Page 21 of Shockproof

“However, we won’t actually be puttin’ Arley at risk. We’ll use Consuelos as a body double-”

“She looks nothing like me!”

He immediately shoots me a mirthful smirk. “In a dimly lit room, covered up, bound, and gagged, they initially won’t be able to tell the difference, Angel Cake.”

Valid point.

I don’tlikeit.

But still.

Valid point.

My main bodyguard cuts his attention back to our boss. “We’ll use Consuelos as a body double as well as additional backup for securin’ the situation due to Reynolds bein’ left behind to assist in protectin’ the actual target.”

Grumbling under my breath is accompanied by an irritated eyeroll. “Andthere’sthe reason for the ugly but.”

“We were originally scheduled to go by Hilda and T’s place tomorrow night for dinner and to solidify the last of the engagement shower details, but because of today’s attack,” Slater veers his stare back to me, soft, crisp, blue coloring undulating its way my direction, “I’ll call T and have him and Hilda swing by our penthouse instead. He’ll understand. Hell, they both will. You know the only thing your family cares about is that you’re okay.” I bashfully nod at the statement prompting him to resume speaking to the other people in the room. “We’ll secure the scene, capture the lead, and usethemto hopefully extract additional information regardin’ who is behind all this.” The sigh that seeps free is so heavy it damn near cracks the floor. “It’s a slow and steady climb upward, but at this point, it’s what we have. Followin’ each and every road to get us closer to endin’ this shit once and for all.”

“Agreed,” Harvey states on a slow nod. “Andpermanentlyshutting down this poacher is the secondary goal to protecting one of our most valued assets.”

Oh, look, Robot Boss has successfully returned to his default programming!

“Do you already have an idea for getting Arley out of here undetected?” Blu cautiously questions.

“Yeah.” Slater’s crystal gaze reverts back to me, nervousness reiterated by the slanted angle of the single word. “And you’re not gonna like it…”

Fuck. Me.

Why do I get the feeling that’s going to be his new fucking catchphrase for the foreseeable future?

Chapter 4

Arley

You know when I envisioned us spending the evening together all hot and sweaty and tangled in each other’s arms in our bedroom – erhis bedroom– this wasso notwhat I had in mind.

Slater frustratedly drops his hands onto his gym shorts covered hips and shakes his head in disapproval. “How many times have we talked about that thumb, Angel Cake?”

“Today?” I bitterly bite back after blowing a loose strand away from my glasses. “Or like in general? Because last I checked you didn’t mind it when I-”

“Take this shit seriously, please.” More unhappiness flutters into his gaze. “Proper formation is the difference between a subdued opponent and a broken wrist.” He lifts his right hand up to be eyelevel with me. “Curl those fingers to not see the nail. Lock the thumb here,” he fastens the digit on top of his index finger, “to stabilize and secure.” His other hand gestures in my direction. “Show me. Show me so we can get back to actually boxin’.”

“You know between being stuffedin a boxto get out of my own office and spending the last two hours being taughthow to box, I’m feeling a little boxed in. Pun very much intended.”

“This is important.”

“You know what other box is important?” My head tilts slightly to one side, black, box frame glasses sliding slightly down my nose. “The penalty box. Which is whereyour brotherspent too much time last night for roughing. Although, I guess it’s better than five for fighting.”

“Wanna know what’s funny?”

Anxious to hear about something that isn’t the mistakes I’m making during this forced self-defense session that came on the heels of the “how to break your restraints” lesson has me eagerly asking, “What?”

“I taughthimhow to fight.”

The unamusing segue receives a scowl.

“Same as I’m tryin’ to teach you.”

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