Page 11 of My Special Ops Neighbor
Chapter Four
The federal investigatorsleft Vincent's house just after noon, taking with them copies of every file Yvette had compiled on RareCore. Agent Kiri Bates, the lead investigator with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense manner, had been blunt about the timeline.
"We need thirty-six hours minimum to arrange secure federal protection," she'd said. "RareCore's executives are already lawyering up, which means they know we're coming. They'll escalate efforts to silence their key witness."
Standing at the kitchen window, Yvette watched Vincent inspect the perimeter of his property for the third time since the agents left. He moved with the same focused intensity whether he was teaching her self-defense or checking sight lines for potential threats.
Her phone buzzed with a text from her supervisor:This is going to be a long fight. Stay safe.
"Bad news?" Vincent asked, appearing behind her silently enough to make her jump.
"James thinks this could drag on for months." She turned to face him, noting the tension in his shoulders. "We're really stuck here, aren't we?"
"For now." He studied her face. "You holding up okay?"
The concern in his voice made her chest tight. "I keep thinking about what almost happened last night. If you hadn't been there..."
"But I was there." He stepped closer, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "And I'm not going anywhere."
The simple touch sent tingles racing through her. "Show me how your security system works."
"Yvette—"
"I need to understand how this place keeps us safe. I need to do more than just hide behind you." She caught his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Please."
He studied her for a long moment, then nodded. "Downstairs."
The basement command center took her breath away. Multiple monitors displayed camera feeds from around the property, while sophisticated control panels managed what looked like military-grade security systems.
"Motion sensors, infrared cameras, pressure plates on all the approaches," he explained, moving to stand behind her as she studied the displays. "If anyone gets within a hundred yards of this house, I'll know about it."
His proximity made it hard to concentrate on the technical details. She could feel the heat from his body, catch the scent of his soap mixed with that distinctly masculine smell that made her toes curl.
"This is impressive," she managed, leaning forward to examine the control interface. "The integration is seamless."
"You understand security architecture?"
"I understand systems. Data protection uses the same principles." She traced connections between different subsystems on the main monitor, very aware of how close he was standing. "This perimeter coverage has a gap though."
"What?" He leaned over her shoulder to see what she was pointing at, his chest pressing against her back.
"Here." Her voice came out breathier than intended. "The motion detectors overlap, but there's a timing issue. Someone could slip through during the sensor sweep cycle."
Vincent's hands braced on either side of her against the console, effectively caging her in. "Show me."
Yvette's fingers moved over the keyboard, but half her attention was focused on the way his breath stirred her hair, how his arms bracketed her body. "If we offset the north perimeter sensors by two seconds..."
