Chapter 1

Two weeks later

Lena crossed the sleek lobby of Shadow Security Headquarters, her high-heeled boots clicking on the polished floor. The sound echoed throughout the empty lobby, the large windows showing nothing more than the dark sky outside. The building was staffed twenty-four-seven by security, but no one was at the receptionist's desk at this late hour. No doubt there were analysts and IT staff at work elsewhere in the building, as well as employees who were on shift work. It was quiet here out front though. Almost too quiet.

She slid her designer purse higher on her shoulder, moving toward the stairwell leading down to the basement. Her boss, Jett Hutchinson, was the owner and head of Shadow Security. As his personal assistant, Lena ran errands for him, booked flights and coordinated his schedule, and helped occasionally at his large home. With Jett's recent marriage to Anna and their new baby, Lena found herself coordinating with their nanny as often as she dealt with Jett's multiple business contacts. She was efficient and organized, however, keeping her busy boss on task.

Her phone buzzed in her purse, and she pulled it free, almost relieved someone was calling her. The silence surrounding her somehow almost felt ominous.

She shook her head, glancing down at her phone. She was being silly. Shadow Security was one of the safest places to be.

"I'm almost there," she told Jett after she'd swiped the screen to answer.

"Perfect. Let me know how much high-caliber ammo we have. One of my shipments was delayed in transit. Anna has been good at tracking our inventory since she came onboard, but with the baby and her newest pregnancy—"

"She doesn't have the current figures. It's fine," Lena assured him. "I'll update you on what we have. Anna's got her hands full with the baby—no doubt with you, too," she deadpanned.

"Very funny," Jett muttered. "Just let me know when you've got the numbers. Some of the guys are moving out soon, and I've been distracted as of late. I want to make sure they're fully equipped for their op. I keep saying we need to bring on more men—"

"And it hasn't happened yet," Lena finished. "We could put up job postings. You may have brought on men you know for the Shadow Ops Team, but you've got connections. I have no doubt you could easily bring in more quality team members. We can post listings on the classified jobs sites."

"I know, I know," he grumbled. "It'll happen at some point. I've got enough going on at the moment, however, to worry about screening new personnel. Call me back with the numbers. I've got another call coming in."

"Will do," Lena said, the phone line going dead.

Gruff and intimidating, Jett was a force to be reckoned with. Lena knew most people wouldn't joke with him the way she occasionally did. Lena, however, had seen it all. She and Jett went way back, and when he'd formed his own security firm and asked her to come onboard, she couldn't say no. She did everything. Picked up his drycleaning. Scheduled the housecleaners. She dropped off lingerie and condoms at his home with the same finesse she used when booking travel for the team or making reservations at a swanky restaurant for Jett's meetings with government contacts.

Besides all that, the work Jett and his team did was important, crucial to national security. Lena might not have the same clearances he did, but she saw no issue with his men ridding the world of the evil that lurked in the shadows. All former Special Forces soldiers, the team took on jobs the Feds couldn't or wouldn't do. Jett was a man who got shit done, and Lena was often behind the scenes, keeping his life and operation running smoothly.

Of course, she'd ended up right in the thick of things with Kaylee. Nick's old flame had witnessed a leak of classified information and been on the run from several men impersonating federal agents. Nick had brought Kaylee back to New York to keep her safe. They'd found her anyway, kidnapping Lena along with their target. After the team had located them, Jarid Cronin and Kyle Levins had been taken out in the rescue operation.

Lena shuddered, thinking about the third man who'd escaped. She'd returned to work after a couple of weeks recuperating, but that didn't stop her from looking over her shoulder, wondering if he'd track her down. According to Jett, Ivan Rogers headed a large North American sex-trafficking ring. He'd taken a particular interest in Lena, claiming he was going to keep her all for himself.

She'd been lucky as hell to get away from him.

The Feds had raided the property after the incident, but he was already gone. Out there somewhere. Always on her mind.

Pulling open the heavy door, Lena descended the stairs. The basement of headquarters housed the armory, gun range, and fully-equipped gym. The men on the Shadow Ops Team were often down there training and preparing for missions. They were both silent and deadly, and she was thankful men like them were on their side. The good guys.

Clearly, none of the Shadow Ops Team members were here tonight. Jett would've asked one of his team to check numbers in the armory if that were the case, not send her over. The men were probably out with their women or cozy at home, content with their lives. Lena didn't date anymore, which suited her just fine. Relationships hadn't gone so well in the past. The only man on the team still single anyway was Gray, and he had demons just like her. Secrets. A past he wanted to forget. She could admit that Gray was attractive in a dark and dangerous type of way. He might not hurt her, but it was still best that she kept her distance all the same.

Lena shook her head once more, clearing her thoughts.

