Page 17

I entered the building, ignored the nods from passing staff, and took the elevator to my office on the top floor.
Even as I stepped into my office and my secretary reminded me of the upcoming board meeting, I couldn’t fully shake the worry gnawing at me.
I paced toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, surveying the city like it held the answers I needed.
I finally reached a decision and phoned my secretary.
“Mia, contact Shaw for me,” I said.
“Right away, sir,” she replied.
Moments later, my phone buzzed with Shaw’s name on the caller ID.
Shaw, CEO of Bracken Security, was an old army buddy—a man with a reputation for leaving no stone unturned when it came to protection.
“Shaw,” I greeted, getting straight to the point. “I need one of your specialists on a close-protection assignment. The target’s name is Victoria Amelia Blake.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end before Shaw’s amused voice came through.
“Cole Valen, calling me for a bodyguard? Who’s this lady, huh? Can’t say I ever pictured you going to such lengths for a woman,” Shaw said.
I let out a sigh, suppressing my impatience. Shaw was perceptive, but this wasn’t the time for him to dig into my personal affairs.
“Just make sure your guy keeps a low profile. No interaction unless absolutely necessary. If her ex is behind this, I don’t want her dragged into his mess again,” I told him.
“Sure, Cole, whatever you say,” Shaw replied with a laugh. “Consider it done. But seriously, who is she?”
“She’s…” The words hung in the air, unspoken.
I could barely define it myself. I continued, “Just make sure your man doesn’t slip up. I can’t afford for her to find out about this.”
Shaw gave a low whistle.
“Got it. Your secret’s safe with me,” he said.
As I ended the call, I felt a presence at the door.
Christian, my younger brother, stood there, arms crossed, an amused gleam in his eyes.
I groaned, annoyed at the timing of his appearance.
“Eavesdropping, were we?” I asked coolly.
Christian shrugged, sauntering into the room like he owned the place.
“So, is Tori the reason you’ve been skipping important meetings to gallivant off to Oak Bridge?” Christian asked, ignoring my question completely.
“Oakridge Bay,” I corrected, leaning back into my chair with a heavy sigh.
But my correction only seemed to amuse him, as he settled himself into the seat across from me without a hint of shame.
He crossed one leg over the other, taking his time as he looked around my office.
“And does she have any idea what kind of monster she’s dealing with?” Christian asked.
My jaw clenched.
“You’re calling your older brother a monster?” I asked dryly, giving him a pointed look.