Page 66 of Power Switch

“It is to anyone who matters,” he murmurs, his eyes searching my own. “I miss you, Mess.”

“I know,” I say around the growing lump in my throat. “I think I—”

“I thought you were going to get your coat.” The resentment in Sam’s clipped words is clear.

Panic seizes my thoughts and my muscles. The slight twitch of Trey's muscular arms around my waist tells me he's not thrilled about the interruption or Sam's tone. Quite frankly, neither am I.

“She was accosted in the hallway on her way.” If premeditated death had a tone, it would be the one dripping from Trey's words. He turns his fury to the agent who I’d begged to give me space. “And where the hell were you?”

“I'll be right back,” I grumble as I maneuver out of Trey's embrace. With zero desire to stick around for this pissing contest, I scurry down the hall, eager to get my coat so I can get out of this suffocating house and away from the infuriating men inside it.

Just to be on the safe side, I slip on a pair of fleece-lined leggings, then snag a scarf and a toboggan from the room too. The bedroom door clicks closed behind me, my attention on finding the back to my soft hat and not on the lurking danger.

“Walmart.”

I startle with a curse. Narrowing my eyes down the long dark hall, I find Kyle leaning against a doorframe several feet away.

“The hell, Kyle?” I snap, tightening my grip on the knit cap.

“I told you we needed to meet. Don't act surprised.”

I take a nervous glance over my shoulder at the beta team agent who’s standing a couple feet away, attention on the wall like a good agent, not seeming affected at all by Kyle’s presence.

“I was just about to go on a walk,” I say, putting some power into my voice that I don't exactly feel in the moment. I'm a strong, independent woman, yet every time this asshat is around, all my confidence flees. Maybe it’s from those few years of his daily torment during law school. “And I need coffee.”

Lots of coffee to put up with your twatwaffle ass.

“That can wait.” His voice is hard and determined. “You,” he says, pointing to my agent. “Stay out here. My guys will cover her inside.” Without waiting to see if I follow, probably knowing full well that I will, he shrugs off the wall and disappears into a room.

I cast one more pleading look down the hallway at my back, hoping Sam or Trey will pop around the corner and save me from going into this alone.

But they don't.

I straighten my spine and head to my fate.

No protection. No friends. No support.

Just me meeting this head-on. Like it's always been.

17

Randi

The dark green walls seem to absorb the light and heat from the room. To my left, a roaring wood fire crackles inside the stone fireplace. Several deep leather armchairs scatter the floor, all in groups of three or more around low dark wood tables. Across the expansive room, an antique-looking pool table sits with the balls perfectly lined up, ready to be broken and played.

Studying the pool cues along the side wall, Kyle absentmindedly rolls up one sleeve, tugging it above his elbow, then does the same with the other. Uneasily, I step deeper into the room, scanning the dark corners for Shawn but come up empty. That’s one small blessing.

“Give us a few minutes to talk,” he says, not addressing the three agents directly. “Watch from the security feed, no audio, and have two men stationed outside all the doors to make sure Benson or any of the others don’t get in before the meeting is over.”

I swallow as the three agents nod like this isn’t the first time they’ve been asked to leave the room for a secretive meeting. I watch them file out, my gaze still stuck on the closed door minutes after they’ve left.

“Choose,” Kyle commands, never looking up from the end of the pool cue he's holding. The light blue dust flakes into a small cloud as he chalks the end.

I roll my eyes. “You can always say please.”

“Not to you.”

“Your personality needs work.”

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