Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
She’d heard him talking about a beach, but she wasn’t sure where he was going. There wasn’t an assignment on the board with his name on it, so she’d assumed it was a vacation. Which seemed weird since he hadn’t been working for McKay-Taggart for more than six months. Vacation days didn’t kick in until then, but she’d guessed that being a member of the boss’s family had its perks.
Another reason to not date David Hawthorne.
Even when she wanted to. She’d sat up late the night before wondering how he was feeling. If he was hurt that she hadn’t replied or if he’d already moved on.
“Not a vacation, exactly, and that’s why I’m going to need you to report upstairs in thirty minutes.” Wade was a big man who’d spent as much time on a ranch as he had in the Army. He started out of her office, the obvious order being that she was to follow. “Kyle was finishing up a close-cover assignment this morning. He was putting the client on her plane back home when he dropped her luggage and broke his damn foot. He’s at the hospital now.”
She hustled to keep up with Wade. “That must have been some heavy-ass luggage.”
“Apparently it was a freak accident thing. He was in the exact right position to have it bust three bones. It’s not a big deal, but he’s going to have to stay off of it for a couple of days, and then he’ll be in a boot,” Wade explained. He had a folder in his hand as he walked down the hallway.
“That’s awful, and I’ll pitch in to send him a basket or something, but I don’t see what it has to do with me. He doesn’t have an assignment on the board.” He wouldn’t if he was going on a vacation. Tessa had a job starting the next day, but it was a short-term gig. She would be providing additional security for the former president, who was coming into town to give a speech at SMU. She was working with the Secret Service to ensure that President Hayes had a quiet, totally drama free three days in Dallas. Then she would have to stare down the weekend. Again.
How could she miss someone she barely knew? The temptation to call him, to apologize, was almost overwhelming, but it didn’t change the fact that it was a mistake to date someone close to her boss. And she knew she didn’t belong in the world David Hawthorne ran in. He wasn’t some down-on-his-luck professor. He had family money behind him, and that came with strings Tessa had already figured out could strangle a girl no matter how awesome the family was.
“This one was off the books, but it’s important to Ian, so I need you to take it.” Wade kept moving toward the stairs that would take them up to the main office of McKay-Taggart. She rarely went up, preferring the relative laid backness of what the rest of the company called the “Man Cave.” The bodyguard unit was on the floor below the main MT office and above Miles-Dean, Weston, and Murdoch’s elegantly high-tech offices. The Man Cave was comfy with a gym and a kitchenette, and sometimes Wade brought his German shepherd. She was comfortable here.
She shook her head. He was definitely not thinking about the assignment she already had. “I can’t. I’ve got a meeting with Secret Service this afternoon.”
She’d been planning this assignment for six weeks. She’d done the legwork, and now all that was left was to knock it out of the park, impress everyone, and get the promotion she deserved. The bodyguard unit was growing, and Wade was looking to break it into two teams with two leads. There was zero question Jamal would get one of those positions. She wanted the other one. Doing this job well would all but assure her of the promotion.
“I’ve already passed that on to Jamal. He and West will take over for you.” Wade opened the door and started up the stairs.
She hurried to catch up. “Hey, you can’t give my assignment away.”
“I can because I’m the boss. It’s literally what I do. I hand out assignments. This is your new one. I hope your passport is up to date.” He handed over the folder.
He knew damn well it was. “All right. I’ll bite. Where am I going?”
“Argentina. You’re flying to Buenos Aires this evening. From there, you’re going to a city on the coast, and then to a private island.”
“So this is a close-cover assignment?” Who was she dealing with? She’d provided security for movie stars and politicians and businesspeople. South America would have its own unique problems, like any place would. Any place in the world could be dangerous under the right circumstances. “Is the client wealthy?”