Page 6 of Triple Protection
"Yes, but not tonight. Go change and get ready for dinner." Her face lights up in the most beautiful smile I think I've ever seen on a woman. It's bright and warm and genuine and it has the corner of my own mouth tipping up in response. I turn to hide it.
I grab my phone and shoot my mom a quick "thinking of you" text while Angela happily jogs upstairs. I shoot Brick a text, too, letting him know dinner would be ready in 10.
After I plate the mashed potatoes, salmon, and asparagus, I call everyone in for dinner. Angela picks up her plate in one hand, a glass of wine in the other, but pauses. Liam and Brick grab their dinners and move to the dining room table. I raise my eyebrow at Angela, a silent question.
"Should I..." she starts.
"Come on, Angela!" Liam shouts from the dining room, inviting her to join us. We don't usually eat with clients, but I'm sure Liam was looking for any excuse to lay on the moves.
She smiles before helping herself to the seat next to Liam. Brick concentrates on his plate, not making eye contact.
"Can I ask you a question?" Liam starts.
"Sure?"
"Why do you live here, in this house? It doesn't really seem like you." Liam's known her for all of half a day and thinks he knows her already?
She looks down, a little embarrassed. "It's not really me. My manager, Marshal, bought it for me. He says the neutral background is good for videos and pictures - nothing to distract the audience. I don't mind though."
"Where would you live if you had your choice?"
"I'm not sure, honestly. I've never thought about it. Maybe a cabin in the woods? Or a hut on a beach?" She chuckles to herself. "Maybe both?"
Liam stares at her for a moment before nodding. "I can see that."
"What about you guys? Do you have a home base somewhere?"
"We have a condo we share in Denver, but we're rarely there. The last few years, we've rolled one job into the next." I reply.
"Gosh, that's got to be hard. Not having a place of your own to rest and recharge? How has living with other people gone? It is awkward?"
Liam pipes up. "It usually is for the first few weeks, and we all figure each other out - what the client expects of us, where their comfort levels are. But once we all get into the groove, it's usually not bad."
The conversation shifts to lighter stories we can tell without breaching our NDAs. Angela seems to relax in our company. Liam carries the majority of the conversation while I watch them. Brick is quiet, stealing glances at Angela and Liam with an unreadable expression on his face.
Angela insists on doing the dishes, so the boys and I retire to the living room to discuss the next day's tasks. The new security system should come, so Liam and I will install that. Mirium should have the deleted comments so we can start to go through those. And I have to start the process of reconnaissance and planning for her trip to Texas.
Brick is distracted the entire conversation, glancing towards the kitchen.
"You got somewhere better to be?" I challenge him, irritated at his uncharacteristic lack of professionalism.
He grunts before standing and walking to the kitchen. Silently, I watch him slide up next to Angela. She looks up at him in surprise before he bumps his hip into hers, gently pushing her aside. He grabs the next plate and begins washing.
She smiles before returning her attention to the dishes and together they wash up silently.
Chapter six
Brick
Brick
I sit on the couch with a direct line of sight to the front door and back porch slider. I'd already done a perimeter check and confirmed every window and door was locked and the alarm is on. Liam confirmed the alarm system was online, so after I'd changed into athletic pants, slippers, and a white undershirt, I donned my glasses and was reading the latest murder mystery in my To Be Read list. I place my weapon on the side table next to me.
I hear her before I see her. Her bare feet pad softly down the hardwood stairs. Internally I smile, while I make sure to school my external appearance. My girl is as soft and as sweet as they came. They say never to meet your idols, but my Babygirl doesn't disappoint.
I glance up at her when she reaches the bottom of the stairs. Her face is scrubbed clean from any makeup, her hair in a loosebraid over her shoulder, and she's wearing the most delicious silk pajamas. God, to wake up next to that every morning...
"Do you mind if I sleep down here?" she asks quietly, holding a blanket and pillow to her chest. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. Holy fuck balls, what?! She wants to sleep down here... with me...?