Chapter 13 Sera
SERA
By the end of the week, Vincent has put me through a crazy amount of training. At this point, I’m dreaming of identifying exits and sightlines—and even though I’ll never admit it, I’m stronger for it.
Liev has been around just enough to be frustrating. Though he’s frequently in the building and in my peripheral vision, Brady conducted Liev’s indoctrination into Elite’s close bodywork standards separately from mine.
My head knows it’s for the best that we keep things professional, but my body feels differently.
I think I miss him.
Which is insane.
The one time we were together was when Brady gave us a lecture on “expectations, client conduct, and professionalism.” I’ve heard it before. It’s his standard new-hire speech. But this time he emphasized getting distracted, appropriate behavior, and remembering that fraternization is forbidden.
Hypocrite.
When his gaze cut pointedly to Liev when talking about experience levels and boundaries—all wrapped in tactical terms—something hot and humiliating crawled over me. It was obvious he wasn’t referring to Liev’s and my work experience.
I sat ramrod straight, fantasizing about kicking my brother in the balls, but Liev didn’t react. Not visibly, anyway.
There were no smirks or shared glances with me.
Which made the whole situation worse somehow, and I felt every bit as young and inexperienced as Brady was making it clear he thought I was.
Granted, there hadn’t been an opportunity, but I’d assumed Liev would follow up on what he started in the conference room.
More experimenting.
Had I imagined what I thought was between us?
By Saturday morning, I’m restless and grateful that I’m expected at group therapy.
I need something to distract me from the constant fantasy reel that is playing on loop in my mind, starring a certain tattooed Russian gangster.
Also, it will be my last one for a couple of weeks while we are traveling, and I want to explain to Hannah why I won’t be around.
The smell of espresso and baked sugar engulfs me when I push open the door and spot Hannah at our usual table near the window, one leg tucked under her, phone face-down beside her mug.
“I got you a coffee,” she says, as I shrug out of my coat and drape it over the chair. “The line was ridiculous when I got here, so I figured I’d save us both some time.”
“You are my hero,” I tell her, wrapping my hands around the hot cup.
She watches me take the first sip, eyes narrowing just slightly in that way that means she’s already noticed something is off. Hannah is annoyingly perceptive like that.
“You look different.” She cocks her head. “Lighter.”
I make a noncommittal sound but can’t help but smile, and her eyebrows shoot up. “Is my dark little cloud becoming a ray of sunshine?”
I do laugh then, crumpling a napkin to throw at her. “Shut up. I’m just in a good mood.”
“And…” She waves her hand in a circle when I don’t continue.
“I’m going on my first field assignment. I’ll be traveling, so don’t worry if I’m not at the next couple of sessions.”
Hannah’s brow furrows in a frown. “I thought you said you were just an analyst.”
“I am. But this is a special circumstance where they need a female on the team.”
“Why?”
“The client has a habit of seducing her security, so I’m there as a buffer.”
My friend’s eyes rounded. “Wow. Who’s the client? If you’re allowed to tell me that is,” she hurries to add.
“Keke Novak.” I take another sip, reveling in Hannah’s shocked expression.
“The model?”
I nod. “She’s doing a marketing tour. A bunch of cities and different events.”
Hannah tilts her head, studying me more closely now. “Just you?”
“No, Liev will be with me.”
Her eyebrows come together. “I don’t think you’ve mentioned him before.”
“He was the guy at my apartment last week.”
Her eyes light up. “The sexy, scary dude?”
I choke on my coffee. “Liev’s not scary.”
“I’d cross the street in the dark.” She purses her lips. “Or maybe not. He is pretty hot.” She pauses. “He doesn’t look like any bodyguard I’ve ever seen in celeb pictures.”
“He’s new to Elite,” I hedge. “But he’s worked security before.”
“What’s with the tattoos?” she presses. “Was he… you know, in jail?”
I blink. “No. Why would you ask that?”
She shrugs. “I dated a guy with tattoos like that once. Before Chad. He told me he got them in prison. Claimed he had to join the Russian mob for protection.” She makes a face. “Another one of my many fantastic life choices.”
My laugh comes out a little strangled. Hannah’s eyebrow lifts slowly. “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”
“He might have… connections to all that,” I admit, instantly regretting the words as her face tightens. “But he’s not involved anymore. That’s why he’s at Elite.”
“And your brother is all right with that?” she asks.
