Wicked Ties (Steele Security Series) Read Online Free Page A

‘ Reaper’ ?” Chaise asked, her voice full of curiosity.
    “Same reason he calls me ‘Bull,’” he answered with a single shoulder shrug.
    “Were you and he in the military together or something?” 
    “Yes.”
    Chaise waited for Bull to expand on his tour of duty with Noah.  The non-committal answers of his were wearing on her already frayed nerves.  She knew he needed to feel like he could trust her, but she needed some confirmation that she could also trust him.  After all, she was the one who had people coming after her to prevent her from sharing vitally important and damning information.
    She looked at him expectantly and twirled her hand in the universal sign to keep talking.  Bull considered her request for a moment before carefully continuing.
    “Yes, we were in the Army together.  He was my Captain and he’s been my friend for a great many years now.  I’ve worked for him since the day I left the military and he opened Steele Security,” Bull explained.
    “How many years has that been?”  Bull could see Chaise trying to do the math in her head, counting back the years.
    “Six or so,” he answered, knowing full well exactly how long it had been to the exact day, but he would only give answers in approximates.
    Her head nodded in understanding, but her eyes said she was deep in thought, worlds away from the room they were in.  She was thinking about the last ‘six or so’ years that Noah has been out of the service.
    “How long since you last saw Reaper—um, I mean Noah?”  Bull asked.
    Chaise looked back down at her glass for a second then turned her face away from Bull.  Her hand came up and quickly whisked away a tear before she turned back to him to answer.  “Um, I’m not sure, much longer than that, obviously.”  Her voice was shaky and she actually sounded hurt by just the thought of their length of time apart.
    Bull’s eyes narrowed to mere slits in suspicion.  “You know his wife is pregnant, right?”
    Chaise quickly looked Bull in the eye and her mouth was agape.  “I - I thought she may be,” she stammered, “but I couldn’t really see them very well from where I was standing.  I did notice he kept putting his hand on her stomach.  There’s usually only one reason a man would do that,” she finished with a humorless laugh.
    “My soon to be nephew,” Bull said proudly, “or niece.  Either way, I’ll be Uncle Bull soon.”  All the color drained from Chaise’s face at his statement and her eyes welled up with tears that she quickly tried to stamp down. 
    She didn’t know what to say when Bull confirmed that Brianna was pregnant with Noah’s baby.  A million different feelings flooded her instantly and she knew his keen eyes didn’t miss a thing.  She tried to mask the hurt and regret that filled her eyes as quickly as possible at the thought of Noah’s baby.
    Bull continued, “And the only person who will protect that baby better than me , is Noah himself.  And that’s only because I don’t live with them.”  He looked at her pointedly to make sure she caught his meaning.
    Chaise swallowed hard, swallowing the tears and trying but failing to hide the pain that was evident on her face.  “I’m sure you will make an excellent uncle, Colton.”
    Bull couldn’t help but smile at this. “That I will, Chaise.  That I will.”
    An hour, two drinks , and a couple of cartons of Chinese food later, Bull realized he had enjoyed his amiable meal and conversation with Chaise. He actively fought against his almost instant attraction to her.  He kept trying to remind himself that she was a client at best and a threat at worst.  But there was something about her, something that drew him in and made him want to get to know her better—as a person, not as a part of his job.
    These warring emotions were so far removed from Bull that he wasn’t sure how to proceed.  His training told him to proceed with caution.  The man in him urged him to