Page 74 of Shockproof

“Why don’t you two just have some?” Aviva quickly investigates. “Afterall, it’srightthere.”

“That’s against recon protocol,” Wahl answers enroute to his go bag by the door.

“You’d think the dude was a religious nut with the way he worships that fucking word,” the man responsible for watching his six gripes during the dropping of his dishes in the sink.

The second I’ve swallowed the sip in my mouth, I eagerly state, “Itotallyunderstand.”

Slater shoots me a harsh yet sexy scowl. “Don’t make me change your codename toPetunia.”

There’s no resisting the disgusted gag he conjures up. “You wouldn’t…”

“You said the same thing about me streakin’ last year in thirty-degree weather when we bet on The Winter Classic and what happened?” His crooked smirk is accompanied by him swinging his bag over his shoulder. “My dick damn near caught frostbite.”

I use the peace, love, music mug to muffle my giggles.

“And here I thought you were the smart one in your relationship,” Reynolds jokes as he places his dish on top of Blu’s.

“Smart enough to have you recite me your POA for today’s outing,” my boyfriend’s bite is attached to him folding his arms across his chest. “Report.”

“We are to meet Miss Lindsay atLoca Mocha Casablocaat twelve hundred hours.”

“Still think that’s a terrible name for a coffee chain,” Blu grumbles under his breath in the process of retrieving his own go bag.

“We are to meet her thereunlessSeventeen sends Carmichael a text before ten forty-five indicating his meeting was moved, and he can indeed bring her the packagehereat the penthouse.”

It’s highly unlikely.

And it’s even more unlikely because I texted him that if he gets that type of unexpected opening to go have lunch with the beautiful barista who he’s totally worried about blowing it with.

I can leave this place to pick up my own mail from my own assistant.

It’s not an end of the world situation likeThirty Seconds to Sparis making it out to be.

Slater’s stare shifts to me. “What’s in the package, Angel Cake?”

“Sensitive, international documents needed to help us redesign our current geographical risk analysis algorithm,” I casually retort, not at all surprised to see the stunned expressions on Blu, Reynolds, and Aviva’s faces.

Hey, we’re all good in our respective avenues.

Mine’s just a little more difficult for most people to understand.

“And you’repositivethat this cannot wait until we’re done with recon?” Slater inquires for the tenth time in less than twenty-four hours.

No exaggeration.

Look, I understand he views this as a high-risk scenario while the math states it’s low to medium at the highest; however, I have a job to doaroundthe job of searching through files for who hates me.

And said job – on the occasion – includes requiring physical information.

“Ineedto begin evaluating, Slater.” Gripping my mug tighter allows me to really ground myself into my words. “I’m already behind on this project due to helping locate this target and scavenger hunting for the other. Icannotafford to get anymore behind.”

He reluctantly nods his understanding. “Reynolds.”

“Parking is to be done in front of the building on the main road, their front lot, or the lot directly across from it, all within camera range. If parking is unavailable at these locations, we are to circle until it is.”

“Intense,” Aviva whispers to me.

“The double doors are the optimal entry and exit location,” Reynolds continues to explain, body positioning itself back at the island. “However, there are two rear locations, one is the emergency exit, one is the employees only exit, which is through the employees only door and leaks into the back alleyway. From that point there are two possible escape routes, the one to the left is the fastest, most direct back to our vehicle, yet the one to the right is the one with the most amount of camera coverage. Regardless of which direction we take, protocol has me in front, client closely in back, body between me and possible bullets, weapon drawn to disable potential threats first and securing them for questioning second.”

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