Chapter 5

FIVE

R eid stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, gazing out at the glittering Manhattan skyline. The city hummed with life, but his mind buzzed with thoughts of Brianne Ellis. Their meeting at the café had left him... unsettled. In the best possible way.

He turned from the window, running a hand through his dark hair. The sleek, modern office of Parker Security Solutions surrounded him, a testament to his success. Yet for the first time in years, work seemed... secondary.

A knock at the door interrupted his reverie. "Come in," Reid called, composing his features into their usual mask of calm authority.

Jake Morgan sauntered in, a grin playing on his lips. "So," he drawled, dropping into a chair across from Reid's desk, "how'd it go with the game designer? Did she hack your firewall?"

Reid rolled his eyes, settling into his leather chair. "It was a business meeting, Jake. Nothing more."

"Uh-huh." Jake's hazel eyes danced with amusement. "And that's why you've been staring out the window like a lovesick teenager for the past ten minutes?"

"I was not-" Reid began, then caught himself. He sighed. "The meeting went well. Brianne's project is... intriguing."

"Brianne, huh?" Jake leaned forward, his grin widening. "First name basis already? Must be serious."

Reid felt a flicker of irritation. "It's a professional courtesy. Her game, Shadow Realms , has potential. The security aspects are particularly challenging."

"Right, right. The security aspects." Jake nodded sagely. "Nothing to do with the cute blonde in the photo, I'm sure."

Reid's jaw clenched. He'd known Jake since childhood, and while he valued their friendship, sometimes his teasing hit too close to home. "She's a potential client, Jake. That's all."

"If you say so, boss." Jake held up his hands in mock surrender. "But I haven't seen you this worked up over a ‘potential client' since... well, ever ."

Reid leaned back in his chair, forcing his muscles to relax. "It's... different," he admitted reluctantly. "There's something about her. A spark."

Jake's eyebrows shot up. "A spark? From you? Mr. I'll-wait-for-my-fated-mate? Now I'm really intrigued."

Reid growled softly, a bear-like rumble in his chest. "Don't start, Jake. I'm not saying she's my mate. I'm just... interested in getting to know her better."

"Uh-huh." Jake's tone was skeptical. "And that has nothing to do with the fact that she's smart, funny, and probably the first woman who's challenged you in years?"

Reid opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. Jake had a point, not that he'd admit it. "We're having dinner tonight," he said instead, "to discuss the project further."

Jake's grin threatened to split his face. "A dinner date? Oh, this is rich. The mighty Reid Parker felled by a game designer."

"It's not a date," Reid insisted, but even to his own ears, the protest sounded weak. "It's a business dinner."

"Sure, sure." Jake stood, clapping Reid on the shoulder. "Just remember, boss. Sometimes the best security system is the one that lets the right person in."

With that cryptic remark, Jake sauntered out, leaving Reid to his thoughts. He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself. Jake might be a pain, but he had a knack for cutting through Reid's defenses.

Reid glanced at his watch. Time to get ready for dinner. For the first time in years, he felt a flutter of nervousness in his stomach. What was it about Brianne Ellis that got under his skin?

He was determined to find out.

Hours later, Reid found himself seated across from Brianne in an upscale Italian restaurant. The soft glow of candles flickered between them, casting a warm light on Brianne's face. She looked stunning in a deep blue dress that brought out the color of her eyes.

"So," Brianne said, her lips quirking into a smile, "do you always take your clients to fancy restaurants, or am I just special?"

Reid felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward. "Only the ones with intriguing video game projects and meddling mothers."

Brianne laughed, the sound sending a pleasant shiver down Reid's spine. "Oh god, don't get me started on meddling mothers. Mine's been on a matchmaking rampage lately. I swear, if she sets me up with one more ‘nice boy from church,' I might actually snap."

"At least yours limits herself to church," Reid replied dryly. "Mine once tried to set me up with a woman she met in line at the DMV."

Brianne's eyes widened. "You're kidding."

