Читать онлайн книгу «Suspicious Activities» автора Tyler Snell

Suspicious Activities
Tyler Anne Snell
She's always been the boss–now she's the target.As the newest member of Orion Security, Jackson Fields had a lot to prove. But he never expected his first assignment would force him to break every rule in the employee handbook. Nikki Waters has always put her clients’ protection first… until a nightmare from her past resurfaces. Now Jackson must protect his boss to keep her life’s work from crumbling. She’d headhunted Jackson for his raw talent, and was counting on his determination to make sure she lived another day. He has every intention of keeping her safe–especially when his protective detail turns from professional to personal in the blink of an eye.


She’s always been the boss—now she’s the target
As the newest member of Orion Security, Jackson Fields had a lot to prove. But he never expected his first assignment would force him to break every rule in the employee handbook. Nikki Waters has always put her clients’ protection first...until a nightmare from her past resurfaces. Now Jackson must protect his boss to keep her life’s work from crumbling. She’d headhunted Jackson for his raw talent, and is counting on his determination to make sure she lives another day. He has every intention of keeping her safe—especially when his protective detail turns from professional to personal in the blink of an eye
She didn’t ask for or want protection from the new recruit.
Heck, she didn’t want it from even the most seasoned of agents. If the head of Orion couldn’t even protect herself... Her anger quickly turned to embarrassment. She’d frozen when she should have fought. If Jackson hadn’t shown up... Then all Nikki could feel was gratitude and admiration for the man standing in a puddle of spilled red wine.
And then Nikki felt anger again.
“I’m going to call the cops and then we’re going to talk about what the word privacy means,” she said. If Jackson felt underappreciated or shortchanged, he didn’t show it. Instead, he nodded, as if resigned to her future wrath.
Nikki turned and finally left the bathroom.
They both pretended not to hear how much her voice broke as she spoke. Or the way her legs still shook as she walked away.
TYLER ANNE SNELL genuinely loves all genres of the written word. However, she’s realized that she loves books filled with sexual tension and mysteries a little more than the rest. Her stories have a good dose of both. Tyler lives in Florida with her same-named husband and their mini “lions.” When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s playing video games and working on her blog, Almost There. To follow her shenanigans, visit www.tylerannesnell.com (http://www.tylerannesnell.com).
Suspicious Activities
Tyler Anne Snell


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CAST OF CHARACTERS (#ulink_e6acb89b-8954-55a8-a765-ffb28c4484fe)
Nikki Waters—Constantly trying to make up for a tragic mistake years ago, this founder and owner of the Orion Security Group works hard, and often, to ensure anyone who comes asking for safety receives it. But when the tables are turned and she finds herself in need of a bodyguard, can the boss overcome her need to be in complete control? Can she learn to trust the sexy-as-hell man trying to protect her?
Jackson Fields—Trying to forget a past that still haunts him, this newly recruited bodyguard is treating his job as a second chance at life. A task that becomes much harder when his first client ends up being his boss and their attraction is anything but professional. Can he avoid blurring the lines that separate boss and employee? And will his experience and skill be enough to keep a madman from getting his way?
Andrew Miller—Nikki’s old boss is in town and ready to get revenge, but how far is he willing to go?
Jonathan Carmichael—One of Nikki’s best Orion employees, this trainer sees a potential in Jackson that most people overlook.
Mark and Kelli Tranton—Close friends of Nikki, these Orion employees never shy away from letting their boss know they’re worried about her.
Oliver Quinn—Along with Jonathan and Mark, this former bodyguard won’t stop until he knows the threat against Nikki, and Orion, is put to rest. Even if it means revisiting their shared past.
Calvin Cooper—Longtime friend of Nikki, this Dallas detective is on the case when someone is obviously prepared to do her great harm.
This book is for everyone who has encouraged my dream of writing! From Allison, Denise and Jill to every single one of my readers, thank you! You’ll never know how much your support means to me!
Contents
Cover (#ubaa29d33-e64e-5b35-be56-51f0e60542d8)
Back Cover Text (#u1e8b0cbc-1b96-5078-ba9d-9442038d5725)
Introduction (#u650e5dd1-3c49-5ced-beb7-7a97930bca38)
About the Author (#udca67faf-4e70-54e8-944e-89f16ce0d72c)
Title Page (#u7021f85f-520a-5375-9f55-72aac286450c)
CAST OF CHARACTERS (#ulink_58982fd1-257c-5f76-8daa-a2a150c6ccb2)
Dedication (#u0790f980-9ff5-5373-bf18-64cc7225f609)
Chapter One (#u8c29a02a-523c-58f6-82ba-5bff89d97534)
Chapter Two (#u3c8909b1-5116-5cf4-90c0-c4db336dbd45)
Chapter Three (#u1de7dbd6-c2a7-5305-a700-231203e5bd85)
Chapter Four (#u322dbdba-1db0-5013-9664-65e4facca4ad)
Chapter Five (#u200d4e23-4b4c-52cf-91a2-7e71855c6a3e)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_8941e28e-fa36-51b3-958e-b957e3088f4a)
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Nikki Waters turned away from the image on her computer screen and shook her head at the man standing across from her.
“When you said this one was a little rough around the edges, I thought you were warning me about—I don’t know—about his lack of tact or maybe his hair was a little too shaggy.” She motioned to the screen. “Not a rap sheet that was so long I had to scroll to read it all.”
The man in the doorway chuckled. He shrugged. “Does it help that his hair is a little too shaggy?”
Jonathan Carmichael was trying to be cute, trying to be funny, but Nikki didn’t have time for his playful mood. Not tonight.
Tonight she, for once, had plans.
“A few drunken fights when he was young and stupid,” he said. “Nothing to write home to Mom about.”
Nikki felt a headache brewing just behind her eyes. She loved her job and loved the tall, dark-haired man in front of her like a brother, but the stress of her plans combined with the man Jonathan was trying to sell her on was starting to create a monster headache.
“I trust you—you know that—but I run a security agency here,” she tried. “Our clients come to us for help, for protection, and hope—expect—that we do our due diligence with our agents. From what I can tell about this man based on your write-up, he is hotheaded, impulsive and, if I had to guess, your classic lone wolf. In other words, a questionable fit for Orion Security Group.”
Nikki laced her fingers together over the top of the desk. As she spoke, she felt the change in her demeanor from Nikki the friend to Nikki the boss. Jonathan, along with a handful of other Orion employees who doubled as her closest friends, often joked about that change. When Nikki was firm, it was hard to shake her resolve.
“Listen, you know how important this place is to me,” Jonathan said, sobering. “I wouldn’t personally be vouching for someone I didn’t think would benefit Orion and its clients. He has a past, yeah, but you read what happened to him. What happened when he was young.” He paused so she had time to recall what he was talking about.
The stall wasn’t needed. As soon as she’d read the small yet monumental line about his past, she’d known she wouldn’t forget it. Probably couldn’t if she’d tried. Nikki looked back at the man on the screen.
Jonathan must have taken that as a sign to drive his point home. “He’s rough around the edges, but after what he’s been through, after all the excuses he could use—what happened, how people have most likely treated him up until this point—he didn’t once make any excuse or try to sell me a sob story.”
Jonathan gave her a small smile. “You asked me to vet potential recruits and I vetted the hell out of him. He’s a man with drive, focus and raw talent. He can deal out a punch and he can take one, too. I’m not saying we throw him into fieldwork next week, but with time and training I think he could be one of the best.”
Nikki was surprised at that opinion. When she’d started Orion five years ago, Jonathan and his team of Oliver Quinn and Mark Tranton were her first bodyguards as well as first-anything employees. Even though Orion had expanded in the years that followed, hiring more agents and staff, Jonathan and his team were still the best. So, for the most quiet of the three to be standing in front of her now, vouching for a man who was potentially better... Well, that made her pause. She looked at the once-bodyguard, now full-time trainer in front of her. Jonathan was tall, lean and undoubtedly in shape. His hair was dark and short and his face was open and calm. Of the original three, he was the most responsible. Not to mention he was also fiercely loyal to Orion. Maybe, at times, even more so than Nikki.
