Page 16 of Hunted Innocence

“Grayson,” I respond, though only instinctively.

I’m not really out of my head yet, which he must sense because he doesn’t say anything else. He watches me, his gazesearching mine before he finally says something. And as he speaks, I have to force myself not to react—to tamp down every reaction that threatens to cross my face.

“You’ll go to work at your normal time. Your car is parked in its spot. I’ll be leaving before you, but make no mistake, Nadine. I will be watching you, and Hale has eyes on the apartment building and on you. Boden is in the surveillance room with his eyes on you as well. When I say we got you, baby, we fucking got you.”

Without another word, he slams his mouth down against mine before he stands and walks out of the room. I don’t take my eyes off his retreating form as he disappears. I stay sitting in bed until I hear the front door open, close, then the door lock click into place.

Seconds later, I receive a text from him.

GRAYSON: Text Hale when you’re ready to leave. He will turn off your alarm. Do not open the door until he gives you the okay.

Yes, sir.

Once I’ve responded, I throw my legs over the side of the bed. I’m not expecting a response when I feel my phone buzz on the bed with an incoming message.

GRAYSON: You can say that when I’m inside of you next time.

What?

I’m not sure if I’m good at playing coy, not that I’m good at playing at anything really. I am exactly who I am, awkward and shy. If I’m coy, it’s by accident. Flirtatious is something thatI find I can only be when it comes to Grayson. Like it comes naturally or something. Otherwise, I turn red and run away from anyone else. Everything comes easier with Grayson.

Every single thing.

GRAYSON: Yes, sir.

My lips curve up into a small smile as I respond to him. I feel giddy, like I imagine a girl in high school might feel texting her first boyfriend.

Yes, sir.

As I turn to make myself a bowl of granola and yogurt, I realize that I never had a boyfriend in high school. I was so busy trying to stay hidden in my parents’ shadows and their illegal lives that boys and normal teen things didn’t really occur to me. I wanted to be unnoticed in every way possible.

Grayson is the first to ever make me feel this way. And I like it. A lot. I hope that whatever happens, I can survive it. Because I want more time with Grayson. So much more time… like decades.

GRAYSON

My mouth madeit clear that my leaving her alone in her apartment was the safest option. However, my body and brain hated every fucking word I said. I didn’t even believe myself, so how in the fuck did she believe me? I snort as I drive toward the office.

I’m the first to the office this morning, minus Boden, who stayed the night and kept an eye on shit, which isn’t surprising.Walking up to the secured door, I gain entry, then wait for it to close behind me. When it clicks shut, only then do I make my way toward Boden.

When I walk into the surveillance room, I see him lounging in the chair as he stares straight ahead at the computer screens in front of him. One of them is a split-into-fours screen of Nadine’s apartment, front and back entrances, then her apartment door from the hallway, and the living room window that faces the street. There are more cameras, but those are what he has displayed.

The other computer screen shows Brody’s construction office. There are men arriving to the yard, all pulling up on bikes and wearing those stupid fucking leather cuts. “What are the bikers doing today?” I ask.

Boden shrugs a shoulder. “Loading up materials and shit. I do not get their operation,” he says, still watching them work.

“They are doing something illegal somewhere, probably money laundering or something.”

Boden leans back a little farther in his chair. “You know,” he begins, “it wouldn’t be a bad idea to maybe get in on some kind of action.”

“In on something illegal?” I ask.

He presses his lips together, then tilts his chin upward and toward me before he tears his gaze away from the screens to meet my own.

“Why not?” he asks. “If anyone can cover their asses, it’s us. We got Lucille doing her shit on the financial side. We got Nadine, who none of us knew was some kind of infamous hacker, and Colette is the organizational queen of the company. I think we’re going to get bored here soon with all these women picking up all the shit we’ve slacked heavily on.”

Instead of laughing at the complete ludicrousness of his words, I cross my arms over my chest, tipping my chin slightlyas I keep my gaze connected to his. I'm unsure if he’s completely serious, but I think he is. I’m not sure what he wants us to do, though. Personally, I lived in a world that was ugly and illegal, which he did, too, but I don’t want to go back.

“Vaughn is not a hundred percent on the up and up,” I state. “And we have enough work to keep us busy for the next two years without taking a single day off. We have waiting lists,” I point out. “Get us some more contracts if you’re bored.”

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