Silver Fire (Guardians) by Victoria Paige Page A

propelling his behavior, and the little episodes that festered over the past few weeks just broke through the surface.
    “What the hell, Jack?” Maia whispered. “You’re acting really strange. Is it Derek or you that’s having a problem with Braden?”
    Damn his wife for her perception. “Both. I just don’t like him around you.”
    Maia rolled her eyes. “Suck it up. You already messed up my German assignment, you’ve had your quota of interference for the year.”
    “Not my interference as a husband,” Jack growled. “He lays one hand on you inappropriately, I—Will—Kill—Him.”
    “I’ll do you one better,” Maia replied. “If he does act inappropriately toward me, I’ll kill him for you.”
    Jack grinned. “Water is boiling.”

    ***
    Sophie’s heart lurched when she spied Derek’s SUV parked in front of the Tudor-style bungalow she had selected from the choices Braden had shown her. It was already past 8:00 p.m., and she figured Derek was not too pleased with her because she ultimately outwitted him in his plans to take her shopping. She had roped Stephen into helping her avoid Derek, having her assistant call him and inform him that his escort was not necessary for the planned shopping excursion.
    “You’re in trouble, sweetie,” Stephen murmured into her ear. They were in an AGS-issued vehicle. Braden was driving, Thalia was in the front passenger seat. “You do not trifle with men like Lockwood.”
    “I’m not trifling with him,” Sophie whispered. “It just did not make sense for him to accompany me. He’d be bored out of his mind while I tried on shoes and clothes. Besides, you and I go shopping all the time.”
    Their Ford Explorer pulled into the driveway and as Sophie got out of the car, she saw Derek walking nonchalantly toward them, his expression inscrutable.
    “You got all you need, Angel?” Derek leaned in to kiss her forehead; Sophie stood there and let him. Stephen had his mouth open, shocked at the intimate gesture and endearment.
    “Um, yeah.” She wanted to bash her head against the side of the car. She had little social interaction with men except to discuss her research. She could rattle off numbers and equations confidently, but she was behaving like a thirteen-year old with braces right now.
    “I got this, Dr. Leroux,” Braden told her regarding the packages. “The house was swept clean by our agents earlier. Why don’t you go on in with Agent Guerrero?”
    Thankful for the reprieve from having to deal with Derek, she quickly made her way toward the house. She noticed Derek had hung back to help Braden with the packages but judging from the scowl both of them were wearing, they were having words once she was out of earshot.  
    Sophie walked into the house and was immediately struck by the Spartan look of the furniture. Nothing fancy, just the essentials. Nothing like her beautiful home that just went up in flames. Sophie felt extreme sorrow at the loss of her grandmother’s beloved house. The county engineers should be taking a look at it the next day to assess if any of the structure could be salvaged and rebuilt.  
    “I have Christopher Blackstone on hold,” Stephen informed her. “I told him you were in a huddle with your security right now, do you want to speak to him?”
    Sophie nodded and reached out to receive the phone from Stephen. Christopher Blackstone had been a friend and colleague of her father. She looked up to him like an uncle, which was why Maia’s revelations about him had unnerved her and kept her from contacting him for protection after the fire.
    “Hello Christopher,” she spoke into the smartphone.
    “Sophie, sweetheart,” his deep gravelly voice replied. “I’m so sorry to hear about the fire at your grandmother’s house. Why didn’t you call me immediately? You know I have plenty of room at my house in DC. I’d be happy to have you.”
    “Thank you, Christopher,” Sophie replied. How should she answer that? “I’m