“They did, but he was screaming how this wasn’t over as he was hauled away. The management team isn’t taking the threat lightly. Do you want me to have Hallie book your flight?”
“No, man. I’ll handle it. She’s babysitting for Mateo and Aria tonight.” Mateo was their human cousin and best friend growing up as well as Hallie’s older brother. He was now a doctor and mate to Aria, a Gryphon, who’d become a nurse. They had taken over Rev and Bethany’s clinic when the older couple moved out of Troy.
“I appreciate it, Major. Send me your flight itinerary, and I’ll pass that along to Tabitha. Text her when you arrive at the hotel, and she can meet you in the lobby. I’ll send the management team your credentials.”
“Sounds good.” They said their goodbyes, and Major hit the end button.
Marshall had cleared their plates while Major was on the phone, and he set two bowls of homemade ice cream on the table. It didn’t matter that it was winter. Both brothers loved ice cream. Major dipped his spoon in the creamy treat and shoved a big bite in his mouth. When he looked up, his twin was grinning. Major pointed his empty spoon. “Don’t.”
Marshall smiled wider. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” Major couldn’t help but smile back. “Maybe once this assignment’s over, I wouldn’t be lying to Fallon about having a partner.” Major took another bite of the frozen chocolatey goodness, thinking about spending so much time in Tabitha’s orbit. Then it hit him. “Oh shit, Marsh. Lolly’s birthday.”
Marshall waved his spoon in the air. “You know she won’t care if you miss it when she finds out why.”
“I’m aware, but I want to be there for her.”
“Then we’ll wait until you’re finished with this job to go see her. We’ll all call her on the day of and explain that we’re coming later when we can all be there. That’ll give us more time to plan something.”
“But that’ll spoil the surprise,” Major groaned.
“We’ll surprise her later. She won’t be expecting us all if it’s not her actual birthday. Don’t stress, Brother. Go do your job, get the girl, and bring her with you. Now, that’d be a wonderful surprise.”
It really would. Not only for Lolly but for Major as well. After finishing their dessert, the brothers settled on the sofa with a couple of beers and watched a movie. Major didn’t pay attention to the screen. Instead, his thoughts were on the next few weeks and how he was going to get Tabitha alone while still doing their job.
Chapter 2
Tabitha was bored, but that often came with the job. She worked for Steele Securities as both a private investigator and a security specialist, and her current assignment was guarding Trista Bellinger, one of the hottest actors around. Trista was mainly known for rom-coms with a few dramas here and there, but the current movie she was filming was an action flick. The first few weeks were fun, traveling back and forth from the hotel to the dojo where Trista was training with Joey Palamo, a fellow Goyle. Even though she had a stunt double, Trista was filming some of the action sequences herself and needed to be able to make it look realistic. Tabitha sparred with Trista, having to rein in her Gargoyle strength. She’d grown up learning to fight with her cousins and Clanmates, all of whom were shifters.
It was going well until someone got too close to Trista’s co-star, Craig Kilbrook, and they were now sequestered at the hotel while Craig’s management team and the studio worked with the local police to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. A man named Brad Campbell had threatened Craig with a knife and kept shouting “this isn’t over,” when he was arrested. He clammed up once in custody. The powers that be didn’t know if someone else would target Craig. Being unable to leave their hotel rooms without a bodyguard, everyone wasgoing stir crazy.
Tabitha was tired of sitting around, so she sent the information on Campbell to the Trio to see if they could find a connection between him and Craig. The Trio, consisting of two of Tabitha’s cousins, Carleigh and Harlow, and a dire wolf shifter named Nikita, owned a cyber security company called H3. All three females were expert hackers, and if they couldn’t find a link between the two men, no one could.
Trista and Craig were going over their lines in the living room of Trista’s suite, while Marilyn, Trista’s assistant, sat in an armchair looking out the window with her tablet on her lap. Tabitha often forgot the quiet woman was in the room. She rarely spoke, but when she did, it was clear she was well-organized. It was also clear by her narrowed eyes she wasn’t a fan of Craig. This was the actors’ first time working together, yet Craig would stop Trista and instruct her on how she should deliver her lines differently. Marilyn scowled at Craig, but Trista took his criticism in stride. Tabitha found being behind the scenes fascinating. She couldn’t wait until they were on location and filming started. They had a couple of months in Atlanta until they relocated to New York. Tabitha would miss being near her twin, but she would be close to her parents and little brother there. She would also be close to Major Lazlo, a Gryphon shifter who happened to be her fated mate, and hopefully they could spend another weekend together, if not longer.
When her phone rang, Tabitha went into her bedroom and closed the door. “Hey, Mason.” Mason Steele owned the security company she worked for.
“Good evening, Tabby. I just got off the phone withKilbrook’s manager. The studio has decided the security company guarding Craig is no longer a good fit, and they’ve hired us to step in.”
“I was waiting on that. So, who are you sending?” It wouldn’t be her twin, Anthony, since he’d recently found his mate and wouldn’t want a long-term assignment.
“All the males here are on jobs, so I reached out to Major Lazlo. He’s flying in tomorrow morning. I told him to text you his flight information, and you can meet up with him in the hotel lobby once he arrives.”
Tabitha pumped a fist in the air.Act casual.“Sure. I can do that.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you get back to it. Have a good evening.”
“You too, Mason.” Tabitha disconnected and tossed her phone on the bed, then did a little dance. It had been months since the long weekend she spent with her mate. Granted, Major wasn’t aware of that little fact, but Tabitha wanted him to fall for her organically, not because the fates determined they were destined for forever. On paper, they didn’t work. She was driven to the point of being a perfectionist. Major was laid-back. She wore designer clothing, and Major dressed like the biker he was. Well, Tabitha dressed the same when she was riding, so maybe that wasn’t a good criterion.
Would you stop it? If you were the same person, life would be boring.
Her Goyle was right. Their differences didn’t matter. Their chemistry did, and man did they have that in spades. Then of course they would since he was who fate chose for her. She bit her lip to keep from squealing.
I can be professional. I can be professional.
Dammit, being around her hottie was going to be tough.
Maybe now you’ll tell him.
