Page 6 of Dare to Love Again

Chapter 3

KEIRAN HEAVED A SIGHof exasperation as the ringing phone pierced the silence of the empty office. It hadn’t stopped all day. And now, even after hours, it refused to cease. He could feel his patience wearing then when he glanced at it, and a blinking red light came on, indicating yet another missed call.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face with both hands. His eyes burned from the harsh light of his monitor that cast a bluish glow on the otherwise dark and quiet workspace. The air was heavy with the scent of stale coffee, making it difficult for him to concentrate. He should go home and get some sleep, but as he eyed the stacks of files and reports on his desk, knowing it would take days to sift through them all, he couldn’t afford to.

At the shrill ring of the phone yet again, he said a few choice words in Gaelic before he reached for it.

“Finnegan here,” he answered, managing not to snap rudely at the caller, although just barely.

“It’s Tony.”

He glanced at the clock, seeing it was after 9. San Antonio was an hour ahead. “You’re working late.”

“Since your office closed hours ago, I can say the same about you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t have twins, a new baby girl, and a wife waiting for me at home.”

“Megan is upstairs, putting them down for the night. At least I’m home, my friend.”

He’d known Cap Rossi for years. Skilled, tough as nails, and highly respected, when the CEO and founder of Rossi Security recruited him after he’d left the service, Keiran hadn’t hesitated. He’d worked for him in San Antonio for a few years, and when they expanded to LA and offered him a percentage buy-in, he’d jumped on it. Now, along with being partners in the Rossi branch here, they co-owned the bondage club across the street. Keiran also considered Cap a good friend.

“Home for me isn’t as sweet as what you’ve got going on, Cap.”

“Yeah, you need to do something about that.”

Keiran had been thinking along those lines more often of late. Only, when did he have the time? LA was bigger than San Antonio; he expected the new location to grow fast, but not at warp speed.

The clients here were different, most in the entertainment industry and in need of security systems for their multimillion-dollar mansions. Some were looking for personal protection and they’d already investigated several stalker cases the overworked police departments didn’t have time for. They also did venue security when they needed beefed-up protection for special events. Then there were the high-profile stars wanting their cheating spouses caught in the act to activate the non-payout infidelity clauses on their prenups.

Clients with deep pockets paid big bucks to ensure their safety and mitigate the financial risk from their affairs. According to Eric, who doubled as the agency’s CFO, besides taking on investigations and running the club, their profits were through the roof.

But these types of cases took manpower, something they couldn’t seem to get enough of. Turnover wasn’t the problem. They couldn’t hire and train staff fast enough to keep up with the influx of cases. Working seven days a week left him little time to himself, let alone to enjoy the perks of co-owning a sex club. Submissive women who wanted to settle down and play house didn’t just fall into a man’s lap—unless you were Cap. Seriously, the man had the devil’s own luck.

“Talk to our CFO who’s sitting on employee requisitions,” Keiran muttered.

“Do what I do, don’t ask permission. Bring on the men you need and let your staff work out the details afterward.”

“Easy for you to say when Eric’s thirteen hundred miles away. His office is across the hall from mine, and I have to listen to him bitch.”

“Yeah, there is that,” Cap said in sympathy.

---