Page 33 of Protect Thy Enemy

Tavia has been her on-again, off-again girlfriend for years. However, I can never really tell which one they are. For a few months, the two are head over heels for each other, and Tavia, much to my dismay, is here every waking minute. Then the next, they’re bickering about everything and nothing.

Luna rarely comes to me for advice about Tavia, but I know it’s because she probably feels guilty for asking, only to not take it and do the opposite.

Also, I’m pretty sure the fact that she knows Tavia hates my guts plays a part.

And no, I’m not being dramatic. She literally hates my guts, and I have no idea why. Every interaction with her feels like stepping on glass, and no matter how neutral I try to keep things, she seems to find a reason to glare or deliver an unnecessary snide comment.

If it wasn’t for Luna, I would have said something to her by now, but I love my best friend. And I love seeing her happy, so if that means having to bite my tongue and not stoop to Tavia’s level, then so be it.

“She was her usual chipper self,” Luna adds dryly before resuming her typing.

Which means she was a nightmare. I can’t say I’m not glad I missed it.

“Wanna talk about it?” I offer, and as I expect, she shakes her head, lips pursed.

“Okay, I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll call it a night.” I take a long sip of water before turning toward my room.

“I’m going to try to take another stab at these chapters.”

“Good luck,” I call over my shoulder.

“Night, Arden,” she replies, her voice soft.

When I close the door behind me, I let out a breath of air before setting my bag on my desk. Instead of getting ready forthe shower like I should be, I find myself with my head in my hands, replaying the detail, the debrief, and... him.

Grant.

I should be furious with him. He’s infuriating, condescending, and impossible to please. But instead, my mind keeps circling back to the way his voice dropped when he said,“Prove it.”The way his eyes locked on mine like he was daring me to argue.

The memory sends an unexpected shiver down my spine, and I hate it. I hate that I’m thinking about him like this, about how close he’d been in the break room. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him, smell the faint traces of soap and something darker.

My cheeks heat at the thought, and I wish I could bury my face in my pillow.Stop it.

But it’s impossible to ignore the way my body reacted. The way my pulse spiked, the way my nipples tightened against my shirt. I pray he didn’t notice, but a small, traitorous part of me wonders if he did.

What would he have thought?Would he have glared and just thrown more insults? Or would his expression have shifted, that cold, unreadable mask cracking just enough to show... something else?

I groan, then peel off my clothes and head to start the shower.This is ridiculous.I shouldn’t be thinking about Holden Grant like this, not after the day we’ve had.

Not ever.

But as I close my eyes that night, the image of his sharp jawline and piercing gaze lingers, burning brighter than I want to admit.

***

The following morning, I’m back at headquarters, sitting stiffly in one of the chairs across from Agent Harris’s desk. The air feels heavier than usual, the tension from yesterday lingering like a storm cloud. Park sits next to me, his normal brooding quiet, while Tate leans casually against the wall, scrolling through his phone as if he doesn’t have a care in the world.

And then there’s Grant.

He’s standing by the window, arms crossed, his profile sharp against the sunlight streaming in. He hasn’t looked at me since I walked in, which should be a relief, but somehow, it’s more unnerving.

Agent Harris clears his throat, flipping through a file on his desk. “Let’s get to it,” he says briskly. “Yesterday’s detail was a success overall, but the errors need to be addressed.”

My stomach knots.

“Park,” Harris says, looking up, “the oversight at the main entrance was noted in the report. You’ll need to step up your checks moving forward. We can’t afford lapses like that. Especially not today.”

“Yes, sir,” Park replies, his tone subdued but respectful.

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