Orion was his family. One they had all created when they needed one most.
He’d never jeopardize that.
Nikki let out a long, pointed breath. “When did he say he could start?”
Jonathan cracked a smile.
“Today,” he said. “In fact, he’s still in the training room.”
Nikki felt Boss Nikki switch gears to Friend Nikki. She laughed.
“And if I’d said no?” she asked.
“Then this would have been really awkward.”
“Well, I’m glad we can avoid that, then. Now go forth and impart to him all of your unending wisdom and experience,” Nikki said with a flourish. “And I’ll be in there with a contract after I’m done getting ready.”
Jonathan nodded and started to leave.
“But, Mr. Carmichael? If he makes one wrong move, I will exercise my right to terminate him.”
Jonathan didn’t break his stride. “I wouldn’t have expected anything less.”
She watched the trainer walk out of her office and into the heart of Orion. While they’d had continuing success in the last few years, Nikki had decided to keep the main office in Dallas, Texas, the only office. It was important to her to have one fixed place to come back home to. Not just for her, but for all the agents.
There was only one exception, and that was the freelance division, headed by Oliver Quinn out of his and his wife’s home in Maine, but they operated through conference calls and video chats almost daily. Everything else that made up Orion—and Nikki’s life—was within the brick walls of the one-story building. It was within that building, within her office, that she now stared at a bag in the corner. Thoughts of the new recruit, his questionable past and how handsome his picture had been, fizzled out. Instead they were replaced by a nervousness she didn’t often feel.
I hope I don’t blow it tonight.
* * *
JACKSON FIELDS WAS DRENCHED. From head to toe, his clothes were soaked in sweat. They were cold against skin that burned from exertion. His muscles vibrated still, even after they’d taken a break. What had gone from a job offer to talking about the basics had turned into a sparring match with a man surprisingly well experienced.
“You’re fast,” Jonathan said, refilling his cup at the water fountain just outside the training room. “Not as fast as me, but that’ll take some time.”
The man smirked as he said it, cueing Jackson in not to take offense. He was joking with him, something he wasn’t used to from relative strangers.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Jackson admitted. “Definitely have some potential.”
Jonathan laughed. “I’m glad you think so.” They both finished their water and refilled. Jackson hadn’t worked that hard in a while. Not with a partner at least. It was a welcome feeling.
“So, what happens now?” he asked, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Another round?”
Jonathan looked at the watch on his wrist. “As much as I like your enthusiasm not only to stay late on a Friday night but to keep working, I’m going to have to pass. I promised the lady a home-cooked meal and a night of binge-watching The Blacklist.” His eyes narrowed. “And believe me, you don’t want to anger Kate. She’s got resources.”
There was no ring on his finger, but Jackson didn’t miss the obvious affection in Jonathan’s words.
“Let me go give her a call and then we can hand that contract over to the boss and head out.”
Jackson nodded and drained the rest of his cup. He eyed the bench next to the gym’s door. On it were papers that he hadn’t expected to receive. Within their legal jargon was a job offer he hadn’t thought would come.
With a past like his, he didn’t often catch a break. At least not once his name was heard and the recognition that normally always followed connected. While he was more than willing to show he could work hard by staying even later, he also was anxious to meet the head honcho. Since Jonathan had met Jackson at a bar less than a week earlier and the two had gotten to talking, landing Jackson an informal interview in the process, he hadn’t had the chance to meet the boss. He actually hadn’t even looked him up. Not when a big part of him had thought landing a job with a company in security would never pan out. He’d had too many opportunities go south when they did background checks.
Now that he’d been given an opportunity, he didn’t want to mess anything up.
Jackson looked around the “grazing area” as Jonathan called it, taking in the large common room most agents lounged in from time to time. It was after six on a Friday, so as far as he knew not many people were still inside. An agent named Thomas was locked in his office, poring over papers, and a woman named Jillian had said hello before retreating into her office to do some “security reinforcement,” but beyond that the place was mostly empty. Jackson couldn’t deny he preferred it that way. While he liked Jonathan for his vote of confidence, he wasn’t about to ask the guy to pal around.
He threw away his paper cup and went over to his exercise bag, already picturing the black shirt he was about to change into. Jonathan had suggested he bring a change of clothes if they ended up doing some training. At the time Jackson had thought that was a bit presumptuous, but now he was grateful for the optimistic move. His gray shirt wasn’t hiding any of his perspiration. If he was about to meet the main boss, then he’d at least try to keep his top half somewhat presentable. He stripped off his shirt and grabbed the clean one from his bag. He was holding it in hand when the sound of clicking echoed behind him. He turned, confused.
And then promptly stared.
The clicking was caused by a pair of high heels moving across the hardwood through the grazing area and straight toward him. In those high heels were long legs wrapped in black that attached to a woman not at all looking like she should have been standing in a bodyguard agency. Along with her heels and leather pants, she wore a white blouse that jutted down in a V, partially showing off a chest that wasn’t large but was still generous. She wore a dark red blazer that had no doubt been intended to play off her dark red hair, which fell in large, loose waves and looked absolutely soft to the touch. He didn’t wonder if her hair was natural or not. Her skin was on the pale side and, even though she wore full makeup, he could see a few freckles splashed atop her cheeks. These small details coupled with her high cheekbones, sharp jaw and thin—yet not in a bad way—lips created the image of a confident, beautiful woman. Jackson knew he took in all the details quickly, but as he looked into the green-eyed, unending stare of the absolutely attractive woman in front of him, he wondered if he really had been staring for too long.
The woman cleared her throat, and her eyes flicked downward quickly before coming back up. Her cheeks, rosy already, seemed to take on another shade of blush. Jackson realized he was still standing without his shirt.
“Sorry,” he said, hurriedly throwing on his spare. The woman smiled and waved her hand, dismissive.
“You’d be surprised how many shirtless men I run into while in here,” she said. “I suppose it’s an occupational hazard, especially since we had the gym put in.”
Jackson’s brow rose as he lowered his shirt.
“You work here?” he asked, confused. Dressed as she was, he’d assumed maybe she had come in as one of Jillian’s friends or maybe even Thomas’s girlfriend. Certainly not an employee.
The woman smirked. “You could say that.”
She stuck out her hand. He noted a silver band on her thumb and pristine fingernails and polish. Whoever she was, he’d bet her attention to detail always erred on the side of meticulous. Jackson shook and was surprised at how firm her grip was.
“You’re Jackson Fields, right?”
Jackson nodded.
“Jonathan speaks highly of you. I see you’ve probably been sparring.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while since I had a good match,” he admitted. “He’s good.”
The woman nodded.
“He’s smart, too,” she added. “He knows how to handle difficult situations with objective thinking and rarely acts impulsively. He’s a smart kind of brawn and one of the best examples of knowing how to fight smart versus flying off the hinges.”
Jackson tilted his head slightly. The woman’s tone had shifted into that of a parent talking about someone else when really she was trying to teach her kid the lesson. A passively pointed conversation. One directed at him. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave the woman a long look. He didn’t care how attractive she was; he didn’t like being lectured.
“Some would argue that thinking too much can sometimes complicate a situation more than acting impulsively,” he shot back, tone matching.
“And most of those people find themselves on the wrong end of those situations when all they needed to have done was take a beat and think logically.”
Any trace of a smile had been wiped from her lips. Jackson knew he’d met his match.
“Acting on impulse suggests passion,” he said. “When you have passion as your driving force, you are harder to slow down. To stop. To beat. Taking the time to overthink everything suggests that that person doesn’t really care what he’s fighting for.” He shrugged. “And, in my opinion, I would bet that person doesn’t even know what passion is.” The last part was, of course, meant for the woman in front of him. The one judging him like all the others had done before and still did. He raised his eyebrow at her just in case she missed his jab. She wasn’t the only one who could be passive.
The woman’s jaw set hard, her eyes narrowed and her lips thinned slightly. She looked like she was rearing for a comeback when Jonathan walked in from the hallway. He smiled at the two of them and walked over.
