I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Make sure we have everyone on duty, ready to intervene if necessary. Anything else?”
Machine answered with a smug smirk. “So when are you going to admit that you have the hots for a certain brunette?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Don’t you have further arrangements to make with the Sinaloas and Ricci?” I deflected.
Machine chuckled. “Deflect all you want, brother, but I know I wasn’t the only one who noticed the bulge in your shorts when you were sparring with her,” he said as he got up and whistled for Lucy to follow.
When he got to the door, he turned around. “I mean, if you aren’t going to make a move, does this mean I can?”
I threw a tennis ball that I kept on my desk for Lucy at him. He laughed before closing the door.
THIRTEEN
EVELYN
Over the weekend, I tried multiple times to call my mother at the medical facility where she was imprisoned,with no response. I hated that I hadn’t been able to get her out of that hellhole. The longer she stayed there, the more she would decline.
I was lost in thought when my phone chimed with an incoming group email from Kade, instructing us that a quick mandatory meeting would be held in the Hive in thirty minutes.
I had hoped I wouldn’t have to see him again so soon,especially after the defense class. I had pleasured myself with my trusty vibrator more times than I cared to admit, unable to stop thinking about his strong, hard body against mine and the bulge in his shorts when I was on top of him. I internally groaned as need surged through me again. I took my phone out and sent off a text to Aaron.
Me:
Come over tonight after training?
Aaron:
Yeah, but this time I am picking what we are watching.
Me:
We won’t be watching any TV
Aaron:
Need a little bit of TLC, E?
Twenty minutes later, the team all sat at a conference table in the Hive. My breath was knocked from my lungs when Kade walked into the room. Today, he wore a dark gray bespoke suit with a crisp white dress shirt underneath.
“Morning, everyone,” he greeted, gazing at all of us before sitting at the head of the table.
The team all mumbled their responses while I stayed silent with my arms crossed over my chest.
“As you know, last week we had a security incident that could have been catastrophic had it not been intercepted in time. I wanted to let all of you know that I appreciate all of your hard work.” He paused and cleared his throat. “I especially would like to thank Evelyn for her attentiveness and diligence in terminating the threat.” He gazed at me. “I made a wrong call and I appreciate that you still stepped up to intercept the virus.”
It wasn’t usual for a CEO to openly admit his wrong decisions. A little bit of the ice that had frozen my inner walls began to melt at his statement. I nodded in response, unsure what to say while Lennie and Gwen drumrolled on the table and hooted in agreement.
“As the newest team member, Evelyn, I would like for you to join me if your schedule will permit it, at the DEFCON Convention in Las Vegas next week. The rest ofyou will go to the RSA Conference in San Francisco as planned the following week,” Kade announced. “Any questions?”
I raised my hand. He nodded for me to continue. “How come we all aren’t going to the same conference?”
Jax rolled his eyes. “Because your boss told you otherwise.”
I shot him a glare. Kade put out a hand to stop any response that I may have. “It’s a valid question, Jax.” He looked at the scowling man across the table and back to me. “I can’t have everyone in the Hive gone at the same time, especially after the threat we had last week. Evelyn, I will be assisting you when the team is away to ensure that everything is going smoothly. I was able to get an extra ticket. Christine will send you the details. We leave Tuesday if you are able to come...”
I took a breath. “Very well then,” I mumbled. Normally, I would be ecstatic to go to one of the largest cyber security conferences in the world. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a trip with just myself and my boss.
After work, I quickly ventured over to HQ to train with the team. Chief waited in one of the training rooms that he reserved for the team. A large obstacle course was set up, designed to make us work as a team as we would in the field. I was surprised to see that even Zombie joined us for the training.
