Page 8 of Fatal Thrill
The elevator dinged and she followed Beatrice down another hall to an office located at the back of the floor. Before they reached the door, a man in a wheelchair emerged from a side hallway and hailedthem.
“The latest updates are on your desk,” he said to Beatrice while eyeing Jaya. “Team Omega landed at 0430. They’ll be in for debriefing within thehour.”
“Thank you, Rory.” Beatrice held her fingers to a security pad next to the door and Jaya heard a soft beep and the sound of the lock opening. Lights automatically came on as theyentered.
Inside was a spacious, inviting room that looked nothing like a typical office. The walls were a soft celery green. A fireplace sprang to life when Beatrice hit a button on her large mahogany desk, a beautiful serene mountain scene hanging above the mantel. A couple framed pictures of the baby, a salt lamp, and a framed Purple Star sat on themantel.
“You’ll have to excuse my husband’s reaction to you,” Beatrice said, shoving a laptop, stack of files, and an expensive Mont Blanc pen aside to set her briefcase on. “When Sloane was born, we had an unfortunate incident with a criminal who tried to kill us. Cal’s protective instincts have always been strong, but now they’re morefervent.”
Jaya unbuttoned her coat and watched as Beatrice lovingly removed Sloane’s. “Protecting the ones you love is automatic. I don’t much like having a gun pointed at me, but under the circumstances—the way I came out of nowhere at this time of the morning—it’sunderstandable.”
Two cushy, modern chairs sat across from the desk. The other half of the room was set up like a nursery—crib, toy chest, books, and a brightly colored, soft-looking rug on the floor, lined with pillows and stuffed animals. The Reeses had certainly found a way to merge work and familylife.
Could I do thesame?
All her life, people had told Jaya she would never amount to much. That she was a loser, a stray, a misfit. So far, she’d done a hell of a job proving them wrong. She had no idea how to be a good parent, but that wasn’t about to stop her fromtrying.
Ifneedbe.
“Have a seat,” Beatrice said, putting Sloane on her belly on the rug and giving her several toys. Immediately, a teething ring in the shape of a penguin went into Sloane’s mouth and she kicked her feet. She seemed right at home and Jaya could see her in twenty-five years or so, running the place herself. “She’s teething,” Beatrice added, stroking the little girl’s pale blondlocks.
Jaya took off her coat, placing it on one of the chairs and sitting in the other. “It must be challenging running an elite security agency like this and taking care of your baby at the sametime.”
Beatrice hung her own coat on a hook and went to the credenza behind the desk. “I didn’t expect the two to mix well, but it actually came about quite easily. I have a lot of help from theguys.”
Shelby had told Jaya that all the men who worked for Rock Star Security were considered family to Cal, Beatrice, and Emit Petit, the man who’d started it all. Cal and Beatrice had even named their baby after several of the men who’d gone above and beyond to help themout.
A tray with two carafes, coffee cups, fruit, and energy bars offered up breakfast. Connor knew his boss’s routine and must have prepared everything for her arrival. Beatrice snagged a grape, popping it into her mouth as she poured a cup of coffee. Then she took a tea bag from her desk and made up a cup of tea aswell.
She must need a lot of caffeine this early in themorning.
Since Jaya normally ran on all-natural, organic energy drinks, she didn’t judge, but couldn’t help wishing she had one right now. Her stomach, doing its see-saw impression, now felt empty, probably because it was. She had the strongest urge to eat a couple of those bars and then crawl over to Sloane’s rug and take anap.
When Beatrice came around the desk and handed the tea to Jaya, Jaya looked up at hersurprised.
“It’s non-caffeinated,” Beatrice said. “Ginger-mint. Good for thestomach.”
Jaya’s cheeks heated. She accepted the cup, enjoying the warmth on her fingers. “I seem to have picked up that stomach virus goingaround.”
Beatrice made no comment, returning to her chair and her own cup of warmth. She eyed Jaya over the rim. “Jon will be back in town today and I will pass on the message that you have an emergency requiring his attention, but I cannot guarantee he willrespond.”
He would be back today. Jaya felt a sudden rush of relief. “You’re sure he’s okay? It’s odd for him not to return my texts or answer mycalls.”
“His job requires discretion and he’s not always available to family or friends when on assignment. He also may decide to go off-grid for personal reasons. You do understand that,right?”
She knew his job often involved sensitive clients. She also had no trouble deciphering the underlying message in Beatrice’s tone.Maybe he just doesn’t want to talk to you.“I assure you the matter at hand is critical and I’m not just some passing girlfriend he dumped who is trying to get him back. We were together, in fact, when you called about this assignment with the singer. After he left, something came to my attention and I needto…”
Beatrice’s phone buzzed, interrupting. “I’m sorry, I need to takethis.”
Jaya stood and reached for her coat, but Beatrice said, “Don’t go yet,” before she answered the phone, waving Jaya to sitdown.
The baby squealed and fretted, so Jaya went to sit by Sloane, giving Beatrice some privacy. The little girl had tossed the penguin aside and was now gumming a plastic puppy’s ear todeath.
“Yes, Connor,” Beatricesaid.
Sloane squealed as Jaya picked up a soft, stuffed doll with crazy red hair and drawn-on eyes. The baby seemed enraptured by the thing so Jaya made it do a little dance and Sloane let loose an excited laugh, making Jayasmile.
Beatrice sipped her coffee. “That’s all right. I’ll talk to them. Thanks,Connor.”
