by Kells, India
“That’s not a surprise. You’re too intelligent and resourceful to remain a clerk. And that firm had the brains to see it.”
With a stunned look on her face, Cleo nodded. “I worked hard, especially since my education was limited. I almost refused the position because of that, but they told me what I lacked in training, I made up for in street smarts, drive, and planning. I seemed to be able to sense events before they happened.”
Mason nodded, having seen that himself since he’d started working for the agency. “Did you stay in Houston long?”
Cleo grabbed her mug, taking a sip as she thought about it. “Five years. Then I was headhunted by another firm in Salt Lake City. Stayed with them a couple of years before going on a business trip to New York. It was a complicated case, and we were there a month. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my life, but I bumped into a contact who offered me a job I couldn’t refuse. It was working for the head of the NYPD.”
This was impressive. “Head of the NYPD? You’re talking about The New York City Police Commissioner? Really?”
Cleo nodded, smiling at the memory. “Yeah. Nice guy. He offered me a position as one of his assistants, and I couldn’t resist. And I learned a lot.”
“And how did you become part of the Alliance Agency?”
Cleo pushed her plate away. “I gave myself a quick vacation in Miami, rented a car, and told myself that I was going to party until I dropped. Unfortunately, I never got to do it because I was barely out of the airport before I was pulled over by the biggest imbecile of a cop I’ve ever met. We argued so much he decided to take me to the station. I gave him and his superior an earful. There are benefits from working for law firms and a police commissioner. You pick things up regarding the law and your rights. What I didn’t know was that Emme was in the station and heard most of it. She caught up with me when I finally got out of there. She offered me the job. I think it’s my destiny to be offered jobs.”
“Well, I have Emme to thank for having the incredible luck of meeting you.”
“I guess so. And being caught in my mess too. I can’t wait until we catch this guy. I’m already tired of looking over my shoulder.”
Mason nodded before forking up the last bits on his plate. He then started clearing the table, trying to find a way to bring something up without Cleo shutting it down. “That’s the plan for today. We’ll have a team meeting to see what we’ve gathered so far and if there’s anything we should dig deeper into. I want to take a look at someone you told me about yesterday, that Jeffrey Spears guy.”
The way she tensed was instantaneous. “I told you, Mason. Nobody knows where I am. Nobody is looking for me. They probably knew I would’ve been a problem and not submissive enough for his tastes. There’s no way the stalker is related.”
Mason wasn’t so sure about that, but what raised his curiosity was how adamant she was about shutting the possibility down. Investigations could be done quietly to prevent raising suspicions and she should know that. “Cleo, we still need to look into it.”
She finished clearing the table, and Mason feared for his dishes when she almost threw them in the sink. “I didn’t confide in you so you could dig into that part of my life. It has nothing to do with the stalker. I told you, I have no enemies, no family. Promise me you won’t stir anything up. Please, Mason.”
Seeing the stubborn look on her face, Mason hesitated before nodding, but the discussion was far from over. If someone from her past was a possible threat, Mason knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise and still protect her.
* * *
The drive to get coffee before heading to Alliance was heavy with silence. Mason knew Cleo was still defensive about what they’d discussed. He regretted losing the intimacy they had enjoyed earlier, but it couldn’t be helped, her safety was paramount.
Mason parked close to the Alliance entrance and Cleo got out the car without a word and disappeared inside. With a sigh, Mason got out and went into his office to gather his notes and his thoughts before the meeting. Cleo busied herself with her own and was ignoring him, which made him grind his teeth, but he left her alone, hoping she would see why he wanted to explore every possibility to keep her safe.
He went to his office and sat in his chair, closing his eyes to try to clear his mind. Should he believe Cleo and not check into Spears? His gut was against it, and he usually listened to it thanks to his experience as an investigator, only this time, he had painted himself into a corner.
“Why isn’t Cleo smiling this morning? What did you do?” Opening an eyelid, he saw Mercy leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed, and brows furrowed. Before he could answer, she stepped in and closed the door behind her. “I know you and Cleo had a date last night because she borrowed one of my dresses. And I can see by the look on your face it didn’t go to plan.”
Mason swiveled to face her. “It has nothing to do with the date. The date was perfect, everything was perfect.”
Mercy sat in front of him, putting her booted feet on the desk. “Well, from the look on both your faces, you could have fooled me. Or was it what happened after the date that was disappointing?”
He scoffed at that thought. “Not that it’s any of your business, but it was perfect too. It’s the morning after that went south and it’s my fault.”
The blond agent nodded. “Of course it’s your fault, but I’m curious to find out why before I put my boot up your pretty ass.”
Mason smiled at her threat, although he knew that Mercy Broussard wasn’t all talk, she could absolutely put her boot anywhere she wanted. “She told me about her past last night.”
The surprise on her face was evident before she whistled softly. “Whoa, things are serious between you two. She’s said a few bits and pieces about herself to us, but not much. The fact she’s opened up to you means she cares about you.”
Mason rubbed his chest as Mercy’s words sink in. “That’s the trouble. Part of what she said, someone she told me about, may be linked to her stalker. I might be wrong, but I want to check it out, be certain. Unfortunately, I told her what I was planning this morning, asked her if I could dig, and she went ballistic and made me promise to leave it alone. So I’m kind of stuck now.”
