A Sense of Security: A Christian Romance (BlackThorpe Security Book 6)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Pushing aside her soup bowl, she stared down at the papers. She debated on what address to give. The post office box she’d rented was what she preferred to give, but if they did any kind of check, they might think it strange she didn’t have a physical address. She’d gotten the PO box so that each time she moved, she didn’t have to keep changing her address. Her rent was month to month which was preferable for her since there had been times when something had happened and she’d needed to move quickly.

  In the end, she used the PO box, figuring that if they questioned it, she could just say that she had a move pending. Which would technically be true if she got this job and a good salary came with it.

  Around seven, her weekly call from California came, leaving her, as usual, feeling stressed and agitated. Just one time, she would have liked to have a normal conversation, not one filled with rants and demands.

  Sighing, Alicia made sure everything was locked up tight before going to take a shower. Thankfully, the water in the rather run-down building was warm enough to make a shower a pleasurable experience. It wasn’t piping hot, but at least it wasn’t cold.

  As she stood in front of the mirror a short time later, Alicia reached out to clear off the light mist on the glass surface. She picked up her comb and began to work it through her long strands. If she did get the job at BlackThorpe, she was going to need to posh up her appearance a bit. Particularly since she was going to be working for one of the founders. A sleeker, more professional hairstyle would be in order. She didn’t really want to have to cut her hair too short, though. Even though part of the reason she’d let it grow recently was that it had been cheaper than getting regular haircuts, she actually did like her hair longer.

  She bent over and used a towel to remove as much of the remaining moisture as she could then quickly braided it. Once her hair was out of the way, she finished up her night time routine for her face and teeth then left the small bathroom.

  After slipping on a sleep T-shirt, she turned off the television and lights then curled up under the covers on her bed. It took a little shifting to find the comfortable spot on the old bed, but once she found it, she opened a book to read the next chapter for the women’s Bible study group she’d started to attend with Tori. It was for twenty and thirty-something women—married or single—and it was the first time she’d ever attended anything like that.

  She tried to focus on the words of the study chapter, but it was useless. The words kept blurring until she finally lowered the book. Her thoughts were swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other like a pendulum. She kept thinking about how life would be if she actually got the job but then, just as quickly, she’d think of what she’d need to do if the job didn’t come through.

  It had been a long time since she’d hoped for something so much, and as she lay there alone in her tiny apartment, she tried to push down the hope that had taken root within her. Even though she had prayed about it since the moment Eric had mentioned the job possibility, Alicia hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up. And yet she’d ended up hopeful nonetheless.

  With a sigh, she lifted the book up and once again tried to read. Since starting the study, Alicia had tried to read through the week’s chapter and its accompanying Scripture every night and then spent the evening before the Bible study answering the questions. Since it was her first time doing a study like that, she was trying to find what worked for her in order to get the most out of it.

  She was grateful for the study and how it was helping her understand a faith that she’d never experienced before. Studying had always been something she enjoyed, so this was right up her alley, but what she was learning was so much more than just knowledge. It was impacting her on a level she’d never anticipated.

  Once she felt like she’d been able to focus on the study sufficiently, Alicia opened the app on her phone to the current book she was reading. This was her escape from the reality that she often found overwhelming. She had painted herself into such a corner that she couldn’t see a way it could end happily. That was her lot, and she had no choice now but to live it.

  At least in the books she read, love overcame everything, and those characters had their happily ever after. At this point, she’d be happy to get out of this mess with her relationships with the McKinleys still intact. She just wasn’t sure that was possible.

  Unwilling to let those thoughts drag her down once again, Alicia focused on where she’d left off on the story the night before.

  She was so engrossed in the story that when her phone rang, and the alert popped up on her screen, she just about dropped it. Though she didn’t recognize the number, something told her to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Alicia?” The deep timber of his voice washed over her.

  Her heart skipped a beat, and she hesitated before replying. “Uh…speaking.”

  “This is Marcus Black.”

  Alicia smiled. As if he needed to identify himself. “Hello, Marcus. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. I apologize for calling so late, but I got tied up in some meetings.”

  “It’s quite alright. I was still awake.”

  “Good.” He paused. “I was able to talk to your references this afternoon, and they all spoke very glowingly of you.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I always try to do my best.”

  “Well, if you’re still interested, I would like to offer you the position of my assistant with the probationary period we discussed earlier.”

  Alicia felt her heartbeat kick up a notch. Finally! “Yes. Yes, I’m definitely still interested.”

  “Excellent. Did you get the packet of forms from Kelsey?”

  “Yes, and I have filled them all out.”

  “I have a meeting in the morning tomorrow, so why don’t you come in around one and we can go over a few more things. You can start officially on Wednesday.”

  “I will be there,” Alicia said as she gripped the phone tightly in her hand. Please don’t let me be dreaming.

  “I look forward to working with you.”

  “Me, too. See you tomorrow.”

