Page 11 of Silk and Steel

“Don’t worry, Emory. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

Even as the words leave my mouth, I regret having said them.

After all, I made Jake that promise, too.

3

EMORY

“Hold up.”

I stop just inside the Platinum Security office while Cole steps out onto the street. He cranes his neck this way and that, steely eyed gaze taking in everything. Only after he checks and re-checks the scene several times does he motion for me to come outside.

“All right, let’s go. Did you drive yourself here today?”

“No, I used a ride service. I was worried about being followed in my own car.”

Cole nods sagely. I have a hard time getting a read on him. Like many former-military men, he keeps his emotional cards close to his chest.

One thing I know for sure: He’s qualified, and then some. Highly decorated, a combat veteran, and one of the more intimidating specimens I’ve seen. Not just because of his muscles, or the sleeves of tattoos with frightening iconography. It’s just in the way he stands, the way he walks, and the fire in his gaze.

This is not a man to be trifled with. I’m glad he’s on my side.

“Smart move,” he says, breaking me out of my reverie. “My truck is parked right over there.”

My eyes follow his gesture to a dirt-streaked, late model pickup. One of those with the enormous wheels and lots of extra chrome. Cole opens the door for me and I climb up inside. He shuts the door and crosses in front of the truck on his way to the driver’s side.

“So, how does this work?” I ask. “Are you going to be with me everywhere I go?”

“That’s exactly how it works. I’ll be watching over you night and day until Lovejoy is behind bars or otherwise dealt with.”

“Otherwise dealt with?” I give him a long, hard look. “Are you going to kill him?”

“If I have to,” he says without hesitation or a trace of bravado. Like I asked him if he wanted cream with his coffee instead of ending the life of another human being.

He turns the engine over. We rumble out onto the street, traveling for half a mile before I realize I missed something.

“Um, where are we going?”

“I’m going to take you home, eventually, though that may not be where we wind up staying.”

“You’re going the wrong way.”

He glances over at me briefly, his dark brown eyes glinting with intensity. He’s handsome…okay, he’s hot as Hell, but that aura about him makes the scrutiny more frightening than exciting.

“Sorry. I should have mentioned we’re making a stop first.”

“Where?”

“Domingo Private Penitentiary. The place Lovejoy just broke out of.”

“Why? I mean, sure, that’s the one place he would never go to find me, but…we’re not staying at the prison, are we?”

Cole shakes his head, eyes glued to the road as we hit heavier downtown traffic.

“No. I just want to take a look around, maybe talk to some people.”

“And they’ll let you do that? Just waltz in? I mean, you're not even a cop. No offense.”

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