Mercy nodded, looking concerned. “Nicholas brought her bike in this morning to look at it. Her tire didn’t just go flat on its own, someone slashed it. She didn’t see it because it was dark. Nick will take care of it, and he told me it’s up to you if you want to tell her or not.”
A curse flew out his mouth. It was becoming difficult to juggle protecting her without pissing her off. He knew he was walking a very fine line.
“As I said, Cleo’s talked a bit about her past when us girls have gotten together. The potential threat you’re talking about isn’t Jeffrey Spears by any chance?”
His eyes zeroed on Mercy’s who was clearly coming up with a plan. “Maybe.”
Removing her boots from the desktop, she brought her chair closer and put her elbows down instead. “OK. Hypothetically. Maybe I remember that name all by myself and wonder if he’s related to Cleo’s stalker. And because I care about her, and I have no idea what she may or may not have told you about her past, I start a discreet investigation on my own. I’ll be careful and make sure Cleo doesn’t have a clue where I am and what I’m doing, because yes, I remember she does our expense reports.”
Mason smiled at how cunning Mercy was. “That’s a lot of maybes. And if Cleo finds out about it…”
“I’ll take the blame, and you’ll be off the hook.”
That didn’t feel right for him. “I take responsibility for what I do, Mercy. I don’t hide behind anybody.”
Shrugging off his reply, she stood. “You’re not hiding anywhere or behind anybody. You’re investigating the leads we’ve already gathered while I’m focusing on something else that may be inconsequential. Don’t worry, if it’s what you want and I find something significant, I’ll pull you with me into the line of fire to t
ell Cleo. In the meantime, protect my friend, and get your ass into gear to take this stalker down.”
Chapter Ten
The meeting had started, and Cleo was at her desk regretting the way she had treated Mason that morning. He had been trying to look out for her. He wasn’t using the information she gave him for the wrong reasons, he was being thorough. Leaning back in her chair, she hit refresh on her emails waiting for the last of the receipts to come in so she could get the expenses done for the team.
The problem was she was terrified of dredging up her past. She had told Mason the truth, but that didn’t mean she wanted to stir things up and risk Spears rekindling old acquaintances. She had played down how dangerous the man was and feared what could happen if Mason got involved.
Cleo knew she would always look over her shoulder. Jeffrey Spears had seen to that. He was convinced she’d make the perfect wife for him. It was the real reason she had run. She remembered clearly hearing Spears discussing it with her parents, and them agreeing to it like she was cattle and not their only child, had sickened her. At that moment, her mother had ceased to exist.
Distraught, she had run to the only person she knew would help her—her grandmother. She had hidden her, lied to her only son until the time came when she couldn’t anymore, and then she had given Cleo everything she had and forced her away to start a new life, even at the risk of her own. What would Spears do if he knew her grandmother had helped her flee? Spears had seemed to forget about the older woman’s existence, and Cleo prayed it stayed that way. It was one of the reasons she’d left Mesa. The risk of bumping into Spears or his followers was too high, and it placed her nana in a dangerous position.
If Mason went looking for Jeffrey Spears, it would only help Spears find her. She loved this job and didn’t want to have to leave it to protect them and herself. There was a chance Spears had all but forgotten about her, but Cleo knew better.
The agency was the first place she’d felt she could be herself. She could dress how she liked, be who she was without fear, but more than that, for the first time she had real friends. People she could talk to, get drunk with, confide in, and if he found her, she would have to give all that up. Her stalker meant business she knew that, and she had no clue why he was targeting her. Her conscious mind was aware it was probably random, Jeffrey Spears would never go to these lengths. He would simply snatch her—he wouldn’t try and scare her.
Her email pinged, and she saw the last email from James come through. The man was a flirt, and a manwhore, it was no wonder he was nicknamed Romeo. He wasn’t only that, but also an absolute sweetheart as a friend. She couldn’t wait for the day some woman took him down. Her lips tipped into a grin at the thought as she got to work sorting the expenses for the team.
It wasn’t her job, but she found it easier to do it this way than try and go through a load of different reports and collate them. Her head was down as she concentrated, the door and outside gate were locked at Shane’s demand, and Killian was asleep across the doorway. The big, handsome brute looked terrifying but was a soft as a marshmallow.
She looked at the door to the conference room, wondering how long they would be inside. She had been avoiding Mason and was feeling bad for it. He was in an impossible position, put there by her. She should apologize, no scratch that, she should be honest with him, but she wasn’t quite ready to tell him her dirty truth.
What did it say about her worth as a person that her parents were willing to sell her like livestock? She could make it up to him, though.
As if by a twist of fate, she saw a UPS truck pull up just outside the gate and stop. She hadn’t ordered any office supplies so it must be her lingerie and she hit the button to open the gate and let him in. Half of her wanted to rush to the door and open it, accepting the delivery before the others could see it but the sane part, the part terrified of snakes, held back.
