Chapter 2
Chapter Two
BANNER
Three years later. Present day.
I wake up feeling on edge. There’s no rhyme or reason for it, but I can’t shake it. Not even after I go for my run and take my shower. I ignore it, for the most part, and head into the office.
It still feels weird coming to the new place.
It’s much bigger than the old one and more centrally located, which is great for drawing foot traffic.
However, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the old space just a little.
After getting discharged from the army, it became a second home to me.
I had to leave my teammates behind when I had been shot and medically discharged, and I missed the camaraderie.
I found that again at Price Security, much to my parents’ upset.
I mean, I get it. They had lost one son already and came so close to losing another. But I couldn’t let them wrap me up in Bubble Wrap forever, or I’d lose my damn mind. They were still pissed at me even now, years later. But they had turned their focus to Katy, who was getting ready for college.
I push the door open, walk into the reception area, and see Arlo on the phone.
I miss Blake’s grandmother, June, manning the desk.
But after her stroke, she’s not up to it anymore.
We all know we need a replacement, but none of us is ready to admit defeat.
Instead, we scramble to handle it between ourselves.
It wouldn’t have been too bad, but Aiden’s girl is Matilda Carson, America’s sweetheart and former actress turned director.
With her openly endorsing Price Security, everyone wants us to protect them.
We are turning people away because we can only handle so many cases at once.
If things continue as they are, it won’t just be a new receptionist we need. We’ll also need to bring in some guys.
Arlo hangs up and sighs before kicking his feet up on the edge of the desk. “I feel like my brain is leaking out of my ear.”
I snort and walk over to the sofa and plunk my ass down. “Do I even want to know?”
He leans forward and pretends to twirl an imaginary strand of hair.
“I’d like someone to guard my body. I mean, be my bodyguard.
” He adopts an airy voice and throws in a little high-pitched laugh, which makes me chuckle.
“Can I, like, order the hottest guy you have? I can make it worthwhile. I give really good tips, if you know what I mean.”
“They did not say that.”
“I swear she was two seconds away from offering a blow job as a deposit.”
The look of disgust on his face has me roaring with laughter. “I’m guessing you turned her away.”
“I told her we had real cases with people who had real reasons for needing protection, then hung up. Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with people?”
“I wish I knew.” I sigh, rubbing my eyes.
He studies me for a minute before frowning. “What’s wrong?”
“Not a damn clue. It’s just a weird feeling I can’t seem to shake.”
He leans back and closes his eyes, muttering something under his breath before he looks at me. “I learned a long time ago to listen to weird feelings. They’ve saved my life more than once. Be fucking nice, though, if for once, those weird feelings led to the winning lotto numbers.”
I grin before getting up and heading over to the coffee machine. “Did you make this?” I hold the half-filled pot up to him. Nobody makes coffee as strong as Arlo does.
“No, Blake did. Why?”
“Because I’m already having a weird day without adding hallucinations to the mix.”
He rolls his eyes. “There ain’t nothing wrong with my coffee.”
“Sure, if you’re okay with hearing colors.”
He flips me off as I pour us both a mug and hand one over to him. I take a sip of mine as Marcus walks out from the back with a face like thunder.
“Who pissed in your Cheerios?” Arlo grunts.
Marcus ignores him and heads for the coffee pot. He pours himself a large mug before taking a few sips. It takes him a few minutes, but once he’s calm, he turns to face us.
“You good?” I ask him before taking another sip of my own drink.
“I wish I was into dick.”
I choke, spraying us both with coffee.
He blinks at me before wiping his face. “As I don’t like things being sprayed on my face, it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.”
“Have you been drinking? Wait, have I been drinking? This feels an awful lot like a fucked-up dream I once had.”
“Aw, you dreaming about me, sugar plum?” Marcus teases.
I shudder and grimace. “More like a nightmare.”
He chuckles and continues to sip his drink, his earlier mood lifted.
“So, wanna explain why you walked in here with a face like a slapped ass?” Arlo asks.
Marcus sighs. “Just ended it with a woman I was seeing.”
I stare at the man, wondering if I’ve moved beyond dreaming and slipped into a coma or something.
“What do you mean you’re seeing someone?” Arlo grunts.
“Well, when a man and a woman—”
Arlo punches him, making his coffee slosh over the side of his cup.
“Asshole,” Marcus mutters.
“I’m with Arlo on this one. How the fuck did we not know you were seeing someone?”
