Free Locked In (Locked in Love) (Volume One): An Alpha Billionaire Romance by Myra Song Page B

familiar, and as I round a corner, I catch glimpses of the faces of my former coworkers. When they discover me, their faces drop. All but one.
     
    Dalton.
     
    Exhaling in relief, I make my way to him. He whistles as I approached.
     
    “Holy smokes, Martin. If I wasn’t married to Gina--”
     
    “You’d still be old enough to be my dad.” I smile and give him a quick handshake.
     
    “Some people are into that,” he winks, but I see the red creeping up his neck. One of the things I like most about Dalton is that, while he tries to make crude jokes like one of the boys, he always feels a little embarrassed after.
     
    “So what’s the plan for the squad tonight?” I nod back at the officers, now in suits, behind me. This event is black tie, but Locke hadn’t lied-- I am the only one he’s provided proper attire for. The suits are the guys’ nicest, but they’ll stand out in the crowd.
     
    Was Locke trying to help me blend in more? Or, I think with frustration and ire, does he just enjoy manipulating me for whatever he’s playing?
     
    “We’re posted throughout the mingling rooms and restrooms. Three patrols of two through the primary art quarters, and five to guard the ruby safe, three on the room carrying the rest of the auctioned goods. There’s three safes in general, but one is being used to home items brought by guests.” There is a twinkle in Dalton’s eye. “That isn’t one of Locke’s safes. It’s a competitor's. So they are providing their own guard.”
     
    My eyebrow raises. “You mean there are three independent protection duties here? The RPD, me, and some other guys?”
     
    Dalton nods. “Yep.”
     
    I frown. “That’s an awful idea. No cohesiveness. If something happens, the communication is wonky.”
     
    My old partner shrugs. “Nothing’s going to happen, though. This house has more security than all of our museums combined. Add over thirty capable bodies watching all the bodies? It’s overkill.”
     
    He isn’t wrong, but I am brooding. Locke has all but said he is playing us, but I’m not seeing any connection.
     
    “Where’s Locke?”
     
    Dalton looks at his watch. “Probably getting ready. The Auctioneer arrived, and the caterers are set up. Guests should be getting here, well, now.”
     
    As if on cue, the doors are opened by hired staff, and in come the guests.
     
    I don’t love that Locke has decided to dress me, but as the guests file in, I am grateful. The dresses are ornate and have designer cuts. The hair and makeup are flawless. All of the women look like models, dolls, or the elegant and older versions of them.
     
    They are on the arms of men in tuxes. All exceedingly good looking, or wealthy looking enough to make up for it.
     
    The world’s elite.
     
    I catch glimpses of celebrities, government officials-- at one point I’m certain I see a few foreign emissaries.
     
    Mostly I see the other security force. They greet a few of the guests, seeming to know exactly who to approach, and I notice as they take packages and bags, discreetly moving off-- most likely to their safe.
     
    Interesting.
     
    “Time to work,” I say to Dalton, giving him another shake.
     
    With that, I slip into the crowd.
     
     

 
    Locke
     
    I’d picked the dress because I knew it would stand out.
     
    It did.
     
    Reclining on a chair in my security room, I watch Elise move through the guests. She blends in, looking as if she could easily be one of them.
     
    Except to me. I see her looking around the room. I know she’s cataloging faces, couples. And, judging by the direction she is heading, she’s going to look at Bryce’s safe.
     
    Bryce Hollins is a competitor. My rival, in more ways than one. He is forty five to my thirty five, and he likes to throw his age and experience in my face. Publically, at least. We have the top two security and safe companies in the world. Mine has been built from the ground up. My father laid its foundation, and my