fucking scared of the man in charge of one of the most dangerous government organizations in the world?
“Please sit.” Pierce rounded his desk, leaving Zeke to find his way in. He lowered into his own chair.
“How are you holding up?” Vincent spoke to Mona, basically ignoring Pierce.
“Believe it or not this isn’t the first time my life has been threatened.” Mona lifted a shoulder. “I think I’m getting used to it.”
“I want to come back.” Zeke’s tone was sharp as he walked through the door. He tipped his head Mona’s way. “Shadow is the team most qualified to keep her safe.”
“I’m sure Rogue would disagree with you.” Pierce leaned back in his seat. “And so far they haven’t attempted to kidnap anyone, so I would have to agree with them.”
“You know damn well I had to do it. You would never have let her off the premises.” Zeke shoved one hand toward the door across the hall. “And I took Shawn too.”
“I should be appreciative that you chose to kidnap two of my employees instead of one?”
“He took two employees against orders.” Vincent turned to face Pierce, straightening in the chair. “He risked his position at GHOST by taking your man.”
“In that case I should be offering him a medal.” Pierce turned his gaze on Zeke. “For being so honorable in his deceit.”
Zeke took a step forward. “We had to be sure Heidi was all we thought. There was no other option.”
“Besides kidnapping her?” Mona’s words were soft but solid. “You are arguing that your only option was to kidnap her? Risk her life simply so you could see if she was all you thought?”
Mona wasn’t talking to Zeke. Her cool blue eyes were fixed on the man in the chair at her side, narrowing as he stared her down.
“There’s a lot you don’t know Ms. Ayers.”
“Then enlighten me.” Mona turned in her chair, hooking one arm over the back. “I had a big breakfast so I’m good for a few hours.”
Pierce hid his smile behind his steepled fingers as he watched, unable to look away from her as she found her footing.
Her voice.
“We were concerned Ms. Rucker could be part of the group trying to take down Alaskan Security.”
Mona didn’t bat an eye. “That’s a lie. You never thought that.”
“Are you forgetting that two of your own employees were part of it?”
“They were not both my employees. We fired Howard—”
“And the other one was your business partner.” Vincent’s expression was smug. “It’s not a far jump to consider Ms. Rucker could be involved as well.”
“She’s not.” Mona’s chin lifted.
“I agree, but I wasn’t willing to put my men’s lives on the line until I was sure of her alliances.”
Mona glared at Vincent a second longer. Finally she crossed her arms. “So what now? We just wait?”
“Not much for waiting, Ms. Ayers.” Vincent’s gaze turned to Pierce. “I’m sure Pierce isn’t interested in waiting either.”
Vincent wasn’t wrong. “How do you propose we end this?”
“We’ve got to flush him out.”
“No.” Zeke said it the same time Pierce did.
Pierce shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
Mona looked from Vincent to Pierce to Zeke. “How do we flush him out?”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not happening.” Pierce stood up, ready to do whatever it took to get Vincent away from her.
He wasn’t fast enough.
Vincent focused on Mona. “With you, Ms. Ayers.”
****
“ABSOLUTELY NOT.” PIERCE glared at Vincent across his desk. “It won’t happen.”
Zeke stood at the door they’d just whisked Mona out through. “It’ll happen over my dead body.”
Vincent turned to face Zeke, his brows lifting. “Is that right?”
Zeke gave a slow nod. “That’s right.”
Zeke’s sudden shift chafed for more reasons than one. “Now you decide you’re on my side?”
“This wasn’t about sides, Pierce. This was about doing what needed to be done.”
“And this is what needs to be done.” Vincent stood. “Ms. Ayers is our best bet. Between your men and mine she will have the best possible protection.”
“It’s not enough.” Pierce would put just about anything on the line to stop this before there were more lives at risk.
Anything but her.
“We found another listing this morning.” Vincent pressed the tips of his fingers together as he watched Pierce. “Traced it back to a PC here in Fairbanks. I’ve got eyes on the location now.”
“Then there’s no reason to use her.” Pierce grabbed a pen. “What’s the address?”
Vincent was silent.
Pierce dropped the pen, leaning back in his seat. “So what you want is for us to work with you.” He met Vincent’s stare. “But you have