by Anna Blakely
“The senator wants someone from the outside on this.”
“Does he not trust his people?” Mac asked, curious.
“Cantrell just wants some extra eyes on him,” Jake answered for Trevor. “One of you will be assigned to his detail. Those who stay behind will work to try to find the source of the threats and determine whether or not they’re legit.”
“Hell, I’ll do it,” Coop volunteered. “Watching over the guy may be boring as hell, but it’ll still beat sifting through emails and all that shit.”
Jake nodded. “All right. I’ll let the senator know and set up a time for you to meet with him and his head of security.” He looked Grant’s way. “Anything you think will help Coop better protect Cantrell be sure to let him know.”
Grant tipped his chin. He and the others started to stand, stopping when Jake spoke again.
“Hold up. There’s one other thing.” He pushed another button on the remote, and the image on the screen changed.
“Whoa. Who’s that?” Coop asked with blatant interest.
“This is Brynnon Cantrell, William Cantrell’s daughter.”
“Nice.”
Grant was hit with the sudden urge to jump across the table and beat the shit out of his teammate.
What the hell?
Schooling his expression, he clamped his jaw shut and kept quiet. Mac, however, didn’t bother to hide her eye-roll.
“What’s her play in all this?” the pretty blonde asked. “Cantrell think she’s the one behind the threats?”
“On the contrary”—Jake shook his head— “He also wants someone from the team to serve as Miss Cantrell’s personal bodyguard. Just until we determine whether or not the threats are valid.”
“Damn,” Coop exhaled and sat back in his chair. “I spoke too soon.”
The room filled with laughter, but Grant was still focused on the redhead smiling back at them from the screen.
“Has she been threatened, too?” he asked roughly, the thought pissing him off. The primal need to protect her made no sense. He’d only met the woman once.
Yeah, but she’d left one hell of an impression.
“Not according to Cantrell. Said he just wants someone on her as an extra precaution.”
Mac smacked Coop’s arm when he snickered. “Seriously?” She glared.
Coop gave her an innocent shrug. “Someone’s got to pick up the slack around here. Ever since D over there got engaged, he’s been acting like a damn choir boy.”
Derek shot back with an unapologetic grin. “Just wait. When you find the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, you’ll cool your jets, too.”
When Mac scoffed, Coop gave the petite blonde a funny look.
“I’ll do it,” she told Jake.
“Just so we’re clear”—D leaned his elbows onto the table—“are you volunteering for the bodyguard gig or to be Coop’s one and only?”
“Funny.” Mac flipped the computer geek off.
Coop’s expression tightened, but he recovered before anyone other than Grant noticed.
“I thought so.” Derek leaned back in his chair with a grin. “And you still haven’t answered the question.”
Mac sighed loudly, her patience waning. “The bodyguard job, smartass.” She looked over at Trevor and Jake again. “Like I was saying, I’ll watch over the senator’s da—”
“I’ll do it,” Grant cut his teammate off.
All eyes shot to him.
“You sure?” Jake asked, looking as confused as everyone else in the room. “I figured you’d want a break from Cantrell duty, seeing as how you’ve done it twice already.”
From across the table, Mac’s blue eyes met his. “I don’t mind doing it, Grant. Really.”
“I said I’ll do it.”
His curtness left her blinking.
Damn, man. Take it easy.
Grant cleared his throat. “It makes sense for me to take on one of the assignments. I already know the players.”
Trevor gave him a curious glance. “Except this time, you’ll be watching the daughter not the senator. Totally different players in that game.”
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Maybe not. Either way, Cantrell trusts me, and I’ve already met his daughter, which may help put her more at ease.” An odd desperation pushed him to continue. “This will keep me in the loop. Plus, it’ll give me a chance to see if the threats are coming from anyone within her circle.”
Jake and Trevor shared a look before Jake nodded. “Okay. Coop, you’re with the Senator, and Hill will take his daughter.”
“Lucky bastard.” Coop gave him a sideways smirk.
Their boss grinned. “You two stick around, and I’ll give you some basic intel you’ll need. Trevor has some information Ryker sent over for the rest of you to start going through. Anything suspicious stands out, let Trev know ASAP. I’m going to give Coop and Hill what they need and head back home.”
“Speakin’ of home”—Derek stood as he spoke— “I’m surprised to see you here. Liv feelin’ better?”
“She’s better now that the second trimester has passed,” Jake answered. “We’re both just hoping these last three months go by quickly.”
Mac smiled. “I keep trying to get her to change her mind on the gender reveal thing, but she’s dead set on not finding out the baby’s gender until it’s born.”
“We both are.” Jake beamed. “Plus, Mike is supposed to be back for the birth, and Liv thought it would be more exciting for him if we wait.”
“About damn time her brother came back,” Trevor commented. “I’m hoping to talk him into joining the team.”
“Me, too,” Jake nodded. “He wasn’t too receptive when he left. I figure I’ll wait until after Liv delivers to open that conversation again.”
Back in the day, Olivia’s brother, Mike had been on the same Delta Force team as Jake until he was pulled into a deep cover assignment that lasted over a decade. It also required everyone in his life to believe he was dead.
