Page 5 of Black Bay Enforcer
Heading into the air-conditioned building, the smell of roasted chicken made her belly growl. The protein shake she’d had for breakfast hadn’t done much to curb her appetite but she was determined to take off some pounds. Especially after seeing all the hard-bodies that called Black Bay home. Everyone was so fit. They made her look like a potato.
Spotting Paige at the counter, Katherine plastered a bright smile on her face and headed her way. She’d first met the woman at the infirmary when she’d gone for her required physical. The nurse had been nice to her. That was to say, when they ran into each other again in passing, the woman hadn’t openly snubbed her, unlike some other people.
About Katherine’s age, she had shoulder-length blonde hair that was currently clipped back at her nape and she was wearing a set of dark blue scrubs. Given the time of day, she was most likely on her lunch break from the infirmary.
Seeing her coming, Paige got that look on her face that kind of reminded Katherine of someone fervently hoping for an escape but was too nice to make a run for it. Katherine would take it. At this point, she was so desperate for human interaction that she’d take anything she could get. Maybe if she kept at it long enough, she could wear Paige down. A reluctant friend was better than no friends at all.
“Hi, Paige.”
“Hey, Katherine.”
Within a moment, she took in the situation. Paige had a tray with her lunch, not a to-go bag, so she was planning on eating here and there were relatively few people present. Some administrative staff from what Katherine could see. No soldiers. She jumped on the opportunity. “Give me a minute to grab some food and we can eat together.”
“Oh, ah…”
There was that look again. Paige’s eyes were bouncing around, looking for a rescue. Katherine held her breath, waiting to see if the nurse would come up with some excuse.
“Sure.”
She almost couldn’t believe her ears. She stared, momentarily struck dumb. Then she almost embarrassed herself by pumping her fist in celebration like a total dork.
“Awesome. I’ll be right back.”
Katherine nearly sprinted to the lunch line, keeping one eye on Paige in case the woman made a run for it. But then, what would Katherine do if she did run off? Chase her down and tackle her? She hoped she wasn’t quite that desperate yet.
But Paige didn’t run off and once Katherine had gotten her lunch, they sat together at an empty table.
Expecting to have to lead the conversation, she was pleasantly surprised when Paige asked, “Are you settling in okay?”
Katherine nodded. “Oh, yes.” She wasn’t. Not really. But Paige had asked the question to be polite. It wasn’t an invitation for her to complain. Taking a bite of her chicken – which was delicious – she chewed and swallowed before she asked, “How long have you been stationed here?”
Paige shot her a bemused smile. “Oh, I’m not military. I’m married to Jace.”
Jace… Katherine racked her brain, but she’d been introduced to only a handful of people and even fewer had introduced themselves. “I’m not sure who that is.”
“He’s one of the Beasts. He’s away right now but he’s due back soon.”
Eyes wide, Katherine leaned over the table, practically smothering her lunch with her boobs. She was curious to learn more about the men and women who’d proudly labeled themselves Beasts. “What’s he like?” she asked eagerly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Unless Katherine was reading her wrong, this time, Paige’s smile was strained. Almost as if the question had made the woman uncomfortable. She wouldn’t meet Katherine’s eyes either, studiously focused on her lunch instead as she hesitantly replied, “Oh, you know, he’s great.”
Straightening back up, Katherine swiped hastily at the front of her top, feeling awkward and unsure. She hadn’t thought there’d been anything wrong with her question. She’d asked about the woman’s husband. Most women loved to brag, unless maybe, Paige wasn’t in a good situation. Was he hurting her?
Katherine’s eyes moved over the nurse’s face more carefully, then the area of her arms left bare by the short-sleeved scrubs, searching for signs of abuse. There was nothing visible, but that didn’t prove anything.
“Er, listen,” Paige said, standing abruptly. Was that fear Katherine saw in the other woman’s eyes? “I have to go.” With a tight, closed-lip smile, the nurse grabbed her tray. “I forgot I needed to… Yeah, I have to go.”
Watching Paige hurriedly escape, Katherine sat back in her chair, worried. Maybe she should say something to General Davies.
Chapter Three
Having abandoned the remainderof her lunch, Katherine marched to General Davies’ office, determined to put the matter to him. The guards were no longer there. Whatever had been going on that demanded that extra level of security must have been concluded. But when she reached the door, she stalled out, second-guessing herself. She rehashed the conversation in her mind, but especially Paige’s facial expressions. When she’d seen Katherine approaching, she’d clearly been looking for a way out. Her acceptance of Katherine as a lunch companion had been grudging at best. But when she’d mentioned that her husband was one of the Beasts, there’d been immense pride and love on her face. She’d pretty much lit up like a beacon.
Had she jumped to the wrong conclusion?
Katherine chewed her bottom lip in indecision. Maybe the strain and discomfort she’d seen on Paige’s face hadn’t had anything to do with her husband mistreating her and everything to do with a stranger who wasn’t well-liked trying to pry into her personal life.
“Miss Knox!”
