Claimed by my Unexpected Protector

Chapter Nine

Benny’s POV

I pull into the parking lot of Cadell Security after my plans to have a coffee and some breakfast at Daisy’s café were derailed by getting soaked this morning, As I roll to a stop, I eye the three other cars that are already parked around me, which I know without bothering to check the number plates, belong to my bosses, Harrison and Gage and the other is Hallick’s. If I didn’t know they were all married, two with kids, one on the way, I’d think they lived here. They are always the first to arrive and the last to leave, I was a little shocked that our big bossman took a honeymoon after finally getting married to his step sister Eden.

I stop the car and throw open the door, shivering uncontrollably as the freezing rain hits my clothing, soaking me once more.

Slamming the door, I run for the back entrance, stabbing my entry code into the keypad and pulling open the door before slipping inside. I can’t hear anything as I walk down the corridor that will lead me to the reception area. Just before I enter the open space, I turn down toward the staircase that will take me to the lower levels.

I can hear the sound of punches mixed with grunts before I reach the basement and as I head past the door for the shooting range I come to the windowed wall that allows viewing into our private gym. Hallick is in there alone, the soldier standing, shoulders hunched slightly as he strikes the punching bag that swings in front of him. His sleeveless t-shirt is drenched in sweat, muscles straining as he methodically punches the same two spots over and over.

I continue past the window and head toward the end of the hallway, pushing open the last door to the right that allows me to enter the small locker room behind it. Each locker that lines the walls has a name on it, padlocked shut with a number picked by the owner. Harrison holds a master key that will unlock them all, but in all the time that I have worked for him, the Marine has never used it.

About halfway down the wall, I stop beside the grey locker that bares my name, lifting the large padlock and turning the dial left, and then right until I’ve put in the six number combination. Tugging down the thick base, I separate the bar from the housing and twist it off before opening the front.

Placing the lock onto the top shelf, I pull out a bag from the bottom of the locker and turn around, dropping it on the bench behind me and unzipping it.

I dig through my go bag, pulling out a hand towel, some sweats, a t-shirt and a sweater, placing them beside the bag before zipping it up again and placing it back where it came from.

I strip out of my wet clothes, dumping them on the floor before picking up the towel and drying myself as best I can. Once I’m relatively dry, I tug on the dry clothes before bundling up the originals and placing them in the small laundry bag that hangs from one of the hooks inside my locker so I can take them home later.

Replacing the lock, I turn, about to head out again when the door swings open and Hallick walks in. If he’s startled that I’m there he doesn’t show it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the man caught off guard.

‘Alright?’ he grunts as he walks past me to his own locker, spinning the dial and opening it, one hand going behind his head to tug off the t-shirt, the scars that litter his skin coming into view, stark against his skin under the artificial light coming from the bulb above us. I immediately avert my gaze, not because his scars bother me, the man is a f.ucking hero, every mark on his body is a testament to that, no, it’s out of respect. Even though he doesn’t try to hide them anymore, the soldier no longer ashamed of them I hope, which I believe is mostly down to his wife Seona. The man still seems uncomfortable when people stare at them for too long, so I make a point not to do so.

‘Yeah good, you?’ I answer his question.

Hallick lifts a shoulder as he pulls out a towel and some clean clothes before slamming his locker shut again, not bothering to relock it.

‘Liam is sick, didn’t want me to leave’ he mutters, frowning slightly and I can see the tug within the man that wants him to go home again.

‘Is he bad?’ I ask, ready to offer to cover his work if he needs me too.

The solider shakes his head, ‘just a cold but he gets kinda clingy when he feels rough, you know?’

I nod even though I don’t really have a clue, I don’t have any kids, and though I have an older brother with kids of his own, a whole damn football team of them! I still don’t really have any experience with children and what they are like when sick.

‘Do you need anything? I can do some work on the Zahari meeting if you need to take off today’ I offer.

Hallick sighs but shakes his head, ‘thanks man but no, he’ll be OK for a few hours, it really is just a cold. I’ll probably do what is urgent and head out early anyway, but thanks for the offer.’

I nod, smiling as he turns away and heads toward the shower stalls at the back of the room, disappearing into the small, tiled area before I head out of the main door and out into the hallway once more.

Checking my watch, I find it’s still only a little after eight, still too early to head up for work. Instead, I make my way to the gun range, typing in the code to unlock the door and step inside. The door clicks shut behind me, automatically locking again, ahead of me are four cubicles, each one reinforced with bullet proof glass. Ignoring them all, I turn instead to the right and make my way to the locked cabinet that is made up of multiple drawers. Locating number seven, I press my thumb to the scanner on the left side of the drawer, before typing in my unique code into the keypad. The drawer springs open slightly, and I pull it toward me, taking out the handgun and one of the box of bullets that are inside. Closing the drawer again, I make my way to the nearest cubicle, stepping inside and placing the gun and ammo onto the small shelf in front of me.

I pick up the ear defenders that are on my left, placing them over my head before I grab one of the many targets that are hanging beside me, attaching it to the grips in front of me before I press the button to send it to the back of the room.

Ejecting the clip, I open the box of ammo and start to slide each bullet into the housing, filling it before reconnecting the clip to the gun again.

Moving the half empty box to the side, I take my stance, blowing out a long slow breath before I raise the gun, aiming it toward the target and pull the trigger. I shoot over and over again until the clip is empty before putting the safety on and placing the gun back on the shelf. Hitting the button beside me, my target shoots back toward me, stopping a few inches in front of me where I can see my own handywork. Four in the head, the rest in a tight scatter in the centre of the chest.

Removing my ear defenders, I unclip the target and turn to place it to the side and get a new one.

I jump slightly at the sight of my boss Harrison standing just behind me, leaning on the outside of the cubicle, his own ear defenders still on his head.

‘Good shot’ he comments as I push open the door slowly, giving him time to step back out of the way.

‘It was alright’ I mutter, frowning a little because it’s not often that Harrison Cadell comes down to the gun range during work hours.

‘I saw that you opened your drawer’ he comments, jerking his thumb toward the cabinet, explaining how he knew I was down here. I forgot that he gets notified whenever one of us unlocks our drawer. With me not being due in for two hours and not having notified him that I was in early, he, of course, came down to check who opened mine.

‘Sorry, I should have told you I was here already,’ I sigh, crumpling up the target that is still in my hands and lobbing it toward the trash can by the wall behind him.

Harrison shrugs, ‘no problem, Hallick already told me that you were here.’

I internally roll my eyes, of course he did, the soldier would have text the brothers immediately after seeing me so that they knew who was in the building.

I nod, not really knowing what to say.

‘I’m glad you are here though’ the Marine continues, his voice becoming sharper, more businesslike, ‘I need you to come upstairs to my office.’

I glance at him in surprise, what the f***k have I done?

The Marine smirks as though he’s reading my mind, ‘it’s nothing bad dude, f***k! I have a job that just came in, and I thought you might be interested in taking lead.’

My eyes widen further, ‘me?’ I mumble confusedly, I’ve never lead a contract before, is he seriously offering me my chance?

Harrison nods, ‘Hallick said you’ve done really well on the last few ops, given a lot of helpful input, he thinks you’re ready.’

I force my face to remain neutral as I nod, ‘yeah, sure, I’d . . I’d love to take a look.’

Harrison nods, turning toward the door, ‘get your piece locked away and come on up, we’ll go over it before your shift starts.’