Page 25 of Against the Clock

“We’ll be fine,” she insisted, looking around for Rosie’s hair tie that she had lost somewhere in my office.

“Don’t be so stubborn,” Mike cut in, giving her a pointed look.“You know better than anyone what we’re dealing with, and now your daughter is the target.Let us protect you.”

“So what do you suggest?”she asked, hand planted firmly on her hip.

“You can come stay with me,” he offered.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Max said from the other side of the room.He and Trevor had stuck around for a bit after I pulled him to the side to ask him a few questions about what was going on.If Trevor trusted him, my gut told me that I could as well.

“Why not?”Mike responded, turning to look at him.

“Because you’re as much of a target as they are.Whoever it is—they’re making sure it’s obvious that they have a connection to you otherwise, they wouldn’t have taken your hat and worn it while sitting outside of your mom’s house.That wasn’t a slip-up; it was very intentional.Someone is trying to make sure you get a message, and if Quinn and Rosie stay with you, you’re putting everyone at risk.”

“I agree,” I said with a sigh.“It’s apparent that this person works with Mike and has access to his office.They probably know where he lives and his routine.”I paused and then looked him in the eye.“They’ll take advantage of you wanting to protect your family.They want you to be distracted, so you let your guard down.You can’t keep them safe and do your job at the same time.”

“My job has nothing to do with this,” he grunted and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“It does,” I countered.“You need to be focused at work to figure out who it is.That means you need to be as far away from Quinn and Rosie as possible until we know what is happening.We can’t afford to have you distracted and making mistakes.”

“I don’t make mistakes,” he bit out.

“It only takes one, and we can’t afford that right now.”I rested my hand on his shoulder and squeezed.“I’ve got them.I promise.”

“I’ll see if I can get a couple of guys to set up some surveillance,” Max offered.“And don’t worry—they’re good at staying hidden.I’ll work out the details with Roman and figure out where we want eyes.”

“Not the same guy you had to watch Elena?”Trevor said with a laugh.

“No,” Max groaned.“That rookie left and never came back.They’re former military, and I trust them with my life.”

I nodded and patted Mike before going over to my desk to grab my stuff.

“If you need to take a few days off,” Trevor offered as he grabbed his things as well.

“Thanks, but I’m good.I think it’s best if we keep everything as normal as possible.We don’t want to do anything to spook them before we figure out who it is.”

“That still doesn’t solve the problem of Quinn going home by herself,” Mike said.“I don’t like her being there alone with Rosie, knowing that someone is watching them.”

“They can stay with me tonight,” I replied, noticing the faint blush that crept up the side of Quinn’s neck.

“Alright, then I guess that’s settled.”She swung her purse over her shoulder and looked down at Rosie, who was fast asleep in the chair by my desk.

“I’ll carry her,” I offered before Quinn could pick her up.

“You don’t have to; I can get her.”

“Like your brother said, quit being so stubborn.”

Her brows rose, and her lips puckered into a look I had seen on my mom several times.

“And so it begins,” she muttered.

We got back to my apartment a little after eight.I helped her get Rosie in bed and made sure the bathroom light was on before I shut the door and joined Quinn in the kitchen.

“I couldn’t find much in your fridge, so I made you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” she said, handing it to me wrapped in a paper towel.

“Thank you, but you didn’t have to fix me anything to eat.I’ll be sure to get some groceries tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said before taking a bite of hers.“We’re only here for one night.”

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