And then West’s gaze dipped to her breasts and then shot right back up to meet her eyes.
Annie self-consciously crossed her arms over her beer-stained chest. In all the anger, she’d forgotten how she must look. She’d purposely worn a thin shirt, and every inch of her breasts must be on display. Self-consciously, she tugged the sweater closed.
“Do you have a place I could clean up?” she asked.
“Yeah, we passed a bathroom down the hall.”
“Here, take this with you.” West walked to the drawer and pulled out a shirt wrapped in cellophane. It said “Black Star Security” on the back of the shirt in big, bold white lettering. Evidently, he’d gone all out to advertise his firm.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Want a cup of coffee?”
“Sure.” Annie never turned down java.
“When you get back, we’ll talk like two civilized people.” He crossed to the pot in the corner.
We’ll see.
Minutes later, Annie emerged from the bathroom with the shirt on. She’d been surprised to find several shower stalls inside the bathroom. Evidently, his teammates both lived and worked at the barn, which explained the bedroom upstairs.
Annie also removed the heavy makeup. It had been part of her disguise. Mascara made her eyes itch.
“Here’s your coffee.” West handed her a black logo mug full of it. “I don’t know how you take it, so doctor it up.”
She hit the inky blackness with some non-dairy creamer and threw several sugar packets in. Annie took an experimental sip. It tasted a bit weak by her standards, but it would do.
West sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, studying her. Annie bet he looked at terrorists exactly the same way—all steely-eyed and super professional. Annie noticed he even had a manila folder with Ryder’s name neatly typed on it.
He pulled a legal pad from a drawer and wrote her name at the top of the page.
“Let’s talk. You were guardin’ the fugitives when they escaped. Start at the beginnin’, I want to know everything.”
Wrapping her cold fingers around the mug for a second, Annie closed her eyes and centered herself. After pulling herself together, she opened them once more and then walked him through the botched prison transport.
West took a note here and there, asked the occasional question for clarification, but she didn’t notice any judgment in either his tone or demeanor.
And Annie deserved to be judged for what she’d done. Annie had started the chain of events which led to Mike’s death. She hadn’t even fought the dismissal from the Marshal Service.
“Weren’t you afraid Ryder would recognize you?”
“No.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“I have big boobs.” She lifted a shoulder. “Most men don’t even notice I have a face.”
West chuckled. Annie found herself smiling back at him and abruptly went stone-faced again. She was here for information, not to make friends.
“Besides, I was only wearing moisturizer and Chapstick the last time he saw me. Makeup has a way of changing your face, too.”
“You don’t need it.”
“What?”
“Makeup. You’re prettier without it.”
A flush crept up her neck, heating her face. Annie could feel it burning on her cheeks. It was the curse of being fair skinned.
West gave her a smug smile.
What a jackass. No, a hot jackass.
“Finish the tale.”
Annie continued, and when she finished telling West, he cleared his throat, before he spoke.
“I’m sorry about your partner.”
Annie nodded. “Thanks, but he was more than a coworker.”
It was an understatement. He’d been her best friend and her pace horse. They’d competed with one another at Glynco, trying to receive the best scores.
And she kept seeing Mike’s face, hearing the gurgling sounds he’d made. He plagued her thoughts, haunted her dreams at night.
“You loved him?”
Annie shook her head. “Not like that.”
They locked eyes and pain flickered in them for a moment. Although she didn’t know where his hurt came from, Annie recognized a kindred spirit. They were wounded, both culpable in a similar crime.
“I know all about guilt. The bastard’s an old friend of mine.”
“Even if I catch these guys, it won’t be enough. It’ll never be enough. Will it?” For a moment, Annie wanted him to offer her some comfort, a platitude.
Something to hold onto.
“No, it won’t, and you’ll have to live with what you did.”
Her chest ached. All Annie could do was nod in reply.
West laid a hand over hers. “Here’s a Navy SEAL quote I think about. Cowards never start. The weak never finish. Winners never quit. You can’t change what happened to your friend, but you’re finishin’ this, seein’ it through, and that means somethin’, Annie. Not everyone would hang in there.”
“Thanks.” Her voice had gone hoarse. Suddenly, she felt like an ass for giving him such a hard time. Annie wasn’t even angry with West.
I’m pissed at myself. And I’m taking it out on him.
“You never said how they found you.”
“I don’t remember much of it. Apparently, a truck driver pulled over, but by then I was already unconscious.” If he hadn’t stopped, they both would’ve died on the side of the highway. “By the time I woke up, I was already in the hospital.” Annie touched the scar. She could feel the puckered skin beneath her shirt. “They’d already taken the bullet out.”
“You’re lucky to be alive.”
“Yeah, I’m the lucky one,” she said bitterly.
“And you’re huntin’ these pricks down in your spare time?”
“Yeah, but I work as a floater for Juicy Burger. They’ve got a half dozen restaurants in the area, so it pays the bills.” Barely. Sometimes she didn’t have enough for a crappy hotel room and ended up sleeping in her car.
However, it was the best she could do under the circumstances. Her first priority was finding the fugitives and she wouldn’t have time to pursue them if she worked a regular nine to five job.
