Double Down (Bad Boy Security Book 3) Read online

  With a chuckle, he reached out, then pressed his hand against Lawrence’s cheek. Lawrence managed not to jerk back from the touch as Rios stared at him. “I heard that Gerald’s boy was a little slut,” he said, hissing Lawrence’s father’s name. “I guess sometimes the rumors are true.”

  Wincing, Lawrence pulled back slightly. That definitely wasn’t the reaction he expected. He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Is that who you want me to be, Mr. Rios?” he asked as innocently as he could.

  The man laughed. “Shameless. I can’t say I’m not impressed. Give me a minute, will you?”

  Lawrence leaned back into the seat, his skin sticky against the leather interior as an eerie worry settled over him. Something was definitely wrong. The man had always been an asshole, but like all of the executives, he was usually polite and discreet. Even his come-on to teenage Lawrence had happened by subtle suggestion, and Lawrence had definitely never heard him use a word like slut before.

  He felt queasy as he thought about the reputation he apparently had in his father’s circle and disgusted by the realization that the men sometimes talked about him. Rios barked into the phone about cancelling an afternoon meeting, then hung up and shouted some new directions to the driver. Lawrence let out a nervous breath, glad at least they were making their way to the bar.

  “Would you like to cancel your plans and join me, Lawrence?” he asked. “It seems we’re both in a mood today.”

  Lawrence smiled. “Please, Mr. Rios. Take me away.”

  The man chuckled. “Most people call me Al,” he said. “Although coming out of that pretty mouth of yours, I think I prefer Mr. Rios.”

  “Whatever you say, Mr. Rios,” Lawrence breathed.

  The driver pulled up to the front of a white stone building, then rushed out to open both of their doors. Lawrence glanced up and saw that the building stretched a good six or seven stories toward the sky. He wondered to himself if this was the kind of place his father took his affairs, to private bars that weren’t even labeled on the street.

  “I’m very glad I ran into you today, actually,” Rios grumbled as they walked into the building, a doorman silently welcoming them. “I’ve had a wretched week, and I really did need something to brighten my day.”

  Lawrence hurried alongside him. “I’ll brighten you all the way up.”

  He laughed, but he didn’t sound happy. “I’m sure you will. Someone in your family has to be good for something, after all.”

  Lawrence tilted his head to the side, but the rising edge in the man’s voice stopped him from asking questions. They approached a gold elevator off to the side, which was waiting open, but Rios still held the door in a way that forced Lawrence to brush past him on the way in, their bodies disgustingly close.

  The older man sighed, then rubbed his forehead. “Your father wants to walk around like he’s better than everyone else? Fine.” He mumbled like he was only talking to himself as he punched a button. “I shouldn’t be the only damn one to know the truth.”

  Lawrence puffed out a nervous breath, then cleared his throat to change the subject. “What’s the name of this bar, anyway?” he asked nervously.

  The door dinged shut. “Bar?” Mr. Rios laughed. “Lawrence, who said anything about a bar?”

  Raiden

  “Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it,” Cash cursed. They had just arrived at the bar and were still standing in the doorway as Cash stared at his phone.

  “What?” Raiden asked, jolted by the worry on Cash’s face.

  “They took a left three blocks back. It looks like they’re headed to the satellite office instead.”

  Raiden grunted. “Fuck, Cash. I told you this was risky.” His anger boiled as he thought of Lawrence, possibly stuck with a man as powerful as he was evil. “You should have listened to me, man!”

  Cash didn’t say anything; he just turned on his heel and headed to the street, leaving Raiden to rush to catch up to him. “Hey! You hear me?”

  “We’re all adults,” Cash said. His legs flew beneath him, and he held his phone out, watching the map while he walked. “And no one forced anyone to do anything.”

  “Hey!” Raiden barked, then shoved Cash from behind. His anger made him push a little harder than he intended, and Cash had to jump-step to catch his balance. “You hear me?”

