Page 1 of Whatever It Takes

Chapter One

Briar

My stomach churns as I stare at the front entrance of Shadow Security. I’ve done a lot of research these past few weeks. If anyone can help me, it’ll be them, but there’s no way to know if I’ll be able to afford their fee.

My head twists, but the rideshare driver has already pulled away.

Is that a sign?

Maybe the universe is taking pity on me for a change. It could be trying to tell me to get my ass inside, otherwise, I’ll never know if they’ll be willing to help.

A loud echoing sound rips through the air, making me jolt. I bend in half to get low to the ground and pull my arm up to cover the top of my head as I scan the area.

It’s an unnecessary move. A bullet would fly through my arm just as easily as my face. A barrage of bloody images plays through my mind, and I do everything I can to breathe through the panic and force them away.

My face heats as it registers—it was a car backfiring from the nearby street.

Not anything terrible.

No one is actively trying to kill you.

My heart still pounds erratically. That psychologist wasn’t kidding when she said I had PTSD from my wedding day.

Finally making it back to standing, I try to force my legs to stop wobbling. My hands slide down my sides, and I move to readjust my purse.

A man approaches from the parking lot. He takes the step up onto the sidewalk and appraises me. Realizing he must have seen everything while I was preoccupied, I feel heat rise in my cheeks.

He’s tall and dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt with the name of a band I don’t recognize plastered across his chest. He has dark blond hair that’s wavy and falls over his forehead, but it’s shaved close on the sides. His strong jaw flexes minutely, but he gives me a confused smile when he spots me running my hands down my sides.

“Can I help you?” he asks with a lilt to his voice.

Oh yeah, he saw my mini freak-out.

“All good,” I say weakly.

“Right…” He scans me from head to toe. “Did you plan to come inside? Still debating? I heard the boss is a dick, but the others aren’t so bad.”

I swallow thickly, nodding. “Yeah, I think I’m going in.”

He chuckles, extending an arm to the sidewalk that leads right up to the front door. “After you.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, rolling my shoulders back. The entire walk up, I try to remind myself that just because I have a little trauma, it doesn’t mean I’m weak.

Weakness got people killed where I grew up. And I can’t afford to show any now, especially when I’ll likely have to ask them for a favor.

The man shuffles up behind me, tugging the door open before I can reach for it.

I give him a soft smile over my shoulder and scurry inside the building. It looks like any modern waiting room in a doctor’s or lawyer’s office, with oversized chairs lining two walls. A large television with a display of brochures under it takes up the far wall. Straight ahead is a cutout window for speaking to a receptionist. To the left of the check-in area is a door.

I approach the little window and frown when there’s no one at the desk.

“We’re short-staffed right now.” The guy walks over to the door and scans his badge. “We’ve been taking turns covering the desk, but come on back.” He flashes a set of pearly white teeth as he holds the door open. “I’ll get you all set up.”

Anxiety pulses through my system, and my gaze darts between the door to head into their office and back to the exit.

What am I even doing here?

It’s not like they’re going to help me out of the kindness of their hearts.

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