“I wanted someone with training. Who knows what they’re doing. She doesn’t even understand how to be part of a team. I thought we’d hire someone with a military or law enforcement background. Face it, you look at her and you see someone you can help, some way of making up for what happened to Angie. Helping Cady won’t bring Angie back.”
“That’s not why I’m doing this.” It was just part of it. “She did well on that op. She can handle herself.”
“You kept her completely out of danger. Are you really telling me that you’d be all right sending her into a dangerous situation? I know your antiquated views on women, my friend. God help any woman that you finally fall for, you’d have her wrapped up in bubble wrap so tight she wouldn’t be able to breathe.”
“I’m not that bad.”
“Oh no? You have a panic room in your house. Is that for you to hide in?”
Hunter growled. Hide? He didn’t think so. He’d kill any bastard who dared to invade his territory.
Gray sat back with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. “Didn’t think so. You built a panic room for your future wife and family. Because you’re paranoid and overprotective. Face it, there is no way you could send someone who was untrained out onto the field.”
“We’ll train her. Until then she can do the non-dangerous stuff.”
Gray rolled his eyes.
“So you’re fine with her living on the streets?”
“Her friend is engaged to one of the richest men in the country. I don’t think she’ll be on the streets for long. This is about you wanting to play hero.”
“She won’t take anything from Jacey and Derrick, she’ll see it as charity.”
“Wasn’t that what you were offering? Just what were you planning on getting her to do around here if you weren’t going to send her on any jobs?”
Christ, it really sucked having a partner who could read you so well. Of course he’d had no intention of sending her out on anything that could put her at risk.
Hunter shrugged. “There are things to do. The phone is always ringing and no one can make coffee for shit.”
Gray burst into laughter. “You were going to make her our secretary? I’d kill to see her face the first time you asked her to make coffee.”
Hunter ground his teeth as he sat on his chair. Then with a weary sigh, he sat back. “All right, so I didn’t exactly think things through. But I was desperate. I can’t stand the idea of her being on the streets.”
Worry for her kept him awake at night.
Each time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, he imagined her cold and hungry. When he did sleep he dreamed about her, touching her, kissing her, taking her.
He’d blown it. He’d come on too strong and she’d bolted.
Gray sighed. “I know. I hate the idea of it too. But we can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to. That would be the very worst thing we could do.”
Yeah, he’d finally figured that out. Right after she’d pepper sprayed him and ran out the door. After he’d recovered he’d gone looking for her, he’d even asked Jacey to talk to her for him. But Cady hadn’t called.
She clearly wanted nothing to do with him while he could think of nothing else but her.
“Maybe this is for the best,” Gray said.
Hunter glared at him and Gray held up his hands placating. “Not that she’s on the streets. I don’t want that any more than you do. But she’s got you tied up in knots, how much worse would it be if she was here every day?” Gray tapped his finger against his chin thoughtfully. “She’s not exactly your type, Hunter.”
“I don’t have a type.”
“Yes you do, my friend. You like them submissive. Very submissive. You need to be needed. You want to rescue her and that’s fine, but you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.”
“All of this is pointless anyway. She refused the job, she refused my help.”
“We still need a woman on the team,” Gray said. “And now that I know you’re willing to employ a woman I’m going to do some looking around.”
“Fine,” Hunter said impatiently. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but he couldn’t fight Gray’s decision without looking like an idiot.