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“You are officially in my pocket.”
“I know, Daddy.”
“I was so scared for you, and I knew it was a hell of a long way for me to get to you.”
“I know, Daddy.”
“I love you so much, baby girl. I can’t lose you.”
“I know, Daddy.”
Becky knew it wasn’t just words or a bluff to make her feel better. This man was hers, and she was his. Carter would take care of her, and all the things that had circled in her head earlier were quieted when she stood next to Carter when he was in his dominant mode. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing.
CARTER WAS PACING THEconference room like a caged panther. Dark, angry, trapped. He needed at least a few hours in the gym to burn off this energy.
“Carter, have a seat. We have to look at this rationally.”
“Rationally? Someone tried tokillher, Monroe. They tried to fuckingkillmy baby. I need to find who did this and end them. I can’t have anyone who would harm Becky on the streets, walking, planning,breathing!”
Jac leaned back and let Carter get the worst out of his system. Carter knew it was the way he handled things. For a brief moment, Carter appreciated the autonomy to do what he needed without someone trying to corral him or his expressions of frustration and anger.
Garrett asked after a few moments of quiet. “What can we do to help?”
They all knew the group would take on the task of finding and eliminating the threat to their own, but they also knew, from long experience, that Carter had to be predominately satisfied with the outcome, or he would go rogue. Most of them had been there themselves at least once.
He looked around the room at the men he loved like his brothers. They were tough, protective men that took care of their women fiercely. Becky had been theirs to protect collectively before they or she found a mate. She was there at the beginning of it all at Jacquard and Associates. They would do whatever wasnecessary to take care of business. Time for their brother to relax enough to let them in and get this done.
Carter sighed heavily. “Okay, let’s find these fuckers and take them down.”
Jac looked intensely at Sharlee, who had come in for this office meeting, and Sharlee narrowed her eyes as she glared at her husband. “I am not offended by that word, Jac, so stop acting like I’m made of cotton candy.”
Jac nodded his head. “Only during business hours.” Sharlee gave him a frustrated, exaggerated sigh.
Jac’s meaning was clear. Sharlee was his woman, and at all other times, the language would be curtailed, but right now, he didn’t say anything in this situation. Carter would have apologized, but sometimes, it was the best way to express oneself, and right now, it was better he was here using profanity than out in the world, setting it on fire. Even though he might do that soon, anyway. For now, at least, fuckers was a placeholder.
Monroe did the Monroe thing. “Okay, let’s lay everything that we have thus far on the table, figure out what we need, and then make a plan of action.”
“Where is Rebecca?” asked Jac.
“In her office, I imagine,” said Levi.
Carter stood. “She was supposed to come in with you, Jac.” His tone was tinged with accusation.
“Down, Carter,” said an unaffected Jac. “Callie, can you bring Rebecca in, and let’s go over again what happened. I have some preliminary findings from Sharp Security.”
Callie left to grab Becky from her next-door office. There was a small connecting hallway that had four doors coming off it: Jac’s office which also had a back door exit, Becky’s office, a conference room, and a private bathroom. Becky’s door was the only entrance from the main building and her inner door which opened to the mutual hallway were both set to auto-lock uponclosure for her safety. During times like these, it helped and hurt. When Becky didn’t open the door at Callie’s buzz, Callie moved back to the conference room.
“Any other place she might be other than her office?” she asked.
Carter stood quickly, as did Mark, who was in overdrive mode regarding the protection detail. “Look to see if you can find her in the bathroom,” said Mark.
Carter was already at the door and ringing the bell. He punched in the code that Becky had given him and stalked into her office. Nothing. He stalked over to Jac’s office. The door was ajar but that was usually how Jac left it. In the corner, against the wall that the door was on, was Becky, crouched with tears running down her cheeks.
“Baby Bear, what’s wrong?” He yelled into the outer room. “I found her. She’s okay. We’ll be out in a few.”
Mark stepped inside the door just enough to assess the situation and replied, “I’ll let the others know. See you in the conference room shortly.”
Carter nodded as he went down on his haunches next to Becky. “Sweetheart, what happened?”
