Page 31 of Never and Always
“Here you go, Ev.” Tamara slid the coffee cup to me.
“Thanks, Tam. Put it on my account.”
I swiped my pass at the door to the offices. As I neared the conference room, I heard Piper’s voice. I smiled. She was giving someone a dressing down, and for a change, it wasn’t me.
“Absolutely not, François.” She was sitting in her chair, long legs crossed, and phone to her ear.
I leaned against the door jamb and watched her. That damn skirt clung to every curve, and her heels today were designed to give a man ideas.
She made a sound and then broke into some French. I was no expert, but it sounded fluent. And she was pissed.
I strolled in and her blue gaze whipped to mine.
“François, that’s not what you told me last week. You know what my job is, right? Holding people to account. Ensuring they deliver what they promise.”
She watched me come in, a hint of wariness on her face.
I held out the coffee cup, and when she took it, she sniffed it suspiciously. I bit back a smile. Christ, she was something.
“Mmm-hmm,” she said into the phone. Her voice dripped ice.
I was damn glad that I wasn’t François.
She took a sip of her drink, then her eyes widened and flew back to mine. I smiled. Then, I reached over and checked the bandage on her neck.
She whacked my hand away. I took that as proof she was doing okay.
Yeah, she’d bounced back. Now, I just needed to make sure she stayed that way.
I grabbed a notepad off the table and scribbled a note.
Looked at the updated plans. Everything looks great. Let’s get started on construction.
I gripped her knee and squeezed. She stilled. I stroked the skin just below the hem of her skirt, then I pushed away from the conference table. I gave her a salute as I headed out.
I’d barely taken a few steps into the lobby when the hotel’s concierge caught my gaze and waved. I changed directions.
Enzo Rossi was Italian-American, with dark hair, a face the female guests loved, and an intensity he tried to hide behind his charm. He might be a damn good concierge, but I suspected he’d been something very different beforehand.
“Caden wants to see you,” Enzo said.
I liked Enzo. He was good at his job and could always be counted on to help out in any situation. I had no idea exactly what he’d done before he’d come to Windward, but my guess was it had been dangerous.
“Caden tell you about Piper’s deadbeat brother?” I asked.
Enzo nodded, dark eyes flashing. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for him. Although, I believe our hard-working head of security has found him.”
I felt a surge of energy.
“Caden’s in the security room with Gunnar.”
With a lift of my chin, I circled the desk and headed to the security room door. I pressed a thumb to scanner on the new lock, and it beeped, then the door opened.
The place was night and day compared to the old, small, cramped security room. The spacious room was now decked out with a wall of screens and all the latest technology.
Caden was standing with Gunnar O’Neill, the recently hired head of security for the Langston Windward. The former special forces soldier was a little older than me, with a fit, muscular body and a hint of silver in his short hair and stubble. He and Caden had served together in the military. Caden oversaw security for all the hotels around the world, while Gunnar was settling in to take over the reins of things here at the Windward.
“Caden? What have you got?”
