Page 18 of The Protection Agreement

“Did Jonah share her whereabouts after the unit?”

“No, he now knows not to and keeps her whereabouts close to the chest,” Malik answers.

“I don’t get why anyone would want to kill her. Does she know something that she shouldn’t?” Ice asks, still baffled by the whole situation.

“Jonah said they are after her because she’s close to him,” I say.

“So, she’s his weakness,” Smith says.

“I guess so. He got on his knees to beg boss to protect her, and he’s paying double. We can confirm she’s his weakness,” Ice says, leaning back like he has solved the mystery. His answer upsets me, but he could be right that she’s Jonah’s weakness.

“I don’t think they want anything from Jonah. If they did, they wouldn’t try to kill her. They would try to capture her,” I state as everyone leans in. “Something else is at play here and I need to talk to Jonah.” Lexi’s happy face beamed on the screen, her boxed braid pulled into a ponytail. Her smile, bright and glowing, as she looked at Amrit.

“I need everything you can find on Jonah’s half-brother. I didn’t know he had a brother, and Jonah’s PA. Let’s start there before we start ruffling the feathers of Clarke,” I state and they all nod their understanding.

“In the meantime, Ice, you stay with her. They know she’s in Chicago; they haven’t stopped looking. If they knew about the unit, they probably know about her work at Lloyds that’s expected to start soon. We need to find her another job,” I say. Fuck. Realization sets in.

“What does she do?” Malik asks.

“She’s a data scientist.”

“That’s cool,” he says, smiling.

“Only you would think that’s cool,” Ice teases.

“Your friend Declan could use her expertise; his company works with lots of data,” Malik says and my eyes light up. I didn’t think of that.

“Thanks, Malik, that’s a good solution. I’ll ask Declan to see if we can fit her somewhere in his company.”

“On the unit, I was able to break in. It’s just some guy doing some shady accounting business.”

“When did he move into the unit?” I ask.

“About a month ago.”

“When did Jonah get the unit for her?”

“About a week ago.”

“Find out if the guy in the unit has any connection to our three main suspects. It could be staged.”

“Anything else we need to discuss?”

Everyone shakes their head, except Smith who’s staring at the screen. “Smith!” I call out.

“Nothing else,” he says. “Just admiring her. Can’t understand why anyone would want to kill a beauty like her,” he says, licking his lip. I hold in my anger. I need not ask what’s going on in his head.

“Is your gut checking?” Ice mocks.

“You can bet your ass; my gut will hundred percent check if she smiles at me like that. I bet she and that Amrit dude got super close.” He winks, eliciting a chuckle from the others.

“Let’s go. Shut it all down, Malik,” I snap to control my jealous emotion. I didn’t like the way Smith was staring at her, and the seed he just planted about Amrit. He’s dead, my subconscious reminds me.

It is even harder to compete with him if they were an item. Fuck, why is the thought of her with any man this disturbingly irritating to me?

Back in my office, she’s right where I left her. She has added more puzzle pieces. I simply nod to her that I’ve returned and go to my desk. I left for the meeting with questions and returned with more questions. The only consistent answer is the fact someone wants her dead, and not as bait to control Jonah. And my conclusion: not on my watch will they get to her.

Chapter nine