  Cash smoothed down the front of his shirt to gain his composure. “Listen, Raiden. They’re just at the satellite office, see?” He held the phone out, as though the little dot meant anything to Raiden. “It looks like they’re parking right now. Nothing horrible can happen in the middle of a crowded office.”

  Raiden shoved a finger against Cash’s chest. “Now you sound naïve.” He opened his mouth, ready to rip into Cash for not taking proper precautions. Before he could get a word out, Cash leaned forward, then took him in a quick, deep kiss.

  Raiden pulled back, their lips smacking. “What the hell is that for?”

  “We work better when we get along than when we’re fighting, don’t you think?”

  Scratching the back of his head, Raiden stared at Cash. It was true; his anger had been dulled by another confused swirl of emotions. All of his thoughts still focused on Lawrence, though, and he pushed forward. “Come on, smartass. Let’s check out this office.”

  “Fox sent along some blueprints. From what I remember, it’s pretty typical of these corporate offices. Lots of security, long hallways, a private parking garage.”

  They hurried across an intersection, cars honking as they passed. “Can we waltz in the front?”

  “Unlikely. They scan badges up front, and the back entrance has two security officers posted inside the door.” He skipped over a dropped slice of pizza on the sidewalk. “We might be able to keep an eye on them through the window, if our favorite creepy executive hasn’t shut his curtains, but I don’t have my scope with me. I guess we’ll just have to wait outside? Hopefully, he’ll at least be able to call if something goes wrong.”

  Raiden snorted. “You fancy types give up so easily. What about the service entrance?”

  Cash gestured down to his buttoned shirt and pressed trousers. “I could pass as waitstaff, I suppose.”

  Pointing to his own hoodie and jeans, Raiden shook his head. “Nope. They always give the waitstaff a close check. But there should be a dock for deliveries, right? I’ve had some luck just walking through there before. All it takes is confidence and the right outfit.” He clasped his hand on Cash’s uninjured shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

  “I guess it’s worth a try,” Cash agreed. “One of us could position in the lobby and the other outside of the executive offices. Then we’ll be close if we get an SOS from Lawrence.”

  Raiden grinned. “Great. Glad you’re game.” He grabbed two handfuls of Cash’s shirt, then ripped it open, sending buttons flying across the sidewalk.

  “What the hell?”

  “Come on now, in your T-shirt,” Raiden said, then mussed up his hair. “And make it look like you’ve been working.”

  They walked the last couple blocks to the building, Raiden grinning the whole way. Tormenting Cash was definitely a needed distraction from the anxiety he felt, and from the mischievous smile pulling up Cash’s lips, he knew the other man was enjoying it, too.

  Deliveries came to the back of the building, and they took up a spot watching the big gray garage door. Cash found a few stones and sidearmed them across the lot to take out the security cameras, and about ten minutes later, the door rolled up as a large truck approached. There were only a few workers, who wandered in and out of the building, and before the first truck departed, a smaller van rolled up and took a position in line.

  “Should be easy,” Raiden said. “You think you remember the floorplan well enough to get us up there?”

  Cash closed his eyes and tapped his finger on the tip of his nose while he mumbled directions to himself, then nodded. “Got it.”

  Raiden messed up his hair one more time. “Let’s roll
.”

  He strolled across the pavement, humming to himself and taking care to avoid eye contact with any of the workers. Alongside him, Cash walked, shoulders slumped and hands buried in his pockets. They headed up the stone steps that led into the service bay, and when Raiden held back to let Cash lead the way, he spotted a younger woman who was unloading boxes, staring at them with a quizzical eyebrow raised.

  “How are those foot warts treating you?” Raiden asked Cash, then slapped his back. “Are they still making you grumpy, man?”

  The woman laughed and turned back to her work, and Cash shot Raiden his best glare. “They’re fine, thank you,” he said through gritted teeth. “Much better.”

  “Between that and the anal fissure, I didn’t know when you’d get back to work,” Raiden added loudly, then snickered to himself as Cash brought them into a stairwell.

  “Very funny,” Cash hissed.

