[excerpt] Chaos & the Geek (Grace Grayson Security Book 1)

Chapter Two: Kit

What the fuck had I done?

The favour for Hawk was nothing. I was more than happy to help my best mate's little sister out of a jam. But Amber hated me. As in capital 'H' hated. Always had and I'd never known why. I knew it didn't help that I never knew how to talk to her.

Girls, I didn't have a problem with.

It was just one girl.

One super sweet, totally good, crazy serious, studious girl who'd had no time for Hawk and my shenanigans at any age. A girl who'd ignored me or frowned at me and had probably said fifty words directly to me her whole life. She'd been a major part of my life since she was born and I couldn't picture it without her existing, but we on no level got along. We did not get along to the extent that we hadn't seen each other in something like eight years despite the fact I worked with her brother and our parents saw each other at least weekly. My dorky little brother – who thought he was basically Chaos 2.0 – saw her more often than I did.

And eight years had done a lot for little Amber Grace. She'd been sixteen when I'd really seen her last, barely entering womanhood. But you could see, even then, that she was going to be a looker. Admittedly, soaking wet in an oversized jumper and her glasses fogging up, she was doing an excellent job of hiding it. But she still had something about her that didn't need an expensive dress, perfect makeup, or actual sleep to be beautiful. And she always had.

When she wasn't obviously disapproving of me and Hawk, she'd always managed to intimidate me with how smart and confident she was. But she was still my best mate's little sister. Offering up my place had been second-nature. I hadn't even thought about it. I definitely had the space – why had I bought a place with four bedrooms and two offices? Because I could.

It'd be fine. I was barely there, work saw to that. I basically only saw what I'd spent a huge chunk of money on the way to my bed and on the way out again. So Amber and I wouldn't have to see each other, but I'd know she was safe and comfortable. I could work with that. And I had nothing against her. I just didn't know what to do in the face of her blatant indifference.

Hawk whacked me and I blinked.

"Where the fuck are you today?" Tank asked with a chuckle.

"He's probably trying to work out if he left the handcuffs out after he told Bert to help herself to his bathroom," Hawk chuckled and I frowned at them all.

I hadn't left the handcuffs out. I never left the handcuffs out. I never left anything out. Years in the military had ensured that everything had its proper place and it was kept there.

Rollie leant forward, leaning on the table. "Why is Amber being told to help herself to Chaos' bathroom?" He cocked his head sideways in that unnerving bird-like manner he had.

None of the boys had met Amber, but Hawk talked about her all the time. She'd been the main thing to get him through every mission we'd gone on; he'd never been able to bear the idea of not going home to her. And that had kept my arse in gear because I also couldn't bear the idea of her losing him.

For a seven year age gap and seemingly nothing in common, they were crazy close. Hawk was constantly talking to her between jobs and from his office. You could always tell when he was on the phone to Amber and when he was talking to anyone else; when he laughed, you gave him as much time as you could.

"She's staying with me," I said, rearranging in my seat. "Now can we get back to the Fortescues?"

"No," Nico said simply from behind his computer.

"She came home to find Dannie fucking her boyfriend," Hawk explained and the other three gasped like we were fifteen year old girls gossiping crushes. "So she packed up a suitcase and left. We bumped into Chaos in the lobby and he very kindly offered up one of his many spare rooms."