by Linzi Basset
Rhone scanned the notes in front of him. “He’s a pilot and a guide at Extreme Adventures. I imagine that takes him to remote places with no cell phone reception.”
“True, but he always informs either my mother or me when he’s going to be out of reach for that long. This is not like him.”
Rhone flicked a glance at the silent man standing behind Paige. His body seemed relaxed, but he knew Ethan well enough to understand that he didn’t want her to know of his presence as yet.
“And you’re not comfortable with the response you received from his employer . . . Brett Davies?” Keon asked quietly. His gaze strayed sideways to include Ethan.
“He was very abrupt initially but, in the end, more cordial. It’s just . . . something doesn’t add up,” she voiced her worries.
Rhone stapled his fingers over his stomach. He stretched his legs out in front of him. “There’s something you’re not telling us, Ms. Scott.”
“Paige. Please call me Paige.”
“Paige, then,” he acceded, watching her closely with alert eyes, warning her not to toy with him.
Ethan’s vision narrowed as he noticed Paige tense. He could sense her fear.
Her voice quivered when she continued, “I went to his house. The living area was ransacked. I was inside the den when someone shattered the sliding door from outside.” She shrugged and swiveled the chair a little to the side. Ethan watched her hands wringing and noticed that she wasn’t wearing those hideous tortoiseshell glasses. “I was frozen in fright and couldn’t move—”
“Jesus, woman, how irresponsible could you be?” Ethan growled, unable to restrain himself further. The thought of her in danger cut through him.
Paige swiveled around. Her face paled and her eyes went as wide as saucers. For a moment Ethan was dumbstruck when he saw her—the real Paige—for the first time. Without her hair pulled back tightly, her beauty took his breath away. Her almond-shaped eyes appeared larger under gently curved eyebrows.
Ethan immediately recognized where he’d seen her the first time. She’d been a supermodel. He’d attended a fashion show with Delia once and she’d had introduced him to the then twenty-three-year old young woman.
“Dr. Brodie? What are you doing here?” she squeaked. She leaned forward like a coiled spring, ready to escape at the first opportunity.
Ethan ignored her question and raged on, “Walking into a house that was trashed? What if the perpetrators had been inside? Goddammit, Paige, I thought you had more sense than that.”
Rhone, Keon and Lance glanced at each other, humor in their gazes, when Paige’s back snapped upright. She looked like she’d swallowed a lemon.
“I’m not a halfwit, Dr. Brodie. I listened and there was—”
“You listened? God save me from idiotic women. You listened? Don’t you know anything about thieves, Ms. Scott?” he asked sarcastically.
Paige’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Her eyes narrowed. She snapped her mouth shut and swiveled back to face the three, highly amused men watching them. Her face bloomed red when she noticed their expressions.
“What exactly is my employer doing here, Mr. Greer? I don’t want him here,” she clipped, her voice cutting through the air.
“Oh, Ethan?” Lance said with a quick glance at him. “He’s part-owner of Precision Secure and assists with certain cases when his work schedule permits. I thought he should be here for this meeting, seeing as you work for him.”
“You knew who I was before I came here?” Paige asked with bated breath, concerned just how much Ethan now knew about her.
“I always do an in-depth background check into all our potential clients before we agree to meet with them, Paige,” Lance confirmed.
“I still don’t want him here. He doesn’t need to be involved with this—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Ethan drawled. He sat down next to Paige. She seared him with a glare.
“Fine! But if you go all chauvinist on me again, I’ll leave and look for someone else to help me find him,” she warned.
“Find who?” Ethan asked Lance. He was the operations director and in charge of all new cases.
“Her brother, Sean Scott,” Rhone volunteered.
Lance filled in Ethan quickly.
“What happened after they gained access to the house?” Keon returned to where Ethan had interrupted Paige’s story.
“I got to my car and left but they followed me. I managed to lose them when I . . .” Paige swallowed and peeked at Ethan who was studying her with unwavering attention. She suspected he was going to blow up with what she was about to say. She took a deep breath and blurted it out in a rush, “skipped a red light and they were forced to stop.”
