Chapter Two

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Two Days Earlier

Jace Malley cursed when he saw the woman seated on the visitors' sofa.

The cursing wasn't aimed at his boss, Ruby Maverick, head of Maverick Ops. But rather at someone else that he damn sure hadn't been expecting to see in his boss' office while he was reporting to get his first solo assignment.

Katherine "Kit" Barclay.

Yet, there she was, still as beautiful as ever, sitting on that sleek white leather sofa positioned by the floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed plenty of light to spew into the room. Not that he needed much light to see, and recognize, Kit.

Easy to recognize someone who'd been naked in your bed.

Many, many times.

His fellow operative and trainer at Maverick Ops, Jericho McKenna, stepped into the doorway beside him, and as Jace had done, his gaze swept around the massive office located on the top floor of the headquarters building. Unlike Jace though, Jericho only gave Kit a passing glance before his attention settled on Ruby, who stood and walked toward them. She outstretched her hand, and Jace realized the greeting was aimed at him.

"Jace, your first solo," Ruby said. "Jericho tells me you're more than ready for it, and that you breezed through all of your training missions."

There was a touch of pride in her voice that reminded him of a new mother. In this case though, the mother wasn't new. Ruby had dozens of operatives. Nor was she a traditional mom but rather a former kick-ass special forces, who even in her fifties could no doubt still hold her on in a hard fight.

"Jericho's a good trainer," Jace said.

That wasn't lip service. Jericho was indeed good, and while Jace hadn't faced anything in his missions that he hadn't already faced in the military and as a cop, Jericho had introduced him to ways of getting the jobs done while still staying within legal lines.

"Yep, I'm the best." Jericho flashed his cocky, easy grin and shook Ruby's hand as well. "And he's all yours now. Ready for… Her." His attention shifted to Kit. "I don't believe we've met," Jericho added, walking toward her.

Jace stayed back, and while he didn't verbally curse, Ruby must have seen the profanity-laced questions in his eyes. "Is she the job?" he asked.

Jericho turned back toward him, no doubt picking up on Jace's tone. A tone that, like his expression, must have conveyed he couldn't believe what was going on.

"She's the job," Ruby verified, motioning for her to follow him to the sofa.

Kit stood and shook Jericho's hand. "Kit Barclay."

"Jericho McKenna," he replied, volleying glances between Jace and her. "And I'm guessing from the vibes zinging back and forth between Jace and you that you two know each other."

"Yeah, we know each other," Jace verified, his voice taking on a grumbling edge. "Is this some kind of joke?" he came out and asked Kit.

She sighed, shook her head, and in a gesture he knew all too well, she raked her fingers over the side of the long auburn hair, tucking it behind her ear. Kit probably would have responded to his snapped question, but Ruby did before she could.

"No, it's not a joke," his boss said. "Kit has requested the services of a Maverick Ops' bodyguard, and she specifically wants you."

Jace nearly laughed. Nearly. Then, he locked gazes with Kit to see if her expression would give anything away to let him know what the hell was going on.

It did.

She wasn't gloating. Wasn't savoring his obvious discomfort or confusion. There was something in her green eyes he'd never seen before.

Fear.

Until this moment, Jace hadn't thought anyone or anything could cause Kit to be afraid, so this was a first. Then again, she was here at Maverick Ops' headquarters asking for a bodyguard.

And not any old bodyguard either.

But him.

Why?

Jace was certain he would soon learn that. Certain, too, that he wasn't going to care much for the answer.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Jericho asked, breaking the tense silence that had settled like an icy fog in the room.

Kit cleared her throat. "Jace and I were once married. I'm his ex."

That caused some surprise to flash on Jericho's face. "Married? That wasn't in your record when you applied to Maverick Ops," he was quick to point out.

"Because the marriage was annulled," Jace supplied. "A lifetime ago," he tacked onto that.

Kit nodded, and Jace thought her mouth went a little tight. But it was true. It'd been nearly two decades ago, and during that time, Kit and he had both gone their separate ways.

Well, mostly.

He mentally sighed when he remembered running into her about five years later, and they'd landed in bed for ex-sex. It'd happened two more times. Again, years apart. And each hookup ending the same way.

With Kit running away.

Not literally.

But she sure as hell hadn't issued any invitations for them to have a second chance. Just the opposite. She'd left his bed—or hers, depending on where they'd ended up—and gone straight home to Daddy.

Daddy, AKA Ramsey Barclay, who ruled his daughter with an iron hand. And Kit let him do it. All the while ignoring that Daddy was a slimeball criminal who'd managed to skirt the law because of his deep pockets and equally deep connections to VIP slimeballs.

Kit had helped the law skirting, too.

By becoming one of Ramsey's own personal attorneys.

With that reminder, Jace decided that he'd done some running, too, after the ex-sex. While the sex itself had been damn amazing, he hadn't ever thought he could stomach turning a blind eye to Ramsey the way Kit had.

So, no second chances suited him just fine.

"Jace and I were nineteen," Kit continued with her explanation to Jericho, "and the marriage was, uh, impulsive."

For some reason that riled Jace. Then again, just about anything she said was going to do that. Still, impulsive wasn't the word that he'd use since Kit and he had dated, secretly, for nearly a year before heading to a Justice of the Peace for that short-lived I do .

Short-lived because Ramsey had stepped in and exerted his will over Kit. The annulment had gone through, and Ramsey probably hoped his pretty princess of a daughter never crossed paths with the likes of scum like Jace.

There was another round of silence, and Ruby was the one to break it this time. "Why don't we sit and Kit can explain why she's here?" She motioned for them to follow her to that sitting area that had clearly been designed to meet with guests and clients.

High-end ones.

Then again, the low-end ones likely wouldn't be able to afford the lofty price tag for Maverick Ops' services.

Jace certainly wouldn't have been able to on his military or cop's salaries. Now, of course, he could since he was on the receiving end of those lofty payments. He also knew that Ruby often offered her services free to those who needed them but couldn't afford them.

Kit would not fall into that category.

Jace didn't know the Barclay family's net worth, but it had to be in the millions.

"Did Ruby tell you I just finished my training," Jace told Kit as they took their seats. Jace and Jericho on the loveseat facing Kit and Ruby on the sofa.

Kit nodded. "She did, and Ruby feels you're more than capable of handling my situation." She paused a heartbeat and looked Jace straight in the eyes. "Do you feel capable of being my bodyguard?"

That was a damn tricky question. He could do personal protection and do it well. But could he take an impartial approach as he should do with a bodyguard assignment?

No way in hell.

Rule two of being a bodyguard was don't get personally involved with the client, and the personal was already there in spades between Kit and him.

Always would be.

But rule one topped rule two. Keep the client safe. That was the ultimate priority, and Jace had to figure that Kit had a reason for needing that safety.

And for believing he was the one to ensure that.

"Why do you want me as your bodyguard?" he came out and asked.

She didn't jump to answer. Instead, Kit gathered her breath. "I'm scheduled to testify at a trial in two days, and I, uh, need you to keep me alive. Because someone is trying to kill me."

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