Page 4 of Find Me
Penny glanced at Hawke, who nodded in agreement. The silent strength he exuded offered a sense of comfort she wasn’t used to—and that’s what was unsettling. Her reaction to him was unnerving, and something she needed to fix. Pronto.
Rhys sighed, drawing her attention back to him. “That said, do you have any idea what Julia might be after?” he asked.
“Not yet,” she replied, meeting his gaze evenly. “But I’ll find out.”
Rhys leaned back in his chair, his expression contemplative. “What’s your next move?”
Penny took a deep breath to consider. “I think the best way to confirm my suspicions is to get closer to her. I need to put her under surveillance with full access to the club.”
Rhys looked to Hawke.
He nodded in agreement. “I think it’s our best bet. We need to know for certain if she’s the one behind planting the bugs.”
“What did I miss?” a deep voice interrupted their conversation. Archer sidled up to the table with an air of authority that demanded respect.
“Archer,” Rhys acknowledged with a nod, indicating for him to join them. “Penny has some concerns about Julia Castillo. She thinks she may be our mole.”
“How certain are you?” Archer asked without missing a beat, taking a seat next to Rhys.
She couldn’t stop the slight curve of her mouth. Not too long ago, Archer wouldn’t have trusted her word. Because she was the hacker that didn’t follow the law and had once hacked into their security system. “I can’t say I’m absolutely certain until I confirm my findings,” she replied. “But I’d put my money on it.”
Archer turned toward Hawke, his gaze unwavering. “Stay close to Penny when you’re out in the field. Elise would never forgive me for bringing her in on this if anything happened to her.”
Penny’s lips parted but Hawke interjected, his jaw clenching. “Understood. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Archer nodded in approval.
Penny was instantly annoyed by the idea that they thought she needed protection, but she also felt a shiver run down her spine as her gaze locked with Hawke’s, the intensity of his promise igniting a flame within her that threatened to consume her.
A dangerous thing that was…
The atmosphere in the room crackled with tension as Rhys leaned against the table. His eyes surveyed Penny, Hawke, and Archer. A cloud of cigar smoke hung heavily in the air, its heady scent mingling with the lingering traces of cologne and leather.
“All right,” Rhys began, his voice low. “We need to put Julia under surveillance—discreetly, of course. We can’t risk alerting her to our suspicions.” He looked pointedly at Penny, who nodded in agreement. “And as much as I dislike it since you are not a member or participant, you can have full access to the club.”
“Good,” said Penny. “I’ll start by digging deeper into her.”
Hawke rose, his muscular frame tensed like a coiled spring. “I’ll stay close to Penny,” he said, his deep voice resonating with conviction. “Keep an eye on her while she works.”
Penny felt her pulse quicken at the thought of having Hawke so near, but she pushed her attraction aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. “I appreciate that, but I don’t need a babysitter.”
All three men ignored her like she hadn’t spoken.
Rhys gave a curt nod. “Then it’s settled. Keep me updated on your progress and remember—discretion is key.”
As the group dispersed, Penny scoffed. “Did no one hear me? I don’t want a babysitter?”
Hawke’s gaze snapped to hers. He closed the distance in two powerful steps, leaving no room between them. Penny’s heart raced, her breath catching in her throat as she drank in the sight of him—the chiseled lines of his face, the raw strength evident in his every movement. Heat tightened her stomach.
“Call me your babysitter again, Red,” he said, eyes flaring. “And I’ll show you how I handle you.”
She wisely kept her mouth shut.
2
Forty-five minutes later, Hawke followed Penny into an old, red-bricked warehouse covered in graffiti in the Bay Ridge area, the door creaking softly as it closed behind them.
Despite the chaos outside, this space was a peaceful refuge. In the center of the room was a large desk, adorned with cutting-edge hacker equipment that hummed and whirred in a symphony of technological mastery. He was captivated by her setup, a true testament to her skill and determination.
