Out of the Shadows (Hudson Security #1)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

G avin’s breath was lodged in his chest. No matter how hard he tried to inhale, nothing happened. He couldn’t even blink. All he could focus on was Bean. On the angry purple-and-black bruise forming around the edge of her right eye.

Their line of work was often physical with both training and fieldwork, and he’d seen almost all his colleagues with various bruises and injuries. But not Bean. She wasn’t one of their personal security officers. No. She was a desk jockey. A desk jockey who happened to be one of the most talented hackers in the world. But the woman was sporting a raging black eye.

Bean .

Not. Fucking. Acceptable.

A low growl rumbled through the room. It took a second to realize the growling noise was coming from him. “Who the fuck did this to you, B?” he asked again, his voice like gravel.

Her hands came up as if she were trying to soothe a caged animal. “I’m okay, boss. Really. Everything’s okay. ”

“The fuck it is.”

She glanced toward Doc, and Gavin snapped his fingers before crossing his arms over his chest. “Name, B. Now.”

She mimicked his posture and shot him a glare that he was sure would have maimed him had he given much thought to it. He didn’t.

“Did you just snap your freaking fingers at me, you Neanderthal?” Before he could respond, she was up off the couch and in his personal space, jabbing her finger into his chest. “You do not snap at me like some sort of animal. Ever. I will cut your goddamn hand off, shove it up your ass, and absolutely destroy you. Got it?”

He was nodding before she’d finished speaking. He wasn’t one to snap at people physically or verbally— especially not Bean. But dammit, all he could focus on was that bruise on her face. He swore it was darkening as the seconds ticked by. Whoever had done this?—

Another sharp jab of her finger brought his gaze back to her angry blue eyes.

“Are you even freaking listening to me, Frazier?” Each word was punctuated with another stab of her finger. She’d added a second finger to the mix, and he had no doubt she’d be full-on punching him soon.

Exhaling, he gently wrapped his hand around her fist. “I’m sorry, B. And, yes, I’m listening.” His attention flickered to the side of her face. Another bruise was forming near her ear. He ground down on his molars and let out another breath. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. That was... stupid.”

“And rude. And completely uncalled for.” She yanked her hand away and recrossed her arms over her chest.

“Agreed. I’m sorry.” He shot a glance at Doc and lifted his chin in a belated greeting before focusing back on Bean. She looked normal. Like Hudson Security’s very own brunette version of Felicity Smoak in her light-blue blouse, black skirt, and sky-high heels. Even the hints of exhaustion under her eyes were normal. What wasn’t normal were the damn bruises on the side of her face. “Who hit you?”

Rolling her eyes, she threw her hands up. Rubbing her temples, she marched to her desk and slapped her hand down on the edge. “Here, boss. You gonna beat up my desk for me?”

Eyes narrowing, he glanced at Doc, hoping for some clarification.

“Uh-uh, buster. He’s my doctor. Doc doesn’t get to talk to you about my issues. I fell, hit my face, and called Doc to make sure everything’s okay.”

Gavin caught Doc’s wince at Bean’s last statement. Bean was feisty as hell and could verbally spar with the best, but he also knew she was a shitty liar. “So you’re fine? Nothing’s broken?”

She nodded.

“Just those bruises on your face?”

She remained silent.

“No concussion?”

Again, nothing.

Gavin pursed his lips. So there were more bruises he couldn’t see and the possibility of a concussion. Fucking hell. “Well, if you’re not going to tell me what’s going on, then I’m going to operate under the assumption that you’re concussed?—”

“I never said that!”

“You didn’t have to, B,” he said, shaking his head. “Doc’s here. The fact that you called him means it’s a big deal.” He met Doc’s stare. “Am I wrong?”

Doc held his hands up. “You know I can’t say anything to you either way about my patient.”

Frustration tore through him, and he turned back to Bean. She was hurt. He didn’t know to what extent, but they’d been friends for a long damn time, and he knew something was wrong. “Bean, please. Let me help you.”

She let out a sigh that said he was the most annoying person in the world. And, yes, he knew her well enough to differentiate between her sighs.

