Page 19 of Sasha’s Secret

“If Monroe agrees, I’d like to train him up—build on the experience he has, give him some close protection skills. Hopefully, he won’t have to use them, but I think he’d be a good man in a crisis, and someone you could rely on one hundred percent.”

Especially when Rocco was no longer there. The back of Sasha’s neck prickled with tension. “You think we’re going to need that level of extra protection?”

“I don’t know, but like I said, it’d be a good idea. Better to have someone and not need them than need them and not have them.”

The words were a chilling reminder of the reason why Rocco had come to Casa Millefiori. “Do you really think we’ll be able to find out who’s behind the threats?”

Rocco sat forward, his forearms resting on his thighs while he rotated the mug between his hands. “Cybersecurity—the technology behind it—isn’t my forte, but we have people on it. If they can tie the threats back to an identifiable individual, then we can take action.”

“Sounds simple, doesn’t it?”

“On the face of it, yes, but if it’s someone who really knows what they’re doing, we could chase our tails forever and not track them down.”

Much as she’d suspected. “What happens then?”

“A heightened state of vigilance becomes a way of life, but no one can live like that for the long term. It’s fortunate that criminals make more mistakes than you’d think—if they didn’t, if they all planned and executed the perfect crime, prisons would be empty and crime rates would be sky-high.”

An unexpected surge of frustration clawed at Sasha. She had skills that would make her far more useful in this situation than the persona she’d adopted as Linzi’s assistant. She could work with Rocco as an equal, but that would mean informing him about the past she was determined to leave behind her. Still, it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. “Rocco—”

He stood. “Try not to worry. I know my job, and I have a good team backing me up. By the time I leave here, Linzi will be safe, there’ll be no more threats, and security on this site will be upgraded to a far more effective level. Are you ready to go back to the office now? The sooner I start, the sooner I finish and get out of your way.”

Sasha had to bite her tongue. She had the oddest, strongest impulse to tell Rocco—a virtual stranger—that he could stay in her way for as long as he liked. What made it especially odd was that it didn’t feel odd at all.

Chapter 5

“Can you find out more about Frank Schofield, the head of security? I think the file we have on him might have some extensive gaps.”

Rocco hadn’t intended to report back to his boss that evening, but something about his meeting with Schofield hadn’t sat right with him all day. The more he’d thought about it, the worse it had become, until finally he made a Skype call to Nick before he went to meet Sasha for dinner.

At the other end of the video call, Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking about him? I thought he was barely IT-literate.”

“That’s right, but there’s something about him that’s bothering me. I can’t say what it is, but my instincts are telling me there’s more to him than meets the eye, and it’s not good.”

Nick’s expression became pensive. “If he’s bothering you, that’s good enough for me. I’ll get Charity and Tex onto it.”

“Thank you—and thank them for me.”

“Will do. Have you eaten yet?”

“Just about to.”

“Good. On your own… or with company?”

There was an air of speculation to the question that didn't escape Rocco. “With company. I’m not fraternizing with the client, if that’s what’s worrying you.”

Such fraternization was neither allowed nor disallowed according to the terms of Spectrum’s standard employee contract. There was only an understanding that if fraternization took place, it would be discreet and would not jeopardize the client’s safety. After all, that was how Ros Northwood, his boss back in the UK, had come to meet the man who was now her husband. And her submissive, if what he’d heard about the couple was true. Each to their own…

“Wouldn’t worry me if you were, so long as it didn’t get in the way of the mission, and I have it on good authority you wouldn’t let it. However, I doubt Miss Suto’s your type,” Nick said with a wry smile. “Her PA on the other hand…”

Having come to know his boss and his better half fairly well during the week of his induction, Rocco covered the sensation of being caught out like a child with his hand in the cookie jar with his own little humorous dig. “Have you been married long enough to get away with saying things like that about other women?”

Charity’s voice came from off the screen. “He hasn’t, but I’ll give him a hall pass just this once. I’ll ask Tex about this Schofield guy, see if he’ll give us a twofer on him and Sasha.”

“Has there been any word from Tex about her yet?”

“No, which is why he thinks—and I agree—there must be something to hide, but he’s hoping to uncover something soon.” Charity appeared behind her husband. “If it means anything, even if she does have something to hide, I still think she’s good people. I don’t think she’s the bad guy in this.”

“For what it’s worth, I agree,” Nick added.