Blue(20)

Laughing, she puts her arms around my waist and pulls me in close for a hug.

"How are you doing, my sweet girl?"

Sighing at what she means, I give her my best smile. "I'm okay. Evan's inside."

"Yes, I know. He told me he was stopping by. I'll pop in to say hello later. Do you want to come up for tea and a chat?"

"Rain check? I do have things to do."

"Carys, this doesn't have to be hard." Her tone is motherly and philosophical. "You and Evan love each other … " Opening my mouth, I prepare to protest, but she squeezes my side to shush me. "And while you're no longer together, don't let the past destroy the love. You were dear friends before anything else, and you could be so now. Oh, one more thing, my love-Evan could use a friend." 





Now

Evan

RIDING THE ELEVATOR UP to the offices of Hart Corporation is surreal. When I left, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be here again. While I made sure HC kept running and my guys were taken care of with a little help from a friend, the hard part was not knowing if I'd come back.

In addition to Tommie putting my plan into action, Ry stepped in and recruited Tripp to help run things, and with my guys already on staff, the place ran like I never left. It should bother me that my absence didn't make a difference, but it doesn't. When I left, I did everything I could to take care of my guys in the event that I didn't make it back. Then, not too long ago, Ry left the Bureau and stepped in as acting CEO, kept my seat warm, as he put it.

When I left the Army, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Shortly after settling back in the U.S., contacts within the nation's highest paramilitary and CIA agencies reached out for my services, private jobs that required my particular skillset. Some were domestic assignments, but most were international.

I only accepted domestic, wanting to stay close to Carys. It didn't take long to realize I had a bigger opportunity before me, and that's how I started HC, a private firm that does various specialized jobs, from protection for the rich, famous, or infamous, to mercenary jobs, to off-the-book missions. From the outside looking in, HC is a security firm offering bodyguard and other protection services globally.

Exiting the elevator, I see the reception area is empty. The place looks the same, but subtly different. Little things have changed, enough for me to notice. As I walk down the hallway, heading to my old office, I'm brought back to earlier today with Carys.

I deliberately taunted her. I fucking love when she's pissed. She is a lively, vibrant woman, no matter what, but when she gets angry-look out. I wanted to see that.

I missed how her aquamarine eyes darken and liquefy like the tumultuous depths of the sea, how her cheeks and lips heat to a dark blush of pink when provoked-and provoke I did.

I was out of line, but I don't regret it. I'm hard just thinking about her long, dark hair, wildly contrasting her pale, creamy skin. Her eyes always pop with the dark and the light, and her mouth-that fucking torturous mouth that one could argue is too wide, too big. On her, though, with the rest of her features, it's alluring. Kissable. Fuckable.

Fuck, I gotta get it together-running into Ry or one of my men with a raging hard-on and Carys on my mind is not a good idea. Then there was the key to my townhouse. No fucking way was I taking it back. I made sure to give it to Ma before I left the bar. I'm going to wear Carys down, and if I have to play dirty, then so be it.

It doesn't take long to kill my desire. As I step into what is now Ry's office, the reception is chilly. On my way here, I called Ry, letting him know I was coming. It's obvious he shared the news.

He sits behind the desk with Tripp perched on one corner, twisted at an angle that affords him a view of both Ry and the doorway. His blue eyes are impassive as he stares at me.

To the side, one on the couch and the other resting on the arm, are Dex and Shadow. There's a huge, tall black guy I've seen before looking out the window. If I'm not mistaken, he was Ry's partner at the Bureau, Davis Cooper.

"Van." Tripp is the first to speak. Ry and I share a silent understanding; he's tried, but Tripp's not happy with me.

"Tripp," I say warmly, giving him a full bear hug. At first, he's stiff, but he quickly relaxes, as he slaps me twice on the back before stepping away.


      ///
       
         
       
        

Dex and I do a quick handshake and dip of the chin. Things are now cool between us. We talked and I shared enough to placate him. Shadow is next, and my gut clenches. This all started because of my dumbass move that put him in a dangerous situation. He was partially blind on the information because I put my ego before the safety and security of my man.