Matt sat in front of the large stone fireplace, his bare feet warm and toasty from the crackling flames. He sipped from a cold bottle of beer. Carson sat in the chair next to him.
“She’s not talking to me,” Matt said.
Carson swigged his own beer. “ She hasn’t said anything to me since we left the office.”
“That’s more than what she’s said to me.”
He shrugged.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Matt began. “How exactly did Drexel get away? He was shot in one arm and his good one was locked to the wall. Seems to me, he should’ve been there when the police arrived.”
“If you’re asking if I freed him, the answer is no.”
Something in the tone made Matt study his partner. “But?” he prompted.
“There were five of us in on the cyber heist that year. Two are dead and there’s one still unaccounted for.”
“You think this missing friend of yours helped him escape.”
Carson blew out a breath.
“Did you loosen his cuffs in any way?”
Carson turned to him, dark eyes blazing with anger. “You think I helped him escape after he tortured and shot you, then me and tried to ruin our business?” he demanded. “You think I’m still harboring some sense of love or loyalty for a high school fling? Especially after I thought you were dead?”
“The question had to be asked.”
”Fuck that!” Carson pushed to his feet. “I’d have killed him with my bare hands if you hadn’t been hurt.”
“You’re pretty sexy when I push your buttons,” Matt said wryly.
Carson bopped him on the back of the head.
“Ow. What was that for?”
“Being an asshole.”
Matt grinned, dimples winking on either side. “I do love living up to my reputation.”
Carson dropped his empty bottle in a recycle bin before picking up a tablet.
“What are you working on now?”
“I’ve been tracking Drexel’s movements through the Internet.”
“And that’s supposed to help how?”
“I’m checking every angle I have. Our partner has locked herself in her room.”
Matt arched a brow. “What?”
Carson swiveled the tablet so Matt could see the screen. Indeed Nathalie was curled in a tight ball in the middle of the king-sized bed. The lock clearly showed it was engaged.
“You know she hates when you do that,” he pointed out.
“Fuck that too. She can be pissed at me as long as she’s safe.”
“Can we keep her safe?”
“Our home is the safest place to be. Second is the office. Sterling and I will go over the protocols tomorrow. Security will remain at its highest level when we’re home and away. So please don’t forget to set the alarm for the house.”
“Not likely as the system will squawk like a wet parrot until it’s done.” Matt set his bottle on the floor. “Is there any way he can hack the system? Get around what you’ve done?”
Carson shook his head. “Not from the outside. Lights and gas are on a dedicated line, both of which are buried. Internet has its own power supply and is not accessible from an outside hack. If for some reason any of that fails, the generator would kick in and the house goes into complete and total lockdown.
“I’ve also checked the encryption on our phones.” He stared the other man in the eye. “Get Nathalie to carry something other than a burner phone.”
Matt grinned, dimples winking in the firelight. “Gotta admit, no one can hack those.”
“Right, but it makes it harder for me to keep track of her.”
“Lies. You’d find her in a crowded room with little more than a compass and a divining rod.”
Carson chuckled. “True, but I’m not taking any chances with the two people I love the most in this world. I nearly lost you. That can’t happen.”
Matt turned away. “You’d just replace me.”
Carson dropped until they were eye level. “There is no one in this world who could ever replace what and who you are to me.” He touched the braided metal chain with a lock charm at the base of Matt’s throat. “This means you’re mine no matter what.”
“He tried to take that from us,” Matt murmured.
Carson stood and held out a hand. “Come. Let me show you how much I love you.”
His
True ProtectorsTrue
Detective Series Book 2
Revenge
is his game, and Black Hemlock is willing to do anything to settle
the score.For
years, Black Hemlock has been biding his time, sulking that bragging
rights to a long ago cyber heist was snatched from him. Throw in
betrayal and a broken heart, and he has the perfect motive for
murder.Once
more True Detective Agency is called in to assist in finding the
perpetrator, this time using Carson as bait. Fearless and capable,
Carson has no problem going head-to-head with a killer with a
penchant for poison.As
the trio delves into the lives and deaths of the victims, a buried
secret could destroy them all.
Nathalie blew out a shaky breath. Some of the tension left her body. “Okay. She stared at her hands. “You know, they’re the ones who found me,” she began softly. “I wouldn’t be alive today if not for Carson and Matt.”
