I pull open the drawer beside me, rummaging through the suspended files until I find what I’m looking for, lifting it out of the space and handing it to my friend who takes it from me, flipping through the pages.
‘What are you doing with it?’ he asks gruffly, pausing on one of the pages and scanning the information.
‘Had to check the guest list, one of the names came up as a problem on the background search’ I mutter, grabbing a second file out of my desk to stat working on.
Gage’s gaze flicks up to mine, silently asking me to continue. I shrug, ‘it’s fine, Linc misspelt the guy’s name when he added it to my check list, he was a last minute addition or something. Put MacGyver instead of MacGregor.’
My best friend snorts out a laugh, ‘asshole’ he huffs out in amusement.
I nod my agreement, the usually stoic, almost anal retentive Navy Seal making a mistake is unheard of, the man has been a little distracted lately if I’m honest.
‘So this Macgregor guy is OK then?’ he prods.
‘Yeah’ I sigh, rubbing a hand over my eyes that are already feeling tired and the day hasn’t even started yet. ‘The guy is some hot shot stoke broker, made Cortavine a s.hit tonne of money this year so he got himself an invite to the party. I think our VIP wants to trot him out and show him off to his rich ass friends.’
Gage scoffs derisively, his face saying what my mind is thinking, rich d.icks showing off to more rich d.icks, this whole party is a show boat.
‘Is Linc taking point?’ my best friend asks, turning the page he’s reading as I shake my head.
‘Cale wants Hallick to step up’ I tell the other man, Gage’s eyebrows rising as he gives me his attention.
‘Is he sure?’ he asks me dubiously, ‘I mean, I love Hallick, but . . ‘
I grimace, understanding my best friend’s reluctance, Hallick is a stand-up guy, loyal as they come and a damn fine soldier, but we can’t ignore what happened to him or how it messed up his head. The guy is on edge, he hates being in the spotlight and doesn’t want to interact with any of the clients. He’ll take down any asshole to protect our mark but he doesn’t want to do the ass kissing part of our jobs.
‘Cale said he’s ready’ I reply, trying not to let my own reservations bleed into my voice. ‘He thinks it’s time he took a lead role within the company, the guy was our leader in every mission we went on with him.’
‘But that was before . . ‘ Gage mutters, dragging a hand through his hair roughly.
I nod, yeah it was before, it was before he was captured, before he was tortured for months, before rebels used him as a pawn in their games with their own government that Hallick wasn’t even a part of. He hadn’t even been in the country for them, he and his team were looking for a missing dignitary’s daughter, and he’d stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time.
Meeting my friend’s worried gaze, I force a smile, ‘Hallick’s a good man, a strong leader, he can do this’ I say firmly, injecting more confidence into my voice than I feel.
Closing the file, Gage stands up, giving me a curt nod before rapping his knuckles on my desk and heading for the door.
My gaze flicks to the side, toward the box and I reach for the lid, lifting it off to reveal the mouth watering treats underneath. As I reach into the box, a hand suddenly flashes into view, grabbing a cupcake and lifting it out.
Looking up, I’m just in time to see Gage’s back hurrying out of my office door.
‘Hey!’ I growl loudly at his disappearing back.
‘Thanks for the cupcake’ my best friend’s voice floats through the door to me, along with a laugh.
Tessa’s POV
A few days after Caleb rang me to tell me he had been arrested, and I need to stay late after college, heading to the library with Noah to do some research for our papers. By the time we leave, it’s already dark and my phone tells me that it’s past five o’clock.
‘Here we are m’lady’ Noah drawls, waving a hand toward my car as we approach, ‘you are safely at your chariot. I, your devoted knight can now sleep easily knowing that all dangers that could be around you here have been thwarted.’
I laugh as I hold out my hand, the jock taking it and pressing his lips to the back. ‘You have done well my lord’ I reply primly, ‘nay a dragon nor a man of ill repute doth stand a chance when you are with me.’
Noah bows deeply, ‘I am here but to serve you my queen, my very breath is dedicated only to your needs. For I should die a thousand deaths if even one hair was hurt upon your golden head.’
I place my hand to my forehead, pretending to swoon, ‘such a gentleman before me, how did I get so lucky as to have such an honourable warrior designated to my safety.’
Noah grins widely at me, ‘you are indeed lucky’ he agrees, ‘for I am the most wonderful of best friends.’
‘So now we are best friends?’ I giggle, raising an eyebrow.
The jock presses his hand to his heart, pouting, ‘are you saying we are NOT besties? Here I am protecting you with my life and I don’t even get best friend status?’
I reach out and push his shoulder playfully, ‘of course you are my best friend’ I reply teasingly, ‘who else could it possibly be.’
Noah shrugs, shoulders slumped as he gives me his best puppy dog eyes, ‘I’ve seen the way you look at Mateo’ he grumbles, ‘maybe he’s moving up from just friend to better friend?’
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.