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Rogan gave him a look, then brushed Asher off of Cardannon. “You going to tell us why you’re here?”
“Getting sick of barking orders to the crayon-eaters over at Heimdall?” Brady added.
Cardannon shifted his pants. His crotch was no longer smoking, but the fabric was permanently scorched. That made me smile a little wider.
“I heard about your paranoia at the Lakers game last week. So I decided to come address the misunderstanding in person.” He tried to stare down his nose at Rogan, but it was tough to look intimidating while wearing a burned pair of pants. “You honestly believe I would send my security agents to harass you?”
Rogan stiffened. “How didyouhear about that?”
The same easy sneer Cardannon had greeted me with now returned. “The Lakers PR director told me. We had a meeting this morning, you see. He hired us on a two-year contract. He must not have been impressed with your skills. I understand there was some sort of intruder in your suite?”
I grimaced. Any satisfaction I had gained from tasering this asshole promptly disappeared.
“It was a simple misunderstanding,” Rogan said. “It wasn’t a big deal at all. Amirah Pratt was there, and she hired us the next day.”
“I am aware of Miss Pratt’s unique circumstances.” Cardannon pursed his wormy lips. “I have made it very clear to her that when you fail—and youwillfail her, make no mistake about it—she may call Heimdall and receive a more satisfactory level of protection.”
“The fuck do you know about her circumstances?” Brady asked.
Suddenly there was a noise behind us in the residence. Through the open door I saw Dustin and Micah come running out of their bedrooms. They proceeded to chase each other around the living room, yelling and screaming.
I rushed inside to get them to settle down. Back in the doorway, I heard Cardannon snicker and say, “You cannot even keep your ownchildrenin line. Make no mistake about it: Heimdall will put this little operation out of business soon enough. You are a match that has been struck, and will inevitably burn down to nothing.”
“I wouldn’t be making fire analogies, buddy,” Brady said. “You look like your prick has second-degree burns.”
By the time I got Micah and Dustin to settle down, Cardannon had left and the three dads had joined us in the living room. Cora came out of her room, blanket in one hand and a stuffed penguin in the other. Brady scooped her up and kissed her on the forehead.
“We heard a noise!” Micah complained to me. “It woke usup. That’s why we came out here!”
“Please don’t take away our nap-time star, Miss Heather,” Dustin said in his most innocent voice. “We promise to be better next time.”
I sighed. “You’re right. This wasn’t your fault. It was mine.” I glanced up at Rogan. “Sorry. About everything.”
Rogan rubbed one eye. He looked tired. “It’s not your fault, either.”
“Well, the suite incident was,” I said. “If not for that…”
Brady came over and grinned at me. “You made up for it by tasering that jerk. I’m serious, Rogan. She ought to get a raise for that. Or at least a bonus.”
It was too late to put the kids back down for their naps, so I took them back into their rooms to get changed for outdoor play time.
Despite Brady’s assurances, I felt guilty about sneaking into their suite for the rest of the afternoon.
25
Rogan
“Again?” Asher asked me. “Rogan…”
We were sitting around the conference room downstairs, reviewing all the recent digital security threats. Although we were currently employed by seventy-four clients, most of the meeting had been dedicated to Amirah Pratt.
Because out of everyone our army of bodyguards protected, she was receiving overfifty percentof the online threats.
“Again,” I insisted. “And every night until I’m certain she’s safe.”
“If we’re so worried, then why not put multiple bodyguards on her?” Asher asked. “Cooper is professional. He won’t take it personally if we add someone else to his assignment.”
I shook my head. “I don’t trust anyone else. Pratt is too important. We have to do everything to protect her, and to keep her as a client.”
