Harrison: Are we leaving him in jail?
Hunter: Fitz and I are working on his release. But neither one of us is in a hurry. It can take another month or a year. I don’t give a shit.
Harrison: How’s Willow doing with that?
Willow is Hunter’s live-in girlfriend and Hazel’s sister. She has borderline personality disorder, and she handles her emotions differently.
Hunter: She had a few rough days. At her request, we went to a retreat last weekend.
Scott: FYI, it’s business as usual with Hazel. However, she’s not in a playful mood. I advise you to approach with caution.
I want to ask more questions, but I focus on my plans and how they’ll affect Hazel.
Harrison: I have a low-key undercover operation. The asset needs a place to stay, and I considered Hazel. Thoughts?
My phone rings and Scott’s name flashes.
“What?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” His voice is loud enough to leave me deaf. “I won’t allow you to put Hazel in danger.”
I sigh, looking out for the service car I just called. This day can’t get any shittier.
“I wouldn’t do anything stupid, Scott. It’s a white-collar crime . . .” I lie.
He wouldn’t allow me to continue if I told him it’s about human trafficking. Actually, he’d either kick me out of the state or take Hazel somewhere safe until this is over. I can look after her, but Scott can be overprotective of her.
“You know what?” He sighs. I can just imagine him closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Hazel might get a kick out of this if you pretend to include her.”
“Actually, I might need the two of you to join us at some events.”
“That’s what we’re here for, managing your investments and undercover events.” He chuckles, but the tension in his voice remains. “Be careful, if something happens to Hazel—”
“Yeah, yeah.” I pause, as the service car parks right in front of me. “A piece of advice, little brother—you should make a move before you lose her.”
I hang up, hand over the bags to the driver, and text Hazel what I know she wants to hear. Her response comes fast, I’m in. I reply telling her that I’m on my way to her. The building is located on Park Avenue. The area is one of the safest in the city, and that apartment is secured with a state of the art security system. But after seeing how Luna can use a sharp pointed object, I have no doubt she’ll be fine.
I caress my neck, swallowing at the memory of that needle-like instrument she threatened me with. My heart continues beating fast. That woman has surprised the fuck out of me for the past hour. Tomorrow I have to go back into training. A girl almost kicked my ass. I sigh as I recall her long legs and how I’m going to slide . . . don’t think about her legs or her beautiful pussy. Fuck, if there’s an image I won’t ever forget it’s her . . . “eyes,” I sigh as she comes into view.
“Ready to go?” I ask, grabbing her tote bag and yoga mats.
She turns to look at her brother giving him a kiss. “I trust you.” Then she turns to look at me. “You not so much.”
“Where are you taking her?”
“Hazel’s place,” I answer. “The penthouse on Park Avenue where we set the latest security system a couple of months ago.”
He nods, looking at the car.
I tap his shoulder a couple of times. “She’ll be safe with me.”
“If it’s okay with you, I want to be around for the next couple of days. Not to be in the middle of the operation, but to hang out with her.”
“Yeah sure, we have plenty of room at my house. You’re welcome to stay.”
I text him the lock and security codes to access my place and wave at him.
“I’m good at what I do,” Luna says when I climb into the car. “You don’t have to babysit me.”
“Can we talk about the operation?”
She turns toward the window, her hands curled into fists. “Our sources claim Gia is dating the leader of a human trafficking cell.”
“Let me guess, your job is to become her best friend.”
Luna pulls on the hem of her sexy, short dress, smoothing the skirt. “Something like that.” She sighs.
“You have to tell me everything. From this point forward, we’re partners.”
She sighs, shaking her head, her long, slender fingers drumming against her leg. “You don’t want to be my partner. The last one died because he pissed me off.”
“What?”
She laughs. “Lighten up. You don’t have to do anything but introduce me to her. I’ll do the rest.”
“How often do you go undercover?”
“Not as often as I’d like. Most of the times I’m left behind profiling and doing desk work.”
“With your kickass skills?”
She huffs at me in response.
“Have you considered doing something else?”
“Like what?” Her head snaps, and her eyes ignite. “Homemaker? You think I should be behind a desk filing the cases that the male agents work?”
“I—”
“Because let me tell you.” Her voice gets louder, and her hands begin to gesture. I flinch, afraid that she’s going to slap me just because I didn’t phrase my question right. “I’m capable of doing more than getting married and having children. There’s nothing wrong with that, I respect it. But since I was a kid that’s all my grandmother has wanted me to be. My father thinks I should be a teacher. My gender is a major hang-up in the bureau. My former boss undermined my skills and knowledge but pretended to come up with brilliant ideas—my ideas. Now, he’s trying to push me to Quantico because I should work on profiling. I didn’t work my ass off for years to be sent to a place that won’t fulfill my dreams.”
“All valid points. Though, I meant like working for us. HIB would love to have someone like you.”
Her eye twitches. “I don’t work above the law.”
“That’s the beauty of working for our company. We go on top, the bottom, and any position necessary to get the work done.” I use a low voice as I lean closer to her.
