Guarding His Obsession

She’s so soft and sweet and coated with an innocence I don’t want her to lose. I will be the hard to her soft. If something needs to hit us, it’ll hit me alone. I want to be her shield.

I know this shit has something to do with her work, and the stalker’s obsession with her has started to morph into some fucked-up crush or adoration for her. I can’t blame the guy for wanting her, but she’s mine and nothing will take her from me. I want this shit squashed. I knew I could only keep her locked up in this condo so long, and the days are ticking by. Luckily, her sister is close and that’s helping keep her sweet ass planted at home.

Slowly, I unwrap myself from her body, sliding out from under her and pulling myself from the bed. Leaning down, I kiss her bare back before brushing the hair out of her face. I can’t help but stare at her. I keep thinking this driving need to touch her and be close to her will fade, but it doesn’t. In fact, I think it’s getting worse.

I shake my head at all these sappy feelings I seem to have all the time nowadays. I make my way to the bathroom, stopping to pick up littered clothes and random things Zoey seems to throw around. That’s something else I oddly like. I get off on seeing her shit all over the place, and I get off even more on putting it back where it belongs because it means she lives here. Her stuff belongs with mine.

Making quick work in the bathroom, I slip on some workout clothes before heading to the kitchen. I grab a banana and text one of my men to come stand at the door while I go for a run. I write Zoey a quick note about going to the office we have in the building, even though I’ll likely be back before she wakes up. As I slip out the door, I come face to face with Pink.

“Got a lead you’re going to want to see.” He holds up a file, and I snatch it from him.

I open it up and read the name of a company I’ve never even heard of before: Green Shore. “Who is this? This name hasn’t come up in anything.”

One of the first things we did when we took on the job was look into anyone who might be after the company she is currently consulting for. This company isn’t in competition with Ensore.

“Brand new. They’re going after some government contract that Ensore has tied up. It’s not really a competition for them. Unless they fuck something up.”

I flip through the folder before heading for the elevator. Pink follows me. I hit the button for the bottom floor and keep reading over everything.

“She’s the easiest target. That’s how I look at it. She’s the easiest to get to. She’s just creating the encryption software for a new round of satellites that are being launched midsummer. If the encryption is messed up, no way will Ensore get the project. They’d be done for,” Pink says.

I shut the folder when the elevator hits the ground floor, trying to process everything.

“And I’m sure Green Shore already has their own system set up. They’ll pitch that when Ensore fails,” I say, looking over to Pink.

“From what I gathered, yes. All they need is an invitation to pitch it.”

“So what are we thinking here? Green Shore hired someone to break into Zoey’s and get their hands on whatever it is she’s doing? Either fuck it up or find a way to fuck it up later?”

“In the simplest terms, yeah. I don’t understand half the shit.”

“Me neither,” I say, making my way down the hallway before opening the door to our offices. I’m thankfulthat I’d chosen to turn one of the condos in the building into our offices. Now I’d always be close to home, where Zoey would be since she worked from home mainly. Or maybe I could put her a desk in my office down here for her. I really liked that idea. I’d watched Zoey work last night, and I couldn’t make head or tail of anything she was doing. All I saw were lines and lines of numbers, but she could easily do that down here in my office. Our office.

Sherrie pops up from behind her desk as we enter the offices.

“I need a list of all employees at a company called Green Shore.” I hand her the folder. “I also want a list of their family members and close friends. Look hard into anyone with a criminal past, no matter how small. I even want to know if they have sealed records from when they were snot-nosed kids, and I want those records unsealed. Call in favors, I don’t give a shit.”

“How fast you want it?” she asks, dropping the folder on her desk and sitting down.

“Call a few of your sisters to help, and use any of the men if you need leg work.” I hear Pink sigh behind me. He hates when his sisters come in to help out. They might run their mouths a lot when they’re in here, but they get shit done. No one multi-tasks like a woman.

“So…yesterday.”

“Yeah,” I confirm because whoever they hired to get what they wanted from Zoey has lost control of that person. Things are bound to be sloppy, and it’s going to make it a whole lot easier to figure out who it is.

15

Zoey

I open one eye to see Elle lying in bed with me.

“You’re naked,” she says, and I bury my head back in my pillow, feeling the bed shake as she laughs.

“What are you doing?” I ask, pulling the covers fully over myself while rolling to my side to look at her. She’s completely made up in a gray pencil skirt and pink silk blouse. She has on make-up and her hair is styled. I’m surprised she isn’t worried about wrinkling her outfit. She must have a meeting or something today.