“How would you like a job?”
“Are you serious?” Annie thought she must’ve misheard him.
“Absolutely. Although to be clear, this would be a contract position, not a full-time gig.”
Annie just gaped at him.
***
West was a little shocked himself, but the offer had flown out of his mouth, and he couldn’t, or didn’t want to take it back.
He got a feeling it was that last one.
West doubted she got by on a minimum wage salary. He could practically feel the desperation wafting off of her. She’d been backed into a corner but was too proud to ask for help.
And while she’d been forthcoming, West got the impression she hadn’t told him the whole story either. He wasn’t sure what else had happened with her partner, but Annie was holding back, he could feel it.
“For the moment, we’re a skeleton crew, but I expect to hire more members after the business gets up and runnin’. I think we should combine our resources. Work together.”
West didn’t know where he would find the funds, even for a temporary employee who wouldn’t have fringe benefits, but he’d somehow make it work. He’d financed Black Star by emptying his savings account, using the inheritance he’d gotten from his old man, and cashing in some of his investments.
Things would be tight for the foreseeable future.
And, if he were honest with himself, it wasn’t completely about finding the fugitives. He’d been moved by her story and could relate to the guilt she felt. He’d been carrying his own burden, too. Annie deserved a second chance.
Although, it wasn’t all about empathy.
West was intrigued by Annie and wanted to keep her around for a bit longer. It was insanity because this was a place o
f business, not a dating service.
And yet here I am.
Finally, she found her voice. “Why on earth would you give me a shot? My screw-up led to this fiasco.”
“Because you have inside knowledge of the case, you’re trained, and you’ll be twice as careful now. What do you say?” He held out a hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, she shook it.
“Yes, thank you.”
Her hand was small in his own, delicate. When the handshake was over, West had to force himself to let her go.
“Welcome aboard. To be clear, I’m in charge, and you’ll take orders from me. Understood?”
Her lips thinned for a moment, and West thought she might throw him more sass. The thought didn’t irritate him. No, it turned him on.
Instead, she nodded stiffly.
“Was that a yes?” He couldn’t resist teasing her. West wasn’t used to people getting in his face, especially a gorgeous woman with curves in all the right places.
Her nostrils flared. “Yes.”
“Glad to hear it, Rook. And you can call me Chief.”
“Rook?”
“Short for Rookie. Whenever we got a new man on my SEAL team, we gave him the same nickname, until he’d earned one of his own. Sometimes it’s your last name, other times it’s an attribute, but everybody’s a Rook until proven otherwise.”
“Yeah, but I’m not a SEAL.”
“No, but you’ll be workin’ with us, so get on board with our habits. By the way, we live and work at HQ for the time being. On the third floor, there are bedrooms. They’re small but better than barracks, and at least you’ll have some privacy.”
“You want me to stay here?” Her eyes widened.
“Why? Is bunkin’ here a problem?” Did she have a boyfriend? A lover?
“No, not at all.”
“Glad to hear it.” He pulled out a checklist. “In addition to the usual paperwork, I have a few quick questions for you. Ready?”
“Sure.”
“Do you have a will?”
“No.”
“Then we’ll have to fix that. I have a boilerplate one, we can file with my attorney.” Her brows lifted. “It’s standard operating procedure. After all, this is a dangerous profession.”
“Understood.”
“What’s your blood type?” he asked.
“B positive.”
“Really? Are you sure?” Most people didn’t know theirs.
“Yes, I’m a donor.”
“Me too. It’s a rare blood type.” He crossed an item off on his list. King was their staff medic so West would let him know, in case she was injured in the field and needed immediate medical care. They were in a rural area, and the nearest hospital was forty-five minutes away. “And you’ll have to fill out a medical history sheet as well.”
“Sure.”
“But before I get ahead of myself, I’d better run this by the team, to make sure we’re on the same page.”
While this wasn’t a democracy, it would be a lot easier if they didn’t fight him on this decision. Before she could reply, he walked to the door and pounded on it. Hard. There were several gasps from the other side.
“I know you were listenin’ in. What do you guys think?”
When he opened the door, Mack, King, Zane, and Storm casually lounged in the hallway, as though they’d just been passing by.
“Spill it.”
“That depends, Chief,” King said. “Do we have to take a pay cut?”
West glanced at the others. The rest of them nodded. Evidently, it was the biggest point of contention.
“Nope.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” King elbowed him aside and rushed over to congratulate her. “Welcome to the team, darlin’!”
Chapter 5
West’s alarm clock screeched at five in the morning.
With a sigh, he picked up his phone from the night stand and checked his messages, hoping to hear from Katie. He had one from Nox, one of his teammates, who said he’d be moving in this morning. West fired off a reply and tugged on a pair of sweatpants and a muscle shirt. He slept naked, and West didn’t bother with underwear, preferring to go commando.
Once he was decent, he headed downstairs to the gym. When he passed Annie’s door, he briefly hesitated. She’d taken the empty bedroom next to his. On the other side, was Katie’s room.
