Page 5 of Find Me
“Welcome to my humble abode,” Penny said with a sly grin, the corners of her eyes crinkling in amusement at his reaction. “Not what you expected?”
“Definitely not,” Hawke admitted, scanning the room. “This is... impressive.”
“Thanks.” Penny’s cheeks flushed a faint pink. “It’s been a long time in the making.”
She slid into the chair at the desk, her fingers dancing gracefully over the keyboard as she brought up files and images. Her piercing eyes sparkled with intelligence and purpose, drawing Hawke in like a moth to a flame.
Christ, she was fucking beautiful, and clever. From the moment he met her, he could tell Penny was unique in a way he had never encountered before. He made it clear that he was interested in finding out. However, his blatant attempts at flirting, only had her keeping him at a safe distance. But he caught her lingering heated looks. He didn’t like that Phoenix had been compromised, but he couldn’t deny his happiness to dig a little into her and see if there was a chance for something more between them.
“Can you make us some coffee?” she suddenly asked, breaking into his thoughts. “The machine is on the counter.”
“Sure.” He moved toward the galley kitchen in the corner of the warehouse, but not before watching Penny twirl up her hair into a bun on the top of her head. He smiled to himself. Every soldier had a routine before going on a hunt. Apparently, that was hers.
He got to work fixing the coffee as he listened to her fingers rapidly racing across the keyboard. As the coffee brewed, Hawke’s gaze wandered around Penny’s high-tech lair, taking in the sleek, sterile surfaces that seemed to mirror her personality. He spotted a bed in one corner with a nightstand and light, and a bathroom in the other corner. He noted the absence of framed photos, artwork, or any semblance of a personal touch—a stark contrast to the warmth and familiarity he sought in his own living spaces. “Do you meet with clients here?” he asked.
“No, never,” she replied.
Good.He should have known that she would keep her workspace and living space separate. She was probably more knowledgeable about security measures than he was.
As he studied her space, his interest in Penny grew stronger, fueled by an insatiable curiosity to uncover the secrets buried beneath her guarded exterior. She lived like she planned to leave at any second. A sudden urge to break through the barrier that separated them washed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him with a hunger to look into this woman’s mind.
“Mugs are in the cabinet next to the sink,” she told him.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, he grabbed two from the cabinet, unsurprised to see the mugs had taglines on them just as her T-shirts did. The mug he picked for her read,Some days I don’t have enough coffee or middle fingers.
He chuckled, added a little sugar and milk in the way he’d seen her make her coffee before and then poured himself a black coffee.
“Do you always live so minimalistic?” he asked cautiously, not wanting to push too hard too fast.
Penny paused, considering his question before responding with a shrug. “I don’t get attached to stuff.”
Hawke understood the sentiment all too well. It was a coping mechanism he’d employed during his time as a Navy SEAL. Don’t get attached to anything but the important stuff, but he thought it a shame she didn’t include her home in things not to get attached to. A home should feel safe and comfortable.
When he returned to Penny’s side, handing her the steaming mug of coffee, their fingers brushed briefly as she took the cup from him. A jolt of electricity coursed through his veins. He wondered if she felt it too, but her expression remained unreadable.
Not surprising. She had two modes. One, eye-fucking him. Or two, avoiding his gaze at all costs.
He preferred the former.
“Thanks,” she said, taking a tentative sip. The warmth of the coffee seemed to thaw her ever so slightly, her shoulders relaxing as she settled back into her chair. “Julia’s digital footprint is minimal, but I managed to find some useful information.”
“Great,” Hawke said after a sip from his mug. “Show me.”
Penny’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she pulled up document after document, detailing Julia’s past. She uncovered her resume of previous jobs, from a receptionist at a law firm to a waitress at a high-end restaurant. They delved into her relationships, finding photos with a string of former lovers, yet none of them seemed to stick around for long.
“Looks like she’s had quite a colorful past,” Penny observed, scanning the information on the screen. “She was arrested once for being involved with an underground gambling ring, but the charges were dropped.”
“Interesting,” Hawke said, his focus on a document she printed. “What’s this?”
Penny glanced his way. “She has used multiple aliases and moved frequently. But Julia Castillo is her birth name.”
“So here in New York City, she’s not hiding,” Hawke offered.
“Seems like it.” Which was why nothing came up in vetting her. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath as she began typing again, the corners of her mouth curving downward in a frustrated frown. “Looks like I need to bypass another security protocol.”
“Can I do anything to help?” Hawke asked.
“Thanks, but I’ve got it,” she replied, her focus never wavering.