Her heels clicked as she moved down the empty stairwell. This wasn't the first time she'd been here alone late in the evening and no doubt it wouldn't be the last. She slowed her steps, listening for what, she wasn't sure. The building was inside a secure compound, surrounded by a gated fence, cameras, and security staff. Everyone inside was cleared. Employees needed to badge in to enter the front door and the various secure areas within the building. It wasn't like someone could just walk in off the streets and hurt her.

Inexplicably, she shivered.

Lena hurried the rest of the way down, moving into the basement hall. The lights were on, but it still felt secluded. Glancing left and right, she strode toward the armory. Lena quickly swiped her badge and typed in the code, breathing a sigh of relief when she was inside the secure space. The heavy door clicked shut behind her.

It was silly for her to feel rattled. She was safer here than most anywhere else.

Moving quickly toward the area Jett had instructed her, she scanned the labels, looking for the correct boxes. Lena tallied the types of ammo he'd needed numbers on, taking a couple of photos and notes on her phone. She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. One day she was buying flowers or pretty lingerie for her boss's wife, maybe even helping them to research daycares and back-up nannies, and the next, counting bullets. Life was weird.

She scanned over the numbers she'd saved once more. Lena would shoot him a text as soon as she had cell reception again. The armory was a secure space with thick, metal walls. There was a secure line available to use, but a cell wouldn't work. She'd call Jett before she left headquarters to make sure that was all he needed. It had already been a long day, and she didn't want to come back again even later if she'd gotten the wrong information.

Giving the boxes of ammo one last cursory glance, she slid her phone into her handbag. Lena crossed the large space and opened the heavy door. Lena made sure it locked behind her, double-checking that it was secure, then shrieked in surprise as a man she didn't recognize came out of the gym across the hall.

"Whoa, easy there," the guy said with a grin, not bothering to slow his step as he approached her. "I didn't mean to scare you. I saw you head into the armory earlier."

"Oh," she said, taking a step back without thought, her heart racing. She was now almost pressed against the armory door, and her gaze inadvertently darted to the stairwell. She thought the man was one of the new IT guys, but why he was here in the gym so late, she didn't have an answer for. Was anyone else even downstairs right now?

"I've seen you around," he continued, not seeming to even notice her fear. "I wanted to introduce myself." His gaze slid to her hand. "I don't see a ring on your finger. Tell me you're single," he said with a lazy grin, edging slightly closer. Lena didn't miss the way his eyes flared with interest as he appreciatively looked her over. The guy still hadn't even told her his name.

"No. I'm not married, but I don't date. Jett's expecting my call, so I need to get going." She pushed away from the door, trying not to brush against him since he stood so close to her, then yelped in surprise as the guy's big hand landed on her arm, his fingers closing around her flesh.

Her pulse skittered, her breath hitching as she froze in place.

"Hey, wait—" he said.

Lena's frantic eyes slid to the door of the gym as another man came hustling out at the sound of her cry. He looked pissed as his narrowed gaze took in Lena and the man gripping her arm, but she was too happy to see him to care. A sweet sense of relief flooded through her, her entire body relaxing just a fraction.

"Gray."

Her voice sounded breathier than usual, shaky. She tugged her arm free as the guy from IT whipped around to look at who'd approached.

"Are you okay?" Gray asked, his voice a low rumble as he moved toward them with a frown. "I heard you scream."

Flustered, Lena felt her face growing warm. The last thing she needed was to look weak and incompetent again in front of the gruff former soldier. She already felt out of her element sometimes dealing with the work Jett and his team conducted. Sure, she might look organized and capable, but they were more adept at handling the dangers of the world than she'd ever be.

"I'm fine. He startled me when he came out of the gym. I didn't think anyone else was down here." She cleared her throat, both loving and hating the intense way Gray was watching her. "He grabbed my arm before I could walk away." Her voice faltered, and she knew in that instant that Gray saw right through the brave fa?ade she was trying to put up.

"Move aside, asshole," Gray said, fisting the guy's shirt and yanking him away from Lena.

"Hey, what the hell, man? I just wanted to get her number."

Gray was already guiding her to the stairwell, giving the guy a scathing look over his shoulder. "You don't fucking touch her." His voice was deadly, brokering no argument. His eyes fell on one of the security cameras in the hallway, aiming in their direction. Gray pointed at it with his free hand, clearly knowing West Renkin, their IT guru, or someone in security would be monitoring it. "That guy needs to go."

Gray yanked open the door to the stairwell, guiding Lena ahead of him. Gray's astute gaze was already scanning over her as he took her upstairs, the man they'd left behind clearly no threat to him. No longer a potential threat to her. There was no way Gray would've turned his back to the guy if he thought otherwise.

