And Then We Sever Read online

  Instead, she cleared her throat. “Yeah, it’s going to be a crazy couple of days.”

  “You know I’m here if you need anything, right? You only have to ask.”

  “I know, I appreciate it.” Her voice came out softer than she’d intended, and their gazes locked together, rooting her to the ground.

  A key turning in the door snapped her out of it and she stepped back to arrange her notes on the podium.

  Alec, Declan’s cousin and business partner, appeared in the doorway, propping the door open before striding across the meeting space.

  “You’re late,” Declan called out with a grin.

  Alec frowned at his watch. “I’m ten minutes early.”

  “Aye, and while you were sleeping in, we’ve already prepped everything.”

  “Och, aye?” Alec’s brow lifted. “Well, if you don’t need me, there’s a nice warm bed waiting for me at home.”

  “No, I need you,” Cressida said. A major part of their security model required both of the McKinley cousins.

  But Alec’s challenging gaze was all on Declan, who pursed his lips in defeat. He could no longer tease his cousin for being tardy when Alec was doing it on purpose. Now that he and Mercedes were engaged and living together, Alec was less likely to work the hours he used to.

  It wasn’t long until the operatives filled the room, chatting quietly while they waited for the briefing to start. Cressida riffled through her notes, waiting for everyone to settle into their seats.

  Shake, who had entered along with the others, crossed the room and leaned into her ear. “I’m going to say one more time, those shirts were a bloody brilliant choice.”

  She followed his gaze to their newest agent, Noah Ramirez, the primary reason Shake spent so much time in front of a mirror lately. Noah, a former US Marshal, had only joined the team a few months ago, leaving California to start over. He was certainly easy on the eyes, but it was his gentle charm and dimpled smile that made him so lovable.

  Noah talked quietly to Mason Wright, a handsome Black man who had joined McKinley Security at its inception. Trained in the United States military, he was a brilliant medic whose skill and calm demeanor had seen them through more than one life or death situation. Without Mason, neither Alec, nor his fiancée Mercedes would be alive today.

  Declan’s deep laughter rippled through the air, and her attention swiveled to him. Alec must have said something hilarious because they were both grinning from ear to ear.

  God, she loved the spark that alighted Declan’s face when he laughed. She could absolutely lose herself in the warm shivers spiraling through her.

  Damn it.

  The unchecked thoughts she’d been having all morning were unacceptable. These men, all of them, had taken her in and become her family. The few people she’d ever let herself trust.

  She’d do anything to keep them.

  Inhaling deeply to center her mind, she focused on the notes in front of her. Maybe she needed to take Griff up on the offer after all.

  “Aye, if you can have a seat, we’ll get started,” Alec said as he stepped to the front of the packed room. “Cressida has a few words and then we’ll send you on your way.”

  Cressida’s fingertips tingled until Alec turned the room over to her. Squaring her shoulders, she took the reins of the meeting, the nervous energy dissolving at last.

  Two

  Nothing impressed Declan McKinley more than watching Cressida transform. He had to force himself to examine the back of the room rather than openly admire her in front of this lot.

  She was born to be on the stage, literally, and she adapted that skill whenever she needed to. Her body language shifted into a confident, self-assured leader with a deep understanding of every aspect of this complicated case.

  That hardened shell was what the world got, the one she presented to people she kept at a distance.

  But only minutes ago, in the quiet of the room, Cressida had let him see the vulnerability that lived beneath the surface.

  When she told him she thought she was a fraud, he’d nearly come out of his skin. Those liquid pools of charcoal and embers gazed up at him with uncertainty, making him want to gather her up and hold her against him. If she saw what he did, she would know nothing could be further from the truth.

  It had taken years of friendship before she let that barrier down when they were alone, and Declan never took those moments for granted.

  Cressida brushed her dark hair behind her ear and pointed up at the map on the wall. “We have designated no-photography areas. Keep an eye out for anyone who may have a hidden device in their hands that could record the prototypes on the floor. If anything seems off, call it in.” Cressida turned to Declan and touched his shoulder, making his muscles fire in response. “We’ve stationed some of our team in black polo shirts like this. This is deliberate. We want to show a security presence on the floor.”

  “Other team members are dressed less conspicuously, like me. Our goal is to keep a closer eye on the attendees and call in anything that looks suspicious. Do not attempt to engage with anyone on your own. That’s what the muscle gets paid for. Surveillance teams will monitor closely from above and can dispatch team members to your location if needed. Any questions?”

  A few operatives asked clarifying questions, which Cressida handled swiftly. A silent groan played out in Declan’s head when Phillip Rancine, a senior tech, raised his hand. “Yeah, I want to know why I have to be in the auditorium listening to boring speeches when it’s clear all the potential action will be on the exhibit floor.”

  Prick.

  Cressida tilted her head, offering Phillip a tight smile. “As I explained in our conversation last week, the auditorium is an important venue for the companies showcasing their tech. It may not seem like the obvious place for IP to be stolen, but it’s still a risk.”

  Phillip shot a look at one of his mates as if he couldn’t understand the answer. “All the more reason for less skilled agents to take it on and let the more qualified men handle the higher risk. Why would you put your best operatives where they aren’t as likely to be used?”