Ethan blew up. Paige watched with fascinated interest. Why was he acting like this? She was his clinic manager, not someone he—
Oh, fuck! He knows.
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. He eyed her like his bullshit meter was ticking in the red zone, waiting to explode.
“B-but . . .” Paige stammered as she battled to pull her gaze from the fuming man.
“Yes, Paige?” Rhone prodded. His lips quirked. Ethan’s reaction to this gorgeously sassy woman delighted Rhone. It was about time he stopped living in the past and found someone who could make his life complete again.
“There’s more. I did an internet search on Extreme Adventures. Their DC webpage has different numbers than what Sean gave me. I phoned them. They have never heard of Sean Scott.” She hesitated. “Or Brett Davies.”
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Max drawled as he and Richard Amber, the two IT experts, joined them. Lance introduced them briefly.
“What did you find?” Ethan pressed.
“Sean Scott arrived in the US six years ago. He’s an experienced pilot, with experience in different sized planes, choppers and fighter planes,” Max reported.
“It didn’t come as a surprise to find that the Elite Forces sponsored his citizenship and recruited him,” Richard continued.
“What?” The disbelief was plain in Paige’s voice. She frowned. Sean had told them that he’d been working for American Airlines for the first four years as a commercial pilot.
“Yeah, they enlisted him in a covert team that reports directly to the federal agency, where he’s been working for the last two years. He’s currently deep undercover in . . .” Max slanted a look at Ethan who was watching him deadpan. “Saudi Arabia, under the direct command of our friend, Governor Alex White.”
Silence descended on the group. Paige looked around in confusion.
Sean was an undercover agent? How had that happened?
“Are you saying my brother is a spy for the Government of the United States?” She managed to croak. She instinctively directed the question to Ethan, hoping he would explain.
“I’d like to have a chat with Alex first before I confirm that, Paige but on paper, it appears that he is.”
“Oh my god. When . . . I can’t even begin to imagine him as a spy. I can’t wrap my mind around it.” Paige shook her head and stared vacantly at Max. “You’re mistaken. You have to be.”
Paige didn’t want to consider what they were saying because if she did, she’d have to acknowledge that her brother was in danger. Cold anger had surfaced in Ethan’s eyes the moment Max mentioned that Sean was in Saudi Arabia, and that scared Paige. She, more than anyone, had reasons to fear the leaders of that country.
“Very well, Paige. We will accept your case. Lance will give you estimate of expenses for potential recovery extraction and—”
“No. I’ll absorb the cost,” Ethan barked, his body tense as a barb wire.
“Oh no, you won’t,” Paige said. “Sean is my brother and—”
“And nothing,” Ethan interrupted her gruffly. He got up and pulled her to her feet. “We have to discuss this in detail. If you’ll excuse us, Paige?”
She ripped her arm from his and turned on him with blazing eyes. “No, Dr.
Brodie, I won’t. I have a right to know what’s going on.”
“And as soon as we know more, you’ll be the first to know,” Rhone intoned. “Ethan’s right, Paige. It’s how we work. We need to do our own investigation to find out exactly what we’re facing. Having you around is going to be a distraction. The sooner we get to the core of the matter, the quicker we can ascertain what has happened to your brother.”
Paige could feel the suppressed anger in Ethan as he caught her arm with a steely grip and led her to the door. She had the feeling that there was more to this than her brother’s case, but his closed expression didn’t offer any explanation.
“Lance, please arrange for Jim to take Paige back to the clinic,” Ethan ordered over his shoulder.
“It’s not necessary, I’ll call a cab,” she interjected irritably. “And you can just stop ordering me around, thank you very much, Dr. Brodie. I’m a grown woman and I don’t need you to—”
“Then start acting like one,” he muttered under his breath.
Paige stopped dead in her tracks and stamped her foot. Ethan’s gaze strayed to her gently swaying breasts. The memory of how the curves felt under his palm caused his skin to sizzle with heat.