She’s beautiful. We’re going to be around each other long enough to show her she can use her skills somewhere she’ll be appreciated. I can appreciate all of her for that matter. It hits me—I can take advantage of the situation and make these next days, weeks, or months not only bearable but exciting.
“To get close, you have to be close to me.” I reach for her hand, and a powerful surge of electricity zaps my entire body. She turns to look at me, her eyes wide, and her mouth slightly open. Did she feel that too? I kiss her hand lightly and enjoy a second electrical rush. “With our chemistry, this cover will be perfect.”
“Cover?”
“We are here,” the driver interrupts.
“This will be our test, darling,” I say, grabbing her hand and kissing it gently. “To convince her we’re together.”
“Who is her?”
“Hazel,” I say as my eyes land on her. She’s waiting right outside the building where she lives.
Hazel knows me well enough to catch me if I’m fake-dating someone. If we pass her test, we’re gold. We have that kind of connection. Plenty of people confuse it for something more. There’s a depth to our relationship that no one will understand. But there’s no physical attraction. Fitz says it’s because she’s a male version of me. Whatever it is, neither one can fool the other.
Hazel turns slightly to her left. Her somber face changes when she spots my brother. Scott walks toward her wearing an unusual smile. I watch them from the tinted windows. Somehow they seem different. My brother reaches out to her, caressing her cheek, and bending to whisper something in her ear. She nods slowly, kissing his cheek, and closing her eyes briefly. I wouldn’t make too much of it if it weren’t for the length of that lingering kiss.
“They’re a cute couple,” Luna says.
I narrow my gaze watching them interact. Are they together? “No. They aren’t a
couple.”
“Is that jealousy I hear?”
It’s not jealousy, but curiosity and anger. Something happened to her, and she didn’t reach out to me. I’m her person. When I glance at them a second time, I feel like an outsider, but I don’t think about it more as the driver opens my door. I climb out not moving my eyes from my brother and my best friend. They are looking at each other, no words are exchanged, and yet I feel like I’m missing an entire conversation.
Hazel jolts, taking a step back and turning to look at me. “Hey, Everhart.”
“Beesley,” I greet her. I turn around to help Luna and lean closer. “Show me how good you are at this undercover shit.”
“What are you doing here?” Hazel points at Luna, charging toward us.
“Scott,” I call my brother, tilting my head toward Hazel.
We don’t need to witness a catfight. Hazel only knows the basic self-defense training I gave her. Luna will send her to the hospital. Scott picks her up from the waist and mumbles something in her ear. Hazel’s nostrils flare as she watches us, but she stays with my brother.
“How do you know Hazel?” I ask Luna while retrieving her bags.
“It’s a long story.”
I release her hand, running it through my hair. We need another plan. Hazel is about to kick Luna out of her apartment, and that will ruin my plan. Unless . . . “In a few words, tell me, what happened?”
Luna gives me the short version while I take my time getting her things together. She tried to get a job, but the background check was too precise. I pride myself on knowing everything that happens at Everhart Enterprises. Scott runs the show, I am the guy who provides the security. All of our clients have been screened. Mostly the ones who have enough funds to buy a third world country. Knowing that we stopped an FBI agent from being hired is good, but now being told about the entire incident, it doesn’t sit right with me. I could’ve had a different plan if that had been the case.
“Follow my lead,” I order her.
“I’m sorry about your mom, Hazel,” I begin the conversation, giving her a tight hug. “How are you?”
“Better, thank you.” Her voice is guarded.
“I’m here if you want to talk about it.” I’m trying to feel her mood, but she’s guarding herself from me.
“Thank you.” Hazel glares at Luna. “I rescind my invitation.”
“Are we watching Vampire Diaries again?”
“It’s True Blood,” Hazel corrects me. “She’s not welcome in my house.”
“Luna recognizes the error in her approach. She should’ve been straightforward with you and Scott.”
“Sorry for that. It was my first time going solo.” Luna gives her that warm smile I’m starting to dig.
“As much as I’d like to continue this conversation, we have to do it privately,” I remind them. Looking around us. “Give me five minutes before you kick us out, Hazel.”
Hazel turns around and waves at Carter, the doorman. Scott greets him, and I salute him. We follow behind them, but I detour toward the elevator. Hazel taking the stairs is the equivalent of her blowing off some steam. Scott is the one who pokes the elevator. Turning around, he crosses his arms, studying Luna and then me. His gaze doesn’t hold anger, but he’s waiting for more than what I had said. I appreciate his silence.
“Hazel loved Luna’s application,” Scott says as the elevator doors open. “We were ready to hire her until the background check arrived. If Ms. Galvez had come to us requesting our help, Hazel would have been open to it.”
He looks at me, crossing his arms. “Did you know about it?”
“Bro, I’d have told you and worked it out differently.”
“Since her mother’s death, Hazel’s mind is in a strange place,” Scott offers. “What is it that you need from her?”
I take Luna’s hand, squeezing it slightly. “She’s a yoga instructor and my girlfriend. My plus one during the social events. Hazel has to help us get the right clothes and introduce her to the right people.”
Luna snatches her hand away from me. “I’m not Julia Roberts, and you’re not Richard Gere. There’s no fake dating.”