Last night, King had taken Annie back to the bar to get her car. She’d pulled a couple duffel bags out of the trunk and brought them upstairs. And he wondered if she’d been staying in the rusty old Kia Rio.
For a second, he contemplated knocking and inviting her to work out with him, but ultimately decided against it.
West found himself wanting to know more about her, but since this gig wasn’t permanent, it was probably a terrible idea. He didn’t have the time for attachments anyway.
After turning on some Rascal Flatts and putting his ear buds in, he got his ass in gear. West loved working out, because it gave him the opportunity to quiet his mind. He performed a variety of HIIT exercises like squats, burpees, pushups, and lunges. The workouts were quick and could be done anywhere.
When he finished, he grabbed a hot shower and then West headed into the kitchen and made himself some sausage, toast, and eggs, along with some Starbucks House Blend. After he finished breakfast, his phone pinged with a FaceTime invitation from Katie.
“Hi, Daddy.”
West grinned. “Hey there, Katydid.” She was a miniature of his ex-wife, but she had his eyes. Since his son’s sudden death, they’d grown even closer, and Katie was the center of his world.
“How was the zoo? Tell me more about the pandas.” She’d texted him some photos of a panda last night, along with appropriate emojis. “They were awesome, Daddy. So cute and fluffy…” And then she launched into a blow by blow account of her encounter with the bears.
“What do you think about comin’ over to my place when you get back? We could have a campfire.”
“Yes, please!”
She squealed with excitement, dancing up and down. He loved that about her, how simple things made her happy. She was so innocent, and he’d do anything to protect her. Part of him wanted to keep her this little for her entire life.
“Ask your mom and see if it’s all right with her.” West doubted Paige would have any objections since she was a newlywed and wanted more time with her new husband.
She’d gotten married three months ago, and he’d attended the small ceremony, along with Katie. Watching Paige walk down the aisle with someone else had given him closure. Paige was no longer his to worry about. She had a new man by her side and seemed content. She deserved a fresh start.
“I will, Daddy. I love you.”
“I love you too, Katydid.”
She kissed her fingers and pressed them to the screen. “Gotta go. We’re gonna swim in the indoor pool. I’ll talk to you later.”
After hanging up, West poured himself another cup of joe.
One by one, his teammates drifted downstairs after finishing their own morning routines. King liked to workout and then sing Savannah songs off key in the shower. Mack journaled quietly in her bedroom. Stormy made himself a smoothie bowl and then went for a walk.
When Annie entered the room, he sucked in a breath.
He hadn’t been nervous around a girl since high school. But then again, it was the last time he’d dated anyone. He and Paige had been together since their sophomore year.
After she made herself a cup of coffee, Annie grabbed a granola bar from her pocket.
She caught him staring and he glanced away.
“Let’s have a quick staff meetin’ and then I’ll hand out assignments for the day.” He headed to the meeting room, and everyone followed him. And Nox walked in the door, just in time to join his peers.
***
Annie hung back until everyone else had been seated.
She finally sat beside Mack. They’d met briefly last night, and Annie was grateful to hav
e a bit less testosterone in the mix. Across the table from her, was another man she didn’t recognize, and he didn’t offer her his name, or even a smile.
“Okay, everybody, shut your cake holes and let’s get this show on the road.” Everybody went silent. West took his seat and got down to business. “Now that were all here, let’s do short introductions, for those of you who don’t know each other.”
He gestured to his left. “This is Stormy. Up until recently, he was workin’ at a Silicon Valley startup. He’ll be our tech guy.”
Like the rest of the men in this room, he was handsome. Storm had dark chocolate eyes and a shock of brown hair, but unlike the rest of them, he had on a pair of khakis and a polo, while everyone else wore jeans and T-shirts.
“Since we’re about to get friendly, I was wonderin’ why the fuck would you leave such a choice job?” King asked.
Storm shrugged. “I worked ninety hours a week, and I was gone so much, I killed my cactus. Think about that for a minute.”
She’d heard horror stories about startups and people working themselves to death. Sometimes, the companies didn’t even turn a profit, so all that effort was for nothing.
King nudged her. “FYI, he’s a spook, so watch yourself.”
Her eyes rounded. Spook? As in CIA? Holy crap.
“Come on, tell her.” King made a “get on with it” motion.
Storm rolled his eyes. “I can neither confirm nor deny my status.”
“Which is spook for ‘yes.’” King translated for her.
“Agents make my ass itch.” Surprising a shiver, Zane glanced at Storm. “No offense.”
“Too damn bad, I’m offended.”
West smothered a laugh with his hand.
Annie found herself smiling. She missed this kind of camaraderie. The men she’d worked with loved to bust each other’s chops. It was their way of showing affection.
“He probably knows everythin’ we’ve ever bought on our credit cards.” King whispered this, like he was telling her a secret, only it was loud enough for everyone else to hear.
“And what kind of porn we watch,” Zane added loudly.
Storm smirked. “Hell yeah, I know what kind of porn you watch. You like librarian types, so what? I don’t judge.” He gave King the side eye. “And we both know the sick shit you’re into.”
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