Sterling shifted to the chair beside hers.
“I fought as hard as I could, and it still wasn’t enough.” She stared at the vacant leather chair. “There are still things I can’t do. You know how some people can just pig out at a buffet? I can’t do that or I’ll get sick. I don’t think I’ve had a steak or poultry in years.” She managed a self-deprecating smile. “Every now and then I’ll try a small piece of steak, but it stays on my stomach.”
“You are strong and you have overcome many obstacles to be where you are today,” Sterling praised. “You have the love and devotion of not one, but two very eligible men. You know how very proud of you I am.”
A soft smile creased her lips. “Thank you,” she
He stood. “You call me”—he held her gaze—“anytime. Anywhere.”
Nodding, she stood. “I better get back to work or they really will know something is up.” She strode across the room . Her hand was on the knob before she stopped and looked over her shoulder. “ Have you noticed anything strange with the computers?”
He furrowed his brow. “Strange how?” He settled behind his desk again.
She opened the door. “Random letters and numbers.”
He shook his head. “Can’t say I have.” He glanced at a planner on his desk. “We’re due to upgrade the hardware in a couple of months. Carson updated the servers last week, and I made sure the weekly updates were done last night.”
She nodded. “Thanks, Sterling. Now I need to type up my report, since my computer is on the fritz.” She made sure her voice carried to the other office.
“User error,” came the pithy retort.
Sterling chuckled and she smiled.
“Remember that tonight when we’re at the party,” she warned, walking toward Carson’s open door. She leaned on the jamb. Matt sat on a corner of the desk, while Carson typed away.
“Reboot your terminal,” Carson said without looking up.
She crossed the room, kissed Matt , then walked behind the desk and kissed Carson.
Carson stopped typing and caught her wrist. He looked her over. “What’s wrong?”
Matt shifted and studied her.
“Do I need a reason to show the men I love some affection?” She tugged at her wrist and Carson released her. Quickly, she moved out of reach.
The men exchanged a quick glance.
Nathalie tucked a tiny braid behind her ear. She willed her rapid pulse to slow. They could be unnaturally perceptive when they wanted. Now was not the time for that. “I’m really looking forward to tonight,” she deflected. “It’s not often I get to spank two delectable asses at one time.”
“I think she’s going to derive just a tad too much pleasure in this party,” Matt said.
Carson held Nathalie’s gaze. She refused to look away.
“Did you pack the toy bags?” he wanted to know.
“Of course.”
Carson nodded, then resumed typing.
Nathalie pivoted on her heel and made her escape. If she glanced back, she would know she hadn’t fooled either one of them.
His True Love
True Detective Series Book 1
Quiet sobbing bounced off the cinderblocks, before a creak overhead cut through the sound.
“Shh,” Ruth hissed. “He’s coming.”
Thump-thump-thump. Agatha stared at the exposed floor joists and followed the dull creaks and thumps with her eyes. If she leaned far to the left she could just make out a set of rickety steps at the far end of the room.
Were they in a basement or cellar? It had to be a cellar since the floor was solid packed dirt and not concrete. She touched the wall. Cool, but not damp. She squinted at the mortar. New. She swung her attention to the bars and wood at the front of the cell.
The iron held a faint sheen or newness, same as the door. No warping or dullness to give it that old and neglected feel. She sniffed the air. The faint scent of fresh cut wood filled her nostrils. She sniffed again. Was that varnish she smelled?
Clomp-clomp squeak. Tension rose. Agatha tightened her hands into fists at her side. She held her breath as the footsteps came closer. His scent, a subtle woodsy pine, hit her first.
“Good evenings, ladies,” he greeted. His voice was low and gravelly, like he’d been a chain smoking hardcore drunkard all his life. “I trust you’re giving our new edition the rules?”
“Why did you bring me here?” Agatha demanded.
He moved closer, but his face remained in shadows. “To keep you safe?”
“Safe from what?”
Lynn Chantale resides in Southwest Florida and she is determined to enjoy all that life has to offer. She has a mad affinity for milk chocolate, preferably Dove chocolate truffles or the caramel-filled squares (Godiva is acceptable), and plays the bass guitar when the Muse begs for a bit of distraction.
She’s a multi-published author in ebooks and has recently stepped into the self-publishing world. So far both experiences have been rewarding.
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This book sounds like a very good read.
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