Lena knew she probably looked terrified. Her heart was still beating a million times a minute, her palms felt slick, and she was sure her face was currently pale. She felt shaky as they began walking upstairs, suddenly realizing that Gray's muscled arm was lightly wrapped around her, giving her support.

She didn't feel scared with him, however, like when the other man had grabbed her arm. Instead, she simply felt…safe.

"Who the hell was that guy?" Gray asked, the deep timbre of his voice winding its way inside her. She remained pressed against his side, simply trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. She wobbled in her heeled boots, and Gray's arm tightened around her. His entire body was tense, on-edge, and she tried to absorb some of his strength. He was angry on her behalf, yet barely anything had happened. Embarrassment washed over her.

"One of Jett's new hires. I forgot his name."

"He won't be working here long," Gray muttered.

Lena didn't argue. She had plans to tell Jett about the incident herself, but she could sense that Gray was going to have words with their boss as well. Accidentally scaring her was one thing, but grabbing her arm so she couldn't walk away? She'd been paralyzed, taken back to—she shuddered, the memories nearly overtaking her.

"Are you okay?" Gray asked more gently, ducking his head lower. She was average height for a woman, taller in her heeled boots, but Gray was still bigger than her. Stronger. He'd been working out and was dressed in gym shorts, a tee shirt, and sneakers, but Lena knew he was positively lethal. Gray wouldn't have needed a weapon to take on that clueless guy from IT—or anyone else, for that matter. The Shadow Ops Team members were all former Special Forces soldiers. Just because they didn't wear a uniform anymore didn't mean they were harmless. Far from it.

"I'm okay, just rattled." Her voice still sounded thin. Lena sucked in a breath, trying to steady herself. "I shouldn't have gotten so shaken up over that. It just reminded me...."

"I know." Gray's quiet voice soothed something deep inside her. He wasn't overly talkative or pushing her for information. He was simply there, literally holding her up as he escorted her away. "Shit. Why would Jett send you here at this hour?" His voice was gruff, and he seemed unhappy that she was alone downstairs so late. While Shadow Security employed both men and women, the fact of the matter was, most employees were male. Lena wasn't a trained operative. She was Jett's personal assistant. She ran errands. Made appointments. And she hated how vulnerable she felt at the moment because of a seemingly small thing. It's not like she'd been attacked. A man had cornered her, not even realizing she was scared.

Her stomach churned.

"Jett needed me to inventory some ammunition."

Gray muttered a curse. "I could've gotten that for him."

"Guess he didn't know you were here," she said lightly, hastening a glance his way. They'd reached the lobby, and she faltered, her gaze landing on the windows and darkness outside.

"I'll walk you to your car." His voice brokered no argument. "Let's get the numbers to Jett first. I want a word with him anyway."

"Okay."

Gray was already calling Jett as they moved to the empty area behind the receptionist's desk, his phone at his ear. "Some asshole grabbed Lena just now," Gray said without preamble, the irritation clear on his face. He was still looking her over, seemingly trying to make sure she was truly okay. Gray yanked out a chair, guiding her to sit down, and she gratefully sank into it. "He cornered her against the door to the armory. I was downstairs in the gym and—yep. Got it." He set his phone down on the counter. "He's calling security to pull up the feed. Jett will call us right back."

Lena blew out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "What else did he say?"

"The guy's done here. Security will escort him out."

She stilled, worry suddenly coursing through her. Her gaze darted to the stairwell they'd just come from.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked, surprisingly attuned to her emotions.

"What if he's mad? He was trying to stop me from leaving, but it's not like he attacked me or something. He could sue the company for wrongful termination," Lena explained.

Gray's gaze narrowed. "You're worried that asshole might be mad at you?"

"Well…."

"He won't bother you again. Jett has lawyers. There are cameras in the hall. When I came out of the gym, you looked fucking terrified. He had his hands on you." Gray's voice was thick, and she couldn't read the different emotions dancing in his eyes.

"I was too scared to move," she admitted.

"There you go. No need to lose sleep over a dick like that."

Lena huffed out a laugh despite herself and didn't miss the way Gray's own lips quirked. They were full and positively kissable, and why she was thinking that at this completely inappropriate time, she had no idea. Gray could be gruff and somewhat of a loner. He kept himself slightly apart from his teammates, yet Gray seemed to notice everything about her tonight. It was both flattering and unnerving.

"Yeah. You're right," she finally relented. Lena licked her own lips, looking around the small reception area. Gray grabbed a water bottle for her, twisting off the cap before he handed it over.

"Drink this."

She nodded and gratefully took several sips. Gray's eyes were still on her, and she fumbled with the bottle as she tried to put the cap back on a moment later. With all of his attention and focus directly on her, she was flustered. Uncharacteristically so.

