by Meg Ripley
“You don’t. This is a direct order, and it’s already been taken care of. Don will be standing guard outside your apartment tonight and I’ll be at work with you tomorrow as usual, but after work, the new guys take over.”
Sabrina rolled her eyes. “This is really getting out of hand, you know?”
“It’s a big case, and you’re a big deal. The conclave doesn’t want to take any risks. But soon enough, it’ll all be over with and you can go back to your normal life. Hopefully.” The last part he muttered under his breath, but Sabrina still heard him.
And she knew what he meant. Depending on how the trial went, she might never have a normal life again.
3
“You sure about this?” Vance asked, eyeing him sideways as they lounged in the common area at their headquarters. The cowboy had chosen not to live in one of the provided apartments since he already had a ranch outside of town, but just like everyone else, he spent a lot of time there.
“Yeah. Why?” Max turned away from the window to glare at him.
The cougar shrugged. “Oh, just a hunch, considering you haven’t stopped pacing for the last hour or so.” He grinned from his place on the couch, where he lounged casually.
That was easy enough for him to do, considering this woman they’d been put in charge of protecting wasn’t his ex-fiancée. “I’m fine. I’m just antsy because I don’t have anything left to do. I was already down at the hangar this morning to clean up my chopper, and I’ve made out my flight plan. Turns out, I can go straight from the roof of the hospital to the roof of her apartment building.” He wouldn’t say it out loud, but it’d galled him to see that Sabrina was living in a place like Sandoval Terrace. That showed him more than anything just what a hotshot she’d become since the two of them had split. It was the sort of ritzy apartment building she’d have made fun of only a few years ago, and now she was living on the top floor.
“All right,” Vance drawled. “If you say so.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Max curled his fists at his sides. The other men of the Force were supposed to be his comrades now, but that didn’t mean he could give one of them a busted lip, right?
He put his hands in the air in self-defense. “Hey, I’m just saying you seem like you’re having a hard time with this. You’ve been acting weirder than normal ever since we got the job. I know the local conclave wanted us at least in part because of your piloting skills, but if it’s not going to work, then we can make other arrangements.”
“We don’t need other arrangements,” Max growled. How dare Vance question him like this! “I’m just ready to get this show on the road.”
Jack whipped off his headphones and shut his laptop. “Look, either fight or don’t fight. But I’m tired of listening to the arguing, either way. I’m trying to get some work done.”
Max pressed his lips together. He wanted to turn his anger on Jack as well, but the fact that both of them were getting irritated told him something. He was lashing out again. It wasn’t the first time, and it was difficult to control. Maybe it was because he’d spent so many years with someone telling him what to do, or perhaps it was just because he had a stubborn streak a mile wide, but he didn’t like anyone questioning him. “I’m just eager to get this show on the road.”
“Or in the air, rather,” Jack joked. “I spoke with the president of the conclave, who was able to confirm there haven’t been any suspicious activities since they started protecting Dr. Barrett. They just want to be extra careful since she’s the prime witness to this murder. The trial is in a week, so we’ll be back to our regular style of assignments after that, I imagine. In the meantime, I’ve worked up a rotating schedule.”
Max practically jumped when his phone pinged, Vance’s phone echoing the noise across the room. He checked the screen to find a message from Jack. “You really like being organized, don’t you?”
Jack didn’t bother taking it as an insult. “It helps, especially in this line of work. Anyway, that agenda should sync up with what Dr. Barrett has going on for the week. There will be a lot of downtime, just hanging out at the hospital or her place, but hopefully, it won’t be more exciting than that.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Vance countered with a smile. “I reckon I could use some excitement. I don’t have a lot going on at the ranch right now, and I wouldn’t mind taking down an enemy shifter here and there.”
Max only replied with a snort. He knew there’d be plenty of excitement, but not in the way Vance pictured. Sabrina had always been an incredibly talented woman, and not just with a scalpel. She had a way of letting the troubles of the world slide right off her back like they didn’t matter. He’d thought it was a sign of strength, but he’d come to learn during his relationship with her that it just meant she was incredibly cold. He couldn’t imagine anyone who fit in better with the clients she was now serving as one of the top cosmetic surgeons in the area.
“Whatever happens, I’m sure we can all be professional about it.” Max grabbed his jacket from the back of the sofa and headed out. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
The others called a goodbye after him, but he wasn’t paying attention. Max was too busy brooding to himself. He knew he shouldn’t give two shits what Sabrina Barrett was doing these days. It shouldn’t matter if she was rich and famous or just a nobody doctor in a small town outside of Dallas. The two of them were through, and he’d made that more than evident when he’d moved out in the middle of the night. He was a professional, as he’d just reminded himself a minute ago, and he could show her that he could be just as cold.
It was a beautiful day, or it would’ve been if he’d been able to focus on it as he whirled over the city. He waited a moment for an air ambulance to clear the launchpad before he descended. His stomach lurched, and he wished he could blame it on the movement of the craft. But Max could sleep through a crash landing at this point. It was definitely not the chopper.