"I wish I was." Reid shook his head, chuckling at the memory. "Apparently, the fact that we were both renewing our licenses meant we were ‘destined to be together.'"

"Oh no," Brianne giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "That's... that's impressively bad. But I can top it. My mom once invited a guy to Thanksgiving dinner without telling me, then introduced him as my ‘future husband.'"

Reid winced sympathetically. "That's rough. What did you do?"

"Choked on my turkey, naturally." Brianne's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Then spent the rest of the night talking about my collection of rare diseases. Poor guy couldn't get out of there fast enough."

Reid found himself laughing, a deep, genuine sound that surprised him. When was the last time he'd laughed like this? "Remind me never to get on your bad side," he said, shaking his head in amusement.

As the evening progressed, Reid found himself more and more drawn to Brianne. Her wit, her passion for her work, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her game... it was intoxicating.

"So, tell me more about Shadow Realms ," he prompted as their main courses arrived. "You mentioned it was important for your company?"

Brianne nodded, her expression turning serious. "It's... well, it's kind of make or break for us, to be honest. We're a small studio, and this is our first big project. If it succeeds, it could put us on the map. If it fails..."

She trailed off, but Reid understood. The gaming industry could be cutthroat. "That's why the security is so important," he surmised.

"Exactly." Brianne twirled pasta around her fork, her brow furrowing slightly. "I'm the only one allowed to have the prototype right now. It's a huge responsibility, you know? If anything happened to it..."

Reid nodded, impressed by her dedication. "We'll make sure it's protected," he assured her. "Your game is in good hands."

Brianne smiled, a soft, genuine expression that made Reid's heart skip a beat. "Thank you. That... that means a lot."

As the evening drew to a close, Reid signaled for the check. Brianne excused herself to take a call from her sister, stepping outside the restaurant. Reid watched her through the window, admiring the way she gesticulated as she spoke, her face animated and expressive.

He was just signing the receipt when a scream shattered the peaceful night air. Reid's head snapped up, his heart lurching as he saw Brianne surrounded by a group of masked figures outside the restaurant.

In an instant, he was on his feet, charging toward the door. His bear roared inside him, demanding he protect what was his. Wait, his? Where had that come from? Reid pushed the thought aside, focusing on the immediate threat.

He burst out of the restaurant, his muscles coiled for action ready to shift then and there. He decided against it. Too many witnesses. Two of the attackers turned to face him, brandishing guns. Reid's lips pulled back in a snarl, his shifter strength surging through him.

One attacker swung a crowbar, but Reid ducked under it, coming up with a powerful uppercut that sent the man flying. Another came at him with a knife, but Reid grabbed his wrist, twisting until the weapon clattered to the ground.

But there were more of them with guns, and they had Brianne. Reid roared in frustration as he saw her struggling against her captors, her face a mask of anger.

"Let her go!" he bellowed, but it was too late. The thieves shoved Brianne away, grabbing her bag - the bag containing the prototype USB drive. They piled into a waiting van, which peeled away from the curb with a screech of tires.

Reid started to give chase but skidded to a stop as the van disappeared into traffic. His chest heaved, anger and adrenaline coursing through him. Fuck. How did he let that shit happen? He knew better. His instincts screamed for one person.

Brianne. The thought jolted him back to the present. He spun around, rushing back to where she stood, looking shaken but unharmed.

"Brianne," he said softly, reaching out to steady her. "Did they hurt you?"

She shook her head, her blue eyes wide with shock. "I'm... I'm okay. But the prototype. Reid, they took the prototype! Those jerks!"

Reid pulled her close, his protective instincts flaring. She trembled against him, and it fueled his determination. "We'll get it back," he promised, his voice low and fierce. "Brianne, we'll find them and get your game back."

As he held her, Reid realized two things with startling clarity. First, he would do anything to keep this woman safe. And second, whether he was ready to admit it or not, in just a handful of hours, Brianne had become far more than just a client to him.

The game had changed, and Reid Parker was all in.