Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Lincoln shifts beside me, crossing his arms over that broad chest. “She’s got a few leads,” he says flatly, “but I told her we should pass them on to you. Then she needs to get someplace safe.”
I level him with a glare. “I can handle a little detective work. I’ve been doing more than pushing papers around here, you know. I got phone records on the number that sent the threats, and I actually have a person of interest.”
Dean’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really?” He glances at Lincoln in surprise.
Lincoln shrugs. “She neglected to mention that part until now.”
Rolling my eyes, I drop into a seat at the table, my bag slung over my shoulder. “I was going to mention it, okay? I’ve been busy trying to confirm the info before I go spouting off names.”
Dean rubs his jaw, deep in thought. “Let me have the details. We’ll investigate. In the meantime, I need you to go with Lincoln. It’s not safe for you to just stay at your place, especially if your address is compromised.”
My temper flares again. I want to demand proof that my address is truly compromised. But the logical part of my brain knows that if this psycho has threatened me, he probably isn’t going to stop at just sending creepy messages. Even so, it doesn’t mean I have to lie down and do nothing.
“What if we investigate my lead together?” I suggest, glancing between them. “That way I’m not alone, and we can catch this jerk before he tries something worse.”
Lincoln shakes his head, a muscle flexing in his jaw. “Absolutely not. My job is to keep you out of harm’s way, and playing detective is just going to put you in the line of fire.”
I fold my arms. “Right. Because sitting on my hands while you guys do all the work keeps me totally safe. There’s no scenario in which the bad guy actually finds me, right?”
Dean stands, a placating hand raised. “All right, that’s enough. Isabel, I’m giving Lincoln point on your security detail. You may have gotten some good intel, and I will absolutely look into it. But for right now, you’re going somewhere safe until we sort this out.”
He sounds so final, and that’s what really stings. “Fine,” I finally say through gritted teeth, hating how resentful I sound. “But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”
Lincoln exhales a sigh of relief. “I don’t expect you to be happy. I just expect you to cooperate. Let’s go.”
Before I can argue further, he motions for me to follow him. There’s no use picking another fight—not now, anyway. I haven’t given up on my plan to dig into my suspect, but I’ll have to play it smarter. I stand, ignoring the look of sympathy in Dean’s eyes, and sling my bag higher on my shoulder.
Out in the hallway, Lincoln leads me toward the elevator—probably expecting me to climb into his SUV without complaint. Fat chance. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve.
We reach the lobby, where the afternoon sun filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm light over the polished floors. My heart tugs a little; I’ve spent years here at Maddox Security, building my own reputation as someone who can handle anything thrown her way. Now it feels like I’m being shoved to the sidelines, and I hate it.
Lincoln gestures toward the front doors. “I’ll drive. We’ll stop by your apartment if you need anything else.”
“I came prepared,” I mutter, tapping the bag slung across me. “Dean texted me at six this morning telling me I’d be staying with you. I’ve got my essentials.”
He nods, suspiciously. “Smart.”
Normally, I’d take the compliment, but right now I’m too focused on how I’m going to execute my plan. One thing’s certain: Lincoln is sharp. He’s not going to give me many openings.
We reach the entrance, and I slow my steps. “Uh, before we leave, I need to use the restroom,” I say, trying to keep my voice casual.
His dark gaze lingers on me, as though he can see right through my ruse. “You’d better not be trying to—”
“Oh, come on,” I say with an exasperated huff. “I’m just a human being who had two cups of coffee this morning.”
He sighs, gestures down the hall. “All right. But if you’re not out in two minutes, I’m coming in after you.”
I force a playful eye-roll. “Please, that’s the last thing you want to do. No guy willingly enters the women’s bathroom.”
He arches an eyebrow but says nothing, stepping aside so I can slip away.
My heart hammers as I hurry to the bathroom, adrenaline surging. The moment I’m inside, I force a deep breath. It’s an older building, and thankfully, the window in here is big enough for me to squeeze through—at least I hope so.
Tossing my bag to the side, I grip the sink, taking a moment to steady myself. A faint tremor runs through my fingers. Am I really doing this? Running off on my own when a legitimate threat is hanging over my head? My chest tightens. The truth is, I might be an adrenaline junkie, but I’m not reckless. This is about more than just my ego. I need to find whoever is targeting me, not hide away until the danger passes.