“I see you’ve already met the boss, then,” Jonathan greeted.
Jackson’s eyes widened.
Of course she was the boss.
Nikki Waters.
She cut eye contact with him when she answered the man. “We were just having a pleasant conversation in which I think Mr. Fields was implying I needed more passion in my life.”
Jonathan burst into laughter.
“Rough around the edges, remember?” he said.
Nikki held out her hand in response.
“Your contract, please,” she said to Jackson. He handed it to her without a word. Not because he was intimidated or embarrassed, but because he didn’t just want this job. He needed it. Unless he’d already shot himself in the foot. Instead of tearing up the papers like he was afraid she might, Nikki put the folder beneath her arm and fixed him with a fierce stare. “Now, if you two will excuse me, I have an important meeting.”
Jonathan seemed to sober a bit.
“Good luck,” he said. She nodded, turning on her heel. She paused long enough to say something to the trainer.
“And his hair is too shaggy.”
Then she was gone.
* * *
NIKKI TAPPED HER heel against the ceramic tile and desperately wanted not one but several more drinks. She didn’t often indulge in alcohol, but tonight of all nights she found her nerves craved it. Looking at the people around her, all in varying physical descriptors, ethnicities, ages and interests, she questioned why she was even there.
Was there not another way?
Was this her last option?
Would this even work?
“—so I have to stay in perfect shape all the time,” the man across the table from her said, obviously proud. “How could I help people sculpt the perfect bodies if their fitness instructor didn’t have one, too?”
Nikki’s need for another drink was almost as great as the mass of the man’s biceps. She gave him a polite smile that she hoped wouldn’t be construed as romantic interest. The man might have been attractive, but in the two minutes they’d had to talk he hadn’t once asked her a question. If Nikki had wanted to sit in silence, she would have stayed at home instead of coming out to a speed-dating event.
“I actually had a woman come up to me after class and say I changed her life with my w—”
A bell went off and Nikki nearly clapped. The man seemed upset he couldn’t finish his “stories of me,” but she had no doubt he’d continue them with the woman at the next table. He didn’t say goodbye as he stood up and started to leave. Nikki took the opportunity to pull her phone out of her purse and check the time.
Her thoughts jumped to the man back at Orion who had clearly made the accusation that she didn’t know what passion was. Even though she’d known Jackson Fields probably wasn’t the best conversationalist, she’d been surprised at his quickness to undercut her subtle accusation with one of his own. Those blue-gray eyes hadn’t backed down and hadn’t submitted. In his short rebuttal about “passion” he’d been passionate.
Nikki sighed.
He’d also been right about his assumption of her lacking passion.
But maybe, just maybe, tonight would help with that side of her life.
Before she could leave thoughts of him behind, she pictured him again. Even though he’d been shirtless, showcasing a tan and a toned chest, it was his smile that had first caught her attention. Despite his past, it had been strong, showing a man who looked confident, even if his dirty blond hair shagged out over his ears and his cut jaw had sported a little more than a five o’clock shadow. She’d bet he hadn’t been expecting to actually get offered the job. Or else, hopefully, he would have tried to look a bit more kempt. Though she hadn’t necessarily been put off by his appearance, either, shirt or not.
Nikki shook her head, trying to sling off the snapshots of his body. Tonight wasn’t about him or work. It was about Nikki and trying to find someone she could laugh with, share some quality time with. Someone compatible who didn’t scare easily when she told him she ran an agency of muscled men who had protected hundreds of people over the years.
She put her phone back in her purse and pasted on a smile as someone cleared his throat, bringing her attention to the new man in front of her.
She froze.
This man was definitely not the one she was looking for.
“I know we’re supposed to tell each other good things about ourselves in the hope of making a meaningful connection in the next two minutes,” he started. “But how about instead I use that time to tell you about all the things wrong with you?” He gave a smile. It sent ice through her. “What do you say to that, Miss Waters?”
Chapter Two (#ulink_c78d5e5b-78df-5046-87ae-ad23f047032d)
Jackson couldn’t believe his stupidity. How he hadn’t put two and two together that the redhead in heels and leather pants was the famous Nikki Waters whom Jonathan had mentioned, he didn’t know.
She was so distracting, he thought, trying to take it easy on himself. The way she had moved and talked was nothing but confidence and power. He’d dated many women before who had also held their own, but there was something different about the redhead.
Snap out of it, Jackson! You need this job, and that’s your boss.
He walked into his apartment and straight into the shower. The culmination of his workout and meeting the woman—with a bad first impression to boot—had created the need to cool off. He cleared his mind as much as he could while the water ran over him. It helped for the most part. Jackson got out, toweled off and managed to make it through two beers before any thoughts of the woman popped up again.
Jonathan had been honest with him at their meeting. The boss was made aware of his past before she decided to hire him. His criminal history—which wasn’t that bad in his opinion—would show up on the background check. There was no avoiding that...but did she know the rest?
Did she know about his father?
On cue, the echoes of the past shrieked across his memory.
He took a long pull of his drink and tried not to remember. It had been years. He’d grown up, moved away and survived it all.
Nikki Waters had, for whatever reason, given him a second chance. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to waste it.
* * *
ANDREW MILLER LOOKED no different than the last time she’d seen him. Chestnut hair, thick and falling at his chin, always tucked behind his ears. A jaw that was well defined and always cleanly shaven and lips plump yet not overly so. He had eyes that were brown, hooded by brows that were perfectly groomed. His clothes might have changed colors but not style. Even after everything he’d been through, he was still dressed as if he were going out to the opera when in actuality he was sitting at a restaurant that she knew for a fact hosted karaoke on Tuesdays. But Andrew wouldn’t care about a small detail like that. He knew he looked good and wanted others to know it, too.
The cold that had surrounded Nikki quickly melted.
Then heated up even more.
“What are you doing—” she’d started to hiss when he held up his hand.
“Nikki, why don’t you let me go first?”
Andrew leaned back a fraction in his chair to appear nonchalant. But there was nothing nonchalant about him being there. In Dallas. In the bar. Right in front of her.
No. This was wrong.
“On the outside you appear to be compassionate, thoughtful, driven. Traits that are hailed as a trinity that, together, can ultimately create a good person. What you exude is a persona that many would pay for, fight for. You inspire, you rally, you persevere.” His small smile started to drip down his chin. “But I know who and what you really are.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, no fear, just rising anger.
“You’re an opportunist. A vulture waiting, circling its prey in hopes of devouring everything it’s ever worked for—everything it’s accomplished.” His jaw muscles tightened. He was baring his teeth.
She wasn’t the only one warring with anger.
“Everything I’ve accomplished,” he snarled.
Nikki wanted to glance around at the surrounding tables to see if anyone was catching this non-speed-dating conversation, but there was something oddly transfixing about the man in front of her. Unlike Jackson, who had been intriguing with a good dose of some unknown pull, Andrew was an old face she had never thought she’d see again. And now she couldn’t look away.
“If you’re itching to place blame, just look in a mirror,” she said, fire so hot in her words that they came out cold. “Don’t blame me for what happened.”
Andrew slammed his fist against the tabletop with such force that Nikki pushed back in her chair.
“You are the only person to blame,” he roared.
The chatter around them died. For one long moment, all Nikki could hear were the soft sounds of the radio pumping through the wall speakers. She didn’t move, stunned.
Andrew’s heaving chest settled into a more socially suitable clip. His smile reformed. He seemed to know he’d just caused a scene. He nodded to the people around them, then focused on Nikki again.
“I’m not here to point fingers, Nikki,” he almost cooed. “I’m here to teach you a lesson about cause and effect. About consequences.” He leaned across the table.
Nikki, not one to back down, especially for Andrew Miller, couldn’t help feeling the desire to pull away.
“Cause—you destroyed me. Effect—now I’m going to destroy you.” His smile turned absolutely sincere. “So get ready, Nikki. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Andrew left the table quickly and quietly, exiting onto the sidewalk and walking out of view from the windows. The bell went off, signaling for the men to switch again. The woman to the right of Nikki leaned over.
