one calmed any complaints she would have had.

Just as she kicked off her shoes, a heavy knocking sounded at her door. She remained silent and stood still waiting for the person to leave.

"Jocelyn, it's me!" Miles' voice echoed from the hallway and eased her rigid stance.

"Miles? What are you doi-" her question was cut off as he threw his arms around her and cradled her head against his chest. The tight grip on her body let her know something was off.

"Are you alright?" He frantically asked as he pulled her face up to look at him- a panic deep within his eyes.

"Yeah," she laughed, "I'm fine. What's wrong?"

"The receptionist told me what happened when you were leaving. What'd he say? Are you hurt?" His eyebrows furrowed with worry as he eyed her wrists and arms.

"No, it was just a misunderstanding. His sister in law is one of my clients and he was just thanking me." Jocelyn interlaced their hands before pulling him inside and locking the door.

She finally noticed the paint stained clothing he wore. Smears of browns, greens, reds, and whites littered his shirt and hands.

"Were you finger painting? Jesus." She laughed as she noticed the smears along his face and neck as well. A redness spread along his cheeks and he dipped his head to pull at his clothing.

"I-I just rushed over here. Sorry."
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