Leaving the rotor going to save time, Max sent a message to the number he’d been given and waited. He was there. He was doing his job. No one could fault him for that.
The rooftop door opened, and she emerged. He knew it was her, even from a distance. The white lab coat was obviously a dead giveaway, but it was more than that. It was the way she’d pulled her dark hair away from her face in a doubled-over ponytail, the deep chestnut strands glistening in the late afternoon sun. It was her tortoiseshell glasses that she insisted on wearing when she worked because she felt she could see better through them than with contacts. It was the sexy way she walked when no one was looking.
But her steps faltered as she and her guard approached the helicopter. She put up a hand as she squinted against the buffeting winds created by the spinning blades. Disdain dripped from her, but the guard didn’t seem to notice. He stepped forward and reached inside the aircraft to shake Max’s hand. “I’m Russell. President Whiteside asked me to tell you to call him with any issues. Dr. Barrett is to be kept under surveillance at all times.
Max eyed the guard. Who was he to tell him how to do his job? He knew what the hell he was there for. But he let it go for now. The hard part was yet to come. “Will do.”
“Great.” Russell helped Sabrina into the helicopter and stepped back. Max noted that even though he’d been relieved of duty, the man didn’t leave the rooftop. He was waiting to see them off.
Max instantly felt a surge of something take over his body as he wondered what this man’s relationship was to Sabrina. Was this her new mate? Had she gone on and found someone else as she discovered a new career for herself? If she had, then why the hell wasn’t that guy going to keep her safe?
But he kept all his questions to himself as he ascended and adjusted his heading.
It was Sabrina who finally broke the silence. Her hands were folded in her lap, and she watched the buildings below them with far more interest than the usual tourists he had with him. “It’s strange to be flying with you again.”
“Yeah. I gue
ss when the conclave asked us to do this, they didn’t bother to ask if there was any personal history. Is it going to be problem?” He could hear the bite in his words, only somewhat reduced by the mic and headphones.
“No. I know you’re a good pilot.”
So that was it? She didn’t feel safe with him because she knew he’d protect her at all costs, but simply because he was a good pilot? Because of the training he’d received through the Army? It was almost insulting.
He shook his head and concentrated on flying. He was getting too deep in his head again, a bad habit that had formed over the years he’d been out of the service. It was difficult to control, but he needed to work harder on it. He had to.
“I guess you must be doing well for yourself,” Sabrina said, looking around at the inside of the cockpit. “You know, I never did sit down and memorize the insides of these things, but this looks like a nice one.”
He shrugged. “Not as well as you’ve done, apparently. I’m surprised you didn’t already have some private chauffeur and security guard.”
She turned to look at him thoroughly for the first time since she’d gotten in the chopper, and Max felt his inner tiger lashing out at all the intense feelings it brought. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved his tiger down. His wild instincts had been incredibly helpful when it came to fighting the enemy overseas, but he’d found his human side was more helpful when it came to his current life: that, and a healthy dose of sarcastic wit. “Come on. Your name pops up in about a million search results now that you’ve made it big.”
Sabrina made a face. “You Googled me?”
He lifted one shoulder, realizing how lame that must’ve sounded. “It’s a standard procedure if I’m going to be working with a new client. So yeah, I know about all the work you’ve done and how much attention it’s gotten you. And money. They don’t let just anyone live at Sandoval Terrace, much less on one of the top floors. I guess that little place on Easley Street would be way too far beneath you now.”
She folded her arms across her chest, and Max could swear she was leaning away from him even within the confines of the seatbelt. “What exactly did you expect? That I’d just sit around in the same old place?”
“I don’t know, but definitely not that you’d live in one of the most bougie buildings in the city.” It just wasn’t her. He easily remembered the way she used to spruce up their crappy little place. Sabrina would get so excited about something like a pair of new curtains or a coat of paint, and she’d go on and on about how much money they were saving compared to some of their friends.
“I live there because it’s a nice place and I like it. I don’t have to justify that to you.” Her scowl was a familiar one.
That was just fine with him. Let her be on the defensive. Let her be mad. It made it that much easier for him to ignore the way his body was reacting. Max had gotten decent at keeping his tiger in check these days, but all that progress went flying out the window in Sabrina’s presence. What was it about her that made him lose control like that? Even now, he could feel a shiver down his spine where his fur was threatening to explode. He gripped the controls until his knuckles turned white to stave off his claws. For just a moment, he considered letting a tooth or two come through just to release some of the pressure, but it was a short trip from there to the fully-fledged beast. He was a talented pilot, but he couldn’t do this without his human form.
“Yeah,” he finally responded. “Almost there.” He did his best to concentrate on navigation, on the skyline, even the overly familiar thud of the blades overhead. Instead, he was keenly aware of the curves of her body. Simply being in her presence was overwhelming.
Fortunately, a helicopter ride across the city was much faster than fighting traffic would’ve been, and they arrived at Sandoval Terrace in no time. Max tried to keep himself trained on the matter at hand as he settled down onto the generous roof. This landing wasn’t going to be as quick as the one at the hospital since he had to shut everything down entirely. That was going to take some time.
