“No problem that I see.”

“I have a client that hired us to keep her out of danger. And the security personnel I assigned to protect her seems to be prone to misunderstandings.”

“That’s not what happened here.”

“Then tell me.”

“Brittany and I have a history. You knew that when you gave me the assignment.”

“Your history was that you were friends until your brother dumped her. You said you could handle this and keep it professional. What changed?”

“The client and I had an argument last night that got a little… heated. We’ve since made amends and are ready to continue our relationship.”

“Relationship?”

“Working relationship.”

Gus steeled his jaw, not willing to give more, and Val could probably sense it because she sat back in her chair.

“Gus, you’re damn good at your job, but you’ve been emotionally compromised and we both know it.”

“Emotionally compromised? What does that even mean?”

“It means you’ve fucked the client, and that’s not what you get paid to do.”

A rock sunk into Gus’s stomach at Val’s words.

“I haven’t. We haven’t.”

“But with the way you’re going, I’m guessing you will. And that’s a problem for me and my company. If you’re thinking with your dick, you’re not thinking with your head.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like? Explain it to me, so I can understand. Because right now this looks like a clusterfuck.”

Gus’s mind whirred with explanations he could offer, excuses or diplomatic reasons, but settled on the truth. Val was one of his best friends, and if he couldn’t be honest with her, he was truly fucked.

“I don’t know how to explain it. We were working together, we were fine, everything was fine.”

“And then you moved her into your condo.”

“She got hurt. She wasn’t going to be safe in that revolving door hotel room.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You’ve never let a client stay in your home, even when their residence was compromised.”

She was right. “Brittany’s a friend. She had already been to my home several times. It was easier this way.”

“Fine. Let’s pretend that’s a totally normal thing to do. What happened last night?”

Gus hesitated. He was not going to come out of this story looking good, and he knew it.

“She snuck out without telling me. Went to a party unprotected.”

“It’s my understanding she went with friends of hers and that the party had my security agents everywhere, as well as a tight guest list.”

“You and I both know that doesn’t matter if someone’s aiming to hurt a client.”

“Fine. She snuck out to a party. I assume you showed up and talked your way inside.”