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When hope is lost, truth is blurred, and your life is on the line,
it’s time to call in the Guardian Agency...
From
the privacy of her home office, computer genius Claudia Mitchell offers
technical assistance for the bodyguards of the Guardian Agency.
Whatever a protector needs, Claudia taps a few keys and makes it happen.
When she receives a desperate call from her sister, Claudia can’t use
cyberspace or assets to save her. For this case, Claudia has to take the
lead. Afraid her secrets will jeopardize her perfect job, she reaches
out to Hank Patterson’s Brotherhood Protectors for backup.
Nathan
Jennings showed the world what being a hero looked like despite serving
time in prison. His selfless actions earned him a place as a protector
on the Guardian Agency team. Practically since day one, he’s fantasized
about his tech assistant, Claudia, the woman with the sexy voice, quick
wit, and razor-sharp mind. When she suddenly disappears and he is tasked
with finding and protecting her, will his fantasy finally come true?
Author note: Previously published as Nothing to Lose, this novel has been updated and revised for your enjoyment.
Chapter One
Claudia Mitchell had her agency cell phone on her hip as she moved
laundry from the washer to the dryer. If she was lucky, she’d complete
the task before the device chimed with another incoming call. As a
technical assistant to several protectors within the Guardian Agency,
she was on call twenty-four/seven.
The work challenged her and kept her mind sharp, even on the slower
days. Working from home gave her a perfect, flexible schedule and
although she didn’t personally venture out into the field, she enjoyed
living vicariously through the investigators who did. In her role as
operational backup, she offered assistance behind the scenes on all
kinds of cases from murder to missing persons. With the agency resources
and the latest tools and electronic developments at her fingertips, she
couldn’t imagine a more ideal career.
Agency protocol prevented her knowing anything beyond the names and cell
phone numbers for the investigators she supported. From her
perspective, that was one of the best perks. There were no office
politics, no judgment in the break room about fashion, bad hair days,
who was putting on weight, or who had gotten sloppy drunk at the company
end-of-year party.
The only time she laid eyes on one of the protectors was when they were
occasionally caught in the unflattering light of a security camera. Her
boss knew she was more than capable of digging into the lives and
histories of the protectors and the agency at large, but she’d signed an
agreement that she wouldn’t snoop.
Only one investigator tested her resolve, but she refused to risk the
perfect job because of her natural curiosity. Some things in life were
better as a fantasy. She smiled to herself, thinking of how often the
protectors teased her during cases, trying to pry out her personal
details. It was a harmless game they all played. She’d become adept at
evasion and fabrication, lessons she’d learned first in college and
honed during her time with the CIA.
No one placed enough value on solitude anymore, Claudia thought as she
hung up the few items that needed to air dry. Her task done, she turned
into her small kitchen and refilled her bottle of water before returning
to her desk. The background check she’d been assembling for one of the
agency cases should be done by now.
At the sound of a ringing phone, she reached for the agency cell on her
hip, then realized it was her personal cell phone. She raced for the
device sitting in the charger. Only two people had that number: her boss
and her sister, Diana. If either of them were using this number the sky
must surely be falling somewhere.
Her sister’s name and cell number showed on the screen. She took a deep
breath and said a quick prayer for patience as she answered.
“Oh, thank God,” her sister’s exclamation barely registered above a whisper. “Claudia, I’m in trouble.”
“What’s wrong?” She tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice.
Diana’s definition of trouble rarely lined up with Claudia’s. It could
be as simple as a flat tire. Or it could be a plea for another loan to
launch her next can’t-miss career endeavor. Claudia had supported Diana
during attempts to take the world by storm as an actress, model, and
singer. Most recently she’d decided to turn her communications degree
into a career as an investigative reporter, but she hadn’t shared the
specifics with Claudia.
“I’m at home,” Diana said. “Sort of. North of town. You can trace my phone right?”
“Yes, but—”
“Do it quick before I have to turn it over to him.”
“Him who?” She sat down at her desk and started the trace. “What are you talking about?”
“House rule number one is no cell phones.” Diana groaned. “It’s
complicated. Claudia, I’m so sorry. I followed a story and things went
bad. Escalated. It’s big. You have to come help me. Please.”
Of course she had to help and, irritated or not, she would. Diana was the only family she had left.
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