Page 35

35

COLLINS

The worst part about my job assignment is feeling like a fucking traitor every time I’m around the Hoffman family. It doesn’t help that Nic called me into his home today to check in with how things are going with Penny.

She didn’t even know I was there because she and Claire were planning something and needing that girl time.

But that’s what I do. I slither in unnoticed and am there to eliminate as many threats to the welfare of the entire Hoffman family as I can.

After discussing in generic terms Penny’s inability to see danger, Nic and I agreed that putting a couple of extra tracking devices on her wouldn’t be a bad idea. Graham isn’t a huge fan of this idea and has made it clear to just leave him out of these little decisions. He’d much rather keep his sister under lock and key and probably would if he didn’t have his wife’s wrath to consider.

Claire, Angie, and Penny are the definition of “girl power.” And while Penny might not quite understand how loyal the other two are to her, she would just need to attend one family discussion to realize their influence.

While the placement of these trackers won’t be directly discussed with her, based on prior knowledge of her brothers’ capabilities and past methods alone, they shouldn’t surprise her that much. Justifying my behavior to myself makes it feel less of a violation. But if Penny were somehow to find out the extent we would all go for her safety, I have a strong feeling she would take out her anger on me—versus the source giving me the orders.

I can handle her—sassy defiance and all.

And she is defiant as fuck.

I knew Penny walked here, because I got a call from the front door security worker at Sky View. I was already headed out, so I followed her discreetly, several paces behind. Not once did she notice my presence.

Sure, Portland is an overall safe city. However, when it comes to protecting my target, I don’t like to make assumptions. Assumptions get people hurt—or worse, killed.

From the cold shoulder Penny gives me in the elevator, I know she’s not a fan of being escorted back to our apartment complex. At this point, I don’t very much care. Finding Penny at Limit-X has solidified every preliminary thought that she isn’t ready to make healthy choices for herself unaccompanied. Pair that with her trip to see Mark Tanner in prison, and let’s just say there’s no way in hell I think her brothers are overexaggerating their need for my services.

I swallow. But Penny doesn’t need a shadow as much as she needs her ass tanned and the image of my hand print seared firmly into her memory. For a second, I allow the fantasy of her being mine to flitter through my limbs, causing my hands to twitch. If she thinks I’m hardcore and rigid now, then she’d be in for a shock if she had me as a…

Fuck.

A lover? Really, Stone.

“I’m still mad at you,” she mumbles, pulling me from my thoughts.

“I can see that.”

“Did you meet with my brother?”

She’s perceptive. I’ll give her that.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Business.”

Penny makes a face, and then follows it up by sticking her tongue out at me. I can’t help but find her disdain for me cute. There’s no part of me that isn’t absolutely enchanted by her courageous passion for trying to piss me off.

Trying.

Because it sure as hell isn’t working. She’s too adorable for me to actually be upset, but she doesn’t need to know the effect she has on me. Revealing a weakness will just get me caught with my pants down, thrusting into her tight…

Fuck.

Now she’s wiggling her tongue back and forth, while I can hear her mental thoughts taunting me with a na-na-na-na-na.

“Put your tongue back in your mouth, Penny.” My words come out more as a threat than a warning. It’s still a failed attempt. Penny isn’t scared of me.

“Aren’t you close to retirement?”

I tip my head back and laugh. She really is quite funny. “Not quite yet. I still got a few years before I’m too old to work.” It’s more like decades left, but who’s counting?

When we get to the lobby, we exit to the main street. Penny looks down both directions of the sidewalk. “See? No axe murderers prowling the street today. I think I’m safe now to make my way home without your overbearing company.”

“I’m going that direction anyway. We can walk together. I insist.”

She scrunches up her nose, remembering we both live in the same building. She’s probably thinking I’ll concoct a plan to be on the same floor as her—for security purposes, of course. The idea did cross my mind.

We walk in silence and maintain a semi-brisk pace back to Sky View.

Except when we get just two blocks away, Penny decides to take a detour down a perpendicular street.

I don’t question her. I just follow.

She’s not in the mood for small talk, and I’m not a fan of using words to fill space that is content in the silence.

But Penny does have me curious.

It takes us about fifteen minutes and several crossed streets to wind up at the gym where her brothers and I often spar.

“Taking me into the ring?” I ask in an amused tone.

“Yes.”

She really is pissed at me.

I jog ahead of her and open the door, granting her first entry.

And I follow.

“You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Then you’re a poor teacher,” Penny slings back at me.

Her words sting and make my jaw twitch.

What is this girl doing to me? Never would I allow anyone to talk to me how she so freely speaks.

Our previous self-defense lesson feels like a lifetime ago, as so much has happened between us since.

“You need to know where your target is, but more importantly any other threats nearby.” I bounce on the balls of my feet. “Keep your eyes moving and protect your head. Protect the soft tissue.”

But all of this advice is useless because Penny is becoming my attacker, charging for me with all her might.

