Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Being with Harley like this for them to see puts everything on the line, but Harley is hurting, and he needs me. So he can have me. All of me. Whatever he needs.
I pretend I’m not hugging him while I talk. “Inactive pipe bomb?”
Iris hands me his phone which plays a clip from the security camera.
On the screen, the top of a silver car is visible as it drives slowly past the house, and then something is lobbed over the fence before the car speeds off.
The angles of the cameras we have on the courtyard and the driveway don’t catch what type of model the car is. Only the color.
Great, we’re looking for a silver car. That narrows it down.
“It was fake,” Trav says. “PVC pipes were strapped together and there was exposed wiring, but it wasn’t connected to anything.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We think it was a scare tactic,” Iris says.
“Scare … who would want to scare—” The name comes to mind before I get the question out. “Billy Webber. Where is he?” The growl in my voice is feral.
“Brix, I think you and I need to speak privately,” Trav says.
“Where. The. Fuck. Is. Billy?”
Trav and Iris share a glance.
“We don’t know,” Gideon says.
“I have Angel and Domino on it,” Trav says. “You know Angel will be able to sniff him out.”
That’s not good enough. “I told you we pulled back surveillance too soon.”
Trav has been saying for weeks that Billy is harmless. He’s a creature of routine, and then suddenly a pipe bomb shows up and he’s gone?
“Whoa, you were watching him?” Harley asks. “Why?”
“Ever since he sent the note. I needed to make sure he wouldn’t make another move.”
Harley pulls out from under my arm. “You didn’t tell me.”
“You didn’t need to know.”
He doesn’t like that answer.
I turn to him and rub my hands up and down his arms. “I didn’t want you to worry,” I say softly.
Iris clears his throat, and when I look at him, he’s staring at me as if I’m crazy.
When I glance at Trav and Gideon, I realize why. I’m showing way too much affection for someone I supposedly only work for, but I can’t focus on that right now. They can yell at me and fire me after I know Harley is safe.
“I’m taking Harley to a hotel,” I say.
Gideon nods. “Already booked him a room in West Hollywood near the recording studio.”
“Stay here.” I cup Harley’s cheek with one hand. “I’ll go pack for you.”
Harley still looks a little pissed, but he can yell at me later too.
Everyone can yell at me after we get out of here.
I head into the house and go straight to Harley’s room. I throw the suitcase he keeps in his closet for short trips onto the bed and start rummaging for clothes.
I’m not at all shocked when Trav appears in the doorway. “Not now, boss, I’m busy.”
He folds his arms. “I thought you two looked a little close at the ranch.”
“We are close. You can’t work in this type of environment without getting close.”
“That’s not what I’m implying, and you know it.”
I throw some socks and underwear into Harley’s case and face Trav. “Am I fired?”
“I should kick your ass off this job if not out of Mike Bravo completely.”
I balk. “Completely? We’re not hurting anyone. We’re not compromising the mission.”
Just what I need. Not only is this stalker situation so messed up I’m barely keeping it together, but now my job—the job I need—is in jeopardy. I thought I’d be reassigned, not … not this.
I didn’t think it was possible to be torn in two completely opposite directions before.
Protect Harley or pay off my mountain of debt. Love him or keep my career.
Wow.
Now I’m even giving myself perspective lessons.
This is exactly what made Harley and Jay break up. Harley had to choose between love and his career, and he chose wrong.
Or maybe it was right. If he’d chosen Jay, I wouldn’t be here.
I wouldn’t be with him.
“I can’t lose my job,” I say, but it’s more to myself than Trav.
Maybe I need to choose my career so Harley will find the one person he’s supposed to be with like his ex did.
My gut churns.
“And now I plain want to kick your ass.”
I’ve never heard my boss so disappointed.
“How did you cross so many lines? That’s not like you at all.”
“Harley … he …”
“He what? Forced you to fuck him? Tied you down and threatened to fire you if you didn’t?”
I pull back. “What? No. Nothing like that. He just … he was just … him. I can’t explain it.”
“It’s called chemistry. That’s all. I thought you, of all people, would rise above it.”
“If it was basic chemistry, I would have been able to stay away. It’s … it’s more than that.”
But can I really call it love? I want to be with him. I don’t want anything to hurt him. Is that love? I wouldn’t fucking know. This is all new to me.