  “Because that’s where your lead wants you,” Declan said, adding a warning to his voice.

  Phillip’s gaze met with Declan’s icy stare, and he snapped his mouth shut.

  Cressida shot Declan a grateful look before moving on. “I don’t have to tell you all that cyber espionage is rampant during these events. We are protecting billions of pounds of intellectual property that may walk right out the door. If we catch someone in the act, we’ll detain them and turn them over to the authorities. Any further questions, you can find me on the showroom floor.”

  Once the meeting ended, the operatives filed out of the room to take their positions. Cressida straightened up her notes and shoved them into the folder, annoyance furrowing her brow. Her expression softened when she saw Declan approach.

  “Thanks for the backup.”

  “Always,” Declan said. “He’s good at his job, but sometimes he pisses me off.”

  She opened her mouth to say something when the chime of her mobile went off again. Declan’s jaw clenched as he caught sight of the name Griff on the screen before she swept it up and began typing.

  The wanker of the month was at it again.

  Declan didn’t even need to meet the little fuck to know he didn’t like him. Red flags flew all over the place with this one. The number of times he’d seen her mobile light up with his name blazoned on the screen gave him stalker vibes.

  As much as Declan loathed it, he kept his tongue. It wasn’t worth the rift that came between the two of them the few times he’d commented on the men she went out with.

  Inhaling deeply to cover his irritation, he stepped away, letting her have a bit of privacy.

  Her face was unreadable as she finished her text and tucked her mobile in her pocket. She walked up to Declan and tugged her bag off the table next to him.

  “Hey, sunshine,” he said,
quiet enough that only she heard him. Cressida paused and turned to him, her warm sable eyes pulling him in like gravity. “You’ve got this.”

  A soft smile played on her lips, showing off those incredible dimples. “Thanks, Dec. I always feel better knowing you’re nearby.”

  Declan’s heart picked up, but he did his best to remain impassive as she walked to the door and disappeared into the hall.

  “You need to do something about this.”

  He turned to find Alec leaning against a table, watching the exchange. Declan didn’t have to ask what his cousin meant, but he wasn’t up to chatting about it now.

  “Bugger off, aye.”

  Alec chuckled and stood up straight. “Whatever you say, mate.”

  Cheeky bastard.

  Declan grabbed his badge and looped it around his head. Alec fell into step with him as he locked the room and walked to the showroom.

  His thoughts may be all over the place, but he was damn good at keeping them off his face. Except when it came to Alec. The two of them had always been that way, even as lads. Alec was his inner thoughts, putting to words the tough things Declan didn’t want to hear.

  It was payback, really.

  During the roller coaster from hell Alec had experienced a few months ago, Declan hadn’t been shy about calling out shit when he saw it. Now Alec was returning the favor in spades.

  On the showroom floor, Declan caught sight of Cressida, noting how she’d already slipped into the role of an enthusiastic tech employee. But that business casual outfit did nothing to dim the glow that radiated off her.

  Declan forced himself to look away, pushing back all the feelings he’d gathered for her over the years. She was one of his most treasured friends and a vital employee. He never wanted that to change.

  But she had no idea… No clue what she was to him.

  And chances were, she never would.

  Three

  Cressida strolled along the maze of booths, taking a moment at each one to chat with the vendors and collect information about their companies. Her favorite leather and canvas tote was quickly filling, most of which was destined for the rubbish bin as soon as she got home. But it wasn’t all for show. Some of the tech was really exciting.

  She was so entranced by a robot delivering takeaway food that she walked right into a solid mass of a man.

  “Oh, shit.” The impact toppling her backward. A steady hand slipped around her waist, keeping her from landing on her arse. “Bloody hell. I’m so sorry.”

  Cressida looked up into the man’s face, and her heart dropped. Hazel-brown eyes sparked with open amusement attached to an incredibly attractive face. She clutched his arm, toned muscles hid beneath the fine cloth of his three-piece suit.

  The man grinned at her, his hand holding on to her waist. He seemed to realize this at the same time she did and righted her on her feet.

  Well, at least he’s not a creep.

  “No, that was my bad,” he said in an East Coast American accent. “I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I ran right into you.” A soft flush grew over his fair cheeks that only added to his attractiveness.

  “Well, I think I stomped on your foot, so I guess we’re even.” She held her hand to him. “I’m Cressida Bennett.”

  He took it and squeezed tightly. “Jack Weston.”

  His eyes trailed to her chest and lingered on the white button-up shirt.

  Okay, maybe a creeper after all.

  “So, you’re not presenting anything. What is it you do?”

  She flushed when she realized he’d been checking out her badge and not her boobs. “I work in cyber security. Are you with an exhibitor?”

  Jack flashed a wide grin. “I am. I’m a senior vice president of CloudShore Tech.”

  “Oh, cloud storage facilities with a focus on green energy, right?”

  “That’s right. Our latest storage model is more compact and draws less energy than the current products on the market.” Jack tilted his head. “You should come over and check it out.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Lead the way.”

