Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“Some of that stuff has been part of my family’s company longer than I’ve been alive.”
I drew her a little closer with the hand at her back. Her body settled against my side, and I kept my voice low enough that the reassurance belonged only to her. “Then you’re the best person here to tell me what doesn’t belong.”
Her breath caught, and she looked up at me again. The fear remained, but so did the stubborn intelligence that had kept her giving orders with a live shell hissing in front of her. I held her gaze long enough to make sure she understood that I wasn’t sending her away from her own work.
Surprise danced across her face, then her eyes softened just a little, and the corners of her mouth turned up. “Thanks.”
I nodded, then turned toward the field while keeping her tucked safely against my side.
Stryker finished issuing orders and lowered his hand from his comm. “This is ours. Somebody brought explosives into our territory and aimed them at our people. We find every motherfucker involved.”
Brothers peeled away to lock down the fundraiser grounds, check vehicles and access routes, and pull footage from the compound gates, event cameras, and roads leading toward the canyon. Others headed for Bellamy Pyrotechnics’ warehouse and the remaining company properties. At the same time, prospects gathered names from employees, vendors, drivers, and anyone else with legitimate access to the equipment or the schedule.
Tamsin shifted beside me when one of her crew approached the inner line with a frightened question. She told him to stay with the other employees and make sure no one touched anything until she said otherwise. The man hesitated and looked at me for confirmation, his attention caught between the woman who ran his field crew and the EOD specialist who had just found a second device.
I kept my palm at Tamsin’s back and held his gaze until he understood exactly where it belonged. “Not my call. You heard her.”
The employee turned back to Tamsin, nodded, and hurried to carry out her instructions. Her eyes flicked up to mine, surprise and gratitude softening their vivid blue before she returned her attention to the field. Pride moved through me with enough force to feel ridiculous after knowing her less than two hours.
Stryker watched the exchange before turning and giving his full attention to Tamsin. “How many people knew the final layout?”
She drew a slow breath and mentally worked through the answer before speaking. “Everyone on tonight’s field crew saw parts of it, but only supervisors had the complete plan before setup. The venue schedule went to our office, the event coordinator, and your security team. Warehouse staff knew what was loaded, and the drivers knew when it left.”
Stryker gave one short nod, filing the weakness away. “Sweep the warehouse before anyone goes back inside.”
“On it.”
Tamsin’s head turned toward me, and her chin lifted again. “I’m going with you.”
“You’re coming,” I agreed. “Not the first one through the door, though.”
“You’ll need me to identify what belongs there.”
“That’s why you’re coming.”
She looked suspicious that I had given in so easily, then glanced down at the hand I still had spread over the small of her back. The blush that followed told me she had finally noticed I had no intention of removing it. I let my fingers flex against her through the thin fabric of her polo, and her spine straightened as the movement pressed the side of one breast more firmly against my ribs. Another hard rush of blood drove south while I imagined the same soft weight filling my palm as I put her against a wall and found out whether her full mouth got even prettier when she begged.
A man in a Bellamy jacket hurried toward the secured area, gray threaded through his dark hair and strain carved around his mouth. The operations manager carried himself with the assurance of someone accustomed to being obeyed inside the company, but his shoulders dropped a little when he saw Tamsin. She went still beside me before relief softened her face.
“Tamsin.” He crossed the last few feet quickly, his gaze moving over the soot on her clothes. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay, Len.” She leaned forward as though she might meet him halfway, then seemed to remember my hand at her back and remained beside me. “My parents?”
“They’re fine. Your mother is with the medics, and your father is helping account for the crew.” He reached toward Tamsin’s elbow, concern tightening his face. “Come with me. You’ve done enough for one night, and I can handle the employees and equipment.”
I moved before his fingers touched her, stepping smoothly into the space between them. The man’s hand stopped in the air, and his eyes lifted to mine with surprise that edged toward annoyance. I kept my expression easy, but there was nothing casual about where I planted my boots or the fact that Tamsin stayed immediately behind my shoulder.