Shot in the Dark (Blackbridge Security #2) - Marie James Page 0,61

third-row seating, and I climb into the middle first, holding my hand out to her, offering the seat next to me before Gaige takes the seat on her other side. Finn grins from the passenger seat as she settles Simon’s bag on her legs and looks around.

“I feel like I’m on an episode of SWAT,” she whispers, but it’s loud enough for the guys to hear apparently, as a wave of low chuckles fills the air around us.

“Feel safe?” I ask.

“Yes,” she answers without hesitation, and I try not to let the disappointment that she couldn’t feel that way with the two of us alone eat at me. If it takes five other BBS employees to get her there, I won’t complain.

“Are we going to the office or back to your place?” Flynn asks as he nods at the security guard before pulling into the traffic ebbing and flowing near the front entrance.

I look down at Whitney, letting her know the call is hers. I’ll have to go to the office eventually, but for now I’m offering her control since I know she feels like she’s lost every ounce of it to the threat of danger.

“If we’re going to end up back at your place eventually,” she begins, swallowing as her eyes lock on mine, “I’d rather just go there from the beginning.”

I hold her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips to brush the inside of her wrist, nodding in understanding. I know she doesn’t like to go out often, and even though she’ll be in my place instead of at hers, I know that small comfort will help keep her calm.

Due to traffic, the drive back to my place takes longer than it should, but considering it’s Monday, I’m forced to just deal with it. The closer we get, the tighter the tension is in her shoulders. The guys joke, mostly ribbing me for being a nerd, but they keep the fact that I stalked her online before actually meeting her to themselves. I don’t know how long I’ll hold on to that reprieve, but for now I’m grateful. Small smiles tug at her lips, but what these guys are failing to realize is that she’s just as big of a computer nerd as I am.

Whitney is wound like a top by the time Flynn pulls into the underground garage. Her hands are trembling so hard, she doesn’t fight Gaige when he reaches for Simon’s bag. I pull her tight to my side as the guys circle around us at the elevator.

“We’re safe,” I whisper when the elevator opens with a ding. “My keycard assures no interruptions on the way up.”

I offer the card in question to Gaige, and he plugs it into the slot because it’s too far for me to reach, and I’m not going to let her go for a second.

I nod at Braden, a guy we’ve used in the past, when I see him standing guard outside the elevator. There are only two other apartments on this floor, and since we can’t demand other renters move, he’s there to make sure no one can reach my apartment door without prior approval.

“He’ll stand guard until seven,” Flynn says as Whitney looks over her shoulder at Braden. “Jason will be here then.”

Gaige uses my keycard to open my apartment door, and Whitney whimpers when he, Quinten, and Brooks walk inside ahead of us.

“They’re going to sweep the apartment just to be safe. I have jammers covering the entire floor, so there’s no way for Jones to use tech to infiltrate anything up here.”

I walk her deeper inside when the guys come back with the all clear.

“We found this in the stairwell,” I tell her, pointing to her abandoned phone sitting on my kitchen counter. “You can use it safely. I’ve updated the protections on it.”

Her eyes gleam with unshed tears.

“What is it?”

“Sarah,” she whispers. “I need to call her.”

“Sarah’s completely safe, but just to be sure, we contacted her to let her know what was going on. She’ll be staying at a friend’s house until we get all of this squared away. Call her,” I urge. “I know she’s waiting to hear from you.”

Relief washes over her instantly. “I was afraid I wouldn’t be—”

“I know, baby.” I pull her against my chest, pressing my lips to the top of her head. God, I could live this way, her against me, needing me for more than just orgasms and laughs. I want her to need me