“Men like him make me think being single forever is not such a bad thing,” she whispered. Nikki’s eyes stayed on the door.
“Amen to that.”
Nikki collected her things and apologized to her next potential suitor. His eyes traveled to the voluptuous blonde two tables down as he said “No problem.”
Downtown Dallas was buzzing as she followed the sidewalk down toward the communal parking lot. The faux leather pants that had been a daring choice that morning when she picked out her potential date-night outfit now clung to her uncomfortably. The heels that were higher than any others she wore on a normal occasion now bit at her feet. Her hair, curled instead of straightened, hung heavy against her shoulders.
What was supposed to have been an attempt to have a life outside of Orion and her work had been shut down by the one man who had helped her create Orion in the first place.
Her thoughts slid to Oliver Quinn, Mark Tranton and Jonathan Carmichael. If Andrew was in town, her original three agents would want to know. She could picture their faces as she told them, all contorting in the anger she still felt burning when she thought of the man. What Andrew had done, or rather hadn’t done, had changed all of their lives. Nikki and the guys had come to Dallas seeking redemption. They’d spent the last several years trying to save as many people as they could, protecting them without worry of turning a profit.
Apparently Andrew hadn’t sought the same.
And now he was in Dallas.
Why? Was he really here to mess with her?
She thought about the man she used to know quite well. He was clever and brilliant and certainly selfish. Was he stupid enough, malicious enough, to try to hurt her?
No. He’s just blowing off steam.
He had been right. After what she’d done, she doubted everything in his life had gone back to the way it was before. Beautiful women hanging on his arms, an exuberant amount of money and a reputation built up on pillars of gold. Andrew Miller had been a rock star in Chicago.
Until...
Nikki shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. If Oliver, Mark and Jonathan could find happiness and balance, then she could, too. All work and no play had been her resounding motto for the last five years. It was time to step away from work after-hours. To think about things other than Orion Security Group.
Which seemed like a hard task when she finally got to her car.
Spray-painted in red across her light blue car were the words Orion Bitch in big bold letters. She walked up and ran her finger across the O. It was dry. Apparently Andrew’s steam hadn’t yet gone out. The anger reserved only for him began to flame up again. She fisted her hand and retraced the words with her eyes.
Slowly the flames abated.
She let out a long stream of air between her dark red lips and wondered if trying to find a suitable date would always be this hard.
* * *
JACKSON GOT HIS first chance to score some points with his new boss early the next morning. His phone belted out a series of rhythmic beeps until he woke up, alert and ready to throw a punch. It took him a few seconds to fight out of the disorientation of sleep to realize someone was calling.
The number was unknown but looked familiar. He answered it, cautious.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Jackson Fields?” a woman asked. He couldn’t place the voice.
“This is.”
“Good! This is Kelli Tranton, filling in as the Orion secretary.”
Jackson thought back to the name. It definitely sounded familiar. “Tranton...”
“My husband is Mark, one of the lead agents.”
Bingo.
“Jonathan mentioned him,” he said.
“Funny you should say that, because Jonathan is the one who told me to call you,” she said with a laugh.
That made Jackson pause. He’d had the job less than twenty-four hours and now he was getting called in already? Looked like this job’s pace was a bit quicker than he’d originally thought. “What’s up?”
“Nikki called with car trouble, which normally wouldn’t matter on the weekend, but we have a conference call with a potential client in about an hour. I was going to go get her, but Jonathan said that you might benefit from showing the boss you don’t mind working above and beyond what’s required.” She said the last part like she was repeating a direct quote.
Maybe Jackson wasn’t the only one who thought he needed to get back in Nikki’s good graces. “Yeah, I can go grab her.”
“Great,” she chimed. “And good luck!”
Jackson hoped he wouldn’t need luck for the simple task of taxiing his boss to work but, either way, he dressed with speed and headed out.
Half an hour later he was standing in front of apartment 203, knuckles rapping against the weathered door. To his surprise, the almighty boss woman didn’t live in a new construction but an older complex that didn’t even have a buzzer. It was interesting to find that a woman who had created a security organization didn’t live with an ample amount of, well, security. Anyone could simply walk through the shared front entrance and up the public stairs to her door.
It concerned him and he didn’t know why.
“Coming,” he heard on the other side of the door. Moments later the dead bolt slid open and the chain lock fell. Then it was just Nikki staring, obviously surprised, at him.
“You aren’t Kelli,” she stated, door not fully open. Instead of the not-so-work-appropriate outfit she had been sporting the night before, Nikki wore a pair of light blue jeans, a dark red blouse and black heels. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun, while her makeup was toned down, lips glossy instead of dark red. This was a casual look, he was sure. One she probably didn’t take on during the week.
Jackson was surprised that he still found her sexy as hell.
“I was sent instead,” he said, avoiding implicating Jonathan.
Nikki didn’t look disappointed, but she didn’t look pleased, either. She reached beside the door and grabbed a purse that made her casual outfit somehow more proper and began to shut the door. Her face was pinched, concentrated, and she looked like she’d not slept well at all.
“So, what’s wrong with your car?” he asked, trying to make conversation as they trailed down the stairs and into the lobby. “My uncle was a mechanic. Taught me some things. I could take a look really quick.”
Nikki tensed.
“I’m sure it’s nothing too serious,” she said, oddly dismissive. “I just didn’t have time to take it in this morning. I’ll do it later.”
Jackson looked at his watch.
“We have enough time to make your meeting,” he tried. “Come on, I don’t mind. It might just save you a trip to one of the price-gouging shops around here.”
As he was talking, he switched directions and started to walk out the back door toward the parking. He wasn’t a grade-A mechanic, but he had been taught enough. What better way to get on Nikki’s good side than by potentially fixing her car? Even taking the time to at least look at it should score him some more points, right?
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, walking the other way.
If he hadn’t been as eager as he was—a word he liked better than stubborn—he would have followed. Instead he swung open the back door and stepped outside, eyes already searching for a car that would just scream Nikki Waters. However, the question of what she drove died on his tongue. Less than a foot out, he spotted a blue four-door in the corner of the lot. The words Orion Bitch could be seen through the windows of the car next to it.
Chapter Three (#ulink_2168bee1-73c2-54bc-bc81-f80788182423)
Nikki sighed heavily behind him.
“Your car trouble is graffiti,” Jackson deadpanned.
“Yes. Now can we go?” Nikki placed her hands on her hips.
“Is there anything on the other side?”
He could tell she was holding back an eye roll when she answered.
“Yes. It says the same thing.”
Jackson raised his brow, but the woman was already retreating. He followed without a word to the temporary roadside parking. She didn’t have to ask what car was his. Nikki walked up to his Ford and waited for him to unlock it, quickly opening the door herself.
She was definitely a fan of control.
“So I guess you really did do your research on me,” Jackson said when he settled in. “You didn’t have to ask which car was mine.”
“We’re very thorough with our vetting process. We like to have all the facts.”
“We? But aren’t you the boss? Aren’t you the one who makes all the final decisions?”
Nikki smiled; the look wasn’t particularly kind.
“That may be true, but I’m a team player,” she said. “I never make big decisions without the input of my employees.”
Jackson pulled out into traffic and started on their way.
Did that mean she’d gotten consensus about him? He’d been hired so quickly she wouldn’t have had the time, would she? And did that mean that everyone within Orion knew about him? About his past? Instead of asking any of these questions, he asked a more pressing one.
“Do you know who did that to your car?”
Nikki tensed further. He didn’t miss her hand half fist before she caught herself and went about smoothing the wrinkle in her jeans. She did know who did it.
“No,” she lied. “Probably someone who just wanted to cause some trouble.”
“But it was oddly specific. Whoever did it knows you.”
Nikki shrugged.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll have it taken care of later,” she said, eyes following the cars outside the windshield. “Not a big deal. Jackson—” she started, then stopped. She seemed to be rethinking what she had been about to say. “There’s no need to tell Kelli or the others,” she said. “They’d worry for no reason.”
Jackson gave her a knowing smirk. “So you do know who did it, then.”
