Connie was going crazy with being cooped up in the safe house for the last few days. Her patience had never been that great, and knowing that the authorities hadn’t located Daniel Atkinson wasn’t helping. The only thing that was keeping her going was talking to her sister every day and being at the house with Trace, even though lately she was probably getting on his nerves.
“I don’t know how people deal with having someone shadow them 24/7. This type of life is not for me,” Erica said.
“Yeah, me, either.” Connie loved her job and was glad the company could provide a needed service, but her sister was right. Having someone constantly in your face for the main purpose of keeping you safe took some getting used to.
Thankfully, the setup was a little different for her and Trace. He was staying vigilant, but their time at the house was giving them a chance to get to know each other better. That was good for the most part, but Connie was getting frustrated with all of the waiting.
“I might be tired of my human shadow,” Erica continued, “but Nakia is crazy about Hudson. I have to give him credit. He’s extremely patient with her, trying to make it seem normal that he’s hanging around.”
Her niece loved everyone, but Connie couldn’t deny that Hudson was one of the good ones. Their gentle giant was how Trinity referred to him. Hudson had played one year in the NFL, but then a kneecap injury ended his career. Considering he used to tackle people for a living, and the football league considered him one of the most dangerous players on the field, his soft-spoken manner was disarming. He had a kind and easygoing personality as long as he wasn’t crossed.
Connie had only witnessed one time when he snapped, and that had been when he was accused of stealing from a client. The client had threatened to get the police involved. Hudson had been livid. He didn’t calm down until Connie assured him that she and Trinity believed him.
Days later, the client had called to say that they’d made a mistake. Their drug-addicted son had stolen the jewelry. When he called months later, requesting another security specialist to travel with him, they’d decided that LEPA wasn’t a good fit for his needs. They took protecting their clients seriously, but Trinity had created a family-like environment for everyone who worked for her. Supporting and backing their team came first.
“So how are things with you and the stallion?”
“Stallion? Really?” Connie laughed, something she realized she hadn’t been doing much of lately. “That’s what we’re calling him now?”
“Hey, with the way you describe him, I picture this amazingly powerful, virile man who can’t be tamed.”
Connie thought about that for a minute. Amazing, powerfully built and virile...yes. But untamable probably wasn’t a good word. She would never try controlling Trace. Besides, she would never have to. He was the perfect gentleman, and always conscious of her feelings and needs.
“He’s great,” Connie said, instead of sharing everything she was thinking. “I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through this past week and a half without him.”
“I’m glad he’s been there for you. I’m still looking forward to meeting him. Hopefully, we can all get together for dinner or something soon.”
Connie smiled. It had been a long time since she had introduced anyone she was dating to her sister. Before Kevin died, he and Erica would invite Connie over for dinner all the time. They occasionally tried to fix her up on blind dates, but after one of the men they introduced her to ended up getting arrested during the date, they stopped.
“I guess I should’ve asked. How are you holding up? Any more issues with the mystery man?”
“Mommy, Hudson said he’d take us to get ice cream if we want. Can we?” Nakia begged in the background.
Erica sighed loudly, but Connie heard something else in her tone. Whimsy? Playfulness? Erica wasn’t a big sweet eater and rarely gave in to Nakia’s whims. Could it be that her sister was enjoying Hudson’s company more than she was letting on?
“So, you and Hudson?” Connie asked cautiously.
“Don’t start. He’s nice and he’s sweet to my kid. Besides all of that, he’s keeping us safe.”
“Uh-huh, and you like him.” Connie didn’t bother pointing out the fact that Erica hadn’t said no to the idea of her and Hudson. It had been two years since Kevin’s death. Connie would love to see her sibling meet a nice guy and live happily ever after. If anyone needed a happy ending, it was Erica.
“Okay, sis. I’m outnumbered,” Erica said. “Gotta go. You stay safe and call me tomorrow.”
“Will do, and have fun,” Connie teased before hanging up.
She glanced at the time. They’d been on the phone for an hour. She wondered what Trace was up to. Normally, he would’ve checked in on her by now.
She tossed her phone onto the bed as a plan formed in her head. Since she’d been kind of a pain complaining about everything lately, she wanted to do something special for him. Maybe after she fixed them a nice dinner, she’d put on a little striptease show for him.
