Page 11 of Unbearable Player
“At least yours limits herself to church,” Reid replied dryly. “Mine once tried to set me up with a woman she met in line at the DMV.”
Brianne’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.” Reid shook his head, chuckling at the memory. “Apparently, the fact that we were both renewing our licenses meant we were ‘destined to be together.’”
“Oh no,” Brianne giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. “That’s... that’s impressively bad. But I can top it. My mom once invited a guy to Thanksgiving dinner without telling me, then introduced him as my ‘future husband.’”
Reid winced sympathetically. “That’s rough. What did you do?”
“Choked on my turkey, naturally.” Brianne’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Then spent the rest of the night talking about my collection of rare diseases. Poor guy couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”
Reid found himself laughing, a deep, genuine sound that surprised him. When was the last time he’d laughed like this? “Remind me never to get on your bad side,” he said, shaking his head in amusement.
As the evening progressed, Reid found himself more and more drawn to Brianne. Her wit, her passion for her work, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her game... it was intoxicating.
“So, tell me more about Shadow Realms,” he prompted as their main courses arrived. “You mentioned it was important for your company?”
Brianne nodded, her expression turning serious. “It’s... well, it’s kind of make or break for us, to be honest. We’re a small studio, and this is our first big project. If it succeeds, it could put us on the map. If it fails...”
She trailed off, but Reid understood. The gaming industry could be cutthroat. “That’s why the security is so important,” he surmised.
“Exactly.” Brianne twirled pasta around her fork, her brow furrowing slightly. “I’m the only one allowed to have the prototype right now. It’s a huge responsibility, you know? If anything happened to it...”
Reid nodded, impressed by her dedication. “We’ll make sure it’s protected,” he assured her. “Your game is in good hands.”
Brianne smiled, a soft, genuine expression that made Reid’s heart skip a beat. “Thank you. That... that means a lot.”
As the evening drew to a close, Reid signaled for the check. Brianne excused herself to take a call from her sister, stepping outside the restaurant. Reid watched her through the window, admiring the way she gesticulated as she spoke, her face animated and expressive.
He was just signing the receipt when a scream shattered the peaceful night air. Reid’s head snapped up, his heart lurching as he saw Brianne surrounded by a group of masked figures outside the restaurant.
In an instant, he was on his feet, charging toward the door. His bear roared inside him, demanding he protect what was his. Wait, his? Where had that come from? Reid pushed the thought aside, focusing on the immediate threat.
He burst out of the restaurant, his muscles coiled for action ready to shift then and there. He decided against it. Too many witnesses. Two of the attackers turned to face him, brandishing guns. Reid’s lips pulled back in a snarl, his shifter strength surging through him.
One attacker swung a crowbar, but Reid ducked under it, coming up with a powerful uppercut that sent the man flying. Another came at him with a knife, but Reid grabbed his wrist, twisting until the weapon clattered to the ground.
But there were more of them with guns, and they had Brianne. Reid roared in frustration as he saw her struggling against her captors, her face a mask of anger.
“Let her go!” he bellowed, but it was too late. The thieves shoved Brianne away, grabbing her bag - the bag containing the prototype USB drive. They piled into a waiting van, which peeled away from the curb with a screech of tires.
Reid started to give chase but skidded to a stop as the van disappeared into traffic. His chest heaved, anger and adrenaline coursing through him. Fuck. How did he let that shit happen? He knew better. His instincts screamed for one person.
Brianne. The thought jolted him back to the present. He spun around, rushing back to where she stood, looking shaken but unharmed.
“Brianne,” he said softly, reaching out to steady her. “Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head, her blue eyes wide with shock. “I’m... I’m okay. But the prototype. Reid, they took the prototype! Those jerks!”
Reid pulled her close, his protective instincts flaring. She trembled against him, and it fueled his determination. “We’ll get it back,” he promised, his voice low and fierce. “Brianne, we’ll find them and get your game back.”
As he held her, Reid realized two things with startling clarity. First, he would do anything to keep this woman safe. And second, whether he was ready to admit it or not, in just a handful of hours, Brianne had become far more than just a client to him.
The game had changed, and Reid Parker was all in.
SIX
The cool night air bit at Brianne’s skin as she stood in the dimly lit alley outside the restaurant, her heart pounding like a jackhammer in her chest. The adrenaline from the attack slowly ebbed away, leaving behind a cocktail of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Shock, fury, and a gut-wrenching sense of helplessness swirled within her, making her head spin.