Page 14 of Whatever It Takes

It’s not my place to get into Briar’s past, and it’s even more complicated because I don’t know if I should call her Briar or Bianca.

That part, at least, is made easier by the fact she hasn’t told us her story. I’ll continue to call her Briar unless she asks me not to.

“It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Easton says, shrugging. “What I want to know is how you knew to pull the Manzo files. I just spoke to Arden, but by the time I logged in, you were already researching them. Explain that to me.”

Arden runs one of the contract teams. Actually, he and his packmates, Lincoln and Kase, are the only group we trust to clean house when one of our own goes rogue. They’re the exterminators for the mercenaries who cross the line and have to be dealt with; that way, they don’t become a risk to society.

“Did Arden ask you to look into the Manzos?” Easton asks.

“How do you know what I was doing?” I counter as my eyes narrow.

He nods at the third computer on his desk. “I have full access to everything you do.”

Dammit.

That’s right.

I had a small period of hyperfixation when I was convinced Easton would let us have an office pet and got distracted on a few things, but that was months ago.

My fists clench.

Guinea pigs are great companions. He really should have let me have that one concession. We could have had an office mascot if that fucker hadn’t vetoed the idea right out of the gate.

They’re very vocal animals with their grunts and little squeaks. They need to be kept in groups of at least two because they’re social animals, and they often learn their owners’ routines.

Goddammit.

I forgot how furious I was about that.

If I didn’t work so much, I would have adopted my own to keep at home, but the sad reality is, I spend more hours a day here than I do at my apartment. And I didn’t want my grandparents to feel obligated to look after my animals.

“Why were you researching the Manzo family?” Easton’s head tilts.

“Why do you care?”

If anyone is going to blow Briar’s cover, I’d prefer to let Keir do that.

I like her.

She’s pretty, smells nice, and she smiles at me in a way that makes my heart beat funny. I don’t want to spill her secrets and have her end up hating me.

I’m already not on board with Easton putting her off-limits.

He should know better.

The omega builds their pack.

“If you weren’t the best hacker on the East Coast, I would have disposed of you by now,” he says with deadpan delivery.

I snort. “You could try.”

“Calder,I’m not going to ask again.”

The door to Easton’s office flies open, and my head tilts to see who is barging in. Keir is the only person with enough balls not to knock. I’m not shocked when I spot his big ass. He’s so tall, the top of his head nearly grazes the doorframe.

“Briar bolted.” Keir crosses the room in four long strides. “I don’t know what the fuck even happened.” His head shakes. “I brought her back to the office like she asked. By the time I made it out of the bathroom, she was gone.”

“What do you mean?” Easton snarls, shoving his chair back from his desk.

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