  After the call had ended, Alicia flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Maybe…just maybe…this was step one to getting back on her feet. She didn’t know yet what the salary would be, but it had to be more than she’d been making at her previous job. It certainly wouldn’t solve all her problems, but at the very least, she might be able to afford a nicer place to stay eventually. For now, she’d focus on her more pressing financial matters and getting them taken care of.

  ~*~

  Marcus snagged his suit coat from the back of the bathroom door and slid his arms into the sleeves before tugging it up on his shoulders. It hadn’t been his plan to spar with Justin Morrell over his lunch hour, but the man had reminded him it had been a couple of weeks since he’d last hit the gym to spar. It had actually felt good, which is what he told himself after every session, but he still didn’t make it happen as regularly as he should.

  He took the time to workout at home, but the sparring in the gym was necessary, too. It kept him alert and his reflexes sharp. As much as he spent time at the gun range, he needed to spend it sparring. Maybe that was something he’d have Alicia add to his calendar. Maybe her reminders would spur him to be better about it.

  Looking in the mirror, Marcus combed through his still damp hair one last time then walked out into his office. Like all the executive offices on this floor, his had a bathroom attached. He drew up short when he noticed a woman standing just inside his door with her back to him.

  “Hello?” he said as he walked toward his desk. When the woman swung around to face him, Marcus’s eyes widened. “Alicia?”

  The woman smiled as she walked further into the office. “Good afternoon, Marcus.”

  He realized as she approached that her hair was done differently, which made her look a little older. “Your hair looks different.”

  Her hand crept up to smooth the sides of
the twist that held back her hair. “I thought maybe it would be more professional.”

  “Have a seat.” Marcus gestured to the seat she’d sat in the previous day. “You don’t need to change your hair. However, you choose to wear it is fine.” More than fine, actually. Her long light auburn hair had been one of the first things he’d noticed about her when they’d met at Eric and Staci’s wedding. He noticed that the suit she wore today was navy which she’d paired with a white blouse. It looked a bit big on her, and he wondered if she’d lost weight recently. As it was, she looked like a stiff breeze might blow her away.

  She stared at him for a moment, her dark eyes wide in her delicate face, then laid a packet on his desk. “Here are the forms you needed me to complete.”

  Marcus reached for the packet as he used his desk phone to call Kelsey to come to his office. When she appeared in the doorway, he stood up and held the packet out to her. “Can you see that these are taken to HR? Alicia will be down in about an hour to get her ID and security keys.”

  “Right away.” Kelsey gave Alicia a quick smile before leaving the office.

  “Okay. Down to business.” Marcus settled back into his chair. “We will have a laptop for you as well as a tablet. These are BlackThorpe property so shouldn’t be used for anything else, but I would like you to keep both with you at all times. I suppose I should have mentioned that this position isn’t just a 9-5 job. I will pay you well to be available after hours should I need you to do something for me. If that’s a problem, let me know now.”

  Alicia shook her head. “That’s fine.”

  “Good. This laptop is tied into parts of the network here. You will be able to access anything you have on your desktop here from the laptop. Once a week you will be required to drop both the laptop and tablet off at IT to have them scanned for any potential issues. It’s standard for all employees. Even I have mine scanned, so don’t feel you’re being picked on. We deal with sensitive material and situations here, and we can’t afford a leak or to have information stolen. Lives are at stake.”

  “I understand.”

  “Trent will work with you to get your login information, and he’ll show you how to get on the network and walk you through a couple of the main programs we use here. If you have any questions regarding the laptop or the computer stuff, feel free to ask him. As you know, he’s our computer whiz.” Marcus watched Alicia for any signs of being overwhelmed, but though her face held a focused look as he explained things, he didn’t get the feeling she was feeling overburdened by the information. “Finally, here’s a cell phone for you.”

  “I have one already,” Alicia said as she touched the purse in her lap.

  “I know, but this one is special for certain BlackThorpe employees—you being one of them since you work for me. It has some special hardware attached to it for security. So, if you want, you can cancel your personal cell phone. I have no problem with you using the phone for personal calls, but do not make any calls regarding BlackThorpe on your personal cell if you choose to keep it.”

  Alicia nodded, her brows drawn together slightly.

  “I’m not sure you if you’ve heard what has been happening at BlackThorpe over the past couple of years. Anyone working for BlackThorpe can become a target. We do what we can to keep our employees safe, but we need you to do your part too by not making yourself or our information vulnerable. It’s not required, but you might want to take advantage of our gun range to practice shooting and eventually get a permit to carry. We also have a gym, and Justin could set up self-defense courses for you if you need them.”

  “I’ve taken some.”

  “That’s good. I know it seems like I’m throwing you right into the deep end, and that’s true of the job itself, but we do have other things we will need you to do over the course of the next few weeks.”

  Alicia tilted her head to the side. “Like what?”

  “Safety courses for starters. We require them of all new employees. How to be alert to possible threats and that sort of thing.” He paused and watched again for any sign of how she was taking all this. He was purposely dumping it on her in this way to see how she reacted. So far, so good. “For now, I’m going to take you to Trent and then he can help you with the computer side of things. After you’re done there, he’ll take you to HR, and once that’s done, you’ll need to come back up here. Any questions?”

