Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,80

over it?

Then it hit me. I’d confessed what I really wanted to do with my life. I had even admitted that I didn’t think I was good enough for it, and he’d said nothing. Absolutely nothing.

My heart sank. He didn’t think I was good enough either. All that crap he’d told me about how much trouble I’d caused and how hard it had been to battle me online had been a joke. He still thought he was better than me. I was just a hobbyist with no real chance of a career in the field—his field.

He was an expert, and I would always just be an amateur nobody.

“What’s with the long face, Susan?”

I shook my head and planted on a fake smile. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

“We should talk about last night.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I insisted.

“You rolled over and went to sleep angry with me. I don’t even know why, but I didn’t like it. I don’t ever want you to go bed angry, not with me or anyone else either. We should have talked about it.”

“It wasn’t anything you need to worry about. I’m fine.”

“Are you even aware yet that I can feel your emotions as clearly as if they were my own? I know something’s bothering you. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what it is.”

“It’s not your problem to fix. It really is me, not you. Don’t worry about it.”

He was ready to protest, but his phone rang and interrupted us. The vibes he was putting off screamed irritation. I wasn’t sure if that was because of work or me.

“Yeah, I got the text. Give me ten.” He slammed the phone down and cursed under his breath. “I’m so sorry. We were supposed to have the day off, but duty calls.”

“I understand,” I said.

He got up and went to change. “What do you have going on today?” he yelled from the next room.

“I’m not sure. I have to take Sage to the school to get her registered today. She got a job working at Silver Bells and Sapphire is going to work at The Crate. I guess I’ll check them out and see if either place has anymore openings.”

He stopped whatever he was doing and walked back over to the table. I didn’t look up. I just pushed the eggs around on my plate.

“You aren’t working in the food industry ever again.”

My head popped up. “What? You said I could do whatever I want.” My defenses were up, and my spine straightened as I lifted my chin in challenge.

“You told me you didn’t want that. Have you changed your mind because just last night I thought we were in agreement that you wanted to work cybersecurity, and go back to school to finish your degree.”

“We did?” I asked in confusion. “You asked what I wanted, and I told you that. You didn’t say a word.”

He frowned. “I didn’t?”

I shook my head.

“Is that why you were upset?”

I shrugged one shoulder. “I figured you didn’t think I was good enough.”

“Not good enough?” he asked staring at me like I had three heads on my shoulder or something. “Susan, you’re the toughest hacker I’ve ever gone up against. You were born to do this. You haven’t even finished college yet and it comes so naturally to you. It’s kind of disgusting really.” His lip tilted up on one side and I knew he was teasing me. More overwhelming was the feeling of pride he was pushing through our bond.

He was proud of me. He was going to support me. I’d been wrong about everything.

I sniffed as a tear broke free and ran down my cheek.

He was there in a flash kneeling before me and pulling me into his arms.

“You are more than enough,” he whispered.

I threw my arms around his neck. He had no idea how much those words meant to me.

The alarm on his phone went off and he froze.

I pulled back and wiped the tears from my cheek. “Go. You have work to do.”

“I’ll call out,” he said.

“You won’t. Besides. I think I’m going to go get Sage registered for school and then see about my own options.”

He grinned. “That’s my girl. Don’t worry about the money. Look for the best program possible,” he insisted. “I’ve already got a call in to Archie to see about setting you up with an internship.”

“You do? What? How? Why?”

“I called him first thing this morning before you woke up. And why? Because you’re my mate and there’s nothing I