Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1) (7 page)

BOOK: Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1)
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“Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw the woman who left me high and dry in Mexico standing right in front of me.” He smirked.

“I didn’t leave you high and dry, if you will recall.” She bit out.

“Ah, so what do you call leaving in the dark without a word after having some of the best sex in your life?” he said as his fingertip traced the edge of her ear.

“I call it Karma.” Best sex? Really? Damn! Damn! Damn! How was she supposed to get anything done when he was around her? She turned and walked over to the security desk. Jorge was on duty today.  He was Hispanic with deep brown eyes and black hair that was cut short. Liz had hired him several years ago after he retired from the military.  He may look like a security guard, but he was so much more than that. “Hi Jorge, would you please access the database and add Special Agent Maxwell Taylor’s picture, biometric data, retinal scan and DNA? He will be working with me on a special project.”

Jorge nodded at Shelby as he turned to Max “Agent Taylor if you will follow me, please.” Jorge started walking towards the elevator. She couldn’t help but feel a little bit of satisfaction of being able to dismiss him so easily.

Liz walked up to her with a questioning look. “Liz, meet my spontaneous adventure.” She told her. Liz turned and watched as Max followed Jorge to the elevator.

“How interesting that he just so happens to be your summer fling. Shelby, are you going to be able to do this? You were distracted in there, and that’s not like you.” Liz asked her.

“Yes, I can do this.  It was a shock to see him. I mean I didn’t even say anything to him.  I just got up in the middle of the night and left. I wasn't supposed to see him again.” Shelby groaned. “Liz, I have a feeling he knew who I was while we were down there.”

“There is no way he could have known who you were.” Liz looked at John, and he was staring right at her. Her lips thinned as she pondered the question. Oh poor John, if he had any way of knowing that Max was down in Mexico and told him who Shelby was, he was in for a world of trouble.

She was sitting in her dark sanctuary watching all the monitors. Her room was circular with a round multimedia desk in the center. The walls were lined with monitors. The monitors on the wall to the left were all focused on all of Roger Hawks’ businesses and homes, including inside his vehicles. The monitors on the wall to the right were all focused on all of TAG’s interests. There were no blind spots in the TAG complex. Shelby made sure of it.  She could pull up any angle at a moment’s notice. She pulled up the camera from the security room where Max was being processed. She still couldn’t believe that he was here. She didn't like complications, and he was a complication. However, she was trained to be in difficult situations, and this was nothing more than another job. She could handle Special Agent Maxwell Taylor or so, she kept telling herself. 

She turned to the main monitors on the wall in the center and closed the screen so that no one could see the virus developing. She pulled up Roger Hawk’s information. He was the most arrogant man she had ever met. Liz targeted him as her first client with a vengeance. No one knew why, but it wasn't hard to be sold on why and how they were going to ruin the filthy bastard.  She had her own reasons for wanting to bring him down. TAG would bend and break the rules, but all within the law. As far as anyone knew that is.

She watched as Roger left his office building and got into his limo. He wasn't a bad looking man. He was fifty-five, with salt and pepper hair. He had a full head of hair that a lot of men his age envy. He was 5’11 and physically fit for his age. His eyes were grey, and he had a perpetual tan. He reminded her of George Hamilton. He had a beautiful wife Celia, of which he was never faithful to. She was slightly shorter than he was and had raven hair with emerald green eyes. She was the trophy wife.

Shelby heard the door open, and Jorge walked in followed by Max. “Hey Shelby, Agent Taylor is all setup.” He turned to Max, “Agent Taylor, I'll leave you in Shelby’s hands from here. Just let me know if you need anything.” Max nodded at him.

“Thank you Jorge, it was a pleasure meeting you.” Max said. Jorge left them in her sanctuary. 

She always thought of the room as being rather big, but with Max standing there the room suddenly seemed to close around her.

Max walked up to her and swept her hair behind her ear. “You have no idea how disappointed I was to wake up and find you gone. I ran next door only to find the house all packed up and empty.”

