Mine - HelenKay Dimon Page 0,45
Curled the material into balls in her fists. Stood there and rode out the last of her memories. Their fight fell into the forgotten category. He wrestled his own demons and she would try to help him through that, even if he didn’t want to open up. But until then, she closed her eyes and held on.
Her bodyguard.
TWELVE
This qualified as the shittiest meeting ever. Andy looked around the conference room table. His older boneheaded brother standing by the door was bad enough. The other two guests almost sent Andy’s temper skidding over the edge.
Elijah Sterling, former CIA agent and the guy Andy once pegged as the love of his life. Tall, lean and hot as fuck with a hint of Japanese heritage showing in his black hair and dark eyes. He carried his body with confidence. Then there was Wade Royer, the guy Andy hated on sight—from his muscular build to the short light hair—because he was the one guy Eli could make a commitment to.
Wasn’t this just a fucking fantastic way to spend an already busy afternoon packed with work and intel and meetings.
Rick finished his call and slipped his phone into his pocket. Coming around the side of the table, he took the chair at the head. Of course he did. Only he would see the open seat as an invitation.
He glanced around, glaring, then pointed to Wade and Eli. “Why are you two here?”
To prevent the bloodbath Andy sensed coming, he jumped in. “Eli works for Bast—Sebastian Jameson, Natalie’s lawyer.” That was the easy introduction. “Wade is basically here because he hates me and wants me to stay away from Eli.”
Wade nodded. “That about sums it up.”
Rick being Rick, he skipped right over the personal stuff and started scowling as he focused in on Eli. “You’re a fucking lawyer?”
“Hell, no.” Eli looked appalled by the idea.
Andy couldn’t imagine Eli arguing points in a courtroom. The guy liked the outdoors and guns and shooting things. He made a life out of chasing people the CIA determined needed to be chased. He acted as a human weapon. Point and fire.
But that suit and the blue tie. Goddamn. “You look like one.”
Eli frowned at Wade. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“You look good in the suit.” Wade shrugged. “Sue me.”
Rick sat back in his chair in one of those dramatic movements usually meant to draw attention and put the focus back on him. “I don’t have time for games with the little league.”
“Uh, Rick.” Looked like his big brother missed a few pertinent facts in whatever file he used for Natalie’s case. He’d been out of the country when the Eli relationship imploded, but Andy assumed he’d caught up. Apparently not.
“No, really.” Eli held up a hand without ever breaking eye contact with Rick. “Let him continue.”
Andy saw Wade smile. Heard Eli’s cool tone. For whatever reason Rick goaded as if he wanted to start a fight. Andy wasn’t in the mood for any of it.
“This is a grown man’s game. Go back to your law office and file your briefs and lodge your complaints.” Rick took the phone out of his pocket and started scrolling through messages. “Actually, I don’t care what you do so long as you get out of here.”
As far as exit lines went it was a pretty good one. It also showed that Rick had no understanding of his audience. Andy did, so he sat back and let this play out. Eventually they’d get around to why Eli wanted the meeting and insisted Rick appear.
“Are you done?” Eli asked.
Wade shook his head. “For the record, Rick. That tone, all flat and low, is a very bad sign.”
Yeah, forget waiting it out. Andy didn’t want to wipe up the blood from this massacre. “Rick, Eli is former CIA. Some of his black-ops job make yours look like kindergarten recess time. He used to work for Natalie. Now he works for Bast.”
Rick hesitated. He got that look on his face that said he was performing a few mental calculations and realizing the scales weren’t quite as unbalanced as he had assumed. He turned to Wade. “And you?”
“Consider me the criminal element.”
“He used to be an enforcer for some unsavory types.” Andy knew because he’d investigated the guy right after finding out Eli had moved in with him. Wade had gone legit, but he hadn’t started out that way. His experience with weapons and death likely rivaled Eli’s, and that was saying something.
“That’s a pretty way of putting