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Nic shook her head, laughing despite her stinging face. “I’m fine. But thanks.”
Boots clomped down the corridor. She could almost feel Jared’s ever-present attitude problem.
“Here we go.” Cash chuckled.
Jared slammed into the room, eyed them both, and squared off his stance. “Princess, I need a word with you. Cash, out.”
Cash tightened his hand on hers, and she sensed he was ready to tell Jared to go to hell.
“That’s fine,” Nic said, preempting their battle.
Cash didn’t move, and she patted his hand. He couldn’t be seriously concerned that Jared would yell at her. Or worse… what would be worse? Racking her brain, she came up with nothing. Jared was harmless—to her at least.
Clearing his throat, Cash squeezed her hand again and stood. “Don’t be an asshole, boss man.”
“Out.” Jared harrumphed.
Cash kissed the side of her forehead. “I’ll be in the hall. Yell if the jackass gets too nasty.”
“Make sure you shut the door on the way out,” Jared grumbled.
“All right, guys. Enough.” This wasn’t what she needed right now.
Nic and Jared stared at each other for a long minute, and Cash slowly walked out the door, letting it click behind him. Jared paced the length of the room twice.
Paused.
Then did it again.
“Do you want me to apologize?” she asked, getting annoyed. “I didn’t need to come to your special doctors if you didn’t want me to. But they were very good, so thank you.”
Two steps and he was in front of her, growling. “Let me ask you something, princess.”
Oh shit. This couldn’t be good.“Okay.”
“Your file says you’re smart. True or false?”
“Don’t know what it says. I haven’t seen it. But, yeah I am.”
He studied her, unblinking. “Still, you fell for Cash. That can’t say much about your intelligence.”
She furrowed her brow at him, which stung despite the low-level painkiller they’d given her. “Jared—”
“I need another man on my team. Chick. Lady. Whatever you are.” He crossed his arms over his chest. He looked like a bulldog, broad, muscled, and barely fitting in his black shirt. “What would it take to steal you from the CIA?”
What the hell?
“Excuse me? Are you offering me a job?” She couldn’t wrap her head around his question. She closed her eyes, opened them, and he was still there, looking annoyed she hadn’t given a good enough answer yet. “I have a contract with the CIA. They own me.”
“I couldn’t care less about stupid government paperwork. I can have that cancelled with a text message. Here’s what I’m offering: no double agents, no bullshit games, and me. I’m the toughest boss you’ll ever have. Smartest asshole you’ll ever meet. And I’ll pay you more than you’ve ever dreamed.”
Her mind ran a million different ways. Questions bubbled and excitement coursed through her veins.
“You have three seconds to accept the job, princess, or I’ll deny it was ever suggested.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Maybe you are as smart as your file says. Your contract’s sitting on Cash’s doorstep, waiting for you to sign it. God, that’ll fuck with him. He hates when I get through his security.” Jared turned toward the door, then looked over his shoulder. “By the way, you should check your personal bank account. A nice six figure signing bonus posted this morning.”