“Fine,” she huffed as she sank into her plush office chair. “I may have a slight concussion. Doc says because I lost conciousn?—”

He narrowed his eyes as Bean cut off whatever she was about to say. Then she proceeded to cough the fakest fake cough he’d ever heard.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she muttered before nodding to Doc. “Anyway, Doc said I need to take twenty-four hours off all this.” She waved her hand at her computer setup.

“I actually recommended forty-eight hours, and that we can reevaluate after twenty-four,” Doc clarified.

Bean shifted her glare to Doc. “Not helping, Doc. Not helping.” The man raised his hands in mock surrender before she turned her ire back to him. “Besides, boss man, we don’t even know what’s wrong.” She gestured to the plastic box of vials on the coffee table. “It’ll take like two to three days for the results.”

“I can expedite it,” Doc said, glancing at his watch. “We use a facility on Port Townsend for our lab tests, and depending on the ferry schedule, I can drop those off to them before they close tonight. If I make it, they should be able to get the results back by end of day tomorrow.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary, Doc?—”

“Great idea,” Gavin said. “Better yet, I can have Owen fly you over right now.”

Bean’s jaw dropped. “Gavin Frazier. We are not using a company helicopter to take my blood samples to the lab. That’s ridiculous.”

Sometimes her haughty tone had him questioning who was actually in charge. “Are you telling me what I can and can’t do with my helicopter?” If he had to throw his weight around and remind the stubborn woman it was his company, so be it. Asshole move? For sure. But he didn’t care. They needed answers. Immediately. “Besides, are you not a part of this team?” He didn’t wait for her to respond. “In fact, B, I’d say that you’re probably the most important person in this entire company.”

Gavin quickly typed a text to Owen and appreciated his pilot’s immediate response. “She can have the helo ready to go in fifteen minutes. That work for you, Doc?”

“Wow, uh, yeah. That works fine.”

Bean groaned. “A little bit of overkill, don’t you think?”

He glanced at Bean. She was relaxed in her chair, her head lying on the rest, her eyes closed, the tiny wrinkle between her eyebrows pronounced. Either she had a headache, or she was annoyed. Probably both. “Nope,” he said, making sure to pop the P. The wrinkle deepened, and he didn’t bother biting back a smirk.

Doc chuckled as he gathered his things. “Quite the efficient operation you have going here, Frazier.”

“Yes, sir.” Understatement of the year. But what concerned him was that Bean didn’t realize that she was an integral part of their operation. And if he had to fly the damn helo himself, he would. “If you could give me a minute,” he said to Doc as he dialed his phone and brought it to his ear, “I need to make this call before I escort you to the hangar.”

Hudson Security’s Director of Logistics’ cool and steady voice answered, “How can I help you, Frazier?”

“B’s going dark for twenty-four, Esme. Maybe forty-eight. Let everyone who’s need-to-know know.”

Esme remained silent, so he was able to hear Bean’s muttered, “Kill. Me. Now.”

“She okay?” Esme asked .

“She will be. After a shit ton of rest.”

“Shit, I knew exhaustion was finally going to catch up to her.” Esme tsked like a reprimanding schoolteacher. “You know you’ll have to chain B to her bed, right? Her home setup is almost identical to her office.”

Damn. That hadn’t even crossed his mind. “Good point. And thanks, Esme.”

“Of course. Give her my best,” she replied before disconnecting.

He shoved his phone into his back pocket. “B, I’m going to take Doc to the hangar and check in with Owen.”

“Thanks for coming out, Doc,” Bean said, starting to rise.

“Stay seated, dear, and you’re welcome. I’ll call you with the test results. Take some Tylenol, hydrate with actual water, and get some rest, okay?”

She nodded and sank back into her chair, giving him a tired wave.

“I’ll be back in fifteen,” Gavin said. “So close up shop, and I’ll drive you home.” Bean’s eyes were closed again, and she didn’t reply. Didn’t even give a single indication she’d heard him. “Bean?”

She heaved another sigh, and his lips twitched. Yeah, he wasn’t her favorite person at the moment. But he didn’t care.

“So freaking bossy,” she grumbled, her eyes still closed.

Damn right.