Exposed: Book 2 MAC Security Series (7 page)

On Tuesday morning, I went with Luke to take Eli to preschool, smiling the whole way there at how Eli was acting. Now that we were out of the apartment and away from Max, I could see the difference in Eli.

He was thriving both at home and at preschool, he was so much more open to talking to people and actually playing, like a child should, instead of always being on guard. It wasn’t until he was out of that environment that I noticed how much it had affected him.

He loved the simple things; spending time with Ty and Luke, just being a boy and running through the woods. Sometimes I looked at him and regretted not leaving Max sooner then I’d think, if I would’ve left him sooner, I wouldn’t have found Ty.

Eli wasn’t the only one who had changed for the better.

It wasn’t the big things, like worrying if I had money for food or waiting for the next time Max would hit me. It was the small things that made me smile; Eli’s excitement to come home and tell everyone what he had done at preschool, what he had made or a new person that he had met.

Knowing that when he woke up, he wouldn’t have to see me with yet another bruise.

The best part was knowing what waited for me at home and not having that sinking feeling as I heard the door open. That was one of the things that I loved most; knowing what was coming, what to expect.

Walking out of the preschool, I jumped back into the car and looked over at Luke. His eyes flicked over to me as he was talking on the radio.

“Got it, Boss.” He nodded and let the button go, reversing out of the lot.

“Everything okay?” I asked, leaning back in my seat.

“Serena’s on the move. Boss wants me to drop you back at the compound and then check it out.”

Wait, what? Why did I have to go back to the compound? I couldn’t help but think that he was hiding something if he didn’t want me to know what Serena was up to.

“Nope,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m coming with you.”

“Thought you would.” He smirked. “You’ll have to tell boss though.”

Rolling my eyes, I pulled out my work phone and sent him a text.

FROM: KAY

TO: TY

I’m going with Luke. See you later.

I smiled, pushing my phone back in my pocket and ignoring the buzz of an incoming message. I turned the car radio up, singing along to the song that played on the radio.

He wouldn’t cut me out of this, I was as much a part of this company as anyone else was. Which meant that I’d be doing the same work that they did. I loved that Ty wanted to protect me but he couldn’t protect me from everything.

We pulled up at Daley’s mansion and I furrowed my brows turning to Luke. “I thought we were checking Serena out, not Daley?”

“We are,” he replied. “She went inside an hour ago and hasn’t come out since.”

“So we’re going to follow her when she comes out?”

“Yep.”

After twenty minutes, I pulled my pad out and started to draw some doodles. This was the worst thing about watching and waiting, it was boring. After a few car games, ten pages of doodles and sixty minutes, the gates finally opened.

She drove through the gates in her bright red sports car with the top down. I nearly snorted with how obnoxious she looked, people like her didn’t deserve to drive cars like that. They should be driven in the way they were meant to be, not used to show everyone that you thought you were better than them.

“Let’s see where she’s stayin’.” Luke rubbed his hands together, started the car and went in the direction that she had gone.

We followed her all through town, watching as she would check herself out in the mirror at every opportunity she could get and completely unaware of her surroundings.

“Thought so,” he said as we came to a stop opposite the most expensive hotel in a fifty-mile radius.

“What?” I frowned, writing the name of the hotel down. I really needed to start carrying my camera around with me. If these things were going to come up without any prior planning, I had to be prepared. I didn’t even have my belt or vest on.

“She wouldn’t stay in anything other than luxury, she always was a money grabbing bitch.”

My brows flew to my hairline at the venom in his voice. “Whoa!” I held my hands up. “What’s with all the hating?”

Not that I wasn’t thinking the same thing but I didn’t expect that to come out of Luke’s mouth.

“After what she did to Ty? You telling me you don’t feel the same?” He raised a brow at me and pulled back out onto the road.

“What did she do to Ty?” I knew that she’d done something but what it was, I had no idea.

“I’m not surprised that he hasn’t told you everything,” he said, stopping at a red light. “What she did nearly broke him.”

I gulped, not wanting to comment. I wanted nothing more than to beg Luke to tell me what else had happened but I wanted to hear it from Ty, not anyone else.

“Do we not need to follow her? What if she goes back out?” I asked, deciding to change the subject so that I wasn’t tempted to ask him what had happened.

“Nah.”

“Why?”

“Now we know where she’s staying, Evan can infiltrate the hotel system and we can put a tracker on her car.”

“Ah, I see.”

I stayed silent the rest of the drive back to the compound. Thoughts going around and around in my head. The one positive thing was, I wasn’t thinking of Max. At least not until I thought that.

I jumped out of Luke’s SUV when we arrived back at the compound and walked swiftly into the warehouse. They were all waiting for us, sat at the meeting table. So I walked around to my chair next to Ty and sat down.

“Anything?” Ty asked, not looking at me.

“Yeah, she’s staying at LACEY’S.”

