ESCANTA: A James Thomas Novel (The James Thomas Series Book 1) by Brooke Sivendra Page B

investigate. For example, your bodyguard who’s taking a nap—his tracker would alert that his pulse rate has dropped significantly, considering what I injected him with, and that would trigger an alert. We’d actually have two bodyguards with you, but even if we didn’t we would’ve tried to call him, and obviously he wouldn’t answer, so we’d check the cameras and find out what’s going on. That should all take seconds, not fifteen minutes.”
    “You recommended them,” Mak said.
    “I know, and that’s why I’m testing them. I think given their massive failure tonight, you should terminate the contract and we’ll look after you,” Deacon said.
    “Did you find some resources overnight?” She crossed her arms over her chest, but her voice had a hint of playfulness.
    Deacon ignored the jab. “Circumstances change every day, Mak.”
    “You didn’t answer the question, Deacon.”
    “Yes, then, we found some resources overnight,” Deacon said, grinning. “The choice is yours, Mak.”
    James watched as the two men from Mak’s security firm ran down the hallway toward her office.
    Deacon must have heard them approaching because he said, “This is going to get ugly.”
    The door flung open and two men burst in with guns loaded.
    “Mercy, mercy,” Deacon said, holding his hands up in surrender. He turned to face the men.
    The two men looked at each other but kept their guns poised.
    “What the hell are you playing at, Thomas?” one of the men said.
    “I thought I’d perform a security test. We referred Mak Ashwood to you, provided certain protocols and systems were put in place. You have failed on almost every one of them. What do you have to say about that?”
    They didn’t answer.
    “Where is Ren?”
    “If you’re talking about Mak’s bodyguard,” Deacon said, “he’s taking a nap under a cubicle desk, three rows down.”
    Their eyes blazed and one of the men gestured to the other to go and check.
    “Do you think this is funny, Thomas?”
    That’s the wrong question to ask, James thought. Deacon was passionate about their business and genuinely cared about all of their clients. It wasn’t just an alternative lifestyle to their past, he loved what he did now and James thought that perhaps by protecting other people, Deacon thought he could somehow atone his soul—just a fraction—for Nicole’s death.
    Deacon let his true feelings show. “Funny? No, I don’t think it’s funny at all. You failed to protect her. You gave me fifteen minutes to break into this building and slit her throat, and all I needed was two-and-a-half minutes and I had her in my arms. Do you think that’s funny?”
    “I didn’t set the systems up,” he rebutted.
    “I don’t give a fuck who did. At the end of the day, you failed and we will never refer a client to you again. And we will make sure that our contacts know exactly what happened here tonight.”
    The boutique security industry was a well-connected group, and James knew he realized what that meant to their future.
    The second man came back into Mak’s office. “He’s alive, but unconscious.”
    The man, clearly wearing the pants in this duo, nodded. “Well, you’ve made your point. I’ll personally ensure she’s safe from here.”
    Deacon shook his head and then turned to Mak. “Write a letter terminating your contract and sign it. He can take it back to his boss.”
    “Is that your definition of a choice?” she questioned, remaining stationary on the edge of her desk.
    James bit his lip, amused at Deacon’s slip-up.
    Deacon smiled. “I apologize,” he said. “Mak, would you like to stay with these useless guys, or would you like Thomas Security to handle your case from this evening forward?”
    She shook her head, and then stood up and moved to the back of her desk. She typed out a letter on her computer, printed and signed it, sealed it in an envelope and handed it to the man in charge.
    “Please pass this on. I will also email a