Page 6 of Cooper’s Promise

“What the fuck!” He had left Little Girl defenseless. By pushing her away, he had practically handed Brenna to a predator gift-wrapped with a bow on top. This was all his fault. He slammed his foot into the bag again, then hit it with so many rapid punches that the dust started to come from the ceiling.

“Fuck!”

He went to his weights. Up and down. He bench-pressed until he was past the point of burn, and well on the way to pain. He needed to stop, because he needed to be in top shape when he killed the fucker who was stalking Brenna.

He got up from the bench, and realized that he still had too much anger and adrenaline to sleep. He suited up for a run. It was two in the morning; maybe the quiet and fresh air would help clear out the heavy soup of rage.

Cooper didn’t know what was more upsetting, that some asshole was stalking Brenna, or that he had let her down. Because he knew that this was a real threat despite her claims otherwise. He knew Brenna. He’d been studying her for years. If she had brought this guy up, then he was a big fucking deal. And he was going to be stopped. Like yesterday.

* * *

Forty seconds after hitting the door of his office, all hell broke loose, and Cooper’s best-laid plans went up in smoke.

“Coop, we need you.” Grey Holden looked at him with steel in his eyes as he called him into the big conference room. His wife and partner, Athena, was standing in the room, and she looked pissed.

“What’s up?”

“Everything blew up in Berlin since you left. You handled everything perfectly. It was the fucker Bruno that immediately started getting shaky and told Didier that we had him in our sights. Didier now has a hit on you. Well, on your alias, William Langston.”

“Are you kidding me? Didier knows I took out his boss. He knows that his entire arms network is finished. He’s never shown the slightest bit of initiative. I thought he was going to run,” Cooper said with disgust.

“Grey and I will go and take care of this. You’ve done enough. What’s more, you’ll be a target the moment you step foot in Germany.” Cooper stared at Athena, who was regal, but deadly. However there was no way he was going to put either of them at risk over something he considered his mission.

“This is my operation. I’m going.”

“This is our company. You’re our employee. You’re staying here.” Grey’s voice brooked no argument.

Cooper gave a mirthless laugh. “I quit.”

Athena’s eyes danced, and she held out her hand to Grey. Cooper watched as Grey pulled out his wallet, and took a hundred dollar bill and placed it in his wife’s palm.

“What’s going on?” Cooper asked.

“I bet that you would quit if Grey pulled rank,” Athena chuckled. “Grey took the bet and lost.”

“Yeah, well, I guess I’m flying coach this time.” Cooper headed towards the door of the conference room.

“Hold up, cowboy. You’re not quitting,” Grey said, and then he held out one of the conference room chairs for his wife to sit down. She sat, then Grey took a seat beside her. “We’re paying for your ticket, only business class, mind you, to Berlin. Let’s talk strategy.”

“I’ve got to make a quick phone call first.”

“Understood.” Athena gave a radiant smile. She smoothed the hundred-dollar bill on the table in front of her. Grey just shook his head in indulgent amusement. God, what Cooper wouldn’t give to have that kind of relationship.

He left the room, and went to his cubicle to give Hudson a quick call. When it went to voicemail, he debated what to do next. Finally, he called Brenna.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Brenna.”

“Coop?” God, he hated it when she called him that.

“Um, is Hudson there?”

“No, he just left.” Goddammit.

Time to take the bull by the horns. “Brenna, when will Hudson be back? Are you okay?”

“It’s not your place to worry.”