“And stop interrupting me. I’m not a child to be ordered around.” She gulped back the rest of the relay when her eyes locked onto his. The magnetism with which his golden eyes scorched into hers had an unexpected effect on her. Her body started leaning closer to his, her chin tilted in preparation for . . . until she noticed the flash of amusement in their depths. Paige straightened and stepped back, aware of the glowing heat on her cheeks.
She was flabbergasted that she’d been about to invite him to kiss her—in public and in full view of his colleagues who were watching them with avid interest through the open door.
Good one, Paige. Way to go!
Ethan was struggling with emotions warring inside him; Firstly, the instinct that warned him that Sean Scott was in some way connected with Prince Khalid Saud and that it placed Paige in danger and for all he knew, Jaxon; and secondly, watching her struggle with the chemistry between them like an invisible force of a magnetic field. He was curious to see how much longer she was going to keep up the pretense. He’d seen the flare in her eyes earlier. Paige knew that he knew about her being the sub who had run out on him two nights ago; something that the Dom in him wouldn’t easily forget. Oh no, his little rosebud was going to suffer the consequences of that, soon.
“If you don’t have enough sense for your own safety, then I will do what is necessary, Paige. You were followed by thugs, who—for all we know, can trace your license plate. From this moment on, you’ll have to get used to a shadow. You won’t be going anywhere without protection.”
“Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little, Dr. Brodie? I assure you I’ve not seen anyone lurking around for the past two days,” Paige protested but couldn’t stay the shiver of fear that ran down her spine.
“Which doesn’t mean they’re not there. They’re just clever enough to stay invisible. No,” he held up his hand when she opened her mouth. “Enough. I’ve made up my mind. You will have someone tailing you from now on.” Ethan looked at Lance, who nodded.
“Already arranged. Louis Valiant has been assigned to Paige. He’s on his way.”
Rhone and Keon hid their smiles at the reaction that piece of news brought about in Ethan. Louis Valiant had been christened the Casanova of the ops team. He had an insane body and the looks of a movie star—and he loved women. Of all shapes and sizes.
Paige couldn’t help but stare at the Adonis that approached them. There was something vaguely familiar about him—the way he walked and carried himself. Ethan closed her jaw with an irritated grunt. She snapped her mouth closed, embarrassed that she’d been caught gawking at the gorgeous man smiling at her.
“Ms. Scott, I’m Louis. I’ll be your bodyguard for the next few days.”
“Guard her body from a distance, Valiant. Is that understood?” Ethan growled in a deep voice.
Louis took a step back. He was surprised at the aggression from Ethan; the man was usually relaxed and in total control of himself. He lifted his hand in a salute.
“As you wish, Dr. Brodie,’ he quipped. “Shall we, Ms. Scott?” he asked with a wicked grin as he held out a crooked arm for her.
Paige licked her dry lips, still stumped by Ethan’s hidden threat. A quick glance in his direction awakened the little devil on her shoulder. She offered one of her melting smiles to Louis and hooked her arm with his. “We shall. Lead the way, Louis and I’ll follow.”
She was disappointed when Ethan didn’t react but walked back into the boardroom instead and closed the door.
“Give us the inside scoop, Ethan. What’s going on between you and your delectable employee? Although the way she looked today is nothing like the bun-wearing prude we’ve met at the clinic,” Lance said the moment Ethan stepped inside.
“Paige is the sub who won me at the auction and who sassed Goliath on Friday,” he said curtly. His mind was on the information Max had just disclosed.
“Ah, now I know why she looked so familiar when she walked in here,” Rhone intoned.
“She’s anything but the sultry siren who demanded you fuck her on Friday night,” Keon mused. “I wonder why she feels it’s necessary to hide her beauty.”
“Enough about Paige,” Ethan barked. “We need to talk with Alex and not over the phone.” Ethan said curtly.
