Page 18 of Provoke You

6

You Started This

Matt

Life as a marine was better. Or at least, easier, focused. If it’d been up to me, I would still be there, but family was everything to me. I lost it all when I was ten and Mom died of alcohol abuse. Somehow, I got it all back when the Coles took me in: a home and family. I would die for my adopted brothers.

On our last special ops missions in Maracaibo, my brother Wesley uncovered a human trafficking ring that was quickly making its way to the US. Our orders were to observe only, even after we brought in a local to show proof that her boss had struck a deal with a New York City Mafia king.

Rebecca risked everything to get us the information we needed. But it didn’t matter. Our commander didn’t care or couldn’t follow up on the lead we’d given him. We were told to stand down. We didn’t listen, and now here I was, playing the bodyguard.

In a twisted way, our failed special ops mission in Venezuela kickstarted this quest to find some sort of connection to my biological family. I couldn’t help Rebecca, just as I couldn’t help Mom when she OD’d.

“Where do you go when you do that?” Ela’s defined thighs came into view. The girl had never heard of personal space. I was beginning to think she was doing it on purpose. She had no idea what she’d be getting into with me.

“I have a lot of work to do before our trip to Paris.” Truth was, I hadn’t been able to concentrate or think since Ela chained herself to me.

“Right. So what do marines eat? I mean, do you eat?”

The short skirt fooled me before. Took me a while, but I finally figured out nothing Ela did or said was ever random. She wanted my help. I had been an idiot for thinking I’d be able to say no to her.

“What now?”

“Nothing. I’m just hungry. Jeez, are you always this suspicious of people?”

“Lately? Just you.” Not sure why, but my response earned me a wide smile. Could she tell I was caving? I met her gaze and suddenly realized she was dressed to go out. How did I miss that? She had full makeup on with long lashes and eyeshadow I’d only seen on social media ads. Her hair fell down her back, dark and shiny. In short, a woman on a fucking mission. “What is this?”

“If you’re not too busy, I thought we could have dinner.”

I opened my mouth to say no, but she stepped closer and beat me to it.

“We’re just going down to the kitchen for a quick bite. Nothing a big bad marine can’t handle. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little girl.”

“You’re not a little girl.” I stood and adjusted my suit jacket. After her near escape earlier today, I figured I needed a more respectable uniform. Fatigues were out of the question, so I settled for a dark suit.

“I didn’t think you had noticed.” She shuffled back, as if she were losing some of her resolve. “Fine. I get it. You win.” She strode to the nightstand and picked up the phone.

As much as I wanted to stay away from her, I didn’t trust her to make calls. When I reached the bed, she made a big show of pressing the concierge button and then the one for the speakerphone. Was this Ela trying to earn my trust again?

“Ms. LeBlanc, what would it be today?” The attendant answered before the second ring.

“It appears Mr. Cole and I will be staying in the rest of the day.”

“Packing,” I said.

“Could you send a dinner for two?”

“Right away, Ms. LeBlanc.”

“Do you like oysters?” she asked me. “You know what they say about oysters?”

I chuckled, and something warm swirled below my navel. Meeting her gaze, I rubbed the stubble on my face. Maybe staying in wasn’t such a good idea. If her grin was any indication, I was losing this battle fast.

“That they’re an aphrodisiac?”

“Get over yourself. That when you’re in New Orleans, you should try them. Sam, can you throw in a dozen oysters in our order as well, please?”

“Of course, Ms. LeBlanc. Anything else?”

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