“Ahhhh!”

And it’s me who is trying my best to protect all of her vital organs—as well as mine.

“For fuck’s sake, Penelope!”

But she commits and thrashes about me, hitting me and taking out all of her aggressions.

And I let her—within reason.

I dodge her kick but can’t avoid her slap. “Ouch.”

Penny’s using all sorts of creative moves that would never hold up in a true fight, but she doesn’t seem to care.

When she charges toward me again, I squat down and hoist her up above my head and then send her down toward the blue mat, all while cushioning her fall.

Lying on top of her, I use my legs to immobilize her and pin her wrists to the mat.

“What in the world, Penny?” I huff out, trying to catch my breath.

She thrashes underneath my weight. “Get off of me!”

But I don’t allow her to move. I just press her into the mat and give her the space to struggle without hurting herself.

I hate that she is this fired up, and for what? I have no clue.

“I’m mad at you!”

My eyes search hers. “Fine. But at least tell me why.”

“No!”

“Yes. Tell me what has you so upset.”

She twists and turns, trying to shoulder her way out of my hold.

But it’s useless.

And that part actually scares me.

“If you ever have a man on top of you and you need to get out of the hold, I’m going to teach you the steps. But I need you to be calm enough to listen.”

So I wait. I scoop an arm under her lower back, and I wait.

I wait for Penny’s breathing to get back to a nonpanting status.

I wait for her face to become less flushed.

And I wait until she stops trying to push me away.

“Are you ready now?”

I watch as the heat that was once so present in her eyes fizzles out to lukewarm. But behind those pretty blues, I still see the fight she has inside of her.

Penny nods.

“I need your words.”

“I’m ready.”

Compliance must taste horrible on her tongue if her facial expression is any indication of her true feelings.

I want to laugh, but I also value full usage of my genitals. So I resist.

And for the next thirty minutes, I teach Penny the necessary steps on how to get out of a hold if someone is undesirably on top of her.

“Are you still mad at me?” I ask, handing Penny a small white sweat towel.

“That’s pretty much my permanent emotion at this point.”

“Good to know.”

She gives me a look. “Is it?”

“Yes. Now I’ll know not to try to get your impression of me to change—yet.”

I get another look and a small smirk. I might not even have noticed it if I wasn’t so tunnel-visioned toward this girl.

Then I hear her stomach growl.

“Let’s get you some food.”

Penny shifts her weight to her other foot. “I’ll have to go back to my apartment first. I forgot to bring my purse with my money.”

“I have it covered, Penny. You don’t need to ever worry about money.”

“But I can pay for it with my own money. I don’t need yours.”

“True. But if you pay for it now, I’ll just add it back into your account later. This saves me a step.”

Penny starts to talk but then quickly closes her mouth. And then she opens it again, but never says another word about my revelation.

We exit the gym and walk into a little cafe just a block from Sky View.

“What are you in the mood for?” I ask, scanning the menu.

At least Penny doesn’t seem to have many hang-ups when it comes to food options. She always seems to find something she likes.

“Umm, maybe the…”

An odd feeling hits me all at once, and I glance around the venue.

Something is off.

And if there’s anything I’ve learned in the past, it’s always to trust my instincts.

Reaching for Penny, I gently pull her by her arm to me.

“We have to go.”

Her eyes dart to mine. “What? Why?”

“Something doesn’t seem right. I need you out of here.”

Reaching for my cell, I call Chris. “Corner of Birchview and Norris.”

Wrapping an arm around Penny, I guide her outside and onto the sidewalk. We are really close to our apartment, so I opt to just walk her home.

“You are scaring me,” she says softly.

My eyes keep moving, looking for anything even slightly out of place.

We pass by several groups of walkers.

Why is it so crowded at this time of the day?

When I get us into the lobby at Sky View, I motion for a worker to come closer.

“I need you to make sure Miss Hoffman gets inside her apartment.”

“Understood.”

“I can get there myself,” she whines.

“Not now, Penny. Go.”

Her eyes fill with panic, and it takes everything in me not to press her to me and comfort her.

“Everything will be fine. Just go to your place and wait for me. I’ll be there soon.”

When they walk away, I text the head of security for the building.

Collins: Make sure Penelope Hoffman doesn’t leave the building and no one arrives to her floor without identification.

Then I send a group text to Graham and Nic.

Collins: Checking surveillance at Rose City Cafe. Something seems off while there.

Graham: Gather info and meet at my place in an hour.

Nic: Okay. Is Penny okay? Was she with you?

Collins: She’s fine. I have her back at Sky View. I’m being overly cautious. Could be nothing.

Graham: When have your instincts ever been wrong?

I swallow down the knot forming in my throat.

Collins: Never

Graham: Exactly

Nic: I am working on getting tracers put on cells for prison guards. The last thing we need is a double dipper.

Collins: I can share any credit card, phone, and social media records I’ve collected when we meet.

Graham: See you both soon.