Nikki gave a smile, but it was mocking. One that burned bright and then was doused. It was a telltale sign of annoyance. Nikki didn’t like him. Yet she had hired him. Before he could stop himself, he had to ask why.
“You’ve read all my files, and I’m betting you didn’t just stop at my criminal record,” he started. “Not trying to sound ungrateful, but why did you hire me? Not many people who know what happened give me the time of day.”
He didn’t look at her as he asked, keeping his eyes on the traffic, but from his peripheral he could almost see her harden. This time it wasn’t from tension.
It was something else.
“Because everyone deserves a second chance.”
They didn’t talk the rest of the way to Orion. Nikki brought out her phone and seemingly answered emails until he stopped the car outside the brick building. In large metal letters, ORION SECURITY GROUP hung like a beacon above the double front doors, sunlight reflecting from it onto the asphalt. The name meant little to him, but he hadn’t missed the reverence Jonathan had displayed while talking beneath it the day before. This place was a job, but Jackson was starting to see it meant more to a few of them than just that.
“Thank you for the ride,” Nikki said before opening her door. “If you want to use the gym during the call, feel free.”
Jackson raised his brow at her before glancing in the backseat at his duffel bag. He’d already planned on hitting the gym after he dropped her off. She opened the door and turned back, throwing out a wink. “What I lack in passion I make up for in keen observation skills.”
The way she said it, voice dipping low, coupled with her playful wink and matching smirk, momentarily kept Jackson still in his seat. He was starting to think that maybe having Nikki Waters as his boss might be harder than any client or case they threw his way.
Jackson grabbed his bag, taking her up on her offer, and followed her in. He wasn’t about to touch the jab about his jab about passion and how she might need more of it in her life. Somehow he thought it might be a harder task to apologize to the woman. If he didn’t do it the right way, then he’d do more damage than good.
A woman with short blond hair and a small baby bump met them in the lobby. When she saw Jackson, she gave him a big smile with a fun laugh tacked on.
“Jonathan wasn’t sure you’d get here in one piece,” she greeted, confirming it was Kelli. “Glad you survived.”
Nikki let out a particularly loud sigh.
“Of course it was Jonathan,” she muttered. “Where is he?”
“Already in the conference room, talking to Oliver on the phone. He said he has everything set up for the meeting.”
“Good.” Nikki turned to Jackson and motioned to Kelli. “Jackson, this is Kelli Tranton. Word to the wise, if you leave any food in the break room refrigerator, this one right here will most likely eat it.”
The two women laughed together while Kelli pointed to her stomach in defense.
“Blame Mark Tranton for that,” she said, motioning to her pregnant belly. “Just be grateful I’m not eating your chocolates.”
“My what?” Nikki asked, playful mood on pause.
Kelli’s face lit up and she moved behind the secretary’s desk.
“I almost forgot! These were on the doorstep in a box this morning with your name on them.” Kelli produced a heart-shaped box of chocolates with a ribbon tied around it. “There’s no name aside from yours on it. Must be a secret admirer. Just be thankful I got it before the heat did.”
Jealousy, swift and pungent, moved through Jackson. It caught him by surprise. Why should he care that his boss had an admirer? He’d only met the woman yesterday afternoon.
“Oh, and it came with this, too. I didn’t open it.” Kelli handed over what looked like a blank white envelope. It wasn’t even sealed. Jackson watched as Nikki uncertainly took out an equally plain sheet of printer paper and unfolded it.
And just like that, Nikki’s body language completely changed. Her good mood evaporated. The shift was so quick that it put Jackson on alert.
“What is it?” Kelli asked, not missing the change, either.
Nikki rescanned whatever was written on it before answering.
“It’s nothing,” she said, voice a little too harsh. She readjusted her mood, adding a smile to her lips and folding the paper back up. “Just some nonsense of a man trying too hard.”
Jackson might not have known the beautiful woman next to him, but he knew in that moment, without a doubt, that she was telling a lie.
A big one at that.
Nikki made a beeline for her office and was back out and into the conference room before Jackson had even walked into the bathroom to change. He threw on a pair of slick black athletic shorts that cut off at the tops of his knees and a loose tank top. It had the silhouette of a wolf drinking a beer as a logo superimposed against the blue cotton. He looked down at the obnoxious shirt and realized it might be time to buy new workout clothes. At the gym he frequented near his place, often he’d lose the shirt halfway through his routine, but Jackson thought that, considering how he’d started off with the boss, keeping said shirt on might be best.
His thoughts on his apparel drifted as he left the bathroom and headed to the gym. Starting with the weights lining the back wall, he tried to keep his mind away from his boss. Less than two days on the new job and he was already having to distract himself.
* * *
“WAS IT JUST me or did he talk way more than he needed to?”
Oliver Quinn’s voice floated up from the middle of the table on the conference phone’s speaker. He seemed to be picking up on exactly what Nikki was feeling. Jonathan nodded from the seat next to her.
“He sure seemed to like the sound of his voice,” Jonathan added. “We should have let him run the meeting.”
Oliver snorted.
“Nik is nice but not that nice,” he said.
“You best remember that,” she responded, pinching the bridge of her nose. A headache had planted itself between her eyes while their now confirmed client chattered on endlessly. “I’ll tell you, though, nice, professional or otherwise, I’m starting to get tired of the wealthier clients.” She looked down at her notes and the name that lined the top.
Oliver, ever the encouraging one, jumped in before she could continue. “Hey, remember, occasionally we need to work with the rich to help the not-so-rich. We’re like—”
“Robin Hood,” Nikki and Jonathan finished at the same time. Oliver laughed.
“I guess I say that a lot,” he ventured.
Nikki nodded to the phone. “Every time we don’t like one of the snobby clients.” But as she said it, she realized that it was something she liked to be reminded of from time to time. Orion worked on a mostly pro bono basis, giving security to those who really needed it despite their financial status. However, good intentions couldn’t always pay the bills for them to keep the business going. That meant that once in a while they had to take on a much wealthier client to keep Orion’s doors from closing. In a month she would dispatch a team to protect Grant Riley, something of a technology guru with little tact and a lot of attitude. Nikki sighed, already knowing that it would be an interesting contract.
“Well, boys, there’s something I need to take care of really quickly, so can you two give Mark a call and loop him into what’s going on?” Nikki looked down at her cell phone’s clock. “He should be on break now.”
Oliver said, “Aye aye, captain,” while Jonathan saluted. If her thoughts hadn’t already turned back to the chocolates and accompanying letter, she would have smiled or laughed. As it was, she left the conference room and swiftly went to reception.
There, she addressed Kelli with more force than she’d intended. “I need your car for a bit.”
* * *
JACKSON WATCHED THROUGH the Plexiglas windows of the gym as Nikki walked to the front of the building with the pinched expression of someone deep in thought. He stopped his workout and decided it was time to take a break, too. Getting some water from the cooler just outside the door, he waited for Jonathan to follow. When he didn’t come out, Jackson moved closer to the door.
He heard voices on the other side.
Jackson moved down the hall toward reception and peeked through the cracked door. Kelli was on the phone. He craned his head around without notice from the woman and scanned the rest of the room.
No Nikki.
Jackson downed the rest of his water and decided to make a bad decision.
Thirty seconds later his cup was in the trash and he was standing in Nikki’s office, the door closed behind him. He wasn’t surprised that it hadn’t been locked. Nikki seemed to trust everyone in Orion without issue. Well, maybe not him. Not yet anyway. And, well, maybe not if she caught him now.
But I’m trying to help, he reasoned with himself.
Something was definitely wrong with the woman and that letter she’d received. Not to mention the graffiti on her car. Jackson might not have known her well at all, but what he could bet of Nikki Waters was that she didn’t easily ask for help.
So he’d do it without her knowledge. It was the least he could do when she’d given him the job.
Jackson moved across the woman’s desk and the files on top without trying to pry. Next he went to the filing cabinet in the corner and slowly slid the top open. Folders with employee names filled it, even his. Temptation to see his file was great, but he didn’t want to push his luck any more than he already had done by staying longer in the office. He didn’t know when Nikki would be back and he had no idea when Jonathan would be done. He closed the cabinet and went back to the desk.
