Contingency Plan (Blackbridge Security #3) - Marie James Page 0,14
and making the metal clank.
Without hesitation, Booker pulls a key from his pocket. “You didn’t call and let me know you were in town?”
“Didn’t know you were in the city, thought you were still kissing asses in Virginia.”
He laughs. “I’ve been here a couple months. It’s a whole other ballgame. So Blackbridge has you chasing teenagers now?”
“She’s twenty.” I feel the need to clarify, especially after having racing thoughts of spanking her ass for the mess she created today. “How did you know I was here?”
“Rodriguez saw you get dragged in. It took five minutes for him to stop laughing long enough to explain.”
“Yes, very funny.”
“We’ve all been there. Have you forgotten about the bruised ribs I suffered a couple years back?”
“I was a hard takedown.”
We both grin. Sometimes when undercover, shit goes wild. We know it’ll all get worked out in the end, but staying in character in front of our marks is important. Booker takes it to the extreme, sometimes fighting with police to gain a little more credit.
Me? I’ve never liked the feel of metal around my wrists.
“How are things with Blackbridge? I’ve heard great things.”
“Looking for a career change?” I try to hide the animosity in my tone but a little of it sneaks out.
I love my job, don’t get me wrong, but working for Deacon Black in St. Louis was never my life goal. I wanted a career in the FBI. I started young, researching and learning everything I could about the organization. Everything from the time I was nine until I was sworn in was done with perfection in order to make myself a better candidate for the agency.
One case gone wrong. One slipup. One time I was the played instead of the player.
Five years is all I got with the FBI before the Office of Integrity and Compliance gave me walking papers. Many considered me lucky not to have been brought up on federal charges, but losing my lifelong dream in the blink of an eye didn’t leave me feeling anything but defeated.
“Not a chance,” Booker says with an emphatic shake of his head. “They’ll have to force me out.”
“Keep your nose clean because that’s always a possibility.”
There are a lot of gray areas when working undercover for the FBI, but helping a target escape federal custody, even when you think it’s to save her life, tips the scale, especially when it comes to light that you were her target all along.
“How are things at Blackbridge? I don’t know how to answer that.” I give him a small smile. “A week ago, I would’ve told you it was awesome. Working for Deacon has been an amazing experience, but I’m in New York chasing after a starlet’s daughter who can’t stay out of trouble, so maybe now isn’t the best time to ask.”
Booker nods in understanding before standing. “Well, I’m sure you have shit to do, a child to tuck in and all that.”
I stand as well, taking his hand as he offers it. “It was good seeing you, man.”
I follow him out of the room, pausing when I see the beat cop with his head hung low, my bag of belongings clasped in his hand.
His eyes dart away from me when I stand in front of him, but he lifts the bag to hand it over to me.
I clap him on the shoulder. “Awesome work today.”
Confusion spreads across his face, but he doesn’t say a word. There’s no doubt the man is going to be dressed down by a superior before the end of his shift. I wave to Rodriquez, who is still laughing, on my way out and wave down a cab. The guy isn’t very happy about the distance he has to take me, but he settles after I assure him a nice tip.
The drive is quiet, spent in contemplation of how I’m going to act once I get back to the Blair residence.
Yelling and shaking her like a rag doll seems like a good idea despite the aggressive nature of it, but then I’m struck by images of her tits jiggling, and I throw that out the window. Touching her would be a mistake. Protecting her from getting run over on the street earlier was enough to drive me insane, so I know it’s a line I can’t cross again.
Ignoring the situation entirely also doesn’t seem like the best way to handle it either because she mentioned more than once that her parents act as if she doesn’t exist. Remington