“Because I know how to keep my mouth shut, and you guys are a bunch of gossipy bitches.”
“I resent that.” Arlo huffs as Marcus turns his glare on him.
“Am I lying?”
Arlo waves him off. “That’s beside the point.”
I interrupt before he goes off. “Was seeing, as in you’re not seeing her anymore?”
He shrugs before shaking his head no. “I liked her, but we’re not compatible.”
“If you both like each other, maybe it’s something you could figure—”
“She wants me to hurt her, and I’m not talking about spanking or a little choking. She wants me to make her bleed, and that’s a hard no from me.”
“Shit.” That’s not something they’d ever be able to figure out. Marcus is a protective guy by nature. Most of us are, and it’s why we are suited for what we do. Causing a woman real pain is not something any of us would be comfortable with.
“Shit like that worries me because the kind of man it would attract tends to be the kind of men most women would, and should, be wary of.”
Marcus blows out a frustrated breath. “I know. It’s what made me hesitate for a second longer than I should have.”
“Because if she’s with you, you can control the damage. Whereas if she’s with someone else, she stands the risk of them going too far.” Arlo curses.
“And I don’t know if she’s even figured out her limits yet. She might not know her limits until they’re pushed.”
Nobody says anything for a minute because what the fuck do you say to something like that?
“You can’t save everyone, and it sounds to me like she doesn’t want saving in the first place.
Yeah, we can see how this might turn to shit, but that doesn’t mean we’re right.
She could meet someone who is exactly what she needs.
It’s just not you, my friend,” Arlo tells him as I watch Marcus, trying to gauge if his feelings run deeper than he’s letting on.
“No, you’re right. Anyway, where is everyone?”
“Blake is in his office, but as Callie snuck in there twenty minutes ago, I doubt he’s working.” Arlo grins.
“Kellen is doing a consult, and Felix went to grab milk and snacks, like we don’t all have drawers of snacks already.”
“What about Aiden?” I ask before I smack my forehead. “Shit, I forgot. It’s the Oscars tonight, right? I can’t believe Aiden’s going to be walking the red carpet. That shit still feels surreal.”
“Imagine what it feels like for him.” Marcus chuckles. “Though there isn’t much he wouldn’t do for Matilda. Hell, I’m pretty sure he’d walk the red carpet naked if she asked him to.”
“Ooh, who’s naked?”
I turn at the sound of Callie’s voice and see her straightening her clothes.
“Well, not you anymore, apparently.”
She reaches over the nearest desk, picks up a stapler, and without a second thought, launches it at my head.
I catch it before it connects and shake my head at her. “Now that was rude.”
“Thinking of my woman naked will have me throwing more than fucking stapler at your head,” Blake snarls as he walks out behind her.
“I wasn’t thinking about your woman naked. Talking of the women in your life, where’s Juni?”
“Olivia has her. She’s feeling broody, so she figured watching Juni would either change her mind real quick or solidify her decision. Then she just has to get Wade on board.”
Wade might not be one of the Price Security guys, but as a cop, he’s worked closely with us on a few occasions. Plus, most of us grew up here, Wade included. We’ve always known each other, even if we hung out in different social circles.
“Somehow, I don’t think Wade will have any problems impregnating Olivia again. He’d have given her a dozen kids already if she’d given him the green light to do so.”
A sigh escapes Marcus, and I know he’s thinking about the woman he was seeing. He wants what Callie and Blake have, which means starting all over again with someone else. And that shit gets old fast.
“What are you doing in, anyway? I thought I gave you the day off?” Blake frowns at me.
“Oh, yeah, you’re meant to be spending the day with your sister. Did she cancel on you?” Callie asks.
“She sent me a message last night asking if we could do dinner and a movie later instead, as something came up.” I shrug.
I know fuck-all about teenage girls. Though Katy is more mature than most, I’m not particularly interested in hearing about the boys she has a crush on or the hearts she’s already broken.
She might be my sister, but I’ve seen the way guys look at her.
I fist my hands at the thought of anyone touching my sister.
I shake it off after a few minutes, knowing I’m being unreasonably protective.
I can’t help it, though. It’s hard not to be protective of my last remaining sibling.
But even when Alec was alive, Katy was still the only girl, so we drove her up the wall by being overbearing.
I guess I’m even worse now because I feel like I have to do it for me and Alec, now that he’s gone.