before I wade back into
the water.”
“If you change your mind…”
Micha nodded her thanks. “Enough with my
depressing shit. How about I say, I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch, and we go
get frozen yogurt? It’s my cheat day from marathon training so I want to do it
right. Who’s down for Golden Spoon?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Jaya said. “But
I need to head back after that.”
Ricca yawned. “Yeah, me too.”
A pang of pain sliced at Micha’s heart. There used
to be a time when getting the two of them out of her place had been a battle. Many
a night they’d crash at hers, confident she would wake them when she woke up
for her five am runs. And she had. Not any more though. Now they were both
totally loved up, so not in any rush to spend the night.
Hell, who could blame them? She’d seen their
dudes. She’d rush home too. And she was happy for them. They deserved true
love. They’d both been kicked around enough. Still, she felt the pang of
jealousy with a pinch of ‘what about me?’ She quickly squelched that thought. It
was an easy pathway to doing some things she’d regret.
After a quick frozen yogurt run at Golden Spoon,
the three of them walked back to Jaya’s car. On the way, they passed the
entrance to Micha’s garage, and Micha froze. Her normally cheery, cherry red
mini cooper had been covered in spray paint and graffiti. “What the fuck?” No. No
no no. Not the car. She loved this car. She’d driven an old beater for years,
saving up to buy this thing, and now someone had defiled it. Her eyes pricked
with unshed tears, which she quickly blinked away.
“Oh, shit,” said Ricca.
Jaya was already on the phone with the police,
rattling off Micha’s license plate number and the address. When she hung up,
she came over and rubbed Micha’s back. “You’ll have to go in and file a report
in the morning, but I convinced them to come to you at your office tomorrow.
Okay?”
Micha nodded. Someone was doing their best to
scare the shit out of her, and it was starting to work.
***
With a crick in his neck, Caleb pulled his BMW
into his parking spot. After being relieved by one of his guys for the night shift
on a Swedish heiress, he could have used a drink, but he’d declined when Alec
had called asking for one. He’d rather get home and pass out.
Hell, who knew following a spoiled heiress around
could be so exhausting? If he never saw another woman’s clothing store again it
would be far too soon. Normally, he didn’t have to do details or body guard
service. He had enough men to manage it, but three of his guys were pulled for
ambassador duty in Los Angeles, and he had another on a plane playing
babysitter to a spoiled preteen on his spring break. Now why the hell hadn’t he
taken spring break duty over shopping?
With leaden feet, he trudged to the elevator,
dreaming of grabbing a beer and maybe catching a glimpse of Micha before she went
to bed. Jesus, he had to get a life. It’s not like he didn’t have shit to do
or think about. He wanted to check on Carlotta at the safe house, and he still
had a mountain of paperwork to do. Not to mention, Adele had tapped him for
security upgrades on the new wing of the hotel.
He still hadn’t had any word from Sabine, but if
Caleb knew her well, she wouldn’t stay quiet for long. She’d either call or
show up with some kind of bombshell planned for him. He knew her. It was simply
how she operated. It was sneaky and devious and why he’d left the intelligence
world. He’d posted a man on Carlotta too, which meant he didn’t have enough
guys to have one follow Sabine, though he’d wanted to. His team of twenty was too
thin to support all the work he had going. He’d have to start hiring. Lucky for
him, San Diego wasn’t short on ex-military. But he was picky and only wanted
the best.
On the way to the elevator, he did a cursory check
for Micha’s car and cursed. He wheeled around, drawing his gun, and
the water.”
“If you change your mind…”
Micha nodded her thanks. “Enough with my
depressing shit. How about I say, I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch, and we go
get frozen yogurt? It’s my cheat day from marathon training so I want to do it
right. Who’s down for Golden Spoon?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Jaya said. “But
I need to head back after that.”
Ricca yawned. “Yeah, me too.”
A pang of pain sliced at Micha’s heart. There used
to be a time when getting the two of them out of her place had been a battle. Many
a night they’d crash at hers, confident she would wake them when she woke up
for her five am runs. And she had. Not any more though. Now they were both
totally loved up, so not in any rush to spend the night.
Hell, who could blame them? She’d seen their
dudes. She’d rush home too. And she was happy for them. They deserved true
love. They’d both been kicked around enough. Still, she felt the pang of
jealousy with a pinch of ‘what about me?’ She quickly squelched that thought. It
was an easy pathway to doing some things she’d regret.
After a quick frozen yogurt run at Golden Spoon,
the three of them walked back to Jaya’s car. On the way, they passed the
entrance to Micha’s garage, and Micha froze. Her normally cheery, cherry red
mini cooper had been covered in spray paint and graffiti. “What the fuck?” No. No
no no. Not the car. She loved this car. She’d driven an old beater for years,
saving up to buy this thing, and now someone had defiled it. Her eyes pricked
with unshed tears, which she quickly blinked away.
“Oh, shit,” said Ricca.
Jaya was already on the phone with the police,
rattling off Micha’s license plate number and the address. When she hung up,
she came over and rubbed Micha’s back. “You’ll have to go in and file a report
in the morning, but I convinced them to come to you at your office tomorrow.
Okay?”
Micha nodded. Someone was doing their best to
scare the shit out of her, and it was starting to work.
***
With a crick in his neck, Caleb pulled his BMW
into his parking spot. After being relieved by one of his guys for the night shift
on a Swedish heiress, he could have used a drink, but he’d declined when Alec
had called asking for one. He’d rather get home and pass out.
Hell, who knew following a spoiled heiress around
could be so exhausting? If he never saw another woman’s clothing store again it
would be far too soon. Normally, he didn’t have to do details or body guard
service. He had enough men to manage it, but three of his guys were pulled for
ambassador duty in Los Angeles, and he had another on a plane playing
babysitter to a spoiled preteen on his spring break. Now why the hell hadn’t he
taken spring break duty over shopping?
With leaden feet, he trudged to the elevator,
dreaming of grabbing a beer and maybe catching a glimpse of Micha before she went
to bed. Jesus, he had to get a life. It’s not like he didn’t have shit to do
or think about. He wanted to check on Carlotta at the safe house, and he still
had a mountain of paperwork to do. Not to mention, Adele had tapped him for
security upgrades on the new wing of the hotel.
He still hadn’t had any word from Sabine, but if
Caleb knew her well, she wouldn’t stay quiet for long. She’d either call or
show up with some kind of bombshell planned for him. He knew her. It was simply
how she operated. It was sneaky and devious and why he’d left the intelligence
world. He’d posted a man on Carlotta too, which meant he didn’t have enough
guys to have one follow Sabine, though he’d wanted to. His team of twenty was too
thin to support all the work he had going. He’d have to start hiring. Lucky for
him, San Diego wasn’t short on ex-military. But he was picky and only wanted
the best.
On the way to the elevator, he did a cursory check
for Micha’s car and cursed. He wheeled around, drawing his gun, and
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