Sabrina unbuckled herself. “I guess I’ll just see you tomorrow on the way to work?”
“No. I’m staying here.”
“What?” Her glasses had slipped ever-so-slightly, and she shoved them firmly back up her nose. “I really don’t think that’s necessary. Nothing has happened.”
“So far,” he reminded her. “It’s an order, Sabrina. Just give the rotors a few minutes. Then we can go inside.”
She shot him another dirty look but remained where she was. That was something he could always count on when it came to Sabrina: she was a rule follower. Not that there weren’t times she stood up and demanded the rules be changed, but Max had never seen her go against someone solely for the sake of doing so.
Finally, when the chopper was shut down and secured, he escorted her inside the building. Max held his tongue as the rooftop door led them to an elevator that was nicer than any house he’d ever lived in. He merely lifted an eyebrow when he saw her unlock her apartment door with her fingerprint. But he couldn’t contain himself any longer when they stepped inside, and he let out a low whistle. “Even swankier than I imagined.”
She set her bag down on a side table and let a breath out through her lips. “It’s not swanky. It’s just nice. I wanted someplace comfortable to come home to in the evenings, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Shit. There I go justifying myself to you again. If this is how things are going to go all night, then I can’t wait for morning to come.”
A twinge of guilt made him turn away from her. Max strode through the house, checking the windows and the fire escape. Everything was immaculately clean. The thick trim in every room was reminiscent of a more ornate architectural style that would’ve been popular over a hundred years ago, and the thick rugs squished gently under his feet. He had to admit the place had a cozy, comfortable feeling, even though it seemed a bit grandiose. Still, there was one thing about it he didn’t like. “The security measures here are pretty minimal, considering how much money you probably paid for this place.”
“What are you talking about?” She’d stepped into the laundry room for a moment and reemerged in a fitted button-down shirt, wide-legged dress trousers, and pumps. Sabrina was gorgeous in a powerful way that he’d always found hard to resist.
That made it difficult for him to remember exactly what it was he’d been trying to tell her. “The window locks are pretty minimal, for one thing.”
“Do you really think someone is going to climb all the way up here? I doubt I even need locks on the windows.”
She might have been right, but Max wasn’t going to give in just yet. “Then there’s that lock on your front door. A fingerprint is fancy and sounds very difficult to get past, but anyone with a little hacking skills could pop it open in an instant. Or just take an ax to it, that works.”
Sabrina rolled her eyes. “It’s fine, okay. It’s all just fine. And if you’re so concerned about it, then at least you’re here to make sure someone doesn’t put suction cups on their feet to walk up the side of the building and that there aren’t any crazy ax murderers breaking down the door. Now, I’m hungry.”
He followed her into the kitchen. Most of the place was an open floor plan, which meant the kitchen was simply one large corner of the apartment. The granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances were just as clean as the rest of the place. “Do you actually cook?”
“In case you don’t recall,” she said as she grabbed a takeout menu off the fridge, “I’m a pretty darn good cook. But these days, I’m too tired to. I’m thinking barbecue.” She waved the menu in his direction.
Max felt the urge to be difficult again, but he took a deep breath and set it aside. It wasn’t Sabrina’s fault the Force had been hired to protect her. If she was going to at least be kind enough to think of him when it came to dinner, then he could lay off being such an asshole. Maybe. “Yeah. Barbecue is fine.” It was going to be a long night
.
4
“I’m going to bed,” Sabrina said a couple of hours later after the dishes had been cleared away, and she’d mostly gotten over Max’s rather rude treatment of the delivery driver. She shifted from one sore foot to the other. Don and Russell had been standing guard outside her door, but Max hadn’t shown any signs of leaving her apartment. “What are your plans for the night?”
He answered exactly the way she was hoping he wouldn’t, and even included a rather mischievous grin with it. “My orders are to stay right here.”
“As in, here here?” she asked, pointing to the floor. “I don’t even know if there are any sheets on the guest bed. I’ll have to look in the linen closet.”
“Don’t worry about that,” he assured her. “I’m not here for a slumber party. I’m here to guard you. I’ll be right here on the couch, staying awake and listening for anyone who isn’t fooled by your fancy electronic lock.”
“Somehow, I’m not sure that makes me feel any safer.” She turned around and marched off to her bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her and then sinking back against it.
Why? Of all the people the conclave could’ve hired to watch over her, why did it have to be Max? Sabrina had managed to avoid him ever since they’d broken up. Granted, that wasn’t difficult. Max wasn’t the sort of guy who attended medical conventions or frequented local parties among the wealthy, and she wasn’t the sort to hang out with a bunch of soldiers going out for drinks. That was one of the problems they’d had, after all. They were just two completely different people.
Still, as she slipped out of her heels, she couldn’t help but wonder why Max should show up in her life right now. What was the universe trying to tell her? Sabrina was all about science and technology, but she also felt there were times when you couldn’t ignore the signs right in front of you. If this meant she was supposed to take Lance McCarthy’s word that it was time to move on, then she’d have to move on to a different city.