In His Keeping (Slow Burn 2)

He’d been heavily recruited by a government agency, but Beau had been quick to snatch him up, his gut telling him it was the right decision. There was a ruthlessness and darkness to Zack that Beau sensed more than saw outright. His gaze missed nothing, always calculating, taking note and processing at lightning speed. For some this might be a warning sign. A reason not to hire him on. But Beau had witnessed the difference in Zack when it came to victims and the people they hunted.

He was infinitely gentle with the innocent, but was ice-cold when it came to taking down the monsters who preyed on the innocent. He was perfect for Devereaux security and their expanding network.

Caleb leaned back, his expression speculative as he eyed his brother. “So why are we looking at this exactly?”

The others assembled had similar questioning looks. Zack’s was hard, though. Beau could feel the same anger that simmered in his own veins radiating through Zack.

“It doesn’t bother you that a defenseless woman could have been killed?” Beau asked mildly.

Even as he spoke, his attention went back to the frame that was frozen over Arial Rochester’s delicate, terrified features. He couldn’t explain why he was more bothered by this attack than he was about others. And in their business, they’d seen a lot, even in the short time they’d been in business.

“I’m more interested in the ‘freak’ windstorm and the flying bricks,” Eliza murmured. “Since posted on YouTube, this video has gone viral with over ten million views in twenty-four hours. News networks across the company have picked it up. Speculation is running rampant as to how she managed to fend off three attackers without so much as a weapon.”

“Stranger things have happened,” Dane said in his calm, implacable tone.

Eliza snorted, knowing full well he spoke the truth. In light of all that had happened with Caleb and Ramie, this looked like simple child’s play.

Beau continued to study the wide, frightened eyes of the small woman. Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself and there was panic evident in her every feature. After the threat to her had been eliminated.

Wouldn’t she have been relieved? Some hint of relief or even upset? Reaction to her close brush with death. Instead she looked even more terrified than she had when confronted with the arrogant little assholes.

There was something about the entire thing that bothered him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. But the surge of anger over the attack of such a small, vulnerable-looking woman pissed him off. He usually approached his job impassively, never letting his emotions rule him or get in the way of his actions. Protection required absolutely no room for error. No mistakes. No letting emotion result in hasty, stupid decisions that could get someone killed.

“So do you think she has psychic abilities?” Caleb asked, addressing the obvious elephant in the room.

Beau shrugged. “Maybe. It’s possible. She certainly caused a stir and the evidence is pretty inexplicable. But then again, it could very well simply be a freak occurrence and maybe she was scared because even she didn’t understand what was going on.”

“Or maybe she was worried about discovery,” Zack said, speaking up for the first time in his gruff voice.

Beau had had the same thought.

“Well, if she was worried about discovery then I’d say she’s a hell of a lot more worried now,” Eliza said grimly.

The Devereauxs were intimately acquainted with the fear of discovery. Their younger sister, Tori, had psychic ability and they’d shielded her from public scrutiny her entire life. Caleb’s wife was also psychic, her “gift” more of a curse than a blessing. And while her abilities were known, Caleb went to great lengths to keep her out of the public eye and he made damn sure that the many requests for Ramie’s help were filtered through the security firm and never reached Ramie.

Ramie still hadn’t fully recovered from her brush with death. Neither had Caleb. Beau wasn’t certain Ramie would ever be able to use her talents again. She’d seen far too much death, experienced too much pain and devastation and had barely survived with her sanity intact. Caleb was well aware of that fact, and he’d do whatever it took to ensure his wife was never at risk again.

“We need to focus on other matters—business matters,” Caleb said pointedly. “While this is a subject of interest, that’s all it is. We aren’t involved in the case. We have clients who deserve our undivided attention.”

With that, the meeting shifted its focus to their current client load and assignments. Planning and organizing, deciding who headed what as well as reviewing new requests that had recently come in.

Beau couldn’t quite shake the incident from his mind and he wasn’t sure why. But it bothered him. It bothered him a hell of a lot.

SEVEN

ARIAL knew she couldn’t wait a moment longer. Fear and anxiety ran uncontrollably through her heart, freezing blood as it pumped furiously to keep up with the stringent demands of her chaotic mind and thoughts.

We’ll be an hour, two at the most, baby.

It was what her father had said right before escorting her mother to a vehicle discreetly parked with easy access to at least three exit points from the large house owned by one of the many dummy corporations her father had funneled most of his properties and assets through.

Her father hadn’t been thrilled, an understatement for sure, when her mom insisted on going with him. He’d wanted both women under constant guard. Her mother wasn’t leaving the shopping for Ari’s necessities to her husband and neither of her parents would even consider exposing Ari to the public eye.