Page 80 of Shockproof

“We um…we really need to get going, Carmichael,” my bodyguard politely pushes, hand now protectively on my back. “I promised Wahl, I’d have you back at the computer doing whatever click click shit it is you do before 12:30.”

Lie.

Or I guess more accurately a cover.

A very clever cover that proves he’s quicker on his feet than I have noted.

“They keep you on a tight schedule, huh?” my assistant giggles with a playful elbow to my side.

“Very.” Moving towards the door, I nonchalantly do a little more necessary investigating. “Hey, how long have you and Britt in admin been close?”

“I don’t know,” Melissa mindlessly shrugs. “She’s randomly done drinks with all of us assistants for the past couple of years – she’s likereallyclose with hers, like secret lovers close – but her and I only recently started hanging out more alone.” We exit the coffee shop as easily as we entered. “Probably in the past three months?Maybefour?”

The lump I’m nursing in my stomach shoots itself up into my throat.

Expands.

Ceases my ability to do anything other than politely smile.

“Come on, Carmichal,” Reynold’s rushes again on a gentle push forward. “You know how Wahl is.”

“I think we all know how he is when it comes to you,” Melissa school girlishly winks on a loud giggle. “Get going before you get in trouble. Email or text me if you need anything else, okay?”

This time nodding is done because I know I can’t actually speak without giving away something I know we absolutely can’t.

Upon our arrival at the SUV, Reynolds holds up a hand for me to wait, wordlessly insisting on inspecting the vehicle. He checks the doors. The tires. The rims. The trunk. Shoots several cautious glances at me yet proceeds sweeping the situation until he’s certain it’s safe to let me inside.

And given what we just concluded a couple minutes ago, I definitely see the necessity.

In fact, all the asinine protocols I swore my boyfriend was just being extra cautious about were clearly necessary.

Once the door is shut with us both safely inside, I wave goodbye to my assistant while Reynolds locks us in on a mumbled, “Holyfuck.”

Rather than discussing anything with me first, he immediately calls Slater who to no surprise doesn’t let more than one ring occur. “Status report?”

“It’s Brittanie!”

“Bitch!” Blu awkwardly adds in the background prior to impishly laughing.

Reynolds doesn’t wait for my boyfriend to make a smart retort to his other best friend. “Brittanie Martindale is the leak!”

“What?”

“She’s been ciphering information from the assistants,” I add to the conversation, which informs him that I’m still safe. “And Melissa just told me,they’vegotten really close over the past few months.”

“Givin’ her theinto your schedule,” Slater calmly deduces. “Melissa knows your movements.”

“And cannot keep a fucking secret to save her own ass,” Blu adds to the exchange. “How many surprise birthday parties has she ruined this year alone? Four? Five?”

“Seven.”

“Until recently, she was one of the few privileged to be provided that information. It wouldn’t be hard for an operative with half a brain to gather that intel from a well-timed lookin’ over her shoulder or at a text or pretendin’ to need to borrow a phone because her’s was dead or a quick use of a laptop when she was in the bathroom – assumin’ those items aren’t already bugged with listenin’ or trackin’ devices.”

My hands fly over my mouth covering a croaked, “Ohmygod…”

“She’swhere I heard about The Agama Foundation from,” Reynolds regains control of the conversation. “Remember the day I walked into Arley’s office to bitch about assignments?”

“That’s the same day I was attacked.”

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