  Cressida followed Jack through the maze of displays to one of the larger exhibits on the floor. A rainbow of light and the quiet thump of techno music pounced behind a table. A tall, lean man dressed in a lime-green shirt was the only worker there.

  When the employee saw Jack, his eyes widened, and his body went rigid. “Mr. Weston,” he stammered. “I thought you were in a session.”

  “I was, but I wasn’t learning anything new, so I bailed early.” Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay, Neil?”

  “Uh, yeah.” Neil shifted his feet. “We’ve had quite a few people stop in.”

  “Good.” Jack turned to Cressida and put his hand on the small of her back. “Come on over and check out the latest model.”

  Cressida scanned the surrounding booths before she turned her attention to the prototype. It wasn’t much larger than the standard computer tower, a fraction of the size of current cloud storage servers. The case was opened, allowing visitors to see the components inside.

  “This is the entire system?” At Jack’s nod, her gaze dropped back to the device. “Well, aren’t you the sweetest little thing,” she cooed at it.

  Jack chuckled. “She’s tiny, but she packs a lot of punch. The internal drives need less cooling, so the thermal systems pull less energy than anything else on the market. Couple that with some of our other services and we can change the impact of data storage around the world.”

  “That’s amazing. I’ll take a leaflet in case my company wants to change how they store their data.” Cressida reached to take a brochure.

  “Now’s the time to jump on it. We are the future in green data storage.”

  She flipped through the pamphlet, then added it to her tote. “I should be off. They sent me here to look into a new security system. If I come back empty-handed, I’ll never hear the end of it. It was nice to meet you.” She flashed him one more smile before following the carpeted path out of the exhibit.

  Jack followed her out. “Wait. Can I buy you a drink sometime?”

  “I’m not—” A movement over Jack’s shoulder caught her attention, and she stammered.

  Neil, the employee working the booth, was standing at the end of the CloudShore Tech display. Something about the way he was holding his body set off warning flags.

  Nervous shifting. Eyes flitting from Jack, down the corridor of exhibits and back.

  And a tight hand gripping a small object.

  Shit.

  Jack took her pause to mean she was considering the drink. “I’d love to chat with someone who knows about our system. It’s refreshing, actually.”

  “Oh, um. Yeah, that sounds great.” What the hell had she agreed to? She reached for her mobile and checked the screen, turning it away from Jack’s eyes. “Oh, damn. I’ve missed a few calls from my supervisor. I need to ring him back.”

  Jack stepped back. “Of course. Take your time.”

  Cressida moved out of earshot, giving her a better view of Neil in the booth. He was getting ruddier by the second. The beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face, pooling on his lime shirt.

  A man in a dark-blue suit ambled up to the table, his head turning to look down the corridor. When Neil caught sight of him, the shifting of his feet intensified, and his fair skin blazed to a near scarlet.

  Cressida’s heart rate rose. It could be totally innocent, and Neil was having some kind of social anxiety crisis. But every nerve was telling her something was off.

  She touched the button hidden in her earpiece and placed the mobile to her ear to cover it. A hushed white noise sounded before her brother’s voice broke over the line. “This is Apollo.”

  “This is Artemis. I need a private channel with the floor leader. Do you copy?”

  “Copy, connecting now.”

  “This is Rebellion.” Declan’s voice came through the earpiece. “What on earth are yo
u doing, Artemis?”

  “Well, I was chatting up a smart executive.” She ignored Declan’s grunt of disapproval. “But I think I might’ve stumbled onto an exchange in booth seven forty-six. Remain stealth. Targets are sweeping the floor for security.” Her eyes darted to the potential exchange. “Do you see the man in the blue suit near the booth?”

  “Aye.”

  “I see him too,” Shake said, confirming that he was monitoring from above.

  “The employee may have a flash drive in his hand. Both have their eye on the VP I’m chatting with.”

  “Matrix has mobilized to your east side,” Shake said, letting her know Mason was in position nearby.

  Jesus, was she about to unleash two very large, very skilled operatives on an innocent conference goer?

  No, everything in her told her this was all wrong.

  “On your order, Artemis.” Declan’s calm voice steadied her. He would wait all day until she was sure.

  Cressida’s heartbeat thundered as her eyes swept the show floor. Declan and Mason were close, but they wouldn’t show themselves until they were ready. She watched the booth with her peripheral vision until Neil reached out to shake Blue Suit’s hand.

  The flash drive changed hands.

  “Exchange confirmed. Go.”

  Declan appeared out of the crowd, blocking the man in the blue suit as he tried to leave. “Excuse me, sir, I’m going to need that device in your hand.” His imposing frame cornered the man against the table.

  Neil’s eyes widened in shock when Mason slipped in from the east side of the booth. He looked too stunned to run for it.

  “What the fuck?” Blue Suit’s brow furrowed in irritation. He was a large man, but a few inches shorter than Declan. “How fucking dare you put your hands on me.”

  “I haven’t touched you . . . yet.” Declan’s warning made the man step back, but his expression remained obstinate.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jack burst out, his eyes darting between Neil and Blue Suit. His eyes landed on the logo on Declan’s black shirt. “What . . . ?”