Shades of Gray

Music and the din of conversation could be heard from within. Donovan didn’t hesitate, but walked in as if he owned the place, arrogant and confident. Surprisingly, he fit right in among the glitz and the glam of all the attendees.



P.J. stopped in her tracks when she took in the glittering ballroom. Donovan’s grip tightened on her hand as he tucked it underneath his arm.



“Don’t slow now,” he murmured. “Smile and look confident. Like you belong.”



Easy for him to say. Places like this struck terror in her heart. It was filled with beautiful people. Beautiful rich people.



There was a sea of them.



She nearly laughed as Donovan expertly maneuvered them through the crowd toward the bar. She was here to garner the attention of one specific man. Gorgeous women were stacked wall to wall in this place. And she was supposed to stand out?



Donovan took two flutes of champagne and handed one to P.J. As he lifted one to his lips, he murmured to her.



“Okay, see the man on your far left? No, don’t look. Gradually scan. He’s in a group. Can’t miss him. Tall blond. Laughs really loud. Likes to be the center of attention. Women surround him because they know he has money and power. They have no idea of his perversions or they’d run like hell.”



A shiver raced down her spine.



Great.



She casually scanned the room until she found the man Donovan was referring to. Definitely couldn’t miss him. The boom of his laughter was loud even over the rest of the two hundred plus people gathered.



“That’s Brumley, and he’s a man to avoid. Under no circumstances do you want to gain his notice. Nelson is across the room and is currently alone. He’s surveying the crowd and, if I had to guess, looking to score. See him standing by the window? Shorter, stocky guy. Muscled, but he’s not one of Brumley’s bodyguards or he’d be hanging a hell of a lot closer to Brumley. He’s Brumley’s damage control. He’s the guy Brumley sends to clean up his messes. Dark hair. Mustache. Fake tan.”



“Yeah, I see him,” she murmured, her lips barely moving.



“Now would be a very good time for you to make a pass by him. The ladies’ room is beyond him so it’s the perfect opportunity for you to walk by and it’s likely why he’s taken position there, because he knows he’ll see the majority of the women at some point on their way to the powder room. Go reapply some lipstick and make eye contact on your way by. Give him a once-over, just enough to make him think you might be interested, but be subtle and don’t tip your hand too early.”



“Why Van, you sound like such an expert,” she said mockingly. “However are you still single?”



“Smart-ass,” he muttered.



She took a deep breath. “Okay, here I go.”



“You’ll be fine,” he reassured. “We’ve all got your back.”



She clutched the beaded handbag, wishing desperately it was the stock of a loaded pistol, and walked as gracefully as she was capable across the room.



As soon as she approached she could feel Nelson’s gaze on her, all but peeling off her dress. She felt violated before she got within ten feet, just from the intensity of that lustful stare.



Even though Donovan had told her to make eye contact and to make that first move, her gut told her that obliviousness would serve her better. This was a guy who didn’t like not to be noticed. He was someone used to garnering attention. He probably had any number of women clinging to him at any given time if for nothing else than his connection to Brumley.



She unzipped her bag and pretended to focus her concentration on finding the lipstick as she drew even with Nelson. As soon as she passed, she relaxed but could still feel the weight of his stare boring into her back. He’d definitely noticed her.



It appeared as though Donovan’s intel was correct, because along with P.J. there had been two blondes and a stunning redhead walking in the direction of the ladies’ room, but Nelson had zeroed in on her.



She positioned herself in front of the mirror and forced herself to calm the jitters. She was a professional, with a hand as steady under pressure as they came. She always made her shot. No sweating. No panicking.



This girl stuff was more terrifying than an entire company of gun-wielding terrorists, though.



She made a show of touching up her lipstick, made sure it was nice and shiny, and then after she rubbed her lips together, she slid the tube back into her clutch and squared her shoulders, ready to exit.



To her utter surprise, she nearly ran headlong into Nelson as she left the ladies’ room. She stumbled back and her hand flew to the wall to regain her balance.



He grasped her arm and she managed a weak smile. “Thank you. You frightened me.”



“You are American,” he said in a heavily accented voice. A voice that was heavy with approval. His eyes gleamed, and she could almost see him rubbing his hands together like she was some choice steak he was about to devour.



“Y-yes,” she stammered out.



She had no basis for her assumptions, but with the predilection for young girls his boss had, and that he likely had as well, she imagined him going for young and innocent. Even when he went for legal-aged women.



She stared up at him wide-eyed and nervous, and even as she did, his arm came around her protectively as he herded her back toward the ballroom.



They paused a moment as he collected drinks for them both. While she stood there, Nelson looked across the room. She followed his gaze to find Brumley staring intently at both of them. If Nelson’s earlier frank assessment had made her uncomfortable, then Brumley’s very blunt gaze made her feel naked in a room full of strangers. Then his eyes gleamed and he gave Nelson a short nod that made P.J. grow cold.



Nelson didn’t give her time to ponder the meaning behind Brumley’s acknowledgment. He urged her toward the patio doors and then out onto the terrace. The night air was chilly on her bare arms and legs. It was an excuse for him to get even closer to her, and he took it, wrapping a beefy arm around her, all but hauling her up to his side.



She positively itched to knee him in the balls and then kick his ass on the spot, but she managed to control those urges and instead glance shyly up at him.



“What’s an American girl like you doing here?” he demanded.



She raised an eyebrow. “Are Americans not welcome?”



He chuckled. “No, of course they are welcome.” He stared at her a long moment, obviously studying her with avid curiosity. “You’re different from the other girls. The man you came in with. You belong to him?”