“I agree. Something about all of this sounds fishy. I know that Alex is involved with the investigation for human trafficking to Saudi Arabia,” Rhone pondered aloud.
“But, that’s not all, is it, Rhone?” Ethan asked quietly. He knew Rhone well enough to know when he was filtering what he wanted to disclose to others.
Rhone blinked before he looked at him. He had kept the knowledge of Alex’s involvement in Saudi Arabia from Ethan because he knew how hard it would be for him. Now, with Paige’s brother involved, he didn’t have a choice.
“It’s seems that the trafficking is directly linked to Riyadh. Alex suspects that Prince Khalid Saud is the one in charge of the operation.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me earlier, Rhone? If he’s involved with human trafficking, it places Jaxon in danger. He’s a ruthless fucker and he won’t think twice before getting rid of anyone in the way.” Ethan’s fist connected with a bang on the table. “I don’t even know if my son is still in Saudi Arabia, Rhone, or for that matter, if he’s even alive!”
“He’s still there and fit and healthy, Ethan,” Rhone said quietly.
Ethan stared at him, his mind in turmoil. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t want to know how Rhone knew or why he never said a word to him. He turned and headed for the door. “I’m going to see Alex. You can come with me or stay the fuck here. I don’t care.”
Lance drove with Ethan. They had been close friends since childhood. They were more like brothers. Losing Jaxon had been hard on both of them, especially as Lance was Jaxon’s godfather. He kept the conversation neutral on the way. It was the only way to relax Ethan. Alex had better have a good reason for not informing Ethan about the operation because Ethan was ready to blow his fuse.
Lance had only seen Ethan lose his cool once. It had been a frightening experience—the day he found out that Delia and Prince Khalid had taken Jaxon out of the US without his knowledge.
“Be cool, mate. Don’t alienate Alex. You know how he clams up sometimes,” Lance warned as they walked toward the entrance of the Longworth House on Capitol Street. He would never forget the expression of devastation and loss in his friend’s eyes. Very similar to what he was seeing in them at present, and with the silent rage he sported, it was a dangerous combination.
Ethan didn’t respond but lengthened his strides when Rhone and Keon joined them in the artfully designed lobby.
“Governor White is addressing the media at the moment,” the receptionist informed them with a broad smile. They were
all well-known as personal friends to Alex White. She directed them to the suite where the press conference was in progress.
“It is important for legislators to continue their work on mental health, homelessness, and opioid addiction issues. K-12 education is of utmost importance and needs full funding,” Alex’s deep voice sounded in the large room. “The government is unwaveringly committed to ensuring equal rights and human dignity for all citizens of the United States. We are actively working to clamp down on human trafficking. And I will not compromise on the state’s efforts to protect health-care access for all people not covered through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.”
His address ended fifteen minutes later after he’d answered several questions from the reporters. The four men followed him when he disappeared through a side entrance leading to his office.
“From the expressions on your faces, I deduce that this isn’t a casual visit,” Alex drawled once they were all seated in the informal meeting area in his office.
“When were you going to tell me about the covert operation in Saudi Arabia, Alex?” Ethan asked. The cold intonation in his voice was unmistakable.
Alex glanced at Rhone and sighed. “We didn’t want to upset you, Ethan. We know how hard it was for you when you were captured three years ago. You were the one who said you’d have to accept that your son was lost to you.”
“Fuck that, Alex! I wasn’t in my right mind when I came back from that hellhole. I almost died. What else would I have said at the time?”
“Ethan, you have to understand that the operation is about human trafficking and the team is concentrating on Khalid Saud.”
“Don’t give me that shit, Alex! You have news on Jaxon. I know how you operate. You infiltrated his palace. You have a spy in his . . .” Ethan’s voice trailed off, the conclusion inevitable. He jumped up and began pacing. “Jesus! It’s him, Paige’s brother,” he muttered to himself. “Is it, Alex? Sean Scott? Is he your spy?”
“What do you know about Sean Scott?” Alex asked. A deep frown drew his eyebrows closer.