There he noticed the tiny drawer on top with the lock on the outside and knew without a doubt that was where she’d put her letter.
You shouldn’t be doing this, Jackson thought as he grabbed a paper clip from a neat little tray on the desk’s top. This is a breach of trust, he thought as he unfolded the clip. If she catches you, then the one good dose of luck you’ve had in a while will go down the drain. Jackson began to pick the lock, drowning out his own concerns until one thought repeated and the drawer opened.
Old habits die hard.
There, folded just how it had been when handed over to her, was the white sheet of paper resting on top. With only a small hesitation Jackson picked it up and unfolded it.
“What the hell?” he asked the room.
There were no declarations of love or even like and there was no name. Typed in tight black font were only three short lines of text.
Even stranger, they were addresses.
Jackson took a picture of the letter before returning it to the drawer. He then put the paper-clip-turned-lock-pick in his pocket and quietly left Nikki’s office. As far as he could tell, Jonathan was still talking to the same people he had been and Nikki hadn’t yet returned. He went back to the gym and looked at the picture.
Something didn’t feel right.
No, something was wrong.
Chapter Four (#ulink_427870f4-6d83-5dd3-89bd-7f669b53aebc)
The first address was in Colorado. The second was in Wisconsin. The third was in Arkansas. All appeared to be, according to an internet search, residential.
Jackson stared at his phone for a moment as if it would explain who lived at the addresses, why they had been sent to Nikki and who had sent them. His phone didn’t answer him, so he decided that a more personal search might yield better results. Like a dog after a bone, he grabbed another cup of water and tried to look casual as he walked into the lobby. Kelli looked up and smiled.
“Taking a break or done?” she asked.
Jackson made a show of stretching his muscles.
“A break,” he answered. “I thought I’d come up here and say hello again.”
Kelli’s smile seemed genuine as she said hello again. She offered him a seat in one of the plush chairs, which he declined with the excuse that he was on the sweatier side of comfort. She laughed and rubbed her belly. Absently Jackson wondered if she knew about his past, too.
“Sorry again about sending you after Nikki this morning,” Kelli said, expression truly apologetic. “I heard the two of you didn’t get off on the best foot when you met and Jonathan made the point that maybe the ride would help. But honestly, I don’t think Nikki is in the best of moods today.”
Jackson arched an eyebrow. He could get somewhere with this conversation now.
“So it isn’t just me that’s gotten her wound tight?” he asked, half laughing.
Kelli shook her head. “To be fair, her job requires her to be somewhat tightly wound but, no, I don’t think it’s wholly you.”
Jonathan found he was a bit relieved at that.
“I imagine running your own security agency can’t be easy,” he said, already gearing up to aim for a specific question. “You make friends, sure, but I bet you make some enemies depending on each bodyguard’s success.”
The expression on Kelli’s face seemed to darken momentarily, her eyes unfocusing enough to make Jackson believe she was thinking of the past, before her happy disposition snapped back into place.
“Understandably, this job can be very dangerous,” she said. “And understandably, that has made some people very angry.”
“I’d imagine some hold a grudge,” he added on. “You think any of them might act on it?”
Kelli gave him a questioning look, one that didn’t seem to be suspicious, but he knew that wasn’t far behind. He’d been an Orion employee for only a day and here he was, asking about the bad side of things.
“Sorry, I just don’t know much about this place,” he admitted. “I just want to know what I’ve signed up for, and like you said, I got off on the wrong foot already with the boss, so I’d like to not ask her about the people who might dislike her and her company.”
Kelli seemed to like his answer and smiled.
“To be honest, all the people I think would hold grudges and act on them are mostly locked away in a prison somewhere with no hope of leaving,” she said. “At least not for a very, very long time. Believe me, I’ve personally seen some of those people put away.”
Again, Jackson felt his eyebrow rise in question. At some point he’d need to sit down and ask Kelli what she meant by that, but now he wanted to push the question he’d really been targeting. “So there’s no one who could really mess with Nikki, then?”
As Kelli shook her head, Jackson saw a new thought seemingly pop up behind her eyes. She furrowed her brow, about to voice it, when the door behind them opened. Jackson turned, feeling weirdly guilty, but stopped when he saw Nikki and the expression across her face.
She was angry.
“Is everything okay?” Kelli asked, but the redhead was already moving past them at a fast, determined clip.
“You two go to the conference room and tell the boys to wait,” she called, halfway down the hall. Jackson shared a confused look with Kelli, who merely shrugged. They followed orders as the boss disappeared into her office.
“Is this normal?” Jackson asked the receptionist.
“No,” she whispered, “it’s not.”
He followed Kelli as she knocked quietly on the conference-room door before letting them in. Jonathan was sitting at the table, leaning over a file, while a man’s voice came through a phone speaker in front of him. The bodyguard looked up, curious at their intrusion.
“Hey, honey?” Kelli said out loud as she took a seat across from Jonathan. For a moment Jackson thought the nickname was directed at Jonathan, but then he realized it was directed at the man on speaker. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think something’s wrong.”
The man who must have been her husband, Orion Agent Mark Tranton, quickly took on an edge to his voice, alert.
“Are you okay? Are Grace and the baby okay?” he asked, clearly concerned about his daughter and pregnant wife.
“Oh, yeah, we’re fine,” she hurried, placing a protective hand over her stomach. “I meant something seems wrong with Nikki. She just told us to come in here and make sure you and Oliver were still on.”
Jonathan looked to Jackson, who gave a half shrug.
“Who’s ‘us’?” asked another man’s voice, which Jackson assumed belonged to Oliver Quinn.
“It’s the new recruit,” Jonathan added in.
“Jackson, right?” asked Oliver.
“That’s right,” Jackson answered.
“Nice to meet you,” Oliver continued. “Well, you know what I mean.”
Jackson was about to say he did when Nikki showed up. She walked into the room with such a fierce mask of concentration that for a moment all the other people in the room could do was stare wordlessly.
“Hello?” asked Mark into the silence.
“Mark, Oliver, it’s Nikki,” she greeted. She didn’t sit down and instead handed Jonathan a piece of paper. From Jackson’s post against the wall, he couldn’t tell what was on it. Apparently Jonathan didn’t understand it, either.
“I want to preface what I’m about to tell you with the fact that I think it’s no big deal,” Nikki said, “but this job has shown me the importance of being cautious, so I feel like I should bring you up to speed. You deserve at least that.”
Jackson didn’t understand the change in tone. Kelli looked at Nikki while Jonathan was focused on the paper. Why did she owe them anything? Wasn’t she the boss?
A thick silence blanketed the room. Nikki certainly had their collective attention.
Finally she spoke. “Last night I ran into Andrew Miller.”
* * *
LIKE SHE’D THOUGHT, Jonathan, Oliver and Mark had instantaneous reactions of anger. Nikki had half a mind to mute the speakerphone but knew she couldn’t do anything about the trainer in the room with them. So she let them all talk at the same time, words jumbling together. She was able to pick out three questions.
“Why?”
“Where?”
“What did he want?”
Nikki’s eyes traveled to Kelli, whose brows were pulled in together as she seemed to be trying to place the name, which she was sure sounded familiar to her new recruit. Jackson leaned against the wall, giving Nikki a stare she could only describe as puzzled. Like Kelli he was trying to put together pieces of information that he didn’t have.
Nikki wasn’t sure why she’d asked him to come into the conference room in the first place. Very few people knew about Andrew, even fewer knew why a visit from him was so startling. Kelli had probably heard the name from her husband, but Jackson? He was as new as they came. So, why had she let him in?
She tried to keep her eyes from moving across his bare arms, toned and strong, or any other part of his body highlighted in his gym clothes. She also tried not to feel a hot rush of attraction that pulsed through her when she locked eyes with him. Shifting her gaze back to the speakerphone, Nikki finally realized that maybe hiring Jackson Fields was a little more dangerous than she’d thought it would be.
“It was at a restaurant, not my home,” Nikki said when the men had quieted enough. “And I think he just wanted to blame someone for his mistakes in life.”
