Chapter 7

SEVEN

T he first rays of dawn barely peeked through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Parker Security Solutions when Reid strode into his office. The city below still slumbered, but Reid's mind raced at full throttle, fueled by a potent mix of determination and black coffee.

He settled into his leather chair, the rich aroma of his Colombian brew wafting up as he set the mug down. Brianne. Fuck. That kiss had kept him up all night. She was the one. His mate. And he knew there was no way he was walking away from her. Even before their kiss, he knew that. But now that he'd had a taste of her, he was damn sure not going to let anyone stand in the way of claiming her. He was certain his eyes, usually cool and calculating, now burned with an intensity that would have startled his employees - if any had been brave enough to arrive this early.

The events of the previous night played on a loop in his mind: Brianne's laughter over dinner, the sudden chaos of the attack, the helplessness he'd felt as the thieves escaped with her prototype. Reid's jaw clenched. He'd failed to protect her once. It wouldn't happen again. And the kiss. The kiss. That kiss had changed everything.

With a determined exhale, he reached for his phone. Time to call in some favors.

"Logan," Reid barked as soon as the call connected. "I need everything you can dig up on a group called The Glitchers. They're our prime suspects in last night's incident."

Logan Harris, Reid's head of security, responded with his usual efficiency. "On it, boss. Any particular angle you want me to focus on?"

"Their known associates, hangouts, and any chatter about recent activities. And Logan? This is top priority. I want updates every hour."

"Understood. I'll get the team on it right away."

Reid ended the call, his mind already racing to the next step. He pulled up the surveillance footage from the area around the restaurant, his eyes scanning for details others might've missed. A flash of movement caught his attention - a figure in the background, watching the attack unfold. Reid leaned in, enhancing the image. The face wasn't clear, but something about the stance, the way they held themselves...

His musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. Jake sauntered in, a grin on his face despite the early hour.

"Burning the midnight oil, boss? Or should I say the dawn oil?" Jake quipped, dropping into the chair across from Reid's desk.

Reid's lips quirked in a half-smile. Jake's easy-going nature had always been a counterbalance to his own intensity. "Some of us actually like to get work done, Jake."

Jake clutched his chest in mock offense. "You wound me, Reid. I'll have you know I've been up for hours... planning our next paintball tournament."

Reid rolled his eyes, but he couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Glad to see you're focusing on the important things. Now, if you're done planning your war games, I could use your help on a real mission."

Jake's expression sobered immediately. "The prototype theft? Logan filled me in on the basics. What do you need?"

For the next hour, Reid and Jake pored over the information Reid had gathered. They compiled a list of potential suspects, cross-referencing names with known criminals in the gaming world. Jake's street smarts complemented Reid's analytical approach, and slowly but surely, a clearer picture began to emerge.

As they worked, Reid couldn't help but notice Jake's occasional knowing glances. Finally, he'd had enough. "Spit it out, Jake. What's with the looks?"

Jake leaned back, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, nothing. Just noticing how... invested you seem in this case. It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain blonde game designer, would it?"

Reid's shoulders tensed. "Brianne is a client, Jake. Nothing more."

"Uh-huh. And I'm the Queen of England." Jake's grin widened. "Come on, Reid. I've known you since we were cubs. I haven't seen you this worked up over a case - or a woman - in years."

Reid opened his mouth to retort, but the sharp ring of his phone cut him off. Saved by the bell, he thought, reaching for the device.

"Parker," he answered curtly.

"Mr. Parker, it's Detective Martinez. I've got some information on that group you asked about - The Glitchers."

Reid's pulse quickened. "Go on."

"They're bad news, Mr. Parker. Responsible for at least a dozen high-profile game leaks in the past year alone. We've been trying to nail them for months, but they're slippery. Always one step ahead."

"Any leads on their current whereabouts?"

"Nothing concrete, but there's chatter about a big sale coming up. Word is they've got their hands on something big - a game changer, if you'll pardon the pun."

Reid's free hand clenched into a fist. Brianne's prototype. It had to be. "Thank you, Detective. Keep me posted on any developments."

As he hung up, Reid noticed Jake watching him intently. "The Glitchers?" Jake asked.

Reid nodded, quickly filling Jake in on the detective's information. Jake let out a low whistle. "Sounds like we're dealing with some serious players. What's the plan, boss?"

Reid's mind raced, formulating strategies and discarding them just as quickly. "We need to infiltrate their operation. Find out where they're keeping the prototype and when this sale is going down."

Jake grinned, a reckless excitement lighting up his features. "Undercover work? Now you're speaking my language. I've always wanted to be a dashing cyber-criminal."

Reid couldn't help but smile at his friend's enthusiasm. "Down, boy. We need to be smart about this. One wrong move and we could spook them - or worse, put Brianne in danger."

At the mention of Brianne's name, Jake's eyebrows shot up, but for once, he refrained from commenting. Instead, he leaned forward, all business now. "All right, what's our first move?"

For the next few hours, Reid and Jake hashed out a plan. They would start by infiltrating known hacker hangouts, posing as potential buyers interested in The Glitchers' latest acquisition. Reid would work his contacts in the security world while Jake would leverage his more... colorful acquaintances in the city's underground.

As they finalized the details, Reid found his thoughts drifting to Brianne. He should call her and update her on their progress. The memory of her voice filled with determination even in the face of loss, sent a warmth through his chest that he chose not to examine too closely.

"Earth to Reid," Jake's voice broke through his musings. "You planning on calling your girl anytime soon?"

Reid shot him a glare. "She's not my-" He caught himself, sighing. He wasn't ready to tell anyone else anything just yet. "Yes, I'm going to call Brianne. She deserves to know what we've found out."

Jake's smirk was knowing, but he mercifully kept any further comments to himself. As Reid reached for his phone, Jake stood, stretching. "I'll set things up for our little undercover operation tomorrow. If you see her, try not to spend the whole day making googly eyes at each other over the phone, okay?"

A pen flew across the room, barely missing Jake's head as he ducked out, laughing. Reid shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. Sometimes he wondered why he put up with Jake's antics. Then he remembered all the times that Jake had his back, all the tight spots they'd gotten out of together. There was no one he trusted more in the field.

Taking a deep breath, Reid dialed Brianne's number. As the phone rang, he found himself oddly nervous. Pull it together, Parker .

But even as he thought it, he was lying to himself. Somewhere between their first meeting, the kiss, and now, Brianne had become important. And when his bear claimed her as his mate, there was no turning from that. The fierce protectiveness he felt, the way his bear stirred restlessly at the thought of her in danger... it all pointed to one inescapable conclusion. She was his. His one.

Brianne answered on the third ring, her voice sending a jolt through him. "Reid? Please tell me you have good news."

"I've got a lead," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "How quickly can you get to my office? We've got a lot to discuss before tomorrow."

As he hung up, Reid leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes briefly. He'd faced down corporate raiders, rival shifter packs, and countless security threats. But somehow, none of that had prepared him for Hurricane Brianne.

With a wry smile, Reid stood, straightening his tie. Time to face the music - and the woman who was quickly becoming the most important person in his life, whether he was ready to admit it or not.

The hunt for The Glitchers was on, and Reid Parker was determined to win. Not just for the sake of the case, but for Brianne.