The Survivor - Cristin Harber Page 0,45
to lean back in his chair and scrub a hand over his face. “But this isn’t going to end well.”
“Appreciate you looking out and all.” Hagan shrugged. “But that’s on us. Not you.”
Jared shook his head.
Feeling more confident than when he’d first walked in and waited, Hagan cleared his throat. “I want to run something by you.”
“Oh, this’ll be good,” he muttered. “Shoot.”
“I translated some Arabic for Amanda. A casino project out of Lebanon.”
Jared’s scowl deepened. “This sounds like you’re about to ask me to approve leave for a slumber party with your girlfriend.”
Hagan chewed the inside of his mouth. “From everything that you and Parker have said, it sounds like you worry about her.”
He didn’t disagree.
“And, after listening to Amanda and her business partner brainstorm the best way to approach the project, we think that I should head there with her.”
Jared arched his brows. “We think?”
“If there’s nothing on the books still.” Hagan nodded. “I can partner with Amanda. Get the job done and be back before we suit up for our next assignment.”
He smirked. “Did they go into detail about what this partnership might look like?”
Hagan forced a neutral expression. “I was more concerned about how you and I would work things out.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that’s what had your focus, and not the shared hotel room.”
“Look, man.” His molars ground. He couldn’t afford to wonder if they’d shared a hotel room before. “I don’t get your problem, and I don’t want to know. But if you’d rather send her into a situation alone, when backup is preferred, then we don’t understand each other.”
Jared grimaced, as if realizing he’d been called out on the hot-and-cold way he treated Amanda. His fingernails drilled against the heavy table, and his jaw sawed. “You know what?” He thumped his fist against the table. “You’re right. Bring her in today. Have Halle connect with Parker.”
His eyebrow crooked. “That’s it?”
Jared pinched the bridge of his nose. “Doesn’t seem like anyone’s listening to me. You’re both sure as shit not sharing what you need to—”
“I’m not?” Hagan asked.
“This will be great.” Jared pushed out of his chair. “Or you’ll realize you should’ve listened to me. Keep her safe.” He jabbed a finger toward Hagan. “From everyone. Including you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jared shut the war room door with an ominous thud that mirrored his hulking, brooding demeanor. He rounded the room and took a seat at the head of the table. Across from Hagan, Amanda squared her shoulders and chin, refusing to shrink from his glower. “Boss Man.”
Her stubborn, defiant streak did something to Hagan. He knew it might haunt him one day, but until then, he wanted to clap Amanda on the back and say good job.
Jared’s expression tightened, clearly not happy to have been pulled into this job, but he finally greeted her, dipping his head. “Sparkler.”
Hagan gripped his chair’s armrests and refrained from telling his boss that cutesy fuckin’ nicknames weren’t needed in the war room. Amanda’s gaze clashed with Jared. But as her nostrils flared, she seemed to acknowledge he’d scored some kind of point in their asinine, silent battle.
Angela walked in, unknowingly breaking the tension, and distributed briefing books. Parker joined them and closed the door. After everyone had a booklet, she dialed on the conference call line, briefly speaking to someone before announcing that Halle was on the line.
“The gang’s all here.” Jared flipped open the briefing. “Let’s talk about penetration.”
“Don’t be a two-year-old,” Amanda chided.
Hagan cut a hard glance between them and tried to see Amanda as the head of another security company. This was essentially a joint task force. A joint op. She didn’t work for him, no matter that they contracted together. For this job, Jared and Amanda were equals. And, no matter their history or games, right now she seemed ready to remind everyone of that fact.
Jared gestured to Hagan. “Isn’t that what we’re all here to talk about?”
“No one needs to be an asshole,” Hagan muttered.
“Just so we’re clear.” Jared leaned forward, set his elbows on the table, and eyed them around the table. “I am an asshole.”
“This isn’t going to work.” Amanda stood up and smiled toward Hagan. “Thanks for offering to help.”
“Wait,” Halle called from the speakerphone. “I’ve already put things in motion. I think we can all agree that two people are better than one.”
Amanda crossed her arms and looked as though she might hang up on Halle. “We’re not pen testing their system. Simply scouting for information.”
“Too bad,” Jared added.
Hagan witnessed Amanda’s struggle.