to their women.”
I grin at the frown that comes to John’s face. He comes to prop his butt on the edge of the table in front of me. I watch him as he stares at me.
“Come to L.A. It doesn’t have to be permanent. If you like it, you come work for me,” he says.
“Doing what?”
He shrugs. “Can’t tell you that really. You’d still need the training here. You’d have to complete the program, but when you’re done you would be with me.”
I sit back in my chair and fold my arms across my chest. I suddenly feel so small in this huge library, as if this decision has taken on physical size. Lately I’ve been looking over the books for some projects Thomas put me on once he learned I’m good with numbers.
I get the feeling these guys do more than security. I narrow my eyes at John because I know he’s talking about a job that’s going to be more than investigations and bounties. The fields he claims to work in.
Not believing that bullshit.
“You don’t have to be suspicious of everything. You know I wouldn’t allow anything to happen to you,” he says to my silent appraisal.
“So, I come with you to see if I like it and then I come back to this place.”
He shrugs. “I’ll talk to Nate. I don’t think it will be a problem.”
I narrow my eyes at him. He’s leaving something out, but I don’t push him. I’m curious.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
He laughs. “I have a few things to get in order. We’ll leave tomorrow.”
John
What is it about this girl? I can’t seem to stay away. I should be back home helping out with everything that’s going on. Instead, I jumped on a plane as soon as Nelly opened her eyes and I knew my niece would be okay.
Now here I am planning to take her home with me. Not that I haven’t been thinking about it for a while. In theory, this will all work out.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come to me with this,” Nate says, humor lacing his words.
“It’s not like I haven’t already taken responsibility for her.”
“This is true. All right. If this is what you want. We’ll train her when she returns, but I’m putting it out there now. That girl is a ticking time bomb.”
I grunt. “I know. That’s why I’m trying to diffuse the coming explosion,” I reply.
“I hear you. I’m only telling you not to be the one laying on top of the bomb when it explodes.”
“We all make our choices. Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He shakes his head and chuckles.
Chapter 32
Test Run
John
“I think I can get used to this,” Roni says as we stroll out of the sushi bar, we just finished stuffing our face in. “Although this isn’t better than that Jerk chicken place in New York, that’s always going to be my favorite.”
“Noted.” I smile at her. “I wanted to ask, does anything about Cali feel familiar to you?”
Roni turns her face up to look at me. I can see the wheels turn. She has this distant look in her eyes for a few beats.
“Not really. Nothing that sparks a memory or anything.” She shrugs.
“So, you’re not from L.A.” I nod.
“That’s an assumption, but I think you can stick with it,” she teases. “When do I get to work?”
I look down at her. I love that she’s so eager to make her own way, but honestly, I don’t have the type of assignment I plan for her to work with me on lined up. Not yet.
“Waiting for something to come down the pipeline. Are you getting tired of it here already?”
“No.” She taps the back of her hand against my stomach a few times. “You promised me a job. I’m trying to see what all you’re offering here Black.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I hear you. For now, let’s enjoy. How about that?”
“Yeah, yeah.” She rolls her eyes.
I place a hand on her back to steer her out of the way of the drunken group heading toward us. It’s a warm night. Perfect for an evening at the beach.
“Want to go for a surf?”
When I look down at her face, I have to hold back my laughter. If this moment were a meme, the captain would read, if what the fuck was a person. Her expression is priceless.
Luckily, I’m saved by her phone. It rings and a smile beams across her face. “Hey, it’s Torque. I need to take this.”
“No worries.”
I watch her take a few steps