Kitty snorted. “Typical.”

“Evan, get into their system. I want to know everything. When she comes and goes, everyone she talks to and even when she fuckin’ eats.”

“On it,” he replied, already typing away on his laptop.

I pulled my notepad and pen closer, about to write the date when Ty said, “Kay.” I looked up to him, finding his eyes. “Office.”

He pushed up out of his chair and stormed off, leaving me wondering what was up with him. I looked at the rest of the guys, each of them wearing a smirk. They obviously knowing something that I didn’t.

“This is gonna be good.” Evan rubbed his hands together, leaning back in his seat.

“What?” I mumbled. “What did I do?” Pointing to my chest, I looked at all of them in confusion.

“You’ll find out.” Kitty winked.

Pushing out of my chair, I pulled my t-shirt down and adjusted my hair. Why was I in trouble? I hadn’t done anything wrong. Had I?

My legs felt like jelly as I walked to the office. Gripping my hands in front of me, I cleared my throat when I got to the door. “Ty-”

“Close the door,” he said. Sat behind his desk, he looked furious. He didn’t look up at me, keeping his eyes fixated on a spot on his desk.

I closed the door and walked over to the desk, sitting opposite him in the same chair that I sat in all those months ago for my interview.

“You ignored me,” he gritted out.

“I-”

“No.” He sliced his hand through the air, his eyes coming up to meet mine. “You don’t do that. Ever.”

I scanned his face, feeling my own blood boiling. Was this why he wasn’t happy, because I had gone with Luke?

“You cut me off!” I swear, stood and threw my hands up in the air. “You told Luke to bring me back to the compound.”

“Because I don’t want you having to follow her.” He blew out a breath, shaking his head at me.

I shoved my hands onto my hips and squinted my eyes at him. “Am I still a part of this company? Not just in the office but out on surveillance jobs as well?” I said, stepping forward and leaning my hands on the desk.

“Yeah,” Ty murmured.

“Then it’s my job,” I said softly, pointing at my chest, not giving him the chance to speak. “You can’t pick and choose what cases or people suit you.” I raised a brow and waited for him to say something, when he didn’t, I pushed up off the desk and walked away. “I’ll follow who I damn well like,” I said when I pulled the door open.

“Kay?” Ty said when I stepped out of the door.

“What?” I said, spinning back around to him.

“I love it when you get like that.” He smirked.

“Like what?” I huffed.

“Like that.” He pointed to the chair and winked.

“You’re insufferable.” I rolled my eyes and slammed the door behind me, his laughter following me out.

I smiled at the sound.

He loved it when I stood up for myself? That was something I never thought I’d do, let alone hear someone appraise me for it.

I woke up early the next day and went for a run around the compound. I was determined to get as fit as I could, I wanted to show them all that I could do what they did. That way, there would never be a time that they could say I couldn’t go on a job. But with Serena back in the picture, it made it even more important. I didn’t trust her, there was something about her that didn’t seem right. She set off my alarm bells and I couldn’t stop seeing the look that she’d had in her eyes.

I’d tried to bring it up with Ty a couple of times, but each time he’d shoot me down. Luke though, seemed to be on the same wavelength as me, maybe talking to him about it would assure me I wasn’t just being jealous.

I didn’t know what to do because every time I would bring her name up, no one would listen. At least, that’s what it felt like.

When I finished my run, I stood in the middle of the compound and stretched out, watching the sky as it lit up from the rising sun. No matter where you stood on the compound, the view was always breath-taking. As a little girl, I had always imagined living in the middle of the woods, this wasn’t quite what I imagined but it was close.

Walking back to the house, I headed straight for my room and stripped off my clothes, turned the shower on and stepped inside, letting the cold water spray over me. I’d slept in Ty’s room last night but I always came back to my room to shower because my clothes were still in here. Ty had mentioned moving them into his room but I didn’t know how I felt about that. I wasn’t quite ready.

I may be ready at some stage but not just yet.

I braided my hair to the side and shoved my jeans, MAC security t-shirt and combat boots on. Then I grabbed my belt, vest and the bag I had packed last night.

After yesterday, I told myself that I would be prepared for any situation, I wouldn’t be caught out again. I’d packed my camera, a few snacks, and a notepad and pen. Always be prepared was my new motto, especially when it came to this job.

I woke Eli up, got him ready for preschool and was giving him breakfast by the time Ty came into the kitchen.

“Mornin’.” He walked past Eli, ruffling his hair, reminding me that he was due a haircut, and met me at the kitchen counter.

“Morning.” I smiled, taking a sip of my coffee.

“Where were you earlier this morning?” he asked, checking the coffee pot.

“Went for a run.” I shrugged.

“What? Why didn’t you wake me up?” He pulled a cup down from the cupboard, my eyes tracked the sliver of skin that showed as his t-shirt to lifted slightly.