  She stared at him for a moment then shook her head. “Not at the moment. If something comes to mind, I’ll let you know.”

  “That’s fine.” Marcus pushed back from his desk and stood. “It’s always better to ask questions than to just wing it.

  As he came around to where she sat, Alicia also got to her feet. He held out his hand indicating she should precede him out the door of his office. Once in the wide hallway outside his desk, he laid a hand on her back briefly to guide her to the right. “Normally, you’d go down to IT for this part, but since you’re going to be working directly with me and because you already know him, I’ve arranged for Trent to help you out. I thought you might feel more comfortable with him.”

  “Hi, Marcus,” a feminine voice said as they walked past an open door.

  He turned to see Adrianne Thorpe coming out of her office. “Hello, Adrianne. This is Alicia Leighton. She’s going to be my new assistant.”

  A corner of Adrianne’s mouth lifted as she looked at Alicia. “Good luck. Hope it works out for you both. Don’t let him scare you away.”

  Marcus drew back as he scowled at her, not wanting to think that his actions might scare Alicia away the way they had his previous assistants . “I’m not going to scare her away. She’s Eric’s sister, so I think she’s got more backbone than the others have had.”

  “I thought I recognized you.” This time a full smile spread across Adrianne’s face. “Welcome aboard.”

  “Thank you,” Alicia said as she returned Adrianne’s smile. “I look forward to working here.”

  “We’ve got to keep moving,” Marcus said. “Trent’s expecting us.”

  “Well, Alicia, if you ever need anything and Marcus isn’t around to help you, just come find me. I’m usually around.”

  As they moved down the hallway, Adrianne walked in the opposite direction.

  “What does she do here?” Alicia asked.

  Marcus glanced down at her, noting how she barely came to his shoulder. “Her official title is Director of Community Relations. Basically, she deals with fundraising and the social side of things. Setting up business dinners with clients. Doing fundraising for the wounded warriors’ program we run.”

  “Who are the wounded warriors?”

  “We have a program for veterans who were wounded while in the service. That program is run out at the Wellness Center.”

  “The Wellness Center?”

  “I guess Eric hasn’t given you too many details?”

  Alicia shook her head. “No, aside from the basics of how the company was founded and what its purpose is, he didn’t give me too many specifics. And I couldn’t find much on the internet.”

  “Well, BlackThorpe has a large section of land outside the city to the north. On it we have the Wellness Center which includes housing and support for the veterans. We also have our tactical training center out there along with barracks that can house teams who come to train. Melanie Thorpe and Justin Morrell are the two with offices out there. Than Miller, Trent, and Eric have their offices here with Alex, Adrianne and me.” Marcus glanced over at her. “That should help you know where to find someone if you need to.”

  “This is a bigger operation than I realized,” Alicia said.

  “And we’re hoping to grow it even more,” Marcus replied then pointed to an open doorway. “Trent will give you an overview of what he does, and once you get back from HR, I’ll talk to you about the rest. Bring you up to speed, so you know what you’re dealing with when each department contacts you.”

  Marcus was impressed that she hadn’t flinched with all he�
�d dumped on her. Usually how a person handled this initial introduction to the job was a good indicator of how they’d do in the position. So far, Alicia was handling it with flying colors. He hoped that meant that he’d finally found the person who’d stick with him for longer than a month. Having to constantly train someone new was a waste of time and energy.

  “Here we go.” Marcus reached out and tapped on the open door. “Afternoon, Trent.”

  The man jumped up from his seat and came to greet them. “Nice to have you on board, Alicia.”

  As Marcus watched, she looked at him and then back to Trent. “Thank you.”

  “Well, I’ll leave her in your capable hands, Trent.” Marcus turned to Alicia. “I’ll see you back in my office when you’re done with HR, okay?”

  She nodded, her gaze meeting his momentarily. For a second, Marcus thought he caught a glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes. But if it had really been there, it was gone just as quickly.

  With another nod at Trent, Marcus left the two of them and returned to his office. He had a few things he needed to take care of before she came back.

  3

  “You okay?”

  Alicia looked up to find Trent watching her. She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. Just nerves from starting a new job. You know how it is.”

  “For sure. But at least you’re going to be working in a terrific place,” Trent said with utter conviction. “Once you work here, you’ll never want to work anywhere else.”

  “Doesn’t seem that Marcus’s previous assistants have felt that way,” Alicia pointed out.

  “Ah, but I get the feeling you’re going to be able to handle Marcus just fine.” Trent grinned at her, his eyes sparkling with humor. “After all, you’ve got the same blood as Brooke and Victoria flowing through your veins. The three of you seem well equipped to handle just about anything, but I think you’ll do it with a bit more diplomacy than perhaps Brooke would.”

  Alicia sure hoped he was right because she was feeling just a tad overwhelmed at the moment. She hoped that Marcus hadn’t been able to see that. She wanted him to only see her confidence in handling the job. Though she had no doubt she could do it, this first part, with such a steep learning curve, was a bit daunting.