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Alicia slammed her hand down on the table. “Do not talk about me like I’m not in the room. Frankly, you have no idea how good a liar I am.”
“Now, that, I believe,” said King.
“Hey,” said Brock. “Don’t be talking to her like that.”
King sat back, looking surprised. “So that’s how it is, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Then you get her on board,” he said before turning to Alicia. “You know us better than most people. Being family buys you a certain leeway, but as of now and until Brock says otherwise, you are under Cerberus’ protection. We take care of our own. Brock will take lead, and you answer to him.”
Alicia wasn’t sure whether she wanted to feel immense relief or intense anger. They couldn’t just come in and take over her life. And what was that little byplay between King and Brock when Brock had called her ‘baby girl’?
“Now that I think about it,” said King, “we do need the psycho ex’s name for a restraining order.”
“I am not giving it to you. Besides…” she said quickly trying to de-escalate the situation and deflect their attention from the lack of a name. She sure as hell wasn’t going to supply his real one. “…I already have one.”
“One what?” said Brock, leaning back in his chair, crossing his massive arms over his brawny chest, and arching his eyebrow at her.
She thanked whatever god ruled over these things that he hadn’t called her ‘baby girl’ again. She was pretty sure there would have been nothing left of her but goo. She had to think quickly. What was he asking her?
Better to go with the truth. “I’m sorry. I must be more tired than I thought. What were we talking about?”
“You said you already had one when King mentioned a restraining order… damn!” Brock swore as King laughed.
“Round one to Alicia.” He turned to her. “You’d completely forgotten about lying about that, but now he’s told you what it was you lied about. Good one. Brock is tough. I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who could get him to give up anything, and he’s been tortured by experts. Well done, Alicia.”
“Thanks, I think?”
“I wouldn’t get too used to it. He’s tough to trip up.”
“If I agree to this…” Both men laughed. “If I agree to this, I want to be able to continue to work. I want a nice, normal routine. Besides, the last time I took a three-day weekend, I came back to the disaster you guys had made of my desk. And I want to go get some of my things from my apartment.”
“No can do—at least about going to your place. There’s no way you leave this building without an armed escort and only then if we deem it’s safe. King, I’m going to have Alicia make up a list and then I’ll send over a couple of the boys.”
King’s demeanor changed and he suddenly seemed to take more of an interest. “Do you want to take her to one of the safehouses?”
“No, she’s right about the disaster we made of her desk; besides, I think giving her something to do will be beneficial.”
“So, you want her to stay here?”
“Again,” Alicia said, raising her hand, “I’m right here in the room. Don’t you think that where I stay is my decision?”
“No,” they said in unison. King typed out a text.
“I think she might be better off at my place. That way we’re not here twenty-four/seven. Seth installed that uber high security system, and we could rotate out a couple of people if it looks like we need it.” He looked at Alicia, sliding a pen and paper to her. “You need to put together a list of what you want from your place.”
“What if I refuse to?” she asked, mimicking his folded arms across his chest.
“I don’t think I ever realized how much like Samantha she is,” said King, his eyes growing warm with thoughts of his wife.
“You have no idea. As for you, I’m telling you to put together a list, or you’ll end up hanging out at my place in one of my shirts and not being able to come to work.”
“You’re a jackass, you know that?”
King watched them verbally spar, clearly enjoying himself, then looked down—alarm flashing across his face.
“What is it?” asked Brock.