Despite the fact that he'd literally held her in his arms after the team rescued her, things had essentially returned to normal between them. And if she was far too aware of him whenever he was near? Well, she'd have to pretend he was simply another colleague, not the type of man who made her heart skip a beat.

Gray's phone buzzing on the counter made her jump, and he swore. "Hey boss. Yep. She's right here. I'll escort her to her car." His gaze landed on her again. "Lena. Do you have the numbers for Jett?"

"Of course," she said, opening her purse. She swiped the screen on her phone, pulling up the message she hadn't yet sent.

Gray easily relayed the info to their boss, confirming the numbers before ending the call. "I told Jett I'd get you out of here before security comes through with that asshole from downstairs. Jett will touch base with you later on but knew you were shaken up and probably wanted to leave."

"How? Oh. The security cameras." Heat washed over her face. For a normally capable woman, she'd let herself get spooked rather easily tonight. She knew Jett wouldn't hold it against her, but she wasn't sure if she liked Gray seeing her vulnerable side yet again.

He turned, grabbing a second bottle of water. Lena couldn't help but stare as he took a swig, noticing his thick biceps and broad shoulders. Geez. Even his hands look strong, with veins trailing across them. Thick fingers. Muscled forearms. A guy like Gray could really hurt a woman if he wanted.

Yet he'd physically pulled the other man away from her instead. Kept her safe.

Lena shivered.

"Let's get you out of here," he said more gently. "Are you okay to drive home?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "Of course. I'll be fine," she added, which somehow made her sound less certain. Steeling herself, Lena grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, her heels clicking on the smooth floor once again as they walked to the doors. She looked polished and pulled-together but felt almost prim and prissy compared to Gray. He was athletic and muscular, confident and strong. Gray could annihilate any harm that came their way in an instant. She was just…Jett's personal assistant.

"I'll go first," Gray said, pushing open the door and stepping into the well-lit area in front of the building. The gesture was unnecessary but somehow made her heartbeat speed up just the same. He was protecting her even now, even if they were in no immediate danger. Had anyone ever watched out for her so carefully before?

Gray's gaze was scanning the mostly empty parking lot as she followed him outside. She could see the gated entry in the distance. The secure fence. And the dark forest that surrounded the secluded property.

"I'm parked right over there," she said, nodding toward her vehicle in the first row.

Gray waited for her to fall in step beside him, matching his long stride to her own. He didn't seem at all bothered by the cold winter air. She could smell his clean, masculine scent, mixed in with a trace of sweat. He'd started a workout before he'd rushed to her rescue, but the scent wasn't unpleasant. Gray was pure male. Rough and raw and real. Strong in a way she'd never be. The man had demons, no doubt, but he hid them well. Gray was the type of man who kept to himself, even amongst his friends. Funny that she was somewhat of a loner, too. She did her job and went back to her small home. The solitude was fine. Calm and quiet and truly all that she needed. Lena didn't want a man getting in her way, even someone silent, steady, and sure like him.

Gray didn't speak until they'd reached her vehicle. "You've got my number," Gray assessed, looking down at her in that intense way of his.

"Of course. I have the entire teams' numbers programmed into my phone."

"Call me if you have any trouble."

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

"Jett will have security let the asshole from IT know to leave you alone, but…." He nodded at her, his dark gaze intense. "Give me a call if there's an issue."

"Okay. Thank you," she finally added. Had she thanked him earlier? She wasn't sure. The entire evening was somewhat of a blur of frazzled nerves and spiked adrenaline. Lena wasn't usually like this. She prided herself on being professional. Poised and unfazed by anything. She'd been frightened down by the armory, but Gray also shook her up somewhat, leaving her scrambling to right herself. Everything he said threw her off, none of it ever what she expected.

"You're welcome." A beat passed as they stood there. There was no need for him to remain, yet here he was.

She swallowed, nervous for some reason, and grabbed her key fob from her purse, clicking the remote. Gray reached down, pulling open her car door, and goosebumps erupted over her skin at the chivalrous gesture. Gray watched her get into her vehicle, nodding at her once as she closed the door. He was going to watch her leave, she realized. Heat washed over her face as she started the engine and pulled on her seatbelt. Gray's eyes on her were unnerving. He didn't miss anything. Her hands were trembling slightly as she put them on the steering wheel, but she wasn't sure if it was from the fright she'd had earlier or her body's surprising reaction to the man standing just outside her car door. Trying to keep her composure, she checked her mirrors and backed out of the space, giving him a silly little wave before she drove off.

Gray was still standing there, arms crossed, as she headed to the gate, looking like a sentinel on duty, making sure nothing and no one harmed her under his watch.