Chapter 6 #2
“To keep an eye on her? Or to make sure she stays put?” I still couldn’t decide which was the priority.
“Both,” Cooper said, and I found myself in agreement.
“Works for me,” I said.
It wasn’t like we didn’t move around a lot in the course of our work.
I was used to living out of a duffel bag.
I thought of Sylvie’s van, that burned-out shell, and had a spark of envy for her traveling constantly and never leaving home.
It had been a clever solution to the problem of a career that kept her on the road, and had probably been a lot more comfortable than some of the places I’d slept while on the job.
“Can you throw me over to Alice before I talk to Maddox and Emmett? I need to order some lunch. Sylvie’s starving.” I crossed to the kitchen and pulled open the fridge. Alice had already stocked it.
“Keep me posted,” Cooper said.
A click and a beep later, Alice picked up. “Sylvie all settled? I got her list delivered.”
“I saw,” I said. “Thanks for that. We need lunch, and I don’t want to head back out yet. Would you order takeout and let me know when they’re here?”
“I’ve got it. What do you guys want?”
“Whatever is easy,” I said. “Surprise us. Sylvie wants protein. And maybe something sweet or fried. She’s had a hell of a morning.”
“Is she okay?” Alice asked, concern heavy in her voice.
“She’s got a fucking titanium spine,” I said, a little grudgingly, still not sure I liked my new partner. I told Alice about the parking ticket and heard a gasp through the phone.
“You have to be kidding me. That’s monstrous.”
“Yeah. But she’s holding up.”
“I’m not surprised,” Alice said. “I’ll get your lunch ordered and buzz you when it’s here. You can pop into the office and grab it.”
“Thanks, Alice. Will you transfer me over to Emmett or Maddox?”
“Got it.”
Another click and a beep, and Maddox picked up, his low voice rumbling across the line. “What? Thought you were busy with the podcaster.”
“We went shopping to get her restocked. All her cards are frozen, debit included. Nothing went through.”
“Seriously? Everything?” Maddox’s voice went from neutral to curious.
“Everything.” I leaned over the counter and braced myself on my elbows.
“Well, that’s interesting.”
I heard Emmett in the background ask, “What’s interesting?” but Maddox didn’t answer.
“First they tried to blow her up,” I said. “Now they’re shutting her down.”
“Lucky she found us,” Maddox said. “She’d be fucked if she was out there on her own.”
The thought had occurred to me too. A woman with this much backbone was going to be a handful, particularly one who intended to investigate this increasingly dangerous and complicated situation.
Handful or not, I was getting a little tired of seeing life kick her in the teeth, especially since she refused to go down.
“You’ll check it out?” I asked.
“Oh, hell yeah. We’re on it.” The phone clicked in my ear. Maddox was gone. Not a surprise. He didn’t bother with social niceties when there was a project to tackle. It was one of the things I liked most about him.
I paced the small kitchen, running over everything I knew.
We had options for what to do next, but I needed to talk them out with my team, not with Sylvie.
She was in enough danger as it was. I hadn’t known her long, but I recognized the tenacity.
And the dogged pushing. The more information she had, the more trouble she was likely to find. Neither of us needed that.
I caught the light thunk of a door shutting, another opening. She must be out of the shower already. Faster than I would have expected. She came into view, and I froze.
This wasn’t the Sylvie I’d spent the morning with.
Cleaned of dirt, her scrapes treated, and wearing clean clothes, she looked different.
Despite her fatigue, everything about her was fresh and bright.
Her clothes weren’t anything special. Jeans, snug on her hips, flaring into a wide leg.
Dark green T-shirt, fitted but not tight.
Still, the green cotton clung to high, round breasts and showed off toned arms. Her face was scrubbed clean.
I wasn’t sure if she was wearing any of the makeup she’d bought.
Maybe, because her hazel eyes were huge, lashes thick and dark, that rosebud mouth so pink and soft.
Her long cinnamon hair was still wet, clumping into thick waves that dripped water onto her shirt, down her shoulders and back.
“Did you check the kitchen?” she asked, striding past me to pull open the fridge. “I’m dying for something to eat. Mayhem always makes me hungry.”
“How much mayhem have you experienced to know that?” I had to ask, trying not to stare at her ass as she bent over to search the fridge.
She straightened and cracked a tiny grin. Unlike the last smile, this one put a flicker of life in her eyes. “Just enough to know it makes me hungry,” she said. “I realize I asked for yogurt and granola, but…”
“Alice ordered us lunch. I don’t know what, but I told her we were starving and wanted protein, so it’ll probably be good. She’s going to let us know when it’s here.”
“Oh, okay. I can hold out for that.” She turned and leaned against the counter, bracing her palms on the edge. The stance threw her shoulders back, and for a second, I couldn’t tear my eyes off her full breasts stretching the T-shirt.
Fuck.
I didn’t have to lecture myself that checking out her body was inappropriate, unacceptable, blah blah.
I knew that well enough. I didn’t fuck around on the job.
Never had. Never thought I’d be tempted.
But something about Sylvie Calloway was digging under my skin.
The green apple scent of her shampoo or lotion drifted across the kitchen, and abruptly, I had to go.
Alice hadn’t buzzed with the food, but Sylvie was safe enough if she stayed in the apartment.
“I’ll go get lunch,” I said. “I’ll be back in a few. Don’t leave the safe house.”
She shook her head, her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied my face. “Not going anywhere at the moment.”
“At the moment? Or until I tell you that you can leave?” I needed to make it clear who was in charge here.
The side of her mouth curved up. “I’ll be good, boss.”
“I don’t believe that for a fucking second,” I said as I let myself out, locking the door behind me.
Sylvie Calloway wasn’t just in trouble. Sylvie Calloway was trouble. Sooner or later, I’d have to decide what I was going to do about that.