“What can I say, we had just met. You can’t tell me you have never had a one night stand.” She folded her arms in defense.

“My past isn't in question here, besides one night stands don’t include several days of foreplay, now do they?”

“Well it’s over and done now. We have to work together apparently, so it’s business.”

“Can you keep it all business Shelby?” he asked as he tipped her chin up. “Somehow I don’t think you can.”

Her back stiffened and she pushed him back away from her and said “Give it your best shot, hot shot. What you don’t seem to realize is that I’m always in control. Make no mistake about it; what happened in Mexico was a onetime deal. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it, but Shelby; there were three times, not one.” He winked at her and with that quirky smile.  Breathe Shelby, you can do this.  She turned around and had a seat.  She motioned for him to have a seat next to her.

“How can I help you Max? What information do you need?”

“Stubborn, I see, but alright for now. Roger Hawk is one of your clients. He is also a person of interest in the death of one of my agents. Kim Le was deep undercover investigating human trafficking when she disappeared. A few days later they found her body or what was left of it. She had been decapitated, and her hands had been severed. She was identified by using DNA.” He paused. “I require all of my agents to submit their DNA into our database just for these purposes. I had hoped I would never have to use it. Patricia Young is the agent that we have not had any contact with since Le’s death. She went deep undercover to infiltrate a group that is dealing in human trafficking. We sent Le in to try to find her.” He stopped for a moment to breathe air into his lungs.

Shelby wanted to comfort him. She could tell he was in turmoil, but she had to keep it strictly on a business level between them. She waited for him to continue. “What I need is all the information you have on his corporation Entertainment Consultants. I need his financials, any video surveillance and traveling that may have occurred outside of the US.”

Shelby looked at him for a moment. “Why don’t you give me the information on Agents Le and Young so I can start cross referencing in our databases and search videos for facial recognition to see what we can come up with? If either of them show up in any of Hawk’s systems, I’ll find it and I'll give you the information you are requesting.”

He eyed her warily. “You are supposed to cooperate with this investigation.”

“I will, once I can confirm that what you are looking for can be obtained within our systems. I am not going to open up our information for the bureau to go on a fishing expedition.”

Max sputtered in exasperation, “You really don’t like the bureau do you?”

“No Max, I don’t and for reasons that are my own.”

“You won’t budge on this?” he asked running his hands through his hair.

“No Max, I won’t. I have to maintain the integrity of my network and I will not compromise it for you or anyone else. Until I feel, it is absolutely necessary all information will remain confidential. We all sign non-disclosure agreements with our clients.  It’s why they trust us explicitly. So unless I find your agents in my network, he’s off limits for now.” She could see the muscles in his jaw start to twitch. “I can always compel you to turn over the information.” He told her smugly.

Shelby couldn’t help but laugh.  His eyes narrowed, and he stood up. “Think about it Shelby. I’ll be back later to see what you have found.” He walked out of her office. As soon as the door closed she pulled up the screen that followed his progress down the hall. Oh yeah, it was good to be the Queen of her domain. She could see everything that was happening in the TAG compound except Liz’s floors. That was off limits. She watched him go down to the lobby and talk to Jorge. Jorge gave him a card key. Wait, what? She zoomed in on the card key. That was a card key for the fifth floor. Shelby got up in search of Liz.

Liz was sitting behind her desk typing away on her keyboard. She looked up at Shelby and raised one of her perfect eyebrows. “Is something wrong Shelby?”

“Liz, please tell me he isn't staying here and if he is why? Why?” Shelby began to screech. She never screeched.

“Shelby, I thought it would be better to allow him to stay on the premises while you look for the information that he has requested. This way there is no waiting for meetings or transportation. He’s right here and the quicker you are able to give him what he needs, the quicker he will be gone. That’s what you want isn’t it?” Liz smirked.

Shelby let out a sigh of resignation. “I see your reasoning, but it just took me by surprise when I saw him in the lobby with the card key to the fifth floor.”

