Page 58 of Power Switch

“I think you're right about Kyle, about why he brought Taeler here. And if that's the case, he's crossed a line. He and Shawn and all the other pompous pricks in DC can mess with me all they want, but do not mess with my daughter.” A blazing fire flares behind her eyes. “Those two will regret the day they forced my hand.”

Something resembling pride swells in my chest at the conviction in her words. A bit mixed with fear for the havoc she’s about to rain down, yes, but pride nonetheless. Last time she had this conviction, she was recovering in that hospital bed, and it was about how they’ve treated her and pushed her around. Now that they've fucked up and messed with her daughter, a new type of resolve has chimed through her tone. This time, without a doubt in my mind, shewillfind a way to make those two pay.

And honestly, I can’t fucking wait to see it. Yes, it’ll put her life in more danger, and that alone nearly scares me enough to ask her to pull back, but she's changing, and I don’t want to stop the woman who’s evolving right before my eyes. She's tougher than she was even a couple months ago. She's always been resilient, but now she's… edgy. Sharp as a knife and becoming deadly in her own right.

Which—and this might make me a demented freak—is sexy as hell.

Not that I needed another reason to be turned on by her at every turn. At this rate, my perpetual boner might be the reason for my death. Blood loss due to it all being funneled to my dick is a thing, right?

* * *

An exhausted groan rattles in the back of my throat as I sink down into the ugly-ass green armchair across from Tank. Beer in hand, I put it to my lips as I lean back, desperate to get comfortable as quickly as possible. I'm past exhausted. We all are. Even Tank, whose eyes are peacefully closed, hands folded neatly in front of him. But my best friend isn’t fooling me. He’s awake and alert to everything going on around him, even if he appears asleep.

With a mischievous smirk, I reach behind me, gripping the coarse pillow stuffed between the couch cushions and my back. With a hard tug, I pull it loose and launch it across the coffee table straight at my friend’s face. It whirls through the air, its trajectory exactly where I aimed.

Half a second before the stuffed square can whack into his relaxed face, he snatches it midair. He tosses it a few times, like he’s judging the weight, before launching it back across the room with twice as much force behind it.

“Hey,” I complain while dodging the projectile meant to decapitate me. “Mine was thrown with love.”

Tank huffs out a laugh, his chest rising and falling with a deep inhale. “Little shit.” Reaching back, I snatch the pillow off the floor and secure it behind my lower back once again. “Sarah and I don't need kids. We have you.”

My laugh reverberates inside the longneck bottle at my lips. After a long pull, I rest the glass bottom on top of my knee, spinning it as I focus on the sweating brown bottle.

“We didn't talk about my text earlier,” I mutter under my breath so no one else in the house can hear.

A loud sound comes from the direction of the kitchen, the guys’ laughter filling the small living room. I have to hand it to whoever planned this portion of Camp David. Having a separate house for the off-duty agents was brilliant and very much needed. Here we get to relax and let loose a little from the stress of the day while the other team works their protection shift. The few hallways are lined with rooms filled with the basics: single bed, nightstand, gun safes, and a few hangers in the closet for our suits. It's no Ritz, but it's perfect for working getaways.

The only thing this place is missing is a hot tub to ease my aching muscles and seep the stress from my neck and shoulders.

Tank peeks one lid open. “We didn't.”

“Just saying it was off. Not sure what that means, but just… off.”

He runs a palm across the thick scruff that's sprouted along his cheek since this morning. “Could it be the girl? That relationship?”

I roll the empty bottle between my hands, my gaze unfocused as I replay every movement, every word from earlier.

“No, I don't think so.”

“You'd know what to look for, I guess.”

I nod, smirking. “Sure would. I, out of anyone, would know the signs. No, it was something else. He wouldn't even look at Randi. Hell, he barely glanced at me.” I hush my tone and lean forward. Tank mimics the movement, resting his elbows on his tree trunk like thighs. “Before he left, we were solid, joking around with her, so heknowsshe's not someone we have to be on guard around. I don't know, Tank. I don't like it.”

For several seconds, he just stares at the coffee table, foot restlessly bouncing against the carpet. “He was there when you beat the hell out of that piece of shit in Boone.”

I nod.

“But he's not on Randi's security team anymore.” He shakes his head like he's trying to clear the fog. “Why would he offer up going to Austin if he was your mom's informant?”

That's the part I can't figure out either. I've racked my brain since the strange encounter earlier today and still none of the pieces fit together.

“Unless that wasn’t part of the original plan and he did it in spite of being my mother’s eyes and ears on the team. But that wouldn’t explain how Randi’s comings and goings with Sam early on were reported back to Kyle. None of this makes sense.”

“Agreed. At this point, I’m wondering if your mom was just being a dick and there isn’t an inside person, she just found out about the Texas incident by asking around.”

“Wouldn’t put it past her.”

“I’m done, Playboy. This day has maxed me the hell out.” His knees protest, cracking and popping as he stands. A pain-filled grimace pulls across his face. Those few years playing professional football still haunt his body. I'm not sure there’s a day he isn't in pain. It would be manageable if he could get some relief, but with the drug tests and tight medication requirements for the secret service, he can't take anything that helps. Maybe once Randi is president, we can convince her to approve medical pot to be on our permitted drug list—though not while on duty, of course. Then he could get a full night’s sleep without waking up in pain.

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