Mac squealed. “I can’t wait for the baby to get here. My vote’s for a girl, by the way. And I’m totally going to teach her all the kick-ass sniper tricks I know.”
Grant tried not to grumble. He was happy for Jake and his wife, especially after everything those two had been through. But he had a sense of urgency to get this job started as soon as possible.
Wonder why.
Finally, after the baby talk ceased and the others left to go meet in Trevor’s office, Jake, Coop, and Grant went over some basic info.
For the next several minutes, Grant shared with Coop any pertinent information he’d learned from his time spent guarding the senator. Once that was covered, Jake handed Grant a folder with intel regarding Brynnon Cantrell. Basic information they needed when taking any personal bodyguard assignment.
Age. Date of birth. Place of residence. Occupation...
“She flips houses?” Grant asked aloud. He couldn’t help but be a bit surprised by that fact.
“She does,” Jake confirmed. “And she makes a pretty good living doing it.”
That explains the calluses.
Grant had been serving as extra security detail for the senator while he’d gone on a two-week event tour.
The final event had been held at the senator’s mansion. Grant had noticed the man’s daughter the second she walked into the large ballroom.
When Cantrell had introduced him to the stunning redhead, Grant had felt something he hadn’t in a very long time.
Even though they’d only spoken briefly that night, he hadn’t been able to shake the memory. So why the hell he volunteered to be her personal fucking bodyguard was beyond him.
“Impressive.” Coop’s comment on Brynnon’s occupation snapped him out of his thoughts. “Although, she probably just pays someone else to do the work while she sips her triple caramel whatever-the-fuck women drink now.”
“What makes you think that?” Grant challenged the other man.
Coop�
��s hazel eyes looked back at him like he’d lost his damn mind. “Uh, because her dad’s a senator? Plus, according to this”—he looked at one of the papers in the folder Jake gave him— “the guy used to own some big-time construction company. Made millions working military contract jobs overseas. Cantrell sold it for a hefty profit when he decided to go into politics. The man’s loa-ded.”
“No, shit. I’ve worked for him already, remember?” Grant bit back. “Just because the man has money doesn’t mean the guy’s daughter is a spoiled brat.”
Coop threw his hands up defensively. “Okay. Geez. Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?”
He’s right, dumbass. Chill the fuck out already.
“Hill’s got a point, Coop,” Jake stated. “We don’t want to go into this thing making assumptions about anything or anyone. If these threats are the real deal, we need to be on our A-game.”
The young sniper nodded. “Understood, Boss.”
Jake gave him a nod. “You two have any questions?”
“Nope.” Coop stood. “I’ll head over to Cantrell’s place now to get the lay of the land and go from there.”
“I’ll call to let his people know to expect you.” Jake turned to Grant. “What about you? You good?”
“Yep.”
“Okay. Cantrell told me his daughter is currently working on a house over on Hopkins Street. If she’s not there, try her condo. Both addresses are in the folder.”
“Got it.”
“Either of you find anything you think’s worth looking into, let Trevor know immediately. He’s going to continue manning the office, but I’ll be reachable by phone, too. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything. And watch your backs, just in case.”
“Roger that.”
All three men left the room. Both Grant and Coop were parked in the parking garage adjacent to the building, so they took the elevator down to the garage together.
“So. You and Cantrell’s daughter, huh?
Grant’s eyes shot to Coop. “What?”
“It’s cool. Not like I’m gonna rat you out or anything.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You’re not, you know”—Coop waggled his brows— “bumpin’ uglies?”
He’s your teammate. Don’t kill him.
Grant shook his head, afraid if he’d rip into the assuming bastard if he spoke.
Coop muttered under his breath. “If you say so.”
Smacking his palm against the stop button on the elevator’s control board, Grant pinned the former Ranger down with a glare.
“You got something you want to say to me, Sean?”
“Whoa.” Coop held his hands palms-up. “You were just pretty damn quick on the draw taking the job from Mac like that. I figured you and Red had a thing going from when you worked for Cantrell a few months ago.”
A muscle in Grant’s jaw bulged. “You figured wrong.”
“All right.” He shook his head. “Jesus, man.”
Fuck. Coop was right. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never ripped into his teammate like that.
Grant started the elevator’s descent again. “I met her once. For about five minutes.”
“Okay.”
“Cantrell trusts me, which will make it easier to get his daughter to trust me.”
“You don’t have to keep explaining yourself, Hill. I get it, all right?”
Damn it. He didn’t want Coop or anyone else on Alpha Team thinking he had a thing for Brynnon Cantrell. She was no different than any other client.
Keep telling yourself that shit, asshole. Maybe one day, you’ll actually believe it.
With a couple of shared nods, the two men parted ways. Grant climbed into his black GMC Sierra and entered the flip house address into his phone’s GPS.
Twenty minutes later, he was parking in front of a single-story home. As he got out, he gave the property an assessing glance.
Picture-perfect bushes and mulched landscaping trimmed the front of the house. Two pots filled with bright yellow mums framed each side of the bottom step, and what appeared to be a brand-new sidewalk led from the paved driveway to the small, covered porch.
