Page 31 of Exposed

But that’s the last thing I heard through the intercom.

I have no choice.

By the time I’m in the hall, all I see is her messy dark hair swaying behind her as she hurries to the elevator.

“King,” Micah calls for me as I pass him and Brax standing in the doorway.

I ignore them both.

Talking to Goldie as Special Agent King Jennings will expose my real identity. It doesn’t matter what scary shit I’ve maneuvered throughout my two careers with the government—this is so far out of my comfort zone, the hairs stand straight up on the back of my neck.

She disappears around the corner. I quicken my steps when I hear the ding of the elevator.

When I make it around the corner, there’s barely a moment for me to catch her.

I stick my arm through the closing doors just in time.

She’s alone, but her head pops up the moment she realizes that’s not the case anymore.

The doors part, and I step onto the elevator.

It takes her a beat.

Then, her eyes widen in horror. She immediately reaches for the doors, but she’s not fast enough, and they close us in the small space. I reach over to press the emergency button and the descending elevator lurches to a stop.

“What are you doing at the DEA?” she exclaims.

I hold a hand out low. “I need to talk to you about yesterday.”

“No.” Her tone is desperate as she throws her back against the wall and starts to dig through her purse. “Get out. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“Goldie, I can explain. I promise, there’s a reasonable?—”

But she stops me mid-sentence, and she does it with a pink can of pepper spray pointed straight at me. “Take one step, and you’ll be on your knees crying at my feet. Don’t test me, Daniel. I’ll do it. And this is a new can. I never let them expire.”

Shit.

Now I know I’m completely out of my comfort zone because my mind only goes to one place as she wields a miniature can of watered-down tear gas on her keychain pointed straight at me.

My desire to kiss her again ranks right up there with throwing her shithead brother away in federal prison for the next two decades.

Maybe three if I can swing it.

It’s official.

I’m whacked.

I never imagined this moment would happen, but it’s true.

Goldie Carter is even more beautiful standing there pointing her cute little pink can of pepper spray at me.

7

DO YOU LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME?

Goldie

Daniel smiles.

---