Page 37 of Embedded
“Any time. We love coming here. It’s one of the only places we get to let go and enjoy ourselves.” She linked hands with Cole, and we started to walk toward the door.
McGray stopped me in my path, and Cole instantly stepped into security mode.
“Sorry, man,” he looked at Cole, “I just wanted to give Hanna my number.” I reached out and took his card.
“Thanks.” I smiled politely, and he waved and left, but not before he shot a glance at Cole’s predatory stance. Yikes, that was damn intense.
“Nicole, stay with Paul,” Cole ordered, and Savannah gave me a nod.
“One thing you’ll learn real quick,” Ivy leaned in, “the guys are thick as thieves. They know Paul has feelings for you, so they’ll scare off any man who comes your way. Trust me. And don’t be fooled by that one,” she pointed to Mark, “he’s the worst. He gave me so much grief for taking a guy’s number one time, and I was only being polite.”
“That’s all I was being.” I shook my head but loved that she made me feel a little better about pissing off Cole.
Paul came up and placed a hand on my lower back and steered me toward the door. Just as we stepped outside, he plucked the card from my hand and tossed it in a trash can.
“Hey!”
“You said you were only being polite.”
“Oh, my God.” I laughed. What world did I step into with these guys?
I noticed the change in the way the vehicles were loaded. When we came, the girls had all traveled in one van and the guys were in the other. Now we seemed to be doing couples. I looked at Mia for clarity, but it was Paul who said something first.
“We like to keep our girls close on the way back home. Just in case we’re being followed.” He waved for me to get in, and I took the seat in the very back. Paul swung in beside me and rested a hand along the back of the seat. He was a big guy and needed as much room as he could get. Moments later, the engine started and we were off.
I could practically hear the wheels turning in Paul’s brain as we headed back to Shadows. The mood was very different in the SUV from when we arrived earlier all carefree and excited. The girls had been so fun, and Mark was a riot as he drove us. Now I was in the very back with Paul, Cole and Savannah were in the middle seats, and John and Sloane sat in the front. No one said much except the occasional comment by one or another of the guys, but they spoke in French. I saw an occasional nod of agreement.
I glanced down at Paul’s arm at the bandage that covered where Agustin had marked him. It made me burn with anger. Damn savage.
My phone buzzed in my purse, and I hurried to get it out. I wanted to see if it was Jack with more information on the video. My stomach sank when I read who the text was from.
Unknown: We need to talk. Call me ASAP.
I rolled my eyes. Who did he think he was? I wanted to fire back how in the hell he got this number, but I knew he had his ways.
Nicole: We have nothing left to talk about.
Unknown: I disagree.
Nicole: Your problem, not mine.
I saw the little bubbles pop up, then stop, then start again. I knew Glen; he was trying hard to curb his asshole-ness.
Unknown: Got something new on our target. Trust me, you want to hear this.
Shit. He knew he had me.
Nicole: Can’t call now, I will when I can.
I tucked my phone away and turned into Paul who I realized was looking over my shoulder.
He leaned down and brushed his lips against my hair, and it sent my head into a tailspin. Lord, the man smelled so good, and his whole rock-solid body and delicious lips just about tipped me over the edge. I’d had a taste of how the man could kiss, and that alone did things to my body that I couldn’t describe. “Who was that?”
“Someone I work with.” I didn’t lie. I just didn’t offer any more.
“Does this person have a name?”
“They do.” I looked out the window at the moonlight. The way it shone through the trees made me realize just how deep the forest around us was.