“Absolutely,” I say. The lie slips out smoother than I like.
“And you’re traveling together.”
“It’s work.”
“Right.”
The silence that follows is brief but loaded. It reminds me that my life doesn’t look like most people’s.
“Is he violent?” Hannah’s voice is quiet, and suddenly it all makes sense. She is still recovering from her last relationship. A man like Liev probably sets off every internal alarm.
I reach across the table and squeeze her hand where it’s resting on the table. “He’s not like that.”
She stares at the table not meeting my eyes.
“He’s not dangerous,” I insist, pressing my lips together. “Not to me… He’s… complicated,” I admit.
“The way you say his name…” Hannah says. “You don’t just work together do you? And he was at your apartment.”
An awkward silence stretches across the table.
I try to pivot. “How was your week?”
“Fine,” she says shortly, already reaching for her phone.
“And work?”
“Busy.”
She scrolls, ignoring me. The knot in my stomach tightens. “Are you mad at me about Liev?”
She looks up immediately. “No, of course not.” Then she sighs and sets the phone aside. “I’ve just gotten protective of you, that’s all.” Her voice softens. “Fine. Tell me about him. Since you’re going to be spending so much time with him.”
“We’re sharing a room.”
Her eyes bulge. “What?”
“Yup. Clients rarely want to pay for two rooms for security.” I can’t keep the grin off my face.
Her eyes round. “You like him.”
My smile widens. I’m dying to share with her what’s been happening.
“Oh my God,” she breathes. “You do.”
“Remember when I said I got close to being able to… you know…” She nods. “It was with him.”
“Holy shit,” she says, then does an unmistakable excited shimmy. “And you’re sharing a room.”
“It’s not like that,” I say automatically. “We kissed. That’s it. And honestly, I don’t even know if he’s interested, or if he just feels sorry for me. Since we started working together, he’s really backed off.”
Hannah frowns. “That’s… confusing.”
“Tell me about it,” I mutter.
She studies me for a beat, then her mouth curves, mischief creeping back in. “Okay, but counterpoint—maybe he’s backing off because he’s trying not to fuck this up.”
Hope soars. “Maybe.”
“I’m just saying,” she continues, cheerfully ignoring me. “You’re sharing a room. Towels fall. Shirts get misplaced. These things happen.”
I choke on a laugh. “I am not dropping a towel on purpose.”
“Coward,” she teases. “You could trip. Naked. Into his arms.”
Before I can respond, her elbow catches her coffee cup.
“Oh—shit!”
The cup tips, dark liquid sloshing across the table and straight toward my lap. I jump back with a yelp.
“Napkins,” Hannah says quickly. “Go—before it ruins everything.”
I’m already on my feet, darting toward the counter. By the time I get back with an armful of napkins, she’s blotting frantically, cheeks flushed.
“I’m so sorry,” she says. “I think I soaked your phone. I grabbed it before it drowned.” She sets it down between us. “I don’t think it’s damaged though.”
I glance at it, relieved. Hannah checks her watch. “We should head out.”
She hesitates, then reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “You’re going to be busy, but… text me sometimes? Just to check in. I’ll miss you.”
“Of course,” I say without hesitation.
We grab our things and head out together, the cold air a sharp contrast to the warm cafe as we head for the parking lot. I tug my coat tighter, still half-laughing about Hannah’s towel theatrics, when she goes quiet beside me.
“Oh—hey,” she says casually, like it just occurred to her. “Has your ex’s mom bothered you again?”
The question flips my good mood off like a light switch in my chest.
The laughter drains out of me as we start down the sidewalk toward the parking lot.
“No.” I exhale slowly. “Brady had Elizabeth draft a letter. Basically, told her if she accosts me again, I’ll file for a restraining order.”
Hannah winces. “Good. That was… a lot.”
“Yeah.” I shove my hands into my pockets. “I hate that it even got to that point. I know she’s hurting, too, but I can’t help her.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she says firmly. “That’s smart, though. Gets it on the record that she is harassing you.”
I nod, even though the knot in my stomach hasn’t fully loosened. It’s an unwelcome reminder that the secrets in my life can yank me back at any time. And I’ve just added a new one.
We reach the row where our cars are parked, and Hannah bumps my shoulder lightly. “All jokes aside. If you are feeling it with him, go for it,” she says with a grin. “You never know how long a good thing’s going to last.”