Strategic Maneuvers - Jemma Westbrook Page 0,32
no intention of working with us.” He shook his head. “You can’t have it both ways.”
Vincent stood. “I’m not sure you have any choice in the matter, Pierce.” He turned to the door, pulling it open. “Let’s go.”
Zeke stayed put.
Vincent looked him up and down. “Let’s go, Reaper.”
Zeke shook his head. “No.”
Vincent scoffed. “Are you kidding me?”
“Pierce is right. I can’t have it both ways.” Zeke crossed his arms over his chest. “Especially if you’re gonna start putting down lines.”
Vincent worked his jaw from side to side, holding Zeke’s gaze a second longer before walking from the room.
Zeke stared at the spot Vincent vacated.
“He’ll be back.” Pierce stood from his seat, needing to work off the pent-up aggression brought on by Vincent’s suggestion. “He doesn’t have a choice or he wouldn’t have been here in the first place.”
“He’s wasting fucking time.” Zeke moved deeper into the room. “The longer this listing is out there the more danger she’s in.”
“Not if she doesn’t leave the premises.” They’d learned from their mistakes. They were on lock down with every man assigned a shift, utilizing all hands in order to patrol the entire property. “She’s safe here.”
“Do you fucking forget they almost shot her here?”
Pierce tucked one hand into his pocket, running the tip of one finger over the damaged bullet stowed there. “I have most definitely not forgotten.” He took a slow breath, weighing his options.
He’d planned to sit on his decision about Zeke for a while longer. Use it as a reason to speak with Mona this afternoon.
“Collect Shadow. Brief them on the situation and meet me in conference room A in two hours.”
Zeke didn’t hesitate. He was gone immediately.
His concern for Mona should be more upsetting than it was, but right now Zeke’s clear affection for her would only solidify his commitment to her safety.
And that was what mattered most.
Shawn ducked his head out of his office, watching as Zeke passed.
Pierce lifted one hand, waving the lead of Rogue in.
Shawn stared down the hall as he crossed, his eyes hard when they finally landed on Pierce. “So he’s back just like that?”
“Vincent forced him to choose sides.” Pierce walked to the window, staring out as he always did when he needed to focus.
To collect. To conquer.
“He chose us then?”
Technically Zeke chose Mona. “Something like that.”
“What’s this I hear about a hit on Mona?” Shawn came to stand at his side. “Heidi’s freaking out.”
“Apparently there’s two.” Pierce rolled the distorted bullet between his fingers. “I need her to find the listing. Vincent said they were able to trace it back to an address in Fairbanks.”
“What’s the address?”
“Unfortunately, Vincent believes he can use us without having to offer his assistance in return.” Pierce turned to Shawn. “Until he’s willing to admit that’s not possible then we are on our own.”
He didn’t entirely believe that to be the truth. Vincent may say GHOST wasn’t willing to work with Alaskan Security, but his actions said otherwise. His team had been the first there when Zeke, Shawn, and Heidi went into the water. There was no way an Alaskan Security Team would have made it to the location in time and Vincent knew it.
And he’d stepped in.
“Heidi will find it.” Shawn held complete faith in the woman he loved.
He wasn’t the only one. “I know.”
“I’m meeting with Shadow in two hours. I plan to send them to the location she finds.”
“So you’re sending Shadow to the same place GHOST is?” Shawn smirked.
It would be amusing if Mona wasn’t the one in danger. “I am doing whatever it takes to keep Mona safe.”
“We will all do whatever it takes to keep her safe.” Shawn didn’t need to say what was the blatant truth.
He was not the only one who saw how special Mona was. She’d managed to find her way into the hardest of hearts, burrowing under skin thickened by seeing the worst the world had to offer.
A movement caught their attention, sending them both turning toward the open door.
Mona’s cool blue eyes rested on Shawn. She pointed to the door. “Out. I need to talk to him.”
CHAPTER 10
MONA SAT AT her desk. Arms crossed. Foot tapping the floor.
Eva sat beside her. “They just kicked you out?”
That’s exactly what they did. The second Vincent said he wanted to dangle her like bait Zeke was at the door, pulling it open as Pierce all but lifted her from her chair and dragged her out of the room.
Dumping her out in the hall like she couldn’t handle what