Contracted Defense Read online

  Contracted Defense

  by Piper J. Drake

  Time is running out and the enemy is at the gate.

  Adam Hicks may be the rookie at Safeguard, but he’s no novice in the field. Retired from active duty after multiple tours and back fresh from a brief rest in New Zealand, he’s itching to return to action. But the challenge he hoped for arrives in an unexpected form: his sexy yet stern new partner.

  The last thing Victoria Ash wants is to work with the new guy—especially one as gorgeous as Adam. His relaxed attitude about their first “easy” assignment together—setting up a private home defense network for a reclusive client—doesn’t impress her. Easy usually means trouble. She’s proved right when Adam discovers that the multiple incursions on the physical and cyber security systems aren’t just glitches. They’re under attack...and there’s a traitor in their midst.

  As tension mounts, so does the attraction between Victoria and Adam. They must protect their client and the research he’s desperately trying to keep secret. Working together, they have to find the mole before their defense measures, in the fortress and online, are compromised and the deadly secrets they’ve sworn to protect are revealed.

  Book three of the Safeguard series

  This book is approximately 70,000 words

  Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Anne Scott

  One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

  Dedication

  To Corbin, thank you for coming into my life just when my heart needed your love.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Piper J. Drake

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  “The Dalmore, neat, with a water back and a straw, please.” Victoria Ash settled at the bar with a tired sigh. The evening was only half over, and already, she was at loose ends. Of course, being at an engagement party for two of your closest friends with neither your husband nor your working partner made it even more uncomfortable. The two situations were unrelated, at least.

  The bartender gave her a friendly enough smile though. “The 12 year or the 15?”

  She considered a moment. “The 15.”

  “Anything to eat? I could bring you the dinner menu.”

  “No, thank you.” Victoria shook her head. She planned to have a quiet drink, then return to the event held in the adjoining hotel before any of her teammates missed her.

  It was a special night, and for once, she wasn’t overseeing security on the event. Tonight she was the guest of her longtime teammate and employer, Gabe Diaz. He and his fiancée, Maylin Chen, were celebrating their engagement. Any event hosted—and catered—by Maylin promised to feed the guests well, with exquisite innovation. There was absolutely no room left in Victoria’s belly for the dishes this establishment had to offer.

  Victoria had honored her hosts, eaten Maylin’s fine cuisine, and had her fill of champagne. The last tiny dessert bite had been a delicate pear tart topped with impossibly thin shards of dark chocolate. With the decadent taste lingering on her tongue, the Dalmore was her choice to savor and then cleanse her palette. Perhaps after she’d finished a glass, or two, she’d have identified why she was in such an abominably irritable mood and be able to head back to the festivities in a better frame of mind.

  Her drink was placed in front of her with the accompanying glass of plain water. She used the straw to transfer a drop of water into her scotch. Lifting the glass so she could enjoy the aroma from the amber liquid, she smiled as the tiny bit of water opened up the scotch to give her notes of winter spices and orange citrus along with richer hints of dark chocolate.

  Yes. Given a few minutes to enjoy this and she would be in a much better mood. Her ex never did give her a moment’s peace to enjoy her scotch. He preferred shots and chasers. Savoring a drink, enjoying the complexity a good scotch could offer, wasn’t a preference of his. Now, she needn’t take his hurried tendencies into consideration.

  Wasn’t that lovely?

  “Why’re we here?” A belligerent voice interrupted her enjoyment.

  There’d been a handful of customers scattered through the establishment. These three had walked in from the street as she’d been ordering her scotch. Dressed in jeans and tees, they were probably looking for a different kind of bar. This one was a quieter place, enclosed on three sides with brick walls and hardwood shelves lined with real books. It invited people to come, sit, savor a drink and even enjoy a book. There’d been one or two people tucked into corners reading on e-readers. Besides being attached to the hotel hosting the event she’d been attending, the laid-back atmosphere of this bar had attracted her in the first place.

  “You wanted good hard liquor.” One of the noisy trio defended his choice at volume. “My app says this place is the best for scotch and whiskey. Good food too.”

  Belligerent Boy let loose a rude noise. “You know what, forget your stupid phone app. I saw The Five Point on TV. They’ve got drinks and food, plus we won’t have to worry about them closing early. We can stay till breakfast. That’s the kind of night I want.”

  Victoria kept watch on the trio without turning toward them. She could see just fine in the reflection on the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the bar’s street front. With luck, they’d take themselves out to the sidewalk in a minute and she could return her attention to her drink.

  “I dunno. This place has something going for it. Saw some familiar faces maybe.” The third pitched in at a more reasonable sound level, but he was still completely audible even from across the bar. “Gabe Diaz is here tonight for some event. You heard of him? Where he is, his team is too.”

