Hostile Territory (Blackbridge Security 1)

“I’m Flynn Coleman.” He holds out his hand, but I’m still a little too pissed at being told I can’t leave to shake it right now.

“I can’t stay here. I’m going crazy all alone.” I snap my jaw shut because I shouldn’t have admitted to such a weakness so quickly. I imagine this guy thinks I’m an uppity bitch like Deacon does even though his boss has never actually said those words to me. Well, he said it a couple times in high school, and apparently, I’m still butt hurt over it.

“I’m right out here. You’re not alone.”

Sighing with my growing frustration, I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him.

“I’m not scared. I’m bored.” Then I have a genius idea.

“What are you doing?” he gasps as I grip his forearm and yank him inside the suite.

“Why are you here?” I ask when the door closes behind us in the entryway. He doesn’t answer me, and I think he’s still in shock that I had the audacity to pull him inside. “To make sure I don’t leave, right?”

He gives me a reluctant nod.

“Problem solved then. I’m bored, and you have to be bored just standing out there all damn day. So, I’ll provide you with a place to sit, and you’ll provide me with company.”

“Is that so?” God, I just love a British accent.

“Sit,” I tell him before heading to the kitchen. “Do you want sweet or salty? I can do both if you prefer.”

“Umm.”

I peek my head around the corner and look at him. “Chips and popcorn or frozen yogurt and grapes.”

“Popcorn.”

“Sit.”

Thankfully he does, and my mood lightens immediately with the anticipation of just having someone around.

Stiff as a board, he sits on the far end of the sofa as I drop a huge bowl of popcorn in his lap and find some stupid movie on the television.

“I love Wayans brothers’ movies,” I tell him.

“They’re an acquired taste,” he murmurs but half an hour in he’s struggling to hide his chuckles.

“Told you, you’d like it.” I stretch out, laying my head in his lap like we’ve known each other for years because well, I want to and it’s more comfortable.

He stiffens again, but eventually he relaxes enough to rest one arm over my stomach as the other drags fingers through my hair. I’m torn between asking him if he has a girlfriend and taking a nap when the suite door swings open.

Standing there with that strong jaw twitching is Deacon, clearly pissed like he has any right to be.

“I’ll meet you at the truck, Flynn,” he grinds out, his eyes staying locked with mine.

As if he doesn’t have a care in the world, Flynn lifts my head from his lap and stands, bending in the middle to brush his lips across my forehead.

“It’s been a pleasure.” He winks before pulling away and leaving the suite.

Deacon doesn’t pull his eyes from mine. We glare at each other. Well, he glares. It takes everything I have not to grin at his ridiculous reaction.

“Your party is sorted.”

Those are the only words out of his mouth before he turns and leaves.

“Where are you going?” I hiss.

“I have work to do.”

And just like that I’m alone again.Chapter 15Deacon

I wait patiently for all of the Cerberus guys to gather around the table. This is Kincaid’s show, and I’m just grateful he’s promised me the help I’m going to need in West Africa. Leaving the States to work always gets my blood pumping. We don’t get to do it often, and I know my guys are going to be hypervigilant in the field. The president of the Cerberus MC expects the same level of professionalism from his own guys.

After Kincaid introduces the newest member of the team, surprisingly a tall woman, he steps aside and I have the floor. On the flight over here, I spent hours trying to figure out what I’m going to say to these guys to get across the importance of this case to them. At first, I was going to leave out all the personal details, but if the roles were reversed, I know I’d want that info, so that’s what they’re going to get from me today.

I nod at Kincaid as I step forward and clear my throat.

“It’s not easy standing up here and admitting that I’ve failed, but here I am. This mission is more than a little personal for me, and I thought it was in my best interest to come to you guys for help rather than fucking everything up by letting my emotions control the outcome,” I explain.

“Who are we looking for?” Grinch asks. I’ve met him before, but we haven’t had much interaction.

Shadow, the guy in control of the computer system, uses this moment to put Dani’s picture up on the screen behind me. I gave them several from her social media, and I’m grateful he chose one where she isn’t hanging on the arm of some rich asshole. I don’t want anything to detract their attention from the mission.