“Shelby, why were you watching him on the monitors? I had just advised Jorge to give Max access.” Liz looked at her suspiciously.

Shelby felt as if she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her face began to get hot, and her palms were sweaty. Well hell, now what? Liz was one of the most observant people she knew. How was she going to get out of this? She acquiesced. “Alright, but I don’t want him under foot while I’m researching Hawk. Liz if they even begin to suspect what you are doing, they will shut us down.”

Liz laughed, “I’d like to see them try. There’s a reason they haven’t caught him by now Shelby and you know it. I would like for you to be ready to launch the virus by the end of Max’s investigation. If you find any connection with Agent Le’s death and Agent Young’s disappearance, I want to know before they do. If Roger had anything to do with either, I want to make sure that it is handled the correct way. We can hand over who is responsible, but we do not have to hand over Roger Hawk on a silver platter until everything is in place.”

“Liz I know that your sole purpose is to ruin Roger Hawk, but will you ever tell me why?” Shelby asked.

Liz thought for a moment, “Shelby you are the closest friend that I have and maybe someday I can tell you the whole story.”

Shelby could understand that. She had her own reasons for hating Roger Hawk. She had a lot of respect for Liz. Liz was a force to be reckoned with, especially if she were angry. She had that slow simmering anger. She was poised, and she never raised her voice, but she could snap a person in two with just a few words. She knew that everyone thought Liz was cold, but she also had a huge heart. She was protective of those she cared about, as well.

Chapter Ten

 

Shelby finished up in her office and left several reports running for the night. She locked her office and went upstairs to her apartment on the fifth floor. There were four apartments on each floor. She lived in the apartment at the end of the hall. It was more spacious than the rest. She walked off of the elevator and turned to the right and stopped. There in the hallway was Max, walking out of his apartment looking simply delicious. His hair still wet from the shower he wore a red polo shirt that stretched across his biceps and stone washed jeans that fit in all the right places. Nipple alert! Her nipples responded and stood at attention at the sight of Max.

“Hey Shelby, I was just going out to get something to eat. Would you like to join me?”

Oh no, that wouldn't be a good idea. This would involve, well getting involved and she had no room in her life for this complication.

“Thank you, but no - I have an early day tomorrow. You see there’s this really big case I’m working on and the sooner we can solve it, everyone can get back to the way they were.”

“Shelby, it’s just dinner.” He crossed his arms determined to wait her out.

The determined look on his face as the muscle in his jaw twitched made her realize that he was going to be stubborn about this. She couldn’t have him just stand out here all night. She huffed “Fine, let me go in and change before we go.”

She walked to her door and unlocked it with her card key. He followed her in and her body tingled when she smelled his aftershave mixed with soap. She remembered smelling that the day they got soaked in the rain. Oh goodness, this is not good. She was feeling that warmth shoot straight down between her legs. Her nipples were getting more sensitive against her bra as they hardened. She stopped at the table in the entryway and dropped her keys.

She immediately felt him behind her feeling his breath on her neck, and the warmth from his body made her nipples tighten as they pushed against her bra. He pushed her hair to the side as he kissed her on the base of her neck. His kiss was like a match to her fuse. She moved away from him and turned.

“Max we can’t do this.” She demanded. “Not again.”

She saw him clench his fist. He was so different now that they were back in the states, but he should have just laughed it off.  Instead, she saw a silently brewing gaze. He didn’t say anything. She had to escape to her bedroom before she changed her mind.

She quickly changed into a t-shirt, jeans with a pair of tennis shoes and was ready to go. She decided to forgo the usually mandated corset that she wore under all her clothes. She just didn’t have the energy. She found Max standing in the entry way leaning against the wall. He straightened up and walked towards her. She was trained not to back down or run, but she had the feeling that she should, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up to his chest and slamming his mouth down on hers. He didn’t wait for her permission. His tongue pushed between her lips demanding entrance. Bells began to go off in her head. He was ringing her bell. No! Wait – that really was a bell. She pulled away, and he wouldn’t let go. 

BOOK: Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1)
13.8Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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