Cause—you destroyed me. Effect—now I’m going to destroy you. Nikki remembered his words clearly. So get ready, Nikki. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
But that didn’t mean she was going to repeat them. Andrew Miller had changed her life as well as Mark’s, Oliver’s and Jonathan’s in such a horrible and fantastic way that bringing up what the man really said, which she still believed to be an aggressive form of venting, would slice through the happiness they had all managed to find in the last few years. Andrew was a sore reminder of their collective tragic mistake. Nikki didn’t want them to fully revisit that by putting them up close and personal with the man. Which she knew would happen if she told her friends and employees about what he’d really said.
“And then he just left?” Oliver asked, voice noticeably deeper. Nikki fixed Jackson with a pointed stare as she answered.
“Yes,” she said. “No other incidents.”
Jackson’s eyes, some intangible coloring between gray and blue, stayed with her as his mouth remained shut. She also didn’t want the men to know about her car. There were other things to worry about now.
“But the real reason why I called,” Nikki said, swinging her attention back to Jonathan and the paper he held, “is what I received this morning attached to a box of chocolates.”
* * *
“A NOTE WITH three addresses on it,” Nikki started. Jackson pushed off the wall, standing at full attention. “Oliver, Mark, I sent you an email before I came in here with the information.” There was silence as the two seemed to be opening up their emails through their phones or laptops. Once they confirmed they were looking at the addresses, Nikki continued. “These addresses are the homes of one family. A mother in Colorado, her daughter in Wisconsin and her son in Arkansas.”
“A family?” Jonathan repeated. “Whose? And why would someone send this to you?”
Jackson watched as an already perfect-postured Nikki straightened even more so. Once again she started to form a fist but caught herself. She let her hand fall back to her side. Whoever the family was, she was invested in them. Nikki cleared her throat and when she answered she didn’t meet anyone’s eyes. Not even his.
“Morgan Avery’s.”
There was a lot of information passing around that Jackson’s lack of experience with the group was hindering him from understanding. However, he didn’t need to be “besties” with them to know that Morgan Avery meant something big to them. Even Kelli managed a gasp. He was sure that soon the trainer and the two on speakerphone would start their yelling at the same time, but Nikki found her voice before them.
“After what happened I kept tabs on her immediate family to make sure they were...” Nikki seemed at a loss for words for the first time since he’d met her. She shook her head slightly. “I contacted Elaine, Morgan’s mother, and asked if she’d been having trouble with anyone lately. She admitted to getting a few hang-up calls within the last month. Ones that didn’t show up on her caller ID. Her daughter, Melanie, and son, Jared, have also received similar calls in the last few weeks. Normally, I wouldn’t worry, but—”
“But someone sent you the addresses for a reason,” Jonathan interrupted.
Nikki nodded.
“It was Andrew,” Mark piped in. “It had to be him. Otherwise that’s a big heaping sack of coincidences.”
“I agree, Nik. The timing is too perfect,” Kelli piggybacked on her husband’s sentiment.
“But why would Andrew be sending you information on the Avery family of all people?” Oliver asked.
“Maybe to remind me of what happened, maybe just to make me nervous, heck, maybe to show that he’s still crafty?” Nikki said, demeanor cracking slightly. She was clearly frustrated.
Jackson wanted to ask who this Andrew was and why the Averys were so important, but he kept his mouth shut. He resolved to ask in private, not wanting to stop what the Orion boss and employees were working through.
“Either way,” Nikki said. “I want to cover all my bases. Mark, I’m pulling you from your current contract and putting Robert in charge. Then I’d like you to go to Colorado to check on Elaine. Jonathan and Oliver, I know you aren’t bodyguards anymore, but I’d like you two to go keep an eye on Morgan’s brother and sister just until we see if the other shoe drops, so to speak.”
Jonathan nodded, surprising Jackson, since, like Nikki said, he wasn’t a bodyguard.
“You can take Jackson along as a training exercise,” Nikki added, further surprising him.
“But then you’d be alone here,” Jackson said without missing a beat. “That doesn’t seem smart.”
Nikki rounded on him, nostrils flared slightly.
“Listen—” she began, but was cut off by Mark.
“He’s right, Nikki. You need to keep at least one bodyguard at Orion.”
“May I remind you he’s a new recruit and hasn’t been trained yet?” Nikki ventured.
Jackson almost told them right then and there about her car, but Jonathan swooped in.
“I’m not going until you agree to let him stay,” he said, arms crossing over his chest to show he meant business. The two on speaker backed him up with the same demand. Their closeness, Nikki, Jonathan, Oliver and Mark’s, was starting to show. Jackson wondered what had created the bond. And then wondered if Nikki had ever been intimate with one of them. Jealousy sprang up again. He tried to ignore it as Nikki let out a long breath.
“Fine,” she agreed. “Now, Kelli and I are going to go make travel arrangements and then we’ll contact you with your information. Just remember, this isn’t a contract. This is a courtesy visit, so please try not to alarm them.” Nikki sobered. “We owe them at least that.”
Jackson couldn’t help it.
“Why?” he asked the room.
And the room promptly ignored him.
The meeting broke up as they all went about their separate tasks. Jackson returned to the gym, where he finished his workout, taking out some new frustration at being left with little to no information. His fists thrummed, his legs vibrated and his head was filled with made-up explanations of what was going on. Orion was shaping up to be more complicated than he would have guessed.
“Hey, can I grab a second?”
Jackson turned as Jonathan sidled into the gym, closing the door behind him. The way he looked back at the door tipped off Jackson that whatever the trainer was about to tell him would somehow tick off the boss. Which made him nearly lean in closer as the man spoke. “I know you signed up for this yesterday and don’t have any formal training or, really, even know what’s going on, but I’m going to tell you one indisputable fact that Nikki isn’t admitting out loud. Hate is a very powerful motivator, wouldn’t you say?”
Jackson nodded, instantly jumping into his own past before Jonathan continued.
“Andrew Miller has made no issue in the past of showing that he hates Nikki. So, while I’m gone I need you to do me a favor.”
Jackson leaned in, already knowing he’d say yes to whatever it was, since the trainer had stuck his neck out for him. Plus, he really didn’t like the sound of Andrew.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Protect Nikki,” Jonathan said. “No matter what it takes.”
Chapter Five (#ulink_6446ff83-23e8-5fe9-a8c9-6fb055621fb1)
The weekend finished in a fairly uneventful way. Nikki came into work that Sunday and made sure all of her Orion ducks were in a row while Kelli kept track of the three men as they jetted off to the Avery family locations. By Monday everyone was in place. By Wednesday everyone was still waiting for whatever was going to happen to happen. While Nikki agreed to let Jackson stay to keep an eye out on things at Orion, she barely spoke to him. She certainly didn’t try to use him or his protection. The identity of Andrew Miller and the Avery family wasn’t offered up, either. Nikki was either too proud, too controlling or too far into denial that Andrew might be targeting her to clue Jackson in or use, or even want, his help.
So that was why he’d parked in secret across from her apartment complex every night since Saturday. Because something was obviously going on and Nikki was in the middle of it. On those nights he had spent his time searching the internet for Andrew Miller and Morgan Avery while during the day he’d worked out at Orion and read up on old case files. He’d found no mention of the former but found an obituary of the latter, dating back nearly six years. The young woman had been found in a ditch—murderer caught and put in prison—and was survived by her mother, Elaine, and her two siblings. Still, it didn’t explain who Andrew was, his hatred for Nikki or the connection that tied Orion to it all.
For the first time in a long while, Jackson wished he had someone to talk to about it all. Jonathan had left before he had a chance to bark up that tree and Nikki had kept Kelli busy enough that he’d never been able to catch her to ask. Jackson wondered if Nikki was doing it deliberately. If he hadn’t been afraid that she’d terminate him on the spot, he would have asked her and not moved until she answered.