  Sipping her scotch, she kept her glass raised to obscure part of her face. If she could see them in the reflection, they could turn and see her. Despite their careless words, they had been slowly turning to take note of the people in the room. None of their gazes had lingered longer than a second but they could’ve recognized her. Most people in her line of work made it their business to recognize another person in the private contractor field. It wasn’t easy, but if they were familiar with Gabe then they’d have a chance at identifying her. She’d been with Gabe’s team longer than any of her previous stints in the business.

  She wasn’t dressed for work though. It’d been a good time to wear the rose gown with the subtle golden shimmer, so sheer, it required a nude silk sheathe beneath. It fit her perfectly, the fabric poured over her torso to fall from her hips and pool into a fuller skirt around her ankles. She’d left her hair down for once. It hung free of the severe knot she kept it in for when she was working. A few soft curls worked well in her golden blond hair. Nothing about her shouted private security or former military.

  “Ah, Diaz and his Safeguard expe
riment. Whatever.” Belligerent Boy flopped his hand around in mockery. “Word is they aren’t worth the contract fee. Clients aren’t happy. If they’re here, it’s going to be a clusterfuck. Guaranteed. There are better companies to do the job.”

  She kept her expression neutral, but she filed the tidbit of information away. It would be wise to follow up and see if the comment had any validity to it at all. At the very least, Gabe would want to know it’d been said out in the bar.

  His companions snickered. “Like yours?”

  “Hey, I work for the best.” Belligerent Boy raised his hands. “They appreciate good work and don’t get their panties in a twist when a man heads out for well-deserved time off.”

  This was starting to sound like a badly scripted commercial. These men had walked into this bar on purpose. There was no way it was a coincidence. Yet, it had to be to pick a fight or stir up some similar ridiculousness. Real clients with serious contracts wouldn’t be getting their information from bar gossip. On the other hand, journalists had been hanging around the Safeguard teams ever since Kyle Yeun had stood trial to testify against Phoenix Biotech. The trial had been right in the spotlight of public scrutiny, and Safeguard, specifically Lizzy Scott, had been his bodyguard. Perhaps Belligerent Boy was trying to score an interview with some journalist trying to get dirt. Either way, she’d best get them out of here before they cast a shadow on Gabe and Maylin’s special night.

  “Excuse me.” The nice bartender had approached at this point, quite possibly at the worst moment. “If you gentlemen aren’t going to order a drink or food, I’m going to have to ask you to head on to your next destination.”

  “Yeah?” That was a challenge. Belligerent Boy cocked his head to one side and threw out his chest. “You think so? You one of Diaz’s wannabe real mercenaries, on watch at the perimeter? Maybe we should head inside and see how good Safeguard’s security really is.”

  Actually, no. The bartender was simply doing his job. Since this event wasn’t a contract, Safeguard wasn’t maintaining high-level security. There shouldn’t have been any need to. As far as anyone else was concerned, this event was a simple engagement reception. Victoria set her glass down, promising herself another scotch after this was resolved.

  “Yeah nah bro, I reckon we take this outside.” Another new voice had entered the mix, and this one had a wonderful accent. It wasn’t British or European, closer to Australian but not a match for that continent either. Perhaps New Zealand?

  “Who’re you?” Belligerent Boy did seem to be looking for a fight.

  “Does it matter?” The newcomer wasn’t much taller than Belligerent Boy, but he managed to look down the few inches he had on the other man in a genial way. Truly, his broad shoulders and chest cut an impressive figure, and there was a strength of presence that filled available space in a way normal physicality could not. He took a few steps through the other three, forcing them to step aside before they thought to stand their ground, and headed outside.

  The newcomer was ballsy.

  Victoria would’ve been infuriated but she’d have been wary. The trio was the former and not the latter. They swarmed out after the man, probably as he’d intended. She followed at a more leisurely pace and gave the bartender a pat on the shoulder. “No need to worry for the moment. They’ll all get this out of their system and move along.”

  Unless the four of them came through the glass, that was. The entire front of the bar and the adjacent hotel lobby was window front or glass door. Watching the three range out in a semicircle around the single man, they all appeared fairly capable to her experienced eye, a step above the average bar brawler at least. Someone could very likely come through the windows since it’d be better than throwing a man into the street where things could become much more fatal. First Ave wasn’t the busiest of streets, but it still had traffic at this time of night.

  A commotion on that scale would definitely require police and potentially disturb Gabe and Maylin’s party. It wasn’t something Victoria was willing to allow if she could help it, so she stepped out of the bar too.

  They hadn’t gone far, just out onto the sidewalk to stand under the nearest streetlamp. Unfortunately, it was one right in front of the lobby entrance to the hotel. Victoria sighed inwardly. Though perhaps it wouldn’t turn out as bad as she was anticipating. The newcomer had turned to chat amiably with them, offering a pack of cigarettes.