Grant’s apartment was small and bare. A place to shower, sleep, and eat. But even someone like him could appreciate the curb appeal this small house held.
Raising a fist, he knocked on the pristine, white door. From behind the decorative glass, he heard a muffled female.
“Come in.”
She couldn’t be that stupid. Grant tried the doorknob. Sure enough, it was unlocked.
“Seriously?” He let himself in and closed the door behind him. Grant took a few seconds to study the space in front of him.
The living room was small, yet the wood floors combined with the way the furniture had been arranged made it appear spacious. It was also unoccupied.
Opening his mouth, he was about to ask where she was when the voice of his dreams called out. “I’m in here!”
Grant closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself not to go storming in and let the fool woman know the billion and one reasons she was putting herself at risk.
Remembering he had no claim over her, he quietly made his way toward the open archway at the far left of the room.
Once there, he had the choice to either go left or right. To his right was a narrow hallway with four closed doors. Bedrooms and bathrooms, he assumed. To his left was the kitchen.
There, sticking out from beneath the sink, were two lean, jean-clad legs. A pair of dirty, women’s work boots were attached to the feet.
“You can just leave the food on the table,” she instructed without bothering to come out. “The check’s already made out and signed, tip included. Thanks.”
Grant shook his head in disbelief. She was in a vulnerable position with absolutely no clue about who’d just walked into her house, and she didn’t seem bothered in the least.
Jesus. He could be a fucking serial rapist or some shit, and she’d just let him waltz right in.
He took a few steps closer but still remained silent. A few strained grunts and muddled curses came from beneath the sink as she struggled with whatever it was she was trying to do.
“I called the bakery this morning to double-check the amount. Just leave the food, and I’ll deal with it all when I’m done here.”
More pissed than he had the right to be, Grant decided the first thing they were going to discuss—if she ever came out from under that damn sink—was her lack of self-preservation.
A clanging sound preceded a loud, “Damn it!”
Standing with his booted feet shoulder-width apart, he crossed his arms and waited for her to wiggle herself free.
“If there’s a problem with the check”—she grunted— “you’ll have to call your boss, because I...”
Wide, emerald eyes that had haunted his dreams for months stared up at him.
“Oh. It’s you.” Brynnon Cantrell whispered.
She remembers you. A sliver of warmth nearly penetrated the space where his heart used to be.
Blinking, the startled woman climbed awkwardly to her feet. She was taller than the average woman, but with his six-five frame, her eyes still only met him at chin-level.
Brushing some wild, auburn strands from her face, she straightened her shoulders in an attempt to compose herself. The flush filling her porcelain cheeks betrayed her.
“Sorry.” She looked up at him. “I thought you were someone else.”
“Obviously.” Grant glanced over her shoulder then back to her. “You always leave the front door unlocked when you’re here by yourself?”
She blinked at his abruptness. “Um...yeah. Usually. It’s a nice neighborhood.”
“And nothing bad ever happens in those, does it?”
Perfectly groomed brows turned inward as confusion replaced her earlier embarrassment. “You work security for my dad, right?”
“Grant Hill.” He held out a hand to reintroduce hims
elf. “And I work for R.I.S.C. Your father is a client of ours.”
“Brynnon.” She nodded, returning the gesture.
“I remember,” he admitted before he could stop himself.
They stood there, shaking hands in awkward silence before her round eyes went wide again. For a second, Grant thought it was a reaction to the same, sizzling zip of electricity he’d felt the first time they’d met.
Suddenly in a near panic, she blurted, “Oh, crap! Did something happen? Is my dad okay?
“Your father’s fine, Miss Cantrell.”
She blew out a breath. “Thank God.” Wheels spinning, the naturally beautiful woman looked back up at him questioningly. “So why are you here, Mr. Hill? I mean, other than to lecture me about unlocked doors.”
Ignoring the smart-ass comment, he let go of her hand. “Call me Grant. And it’s more about what I can do for you.”
Her bow-shaped lips parted slightly before she cleared her throat, asking, “And what is that, exactly?”
“I’m here at your father’s request.”
Disappointment flittered behind those seas of green before a look of understanding crossed her face. “You’ve been assigned to guard me.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes, ma’am. I have.”
Taking a deep breath, Brynnon put on the same forced smile he’d seen the night they met.
“Well, let me save you some time, Mr. ...err...Grant. I don’t want, nor do I need a bodyguard. I’m sorry you wasted a trip coming here.”
She has a stubborn streak. Good to know.
“Your father seems to think otherwise.”
Lifting her slightly dimpled chin, Brynnon crossed her arms. “Yes, well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m over eighteen and can make my own decisions.”
Oddly, Grant found her bit of attitude appealing. He liked that she wanted to be independent. However, given how easily he’d strolled on in here, she definitely needed a keeper.
“Your father received a threat.”
“Not to sound uncaring, but my father receives about a hundred threats a year. An unfortunate side effect of being a politician, I guess.”
“The senator seems to be taking this one a little more seriously. He hired R.I.S.C. to protect you, for the time being.”
