Page 34
Story: Power Switch
“Mess.”
“Trouble.”
“Questions?”
I fake confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He laughs into his fist. “You'd make a terrible spy.”
“No doubt. Okay, fine, you caught me. What was that call all about, hmm?”
Trey drags a hand down his face. “Jessica. She's getting fucking clingy. Calling all the time, asking me to come over. And now she thinks someone is following her and keeps trying to get me to come over and protect her.”
My forehead wrinkles as I raise both brows. “Really? That's scary. Think it has something to do with Shawn? I mean, he went after Rachel, so he might do the same with Jessica since he thinks you two are a real couple.”
Anger flashes in his eyes. “Maybe. Doubtful though. Plus, I think she's making it all up.”
“Why would she do that?”
He offers me a pointed look before rolling his neck. Reaching back, he massages the muscles there. “Who knows? All I know is I'm damn exhausted.”
A tingle of guilt eats at me. He’s only in this exhausting situation with Jessica because of me. How can I be so selfish, asking him to keep this up?
“If you want to back out—”
He shakes his head. “It's not that. It's all of it combined. And we're still trying to figure out who my mother's inside guy is on the team. It's nonstop.”
Shit, here I've been relaxing and taking it easy while the guys are running ragged. I’d forgotten about the inside man we have somewhere on the team. Trey’s mother didn’t give a single clue as to who’s been feeding her information, just that she has someone. Based on the information she had on the altercation in Texas between Trey and my mother’s slimy boyfriend, we believe her. But they still don’t know who it could be.
“We need a vacation,” I say in jest.
His head pops up, offering me his full attention. “You do.”
“Not just me. All of us.”
“I will in three and a half years,” he says with a smile. “But until then, you deserve one. You get several weeks off a year during your term. Take a week off, go somewhere you can relax.”
Chewing on my thumbnail, I debate the suggestion. “Maybe Taeler could come with me. Somewhere for Christmas would be fun, and she’ll be out of school for the long break. Somewhere warm maybe.”
His smile widens, displaying his straight white teeth. “That's a great idea. Past presidents have visited Hawaii, which means there’s housing with the level of security we would need.”
My head bobs as the idea takes root. “Let's do it. I'll talk to my secretary about the arrangements, and T can work out the security details with her. Four months’ planning should be enough, right?”
Trey nods.
“Planning for what?”
I gasp in surprise as Trey reaches for the gun nestled beneath his suit jacket while turning toward the door. Kyle steps through the parted french doors, broad smile stretched across his arrogant face. His gaze flicks between Trey and me as he pauses behind a red velvet wingback chair.
“Benson. Walmart,” he says in way of greeting. Rounding the Victorian-looking chair, he unbuttons his suit jacket and folds down into the stiff cushions, the picture of ease.
Trey looks to me. “Were you expecting him?”
I shake my head.
“What are you doing here, Kyle?” I snarl. My hands shake with nerves and fear races through my veins just at the sight of him. Rolling my shoulders, I push off the wall, marching across the room toward him when every cell in my body screams at me to run in the opposite direction.
“Came by to see how you were doing. I heard about the… incident.” He smirks.
“Trouble.”
“Questions?”
I fake confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He laughs into his fist. “You'd make a terrible spy.”
“No doubt. Okay, fine, you caught me. What was that call all about, hmm?”
Trey drags a hand down his face. “Jessica. She's getting fucking clingy. Calling all the time, asking me to come over. And now she thinks someone is following her and keeps trying to get me to come over and protect her.”
My forehead wrinkles as I raise both brows. “Really? That's scary. Think it has something to do with Shawn? I mean, he went after Rachel, so he might do the same with Jessica since he thinks you two are a real couple.”
Anger flashes in his eyes. “Maybe. Doubtful though. Plus, I think she's making it all up.”
“Why would she do that?”
He offers me a pointed look before rolling his neck. Reaching back, he massages the muscles there. “Who knows? All I know is I'm damn exhausted.”
A tingle of guilt eats at me. He’s only in this exhausting situation with Jessica because of me. How can I be so selfish, asking him to keep this up?
“If you want to back out—”
He shakes his head. “It's not that. It's all of it combined. And we're still trying to figure out who my mother's inside guy is on the team. It's nonstop.”
Shit, here I've been relaxing and taking it easy while the guys are running ragged. I’d forgotten about the inside man we have somewhere on the team. Trey’s mother didn’t give a single clue as to who’s been feeding her information, just that she has someone. Based on the information she had on the altercation in Texas between Trey and my mother’s slimy boyfriend, we believe her. But they still don’t know who it could be.
“We need a vacation,” I say in jest.
His head pops up, offering me his full attention. “You do.”
“Not just me. All of us.”
“I will in three and a half years,” he says with a smile. “But until then, you deserve one. You get several weeks off a year during your term. Take a week off, go somewhere you can relax.”
Chewing on my thumbnail, I debate the suggestion. “Maybe Taeler could come with me. Somewhere for Christmas would be fun, and she’ll be out of school for the long break. Somewhere warm maybe.”
His smile widens, displaying his straight white teeth. “That's a great idea. Past presidents have visited Hawaii, which means there’s housing with the level of security we would need.”
My head bobs as the idea takes root. “Let's do it. I'll talk to my secretary about the arrangements, and T can work out the security details with her. Four months’ planning should be enough, right?”
Trey nods.
“Planning for what?”
I gasp in surprise as Trey reaches for the gun nestled beneath his suit jacket while turning toward the door. Kyle steps through the parted french doors, broad smile stretched across his arrogant face. His gaze flicks between Trey and me as he pauses behind a red velvet wingback chair.
“Benson. Walmart,” he says in way of greeting. Rounding the Victorian-looking chair, he unbuttons his suit jacket and folds down into the stiff cushions, the picture of ease.
Trey looks to me. “Were you expecting him?”
I shake my head.
“What are you doing here, Kyle?” I snarl. My hands shake with nerves and fear races through my veins just at the sight of him. Rolling my shoulders, I push off the wall, marching across the room toward him when every cell in my body screams at me to run in the opposite direction.
“Came by to see how you were doing. I heard about the… incident.” He smirks.
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