“That’s the only way this will work,” I inform her.
“True, being Hazel’s friend won’t get you as far as being Harrison’s girlfriend,” Scott backs me up not knowing what I’m talking about.
When my parents died, we became Hunter and Fitz’s, guardians. In some twisted way, we became their parental figures—dealing with teachers, grades, and all the growing pains being in charge of teenagers implies. We perfected the good cop/bad cop shit and not only do we support each other, but we never contradict the other.
Luna stares at her feet. She remains quiet until the doors open. “Fine,” she sighs. “Tiago said I should trust you.”
“The elusive Santiago?” Hazel asks, arching an eyebrow.
“Yeah, Luna is his sister.”
“Hmm.” Hazel crosses her arms analyzing Luna. “What’s my role? House mother for the innocent girl?”
“I’m not a girl, and you don’t need to use your sorority knowledge on me.”
Hazel presses her lips together, exhaling loud. “If you think you have me figured out, you’re wrong. Why should I help you, Harrison?”
She’s losing her last strand of patience, and if she kicks us out, I’m fucked. “Are you being a bitch?”
“Probably,” she snarls. “What’s the goal? Is it catching an inside trader or saving the world from terrorists?”
“Human trafficking,” Luna responds, her voice is calm. “My department handles missing children. The best part of what I do is reuniting families. In this case, I’m searching for a trafficking cell. According to our intel, the head is dating someone in your social circle.”
Hazel bites her lip. Her chin quivers. Luna has demolished the wall of concrete. She points at the luggage and then looks at me.
“The room next to the library is available. Everything she needs is there. Clean sheets, towels, and toiletries for the bathroom.” She glances at Scott. “We have to go back to work, but please give her a tour of the apartment and explain to her how everything works.”
“Thank you.” Luna bows her head slightly. “I wish I was sorry for the way I tried to become friends with you, but it seemed like the only way to do it. Can we start again?”
Hazel looks at her, then she looks at me and her light brown eyes have this funny look. The smirk appears and then she speaks. “I understand. Harrison does that often. I like how this worked out though.”
“What did she mean, ‘I like how this worked’?” Luna asks after Scott and Hazel go back to work.
“Nothing,” I say, shrugging the nagging feeling in the pit of my gut.
Hazel has some ulterior motive. I’ll have to keep an eye open, or she’s going to fuck this mission.
Eight
Harrison
Luna didn’t want to become my pretty woman, but Hazel used her like a doll. Friday morning, they went for a run. Later, she joined the yoga studio where Luna teaches, and by the end of the day, they were at my house with a professional buyer who helped them pick a brand-new wardrobe for her cover-up—which I had to buy. The service was two thousand dollars too expensive. Plus, the cost of all the clothing. I wanted to protest, but Scott reminded me of Hazel’s state of mind. One of the ways she copes with her depression is by organizing. Luna hasn’t complained about Hazel’s micromanaging personality, yet.
“What’s the event?”
“An engagement party,” Scott checks his phone. “Demetri something. His uncle’s account is one of the biggest we handle.”
“And he is . . .”
“He is dating Gia’s cousin.” Hazel finally walks out of the bedroom where Luna is staying. “That reminds me, the story has changed.”
“What story?”
“How we met.” Luna comes out of the room wearing a short, lace burgundy dress. Her dark hair covers her bare shoulders.
&
nbsp; “Hazel and I are old college friends. I quit my high-paying job in LA. She’s letting me stay with her while I figure out what I want to do in New York.”
“Why did you quit?” I fire up.
She lowers her face, slumping her shoulders. “I caught my fiancé cheating with his assistant.” She pauses biting her lip. “We worked for the same company.”
I feel sucker punched, reaching for her hand I kiss it. “I’m sorry.”
Luna and Hazel start laughing and high five each other.
“You are brilliant,” Luna says, hugging Hazel. “We should hire you at the bureau.”
“I can’t take credit for your acting skills.” She pretends to pat dry under her eyes. “You almost made me cry.”
“Why are we switching the story?”
“The elusive Harrison Everhart suddenly has a girlfriend because . . .” Hazel pauses, crossing her arms as she waits for my response.
“Because . . .” I frown, lower my gaze, and rub the back of my neck. Think fast, think fast. “I like her.”
“That’s a stupid reason to have a serious relationship,” Scott points out, arching his eyebrow.
“We met during one of my trips, it was love at first sight.”
“Where was the trip?” Hazel throws out the questions. “If it’s so serious, why is she living with me and not you? How long have you known her?”
“I have to think about it.”
“Your story has to be simple and credible,” Hazel explains. “The less you have to explain, the better. Tonight, you flirt with her, get to know her, and the chase begins. You two become inseparable, and no one will question why you have a girlfriend.”
As I’m about to ask about the cover they came up with, Grant Beesley makes an appearance. Hazel smiles at her grandfather, giving him a big hug. His eyes go from Scott to me and then back to Hazel.
“If you plan on staying out all night, send me a message, sweetheart.” He kisses her cheek.
Then, his gaze goes to Scott. “I trust you’ll keep her safe, Scott.”
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