The last package she had gotten had been the snakes, and she wasn’t willing to risk it. Walking to the door, she recognized Stan, their usual driver, and waved. He grinned and returned her greeting as he stepped into the back of the van. Cleo hesitated unsure what to do until she saw him jump down with a Victoria’s Secret bag in his hand.
Her cheeks went pink, and she quickly unlocked the door to take the parcel from him. Killian slipped past her, and sniffed Stan before waggling his tail at him and bolting back inside.
“Thanks, Stan.” Stan stepped inside, handing her the form to sign. Once signed, she grabbed the bag, placing it behind her desk quickly before going back to him.
“No problem, Miss Cleo.” Stan tipped his hat as he left to get back in his truck. Stan was a retired long-haul driver, who couldn’t get retirement to stick. He enjoyed driving but not long journeys anymore. His job with UPS was perfect for him.
Closing the door on the Miami heat, Cleo bent to pick up a flyer that had dropped from the parcel. She stood and nearly screamed, her heart pounding in her chest as she laid a hand across her throat, feeling like an idiot. Rushing to the door, she smiled at the man on the other side of the glass who looked at her like she was one step down from the crazy farm. “Travis, you made me jump!” She ushered him in.
“Sorry, Cleo, being light on my feet is ingrained in me these days. I forget I do it until I make people jump.”
“No, it’s fine, you’d think I’d be used to it, working here. They are all, well mostly all, built like linebackers with the toes of ballerinas,” Cleo said making Travis laugh.
He was handsome, blond, blue eyes, trimmed beard, obviously physically fit. In another life, she would have been deeply attracted to him, but that was before Mason.
“You here to see Mason?” She moved back behind her desk as the door to the conference room opened.
“Yes, I just wanted to see if he had time to grab a drink. I have a case I could do with his advice on.”
“Well, here’s the man himself.” Cleo gestured as Mason walked toward her with a frown.
“Didn’t we talk about not opening the door?”
Mason was angry. Feeling her cheeks heat like a child at the reprimanded, Cleo bit her tongue on her response, knowing his concern came from a good place. “I’m aware of that, but as it was your friend, I figured it was okay.”
Mason ignored Travis as he moved toward her and slipped his arm around her waist, hauling her close. The air left her as she hit his hard chest and the arms around her tightened.
“That must have hurt?” His question made her frown as she looked up at him.
“What?”
“Biting your tongue and not ripping me a new one.”
Cleo felt the smile tinge her lips. “Jerk.” But she laughed.
“Yeah, I am.” He dipped his head and kissed her hard and fast. It lasted only a second and wasn’t exactly passionate, but it left her reeling. Mason released her and walked toward Travis. “Travis,” he said, holding out his hand to greet him. “What brings you here?”
“I wondered if you had time to get lunch. I wanted to pick your brain about the case I’m on. Get a different perspective.”
Mason glanced at her and Cleo knew he wanted to talk.
“Go, we can talk at home tonight,” she said softly, and something about the way she said it must have relaxed him because she saw his shoulders lose the tension in them.
“Okay, I shouldn’t be too long,” he said to her and then turned to Travis. “I’ll grab my phone and meet you outside.”
“Thanks, Mace.” Travis waved at Cleo and walked away.
Cleo wanted to clear the air but now wasn’t the time especially as Mercy walked in and had some extra things to add to her expense report at the last minute.
For the rest of the afternoon she was kept busy with end-of-the-month stuff. Mason came back two hours after he left and gave her a smile and a wink, which made her heart beat faster as he went to his office. The day was uneventful, just how she liked it, but she couldn’t shake the feeling this was the calm before the storm. Her gaze w
ent to Mason’s closed door, and she prayed he found her stalker soon, she hated living like this.
It was late afternoon when Caitlin came rushing in screaming, her eyes wild, tears streaming down her face, Killian limp in her arms. “Someone help me!”
“Oh my god, what happened?” Cleo rounded her desk as office doors flung open.
“I just found him like this. I think it’s poison. I need to call my dad.” Caitlin’s parents were both vets, which was where she got her love of animals from.
“Let me. You stay with Killian.” Cleo dashed to her desk as Cain fell to his knees beside Caitlin.
Cleo made the call and was told to take Killian straight to the vets, Caitlin’s dad would meet her there. Cain helped a clearly upset Caitlin to the car and went with her as the rest of them stayed behind to worry.
Mason moved behind her and curled his arm around her. Cleo turned to him and inhaled the scent of the man who had become her anchor. “Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“I hope so!” She knew he was trying to be honest.
Her email pinged, and she pulled away to answer it. Rounding the desk, she opened the email and felt bile roll up her throat at the contents.
YOU DID THIS, BITCH!
A picture of Killian was attached.
It’s my fault.
Chapter Eleven
The entire agency was on high alert as another one of its members had been attacked. Killian was more than a simple working dog, and every available agent had been called in for support.
Like everybody else, Mason knew a significant shift had happened, something that turned what would normally be a minor threat into an emergency.
Just after Caitlin had raced Killian to the vet, with Cain accompanying her, everyone had made sure to secure the premises and search for anything that could have affected Killian in any way—scraps of food, liquid on the floor, anything the dog could have accessed and ingested.