  “It’s role play,” Raiden said. “It’s a very important part of the job. Didn’t you know that?” He added a little swat to Cash’s ass as he took up off the stairs.

  Cash spun on his heel, then stuck out his tongue. “See you up top,” he said, then surprised Raiden with another kiss before he took off, practically flying up the steps.

  Raiden dragged his body behind. By the time he reached the top floor, he was huffing his breath, and his legs burned something awful.

  “Just in time,” Cash said. He was fiddling with the lock on the door, and he jabbed a small metal tool in carefully, causing it to pop open a couple inches. “This back hallway should lead us into the main entranceway for the executive suites.”

  Raiden sucked in his breath. “Let’s just hope I don’t have to bust down the door to beat that Rios asshole into next tax season.”

  “You never know,” Cash said, pausing with his hand on the door handle. “We might luck out and have time for a little corporate espionage while we’re here. Maybe grand theft, even if murderous revenge isn’t feasible.” He pulled the door open the rest of the way, and his face fell. A security guard stood on the other side, jaw agape as he clearly overheard their every word.

  Panic shot through Raiden, and his body moved on its own. He grabbed the security guard into a bear hug and pressed his hand over the man’s mouth from behind, silencing him. The man struggled, but he couldn’t get out of Raiden’s embrace.

  “What are you doing?” Cash yelped as he slammed the door shut.

  “I don’t know! I panicked!”

  The man wiggled and grunted, and Raiden started to freak out. “What do I do? Do I let him go?” The man turned back, fear in his eyes. “It’s okay,” Raiden whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”

  “Don’t stop hugging him!” Cash said, alarmed. “He’ll yell, and then we’ll be fucked!”

  “I can’t hug him forever!”

  “Shit,” Cash whispered, then started pacing back and forth. “Think, think, think…”

  Raiden’s phone started to vibrate in his pocket. Worried that it might be Lawrence, he hissed at Cash. “Grab my phone, will you? There’s a new message. Front pocket.”

  Cash stepped forward. “Why Raiden, is that your phone, or—”

  “Not now,” Raiden growled, the security guard still mumbling into his hand.

  “He’s out!” Cash said. “On the street out front. Says he’s fine.”

  “That solves one problem,” Raiden said, then lifted the security guard up. “But what about this one?”

  Cash folded his hands in front of his chest, then smiled at the security guard. “Might I ask, do you work on this floor?”

  The man nodded.

  “And do you know a Mr. Rios?”

  The man made an angry noise. “Just like I thought,” Cash said. “You hate him. He probably mistreats everyone, is that correct?” The guard nodded again, his head bouncing against Raiden’s shoulder, and Cash unfolded his hands as he continued. “Let me level with you then. Me and my friend… Brutus here, we have a problem with Mr. Rios, too. And we were just coming here to give him a piece of our mind, you see? But now it’s clear that was a bad idea, so we can just be on our way.”

  A moment passed, and Raiden slowly parted his fingers, allowing the man to talk. “How much you got?”

  Cash laughed. “Smart man.” He pulled his wallet from his back pocket, then removed a few large bills. “About four hundred it looks like. Raiden?”

  “I got forty in my wallet,” Raiden grunted. He tentatively relaxed his hug. “Does that buy silence?”

  The man tightened his brow in thought, then glanced down. “What about those shoes?” he asked, pointing at Cash’s feet. “What size are you?”

  “Oh come on,” Cash said. “Really? My Louboutins?” When the man didn’t respond, he sighed. “Ten and a half.”

  A moment later, the man was tying up Cash’s fancy Louis shoes and admiring them on his feet. Raiden didn’t usually try to bribe his way out of tight spots like that, but then again, he didn’t usually carry the kinds of bills around that Cash did.

  The guard stood up, then crossed his arms over his blue work shirt. He glanced between the door and Raiden nervously. “It’s true that Rios is a prick,” he said under his breath. “I don’t know what you two are trying to do to him, but for what it’s worth, you might want to wait a week.”

  “How do you mean?” Cash asked.