It was Thursday night when Jackson wondered if the second shoe was figuratively ever going to drop at all. He was reclined back in his passenger’s seat with a bottle of beer he’d figured was okay to have in his hand. It was nearly nine at night and he fully expected to stay for a few more hours before heading home. The one perk to Nikki not really wanting him around was being told his services weren’t needed yet but he could come into Orion after lunch and work out until everything went back to normal. Again, Jackson wondered if this was a normal way to treat a recruit. He’d have to ask when an agent showed up. All active ones were currently spread out across the country working contracts.
Jackson was taking a pull from the bottle when he caught sight of a man on the sidewalk across the road. It wasn’t unusual for passersby at this time. Nestled closer to downtown, the apartment complex was two blocks from a bar and some restaurants. Others had walked to, from and past the apartments with no red flags flying up for Jackson.
But the way the man in the Rangers baseball cap tilted his head just enough so that his face was hard to make out and quickened his stride as he neared the front doors put Jackson on edge. A bad feeling began to expand in his gut as the man went into the apartment building. Jackson opened his door, dumped out the beer and tossed the bottle in the back.
Maybe the other shoe was about to drop.
* * *
THE WINE FILLED the glass effortlessly.
Nikki appreciated the lack of hassle. She spied her laptop and took a long, long drink of the pinot noir and decided work could, for once, spend the night alone.
She had a date with a bubble bath.
Switching out her phone for her iPod, Nikki let down her hair and trailed into the one bathroom in her small yet cozy apartment. She turned her iPod on shuffle and set it down on the counter next to the sink, turning up the volume so she could get lost in the sound. She didn’t often partake in relaxing in this way, but since she’d seen Andrew she couldn’t deny that her mind and body were on the tense side. Nikki might be hardheaded when it came to her workload, but even she realized she needed a break from time to time.
The claw-foot tub was old, needed to be painted all over again and was largely underused, but as Nikki undid her robe, put her wine glass down on the wooden table that hooked on each side and slid into the warmth, she couldn’t help thinking it was a gift from the gods. Her senses filled with the rosy aroma of expensive bath salts, a gift from her sister, and Nikki let out a small sigh of contentment.
It didn’t last long.
Her thoughts went from a mantra of just relax to the three addresses on the letter meant for her to Andrew’s rage at the speed dating event to the collective upset of her friends. Then to the new recruit whom she’d been avoiding. From there, her mind recalled his beautiful eyes as he had tried to glean the truth behind what was happening. The truth about Orion’s past and hers.
Nikki leaned her head back against the lip of the tub. She closed her eyes, her wine glass forgotten.
Telling Jackson about Andrew and the Averys wouldn’t be a bad thing to do. Oliver, Mark and Jonathan had in their own times come clean about what had happened to outsiders. For them it had drawn sympathy, empathy and understanding. They were men trying to move on. Men trying to redeem themselves. And in Nikki’s opinion, they had done that ten times over.
However, she wasn’t like the men.
Just as Morgan Avery could never grow old, Nikki could never forgive herself. She didn’t want redemption because she didn’t believe she deserved it. If she’d only spoken up. If she’d only stood up against Andrew.
If only.
Nikki kept her eyes closed and slid down until the water engulfed her. The song currently playing outside distorted. The noise of her worries dampened. Andrew was just ruffling her feathers, she reasoned. He was being dramatic. She nodded beneath the water, as if to doubly reassure herself, and came up for air. Water streamed down her face. She wiped at her eyes and felt the sting of leftover makeup seeping beneath the closed lids. Balling her hands, she began to knead at the pain, wiping away as much residual mess as she could. Nikki became so focused on clearing off her mascara that she realized a few moments too late that she’d heard something that didn’t fit with the apartment.
Her eyelids flew open, forgetting the sting of pain of soap and makeup. She didn’t even have time to scream.
One moment there was a man standing in the bathroom’s doorway holding a bat at his side. The next he was crossing the room toward her with startling speed. Nikki barely had time to duck out of the way, let alone time to scream, as he swung low. Water sloshed out of the tub and she felt the air off the bat as it passed an inch or so above her head.
The man let his momentum get the better of him. He stumbled when the bat didn’t connect.
Nikki reached out for her wine glass, no longer forgotten, and twisted around just as the intruder was getting his balance back. She held the stem of the glass like the handle of a hammer and aimed for the side of his head. The glass shattered and red wine exploded between them.
“What the hell?” roared the man as he clutched at the side of his face. The hat he’d been wearing dropped to the floor seconds before the bat clattered against the tile.
Nikki gripped the edges of the tub and tried to scramble out of the side opposite him. Soap and water made everything too slick. She lost her footing as she threw one leg over the edge. Her other leg shot out from under her and just as quickly she became a tangle of limbs against the tile floor.
Pain exploded along her chin and elbow on impact, but Nikki knew enough about the kind of men who would assault a woman at home alone to know that they probably didn’t like when their prey fought back. Adrenaline spiked through her, coursing in parallel to the horrible realization that she was caught vulnerable, as she scrambled back to her feet. She slung herself around to face her attacker, putting the tub between them and her even farther from the only exit.
“Who are you?” she questioned, voice cracking despite her resolve to try to grab some control. The man was slightly hunched in pain, holding the side of his face now covered in red wine. Or blood, she couldn’t tell which. She searched the rest of his face for any flare of recognition, but nothing about him seemed familiar. Around the same age as her thirty-four, the man looked gruff with his goatee and slightly wild dark hair. His clothes, however, were as normal as if he was going to the park to play ball. Yet he’d taken a pit stop by her place to—to what? Use her for batting practice? Either way, she didn’t recognize the man in the least. Certainly not the blood-curdling snarl he let out before lunging for her again. Never mind the tub between them.
Nikki used his misjudgment against him. She grabbed the wooden tray from across the tub and swung out at him with it. Another roar tore from his lips as the plank hit his outstretched fist hard. The two of them recoiled from each other, one in pain, one in fear. She might have been thwarting his attempts to hurt her, but she was also making him angrier. Once he decided to pick up his bat again, how long could she really hold him off?
Nikki pictured her handgun in the top drawer of her bedside table, two rooms away. If she could manage to put some distance between them, she’d have enough time to grab it and turn on him. Judging by the almost tangible rage building around him, it was her best option. Without waiting any longer, Nikki threw the wooden plank with everything she had at the man’s head. It forced him to shrink back in defense, throwing up his arms and cutting off his eye contact with her momentarily. She used the small window of opportunity and rounded the tub.
“I don’t think so,” the man ground out as she ran straight for the doorway. Nikki felt his hand in her hair seconds before she was yanked backward. Instead of slamming into him, she slipped on the water trail she’d left behind and lost her balance much sooner than her attacker had probably wanted. He let her go as her side connected to the floor with a slap. Pain, more harsh than when she’d first fallen against the tile, blossomed along her body. She tried to suck back in the air that had been knocked loose at the impact, her coughing interrupting the rhythm of the current song playing from her iPod.
This time it was Nikki who was slow to recover. The man reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair once more, pulling up until she had no choice but to get to her feet.
“I wanted to bring a gun,” the man said, eyes for the first time roaming the length of her body. “I also wanted to do it in the parking lot. But no, pain was what I was asked to deliver and it had to be in the bathtub. Lucky me you were already in the bath.” He smirked.
The fear Nikki was desperately trying to keep back flooded through every inch of her. Nikki, the woman who started a security agency aimed at providing safety against situations like this, was being bested in her bathroom. Naked, too.
She froze.
The hand in her hair tightened. Tears sprang to her eyes.
Fight back, her mind yelled. Do something!
But she didn’t. Fear had clinched like a vise around her heart.
The man smiled wickedly.
He never even saw Jackson Fields coming.
* * *
HE WAS STILL facing Nikki when Jackson’s fist slammed into him. The hit connected with his jaw. It had enough force to make the man stagger toward the tub. In the process he let go of Nikki’s hair, already howling in pain. Or maybe anger. Jackson didn’t care about dissecting the emotion.
Nikki had water dripping off her and slipped as she tried to scurry away from her attacker. Jackson reached out, no time to care that she didn’t have a stitch on, and wrapped his arms around her. Nikki’s eyes were wide as he steadied her.

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