Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Redemption for Misty (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Pierce Securities Book 5) by Anne Conley Page B

Crash growled at him, clenching his fists.
    Holding his hands up in front of him to ward off more blows, Chris countered, “But if the city implodes, who’s going to be with her?” If she was in danger, he needed to be at the shop.
    “Not you, fucktard,” was his friend’s only reply.
    “I meant what I said. I love her, man.”
    A huge guy with dark hair and eyes and more muscles than most men walked up to Crash. “Hey,” he acknowledged, eyeballing Chris. He looked familiar, but Chris couldn’t put his finger on it. He was still wrapped up in the possibility that Misty was in danger. And all the people milling around were making him more nervous.
    “Hey, Quinten. This is Nova. Chris Malone. AKA Dickface,” Crash sneered the words, and Chris rolled his eyes.
    Chris held out his hand for a shake, and the man’s grip nearly brought him to his knees. “Nice to meet you. Are you with the security team?”
    Not much intimidated Chris, and this muscle head didn’t, either. Until he spoke.
    “I’m the firm lawyer.”
    “Wait. Are you the Haymaker?” It was like a clicking noise went off in his head. He’d seen the guy fight once a couple months back. Dude was fierce. And a lawyer? He never would have put those two together.
    One nod, and his eyes narrowed on Chris, as if sizing him up.
    Looking back at Crash, Quinten, AKA the Haymaker said, “You need to get mic’d up. We have to be in constant communication. Anything you see goes to the police. We’ve got strict instructions on this one. We can’t get too involved. We’re security only.” Holding out his hand to Crash with a tiny electronic device inside, he said, “Put this on. Things are about to get weird.”
    ***
    Misty watched the line grow as her shop filled with people. Mia had texted that Jordan wasn’t letting her leave the house today, but some other employees had shown. So she had plenty of help, but things were getting crazy. At least people were buying coffee. She’d sold out of muffins and one of her girls was in the back, making more, as people were sitting in front of the window, watching the events unfold outside.
    Protesters were lining the sidewalks with homemade signs, trying desperately to appear unaffected. Some of the protesters egged them on, but most just silently held their signs while law enforcement stalked around in front of them, hands itchy at their weapons.
    Every once in a while, someone would yell out something which made the police jump a little, but nothing ever happened. Camera crews were around, trying to set up with reporters primping to get on camera. Men and women in suits tried to get through the line of people, and most went through unmolested, but more vocal protesters were there to yell in their faces.
    It was tense to say the least.
    Misty was watching for the oddness Ghost had warned her about, but so far, it just seemed like a relatively peaceful protest of the governor’s plans to keep refugees out of Texas. There was a group of Muslims protesting racial profiling, which Misty could see their side. But on the other hand, she could understand why the refugees weren’t being let in, especially with recent events in other parts of the country. The entire state of affairs had her torn. She wished there was a peaceful way to remedy the situation.
    When Saul came in with another man, Misty was so glad to see the familiar face she didn’t immediately recognize the threat. When his friend turned and stuck a gadget in the closed door, she still didn’t see it. It wasn’t until Saul raised a gun in the air that she gasped. It looked like an automatic rifle, but it was small. She didn’t know much about guns, outside of the movies, but she didn’t let the size of this one fool her. Saul had brought a deadly weapon into her store. He fired one bullet, which had everyone in the shop ducking for cover and screaming.
    “Everyone in the back, or I’ll blow the door!” His normally sedate expression was