CHAPTER TWELVE #3
“With all those umbrellas and cherries, I’m calling you the female in the relationship, then.”
He choked on the creamy liquid as I smirked and winked at the bartender. She blushed and cocked her hip.
Not interested, darling, but you are cute.
“I’ve handed in my notice, and I’m going to get the security business up and running. I need to know if you are in or out so I can print business cards,” I said.
I didn’t give a fuck about business cards.
“Maybe I’ve decided to buy a superyacht.” Aidan smiled.
“Good. It will be an excellent asset to the organization.” Aidan chuckled.
“Black, I’m doing this with or without you.
But I’d prefer the former.” I downed the rest of my beer, placed the glass firmly on the wooden bar, slid off my stool, and slapped him on the back. “Fuck this heat. I’m going for a swim.”
Then I walked away, giving him space to decide.
I brought much more than two million to the table, but that was all I asked him to invest. I could do it without him. I didn’t want to. By then, he’d become my best friend and the man I trusted the most.
We had a shared purpose.
Going private gave us the ability to do things without red tape and bureaucracy. Yeah, it made us gods in a way, but that was why I needed Aidan. And he needed me.
We called each other on our morals when life took us down paths and situations where we couldn’t see the forest for the trees.
It was the only way it would work.
Two hours later, I was in my hotel room packing when a knock at the door sounded. Aidan stood on the other side, his hands low on his hips, his head down.
Slowly, he looked up, his face unreadable as always.
“I’m in,” he said, walking in as I stepped aside. Then he turned and smirked. “But I’m also getting a superyacht.”
“Fuck yes. We’re buying all the toys.”
And we did.
Except if you’re a tax agent, we call them tools, not toys.
Many of them are used for undercover operations, and sometimes they get blown up, which sucks. Which was why I have a guy who invests some of our funds into different commodities and keeps the money flowing.
Our clients pay top dollar to use our services—and I mean top dollar.
Few people do what we do. Our only true competitor is Connor Barrett’s New York based security company, Barrett Security Enterprises.
The billionaire is a former US Marine and employs just as skilled men and women as we do. He mainly deals with corporate level security, but recently I learned Mack Cunningham, Nathan Walker, and Decker Adams are working for him.
Top level former marines.
Something else is going on over there, but it’s a question for another day.
I lift my brow at Aidan, waiting for him to get to the point so I can get back to Cassy.
Which is the point.
If he would get to it.
“No one else is scheduled on Cassy Cartwright this weekend,” he says.
“Nope.” I reply, because I can’t think of a single fucking reason why I haven’t.
“You in love with her?”
I recoil. “Don’t be fucking stupid. I met her yesterday.”
“Then Ryder is taking over tomorrow,” Aidan says. “You need to focus on Operation Sunrise.”
I clench my jaw as we stare one another down.
“No. My decision stands. I’m remaining on Cassy and there is no action required at this point on Sunrise.”
The black ops project was sensitive but currently stable. If that changed, I would need to drop everything and move fast. But Ryder and Adian were both living in the L.A. area, and we had a team of fifty I could pull from.
“Ask her out on a date after this is over, Josh,” he tells me.
“I don’t date. I’m not interested. Okay, fine, yes, I want to fuck her brains out until she screams—”
“Details really aren’t necessary.” Aidan scrunches his nose.
“And she would scream. Sorry that your dates don’t.”
He laughs.
“I need you to back off here,” I say after my smile fades.
“And I need you to tell me why you’re breaking protocol. BHS can’t protect her as effectively if we don’t have a team assigned to this. Josh Hawke is not a team.”
“Fuck off Aidan. I’m a fucking SEAL. You don’t think I can stay awake all weekend and still protect her on Monday while doing cartwheels?” I reply, starting to get antsy with him.
He leans forward. “I know you can, but that’s not how this works. She’s not a goddamn dignitary, so that’s not necessary.”
I’m not conceding.
And I’m not willing to admit why.
Aidan uncrosses his arms and lets out a sigh. “What is it about her? I mean, it’s good you’re interested in someone after—”
“Don’t.” I glare.
“Fuck, Josh. You have to face this shit,” Aidan exclaims.
I turn and reach for the door handle, because no, I fucking don’t. Aidan knows this is a NO-GO zone. Hell, I’ve punched him in the jaw for bringing it up before—I might have been drunk, but I wasn’t sorry.
Not then or now.
“Cassy is under my watch. Ryder is briefed to back me up if necessary.” I grunt. “Don’t read any more into it than it is.”
“And what is it?” Aidan raises a brow.
“No one else’s fucking business.” I pull open the door and march out.
Then smack straight into Penny.
“Josh!” she cries.
Hot coffee pours down my chest.