  Ugh. She truly disliked smoking. She could if she had to play a particular role for a mission, but she’d never taken up the habit of her own accord. However, it seemed to be an effective way to de-escalate the situation. She’d give the newcomer extra points for charm.

  Belligerent Boy had shuffled forward as they chatted though, closing the space between him and the newcomer as they’d been lighting each other’s cigarettes. Belligerent Boy turned to mutter something to one of his companions, bringing his hand near his mouth in an overly dramatic gesture of secrecy. They were all laughing but Victoria narrowed her eyes. His posture was awkward. His upper body twisted and his hips still squared up with the newcomer.

  She pushed open the door and headed out of the bar. “Oy!”

  The newcomer dropped his cigarette as she came out and bent to retrieve it. Belligerent Boy unwound at that moment, his upraised hand tightened into a fist, throwing a wild haymaker punch at the newcomer. Already low, the newcomer deepened his crouch and lunged at Belligerent Boy. He caught Belligerent Boy around the thighs, driving forward with his head and shoulder and hoisting the man in a considerable show of strength.

  Belligerent Boy fell to the side, knocking one of his companions off balance as he went down. From Victoria’s perspective, the collision might’ve saved Belligerent Boy from getting his skull smashed in on the corner of the lamppost. As it was, Belligerent Boy had the breath knocked out of him and hit the sidewalk.

  It was still two on one, and this needed to end before hotel staff or someone on the street noticed the scuffle and called the police. Yelling again wasn’t an option. Better to end it with as little noise as possible, and miraculously, the men had only uttered grunts in the few seconds since it’d started. She started forward toward the drunkard closest to her with her fists up, letting her heels clatter on the sidewalk with enough noise to get his attention.

  Turned out, her target was a capable man in the middle of a fight. He heard her coming and turned to face her, taking a competent fight posture. She could slow down. Her gown and heels weren’t optimal for confrontation, and he had a longer arm reach on her. He blinked slowly in the fraction of a second it took for her to consider, probably deciding the same thing about her appearance.

  Screw it.

  She rushed him instead, bending at the last possible moment to hoist her skirt and let loose a front kick instead of the punch he’d thought she’d been about to throw. She caught him in the chest but he had twisted slightly and managed to deflect some of the kick’s force. Letting her momentum carry her into a turn, she pivoted low on both feet into a crouch and kicked out her other leg. He hadn’t been prepared for her change in elevation, and her leg sweep caught him at the ankle. He fell flat on his back on the concrete with a whoosh as his breath left him.

  In the meantime, the newcomer had managed to take the third man to the ground. With all three men groaning and gasping to catch their breath, her new friend grinned at her and stepped clear, offering her a hand up.

  She reached into the front of her gown and pulled out a money clip. Tossing them a twenty, she sighed. “Why don’t you boys go have a drink someplace else? It wouldn’t be advisable to continue this...discussion. Police could be here any minute.”

  The newcomer at her side chuckled.

  The three men scrambled to their feet, Belligerent Boy still dazed. Maybe he’d hit his head on the sidewalk after all. He paused, then grabbed the twenty. The trio headed down the street and around the
corner.

  “Well, that was less than subtle.” Victoria slanted a look at the man next to her. “Your pack of cigarettes are crushed.”

  He glanced at the crushed pack where it lay forgotten on the pavement. “I hate the things anyway. Grabbed them up from one of the outdoor tables over here.”

  “Ah.” She eyed her new ally as he straightened his clothing. “Are you all right?”

  “All good, Queenie.” Dark eyes twinkled with good humor, and the creases at the corners of his eyes spoke more of laughter than bad times. He ran his hand through his hair and managed to reestablish himself as quite presentable in fairly short order. “Thank you for the assist.”

  Come to think of it, she was in a much better mood after their brief scuffle. A workout, however unplanned, had done wonders for the tight ball of brooding she’d been carrying around recently. “I’ll buy you a drink for defending the honor of Safeguard, if you’ll leave off calling me Queenie.”

  “I don’t know your name yet.” He grinned, holding his hands open in a conciliatory gesture. “I only know you fight like a warrior dressed like a dream.”

  Pretty words delivered in a wonderful accent. She smiled despite herself. He noticed her give in and his grin widened. Oh, he was going to be the incorrigible type.

  “Adam Hicks, at your service.”

  * * *

  “I can wait outside, if you’d feel more comfortable.” It was still early in the night, and while Adam was very interested in Victoria’s company, he wasn’t about to assume her coming up to his hotel room meant he was getting laid.

  Of course, he wanted to. Very much. It’d been a long while and she was an incredibly attractive woman. He just wanted to give her every opportunity to give him clear signals. He’d invited her up here, though, on the premise of cleaning up her shoes and the bottom of her gown. They’d gotten messed up when she’d helped him encourage the other men to leave the bar downstairs. Apparently, she hadn’t booked a room in this hotel for the Safeguard party.