“I don’t belong to anyone,” she said crisply. “I met him outside. I heard about the party and that it was a swanky affair. Thought it would be fun to crash. There were other women picking up dates at the gate.” She shrugged. “I figured why not? I made him look good coming in and now I’m free to mingle, eat good food and have as much as I want to drink.”



“You even sound American,” Nelson said with a chuckle. “So independent. I like American girls. They have fire.”



* * *



“DAMN, she even has me convinced,” Dolphin muttered.



The rest of the team had gathered outside a bar just half a block from the house where the party was being hosted. They were dressed casually. Like a group of guys out for a good time.



“She’s good,” Renshaw said. “Thinks quick on her feet. Smart girl.”



Steele held up his hand as the conversation between P.J. and Nelson resumed. Cole stood in the dark, hands shoved into his pockets as he listened in disgust while the creep came on to her with all the finesse of a rutting bull.



P.J. said and did all the appropriate things. She was believably hesitant and she sounded shy at his forceful proposition.



Nelson turned cajoling, seemingly more excited the more reluctant P.J. came across.



Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they came to an agreement that they would travel back to her hotel room.



“On my way out,” Donovan said in a low voice they could hear from the transmitter he carried. “I’m giving them a head start, so you’ll see them first. Tag them and make damn sure you keep on her tail. I don’t want anything going wrong.”



Cole swiveled sharply, looking for them to make their appearance.



“He’s taking her out the back. He likely has a car parked behind the house,” Donovan reported.



Cole started to clench his first, and as if sensing his agitation, Steele focused on him. “Stand down. We know where they’re going. We have her on GPS. Get in your vehicles and make the block.”



The others quickly spread out, fading into the evening crowds on the street as they went to their parked vehicles.



“I’ve got a visual,” Donovan said over the wire.



“I wish she wasn’t so damn quiet,” Cole muttered to Dolphin, who was paired with him.



They slid into the BMW and Cole immediately pulled into traffic, looking for Donovan’s car.



He executed a left turn and spotted Donovan’s vehicle just ahead. Some of the tension left him. The hotel was at least a twenty-minute drive across town depending on traffic. Cole wanted to be there yesterday, because he damn sure didn’t want P.J. alone with this asshole any longer than necessary.



As soon as she got him to talk, Cole was pulling the plug on this and he didn’t give a fuck what Donovan or Steele had to say on the matter.



Ahead, traffic slowed and flashing lights illuminated the area. Cole slammed on the brakes and then pounded a frustrated hand on the steering wheel.



“Are they still talking?” he demanded. “Are they caught in this snarl too or are they still heading to the hotel?”



His pulse was racing too hard to get a handle on what was coming through his earpiece. They were all wearing a receiver so they all could hear what transpired with P.J.



“Calm down. They aren’t saying much. Oh wait, okay, yeah, they must be ahead of it. P.J.’s doing good. She’s keeping us posted on her whereabouts without being obvious. Sounds like they’re just pulling into the hotel.”



“Son of a bitch,” Cole fumed. “Do your magic on this fucking GPS and find us a way around this goddamn traffic. I’m not leaving her alone with that slimy little bastard.”



“Relax, Cole. Our P.J. can take out one guy with her hands tied behind her back. She’s a badass.”



“He’s a hell of a lot bigger than her and he’s trained too,” Cole said gruffly.



“Yeah, well my money’s still on our girl. Okay, make a U-turn and then take the next side street to the right. We can circle around by detouring four blocks. Will take a few extra minutes but we should be through.”



Cole and Dolphin both strained to hear the conversation between P.J. and Nelson. It was obvious that she’d just let him into her room, and Cole was growing more nervous by the minute.



“I have a better idea,” Nelson said smoothly. “I have a house not far from here. Every kind of wine you can imagine plus whatever your heart desires to eat.”



“I’m more interested in something a little stronger,” P.J. said coolly.



“Thata girl,” Dolphin said approvingly. “Keep him there and keep him talking.”



“Name your poison,” Nelson said in an amused tone. He was likely thinking that a nice, young American girl had no chance of ever standing up after a few shots.



“Tequila, and I just happen to have a bottle in the liquor cabinet. This hotel is remarkably well stocked. Shall we have a drink to get . . . comfortable?”



“Damn she sounds sexy,” Dolphin said as they flew down the city streets.



“Shut the fuck up,” Cole growled.



Things went completely silent. Cole tapped his earpiece. “Hey, are you hearing anything, Dolphin? Things have gone too quiet.”



Dolphin was silent a moment. “No, not hearing anything, but they might be making drinks.”



Damn it. They were getting closer but the evening traffic sucked ass. Still too many damn pedestrians in the streets. Cole swerved to miss one crossing and kept going, bearing down on the hotel still eight blocks ahead.



He picked up his secure cell, planning to call Donovan or Steele, but he was likely ahead of them and would be on scene first anyway. No point in asking them what they were hearing, because he’d had enough of this bullshit.



He was going in and dragging P.J. out. He could claim to be a jealous boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend. Whatever didn’t get her cover blown, but he was pulling the plug because his gut was screaming that this was all wrong and that P.J. was in serious danger.



Five minutes later, he finally screeched into the parking lot of the hotel and parked underneath the awning in front.



“Whoa, wait a minute, Cole, what the fuck are you doing?” Dolphin demanded.



Cole was already out and running into the lobby. Dolphin caught up to him at the elevator and pinned him against the wall while the elevator rose to the top floor.



“I’m going in and taking her out of there,” Cole said. “She’s gone radio silent. This mission is over.”