Connie strolled out of the bedroom and headed to the front of the house, but froze in the middle of the hallway. Whoever Trace was on the phone with had him laughing and talking loudly. Deciding to give him some privacy, she turned to go back into the bedroom.
“Dude, are you kidding me? Don’t call me with some nonsense. Just call me VP of Operations,” Trace said, and Connie stopped.
Dread tore through her body and nipped at her nerves. VP of Operations? That was her position at LEPA.
The night before, she had suggested to Trace that he consider taking on a management role with LEPA. He told her he wasn’t really interested, but would think about it. Surely, he wasn’t thinking about her position. Was he? Was he after her job?
“Yeah, right. Whatever,” Trace said to the caller. “I already know Trinity will go along with whatever I suggest. Besides, I already have big plans for the position,” he continued, laughing as if it was some big joke.
Shock and anger warred inside Connie as she stomped back to the bedroom. She’d been the VP of Operations at LEPA since moving to Las Vegas over a year ago. There was no way Trinity would strip her of the title or the position, especially not without talking to her first.
Then again, Trinity had known Trace since they were kids. He was like a brother to her. Not only that, but he could also easily do the job. He had the educational background, knew the company just as well if not better than she did, and everyone loved him.
No. No. No.
There had to be an explanation. There was no way they’d do this to her. But as she played back some of their recent conversations, it all led back to the same thing. Trace wanted the VP job. Her VP job! He had said himself that he didn’t want to provide personal security anymore. Now she understood why he didn’t seem all that interested when she suggested he take on a management position at LEPA.
He already had a plan in the works.
How could he do this to me?
Was that why he had pursued her so hard over the last few months? So that he could one day swoop in and take her job? This was the Quincy situation all over again, but worse. She thought she’d been in love with Quincy, but what she felt for Trace went beyond anything she had ever experienced.
“How could he?”
He knew what had happened between her and Quincy. How could he betray her like this?
“No. Not this time.”
This time she wouldn’t let a man get away with stabbing her in the back. This time she’d fight. Her experience with Quincy should’ve taught her to never mix business with pleasure. This was why she had rules: no dating coworkers.
Connie plopped down on the bed and grabbed the laptop Trinity had sent over the other day. The first thing she needed to do was find a new security specialist. She might be mad enough to leave the house and look out for herself until the gray-eyed bastard was caught, but she wasn’t stupid. It wouldn’t take much to assign someone else to her.
She looked at everyone’s accounts to see who was available. They were in the market for more specialists thanks to business picking up, but there had to be someone free.
Connie perused the database and saw that Riley had finished a short assignment a couple of days ago. Like Trace, he was a popular choice. But what made Riley a popular choice was not only his good looks, but also that he was bilingual.
She shot off a quick text, telling him she needed him on the job immediately for a few days. Within minutes, he responded.
No problem. I’ll be there in twenty.
Connie stayed in the bedroom until she heard the doorbell. When she got to the living room, Riley was there with a duffel bag hanging on his shoulder.
“You said Connie contacted you?” Trace asked him. Connie cleared her throat and he turned to her, confusion in his eyes. “What do you need Riley for?”
“I’m releasing you of your duties. Riley is taking over my detail.”
“Why?” Trace asked, his intense eyes searching hers.
Her heart cracked a little inside her chest. It didn’t matter that he hurt her; she still loved him and that made her angrier.
Tears pooled in her eyes but she blinked them back. “I think it’s best that I have a new security detail.” Riley entered and she said, “Thanks for coming so quickly. I’ll show you to your room.”
Trace got in front of her and blocked her view. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m not going anywhere until we talk.”
“We don’t have anything—”
“Riley, can you step outside and give us a minute?” Trace asked, his eyes squarely on Connie.
“Don’t go anywhere, Riley,” she demanded.
“Clearly, you two have things to work out. I’ll be sitting on the patio out back. Connie, holler if you need me.” He walked past them and Connie didn’t miss the way he glared at Trace.
“What’s going on?” Trace asked in a clipped tone. He had always been patient with her, but the way he was glaring clearly showed she was pushing his limits.
“What’s going on is that you and I are done. You know the way out.”
Connie turned on her heel and started back to the bedroom, but realized he’d have to go in there for his clothes. She went to the hall bathroom instead. When she tried closing the door, Trace was right there.
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell I did wrong.”