  “Mr. Rios has been walking around all week, claiming he’s going to be named the next CEO, but rumor has it they’re going to pass him over. Plus he’s got some shitty quarterly numbers coming out from his division next week, and his right-hand woman is going to leave for a new job next week. He’ll be weak as he’s been in years and distracted like hell, too.” He shrugged. “Hope that helps. And thanks for the shoes, gentlemen.”

  A moment later, Raiden and Cash were rushing back down the stairs, Raiden’s big boots pounding the steps and Cash’s socked feet thwapping. Raiden kept chuckling to from the sound, but he didn’t care. Lawrence was safe, and somehow, he and Cash had managed to get in and out of the building without killing each other. It made him feel high and all the more eager to reunite with Lawrence.

  “Easier to walk without the shoes on,” Raiden called to the woman, who was still unloading boxes while they passed. “He thinks the warts are coming back!”

  They made it to the front of the building, and Lawrence was waiting on the corner, leaning against a newspaper box. When he spotted the guys, he startled, then gestured to Cash. “Where’d your shirt and your shoes go?”

  Before Cash could answer, Raiden pulled Lawrence into a hug. He swung him in the air, and when he placed him down, he pulled Cash in, too, without really thinking about it.

  “What’s that for?” Lawrence asked.

  “Just glad you’re safe,” Raiden said, suddenly embarrassed for the display of emotion.

  “I’m fine,” he answered. “Just a little shook.”

  “It’s okay if you didn’t get the phone,” Cash added. He laid a hand on Lawrence’s arm, comforting him. “We can figure out a new plan. What matters is that you’re safe.”

  Lawrence held up his own phone. “I didn’t get my hands on his device,” he said, “but I think I got something even better.”

  Lawrence

  “That’s the kind of man your father is!” Rios snapped on the recording, staticky on Lawrence’s phone. “He’ll start a war to get what he wants, but he’s nothing more than a fraud.”

  Lawrence turned to Raiden and Cash. Back at Cash’s apartment, they were each leaning on the table and staring at the phone like it might get up and run away.

  And Lawrence definitely understood why. As soon as he and the sour-faced executive had gotten back to the office, Rios started ranting about Lawrence’s father’s many failures. He poured himself several big shots of whiskey from a decanter on his desk and put on a big show of telling Lawrence how pathetic his father was and how he’d screwed the man over for the last time.

  On the re
cording, Lawrence spoke with a hushed tone, like he was sincerely impressed by the show. “I always thought you were a better businessman than he was.”

  “Damn straight I am,” he barked back. “My left ball is a better businessman than your father, kid. But he’s the one they’re going to give the promotion to. And he’s the one meeting with all the private military contractors, and he’s the one sitting at the table with foreign government officials and party insiders, selling them any damn secret he wants. He’s never even been to Colombia, asshole. He’s in bed with senators, and I’m just left here holding my dick, like I didn’t spend the past decade buying up the circuit court just so the board members can get themselves another summer mansion! But your father, kid, he still can’t make this deal happen without me, and he knows it.”

  Lawrence hit pause on the phone. “He talks about his ex-wife for a minute, and then he spends the rest of the recording comparing the numbers in his division to the numbers in my father’s division. We can probably skip all that.”

  He looked up to the guys again, a nervous smile on his face. Even though he hadn’t succeeded with their plan, he knew the recording was valuable intel, and he really, really wanted to impress the guys.

  “Damn,” Cash said, tapping his finger on his chin. “It’s bombshell after bombshell with that guy, isn’t it? And you were able to make the recording without him noticing?”

  Lawrence lifted his phone. He had it in a sparkly pink case, and he dangled it with a limp wrist as he scrolled and talked at the same time. “People my age are expected to be on our phones. I wasn’t about to livetweet the whole thing, but he didn’t blink when I gave it a glance.”

  “And he didn’t hurt you?” Raiden asked for the second time.

  “Absolutely not. The second he stuck his hands down his pants at the end, I was out the door. I figured this recording was enough, anyway.” He glanced between them one more time. “Isn’t it?”