Instead, his attention shifted to the man standing beside her.
Rivers.
Both of them were smiling.
Rivers looked relaxed, which wasn’t so unusual with his easygoing shit-happens manner.
But Stina’s demeanor bothered Rome more. She looked relaxed in a way that instantly prickled his ego.
He folded his arms and watched.
She said something. Rivers laughed. She laughed too.
The sound carried across the room and hit Rome with a hefty dash of annoyance. He started toward them but only took two steps into the room when things got worse.
Stina held out a spoon and River leaned in, mouth open for her to feed him a taste.
He didn’t realize he made a noise until the growl burned in his throat. They both stopped and jerked toward Rome.
He narrowed his eyes. “The medic is going to need a dentist if he doesn’t shut his mouth and get out of the kitchen.”
Silence followed—shockingly, Stina seemed too stunned to speak.
Rivers started laughing so hard the bastard actually bent forward.
Stina shot Rome a glare. “What is your problem?”
He didn’t spare her a glance but stared down his teammate. “Don’t you have leads to follow?”
“I’m waiting for news from my contact.”
“Well, I outrank you and I’m telling you to get out.”
Stina’s jaw dropped. “You’re the rudest, most irritating human being I’ve ever met!”
He continued to stare at Rivers. “Not as rude as walking in and seeing Rivers’s tonsils.”
That had his teammate’s shoulders shaking with laughter again, but he reached around Stina and plucked an apple out of a bowl.
“See you later, Stina.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Yes, he does,” Rome cut over her.
Rivers’s laughter trailed down the hall, but in the kitchen, he could feel Stina’s anger simmering.
She let out a low hum as if she could barely contain her ire. “When it comes to me, you don’t get to boss people around. You don’t have any claim on me.”
That irritated him more because he knew she was right. It came down to one thing—he didn’t like seeing Rivers standing there smiling at her.
Stina swung back to her ingredients. “Unbelievable,” she muttered. “And another thing. I need to go home soon. My parents are coming for a visit. They haven’t heard from me, and they’re going to be worried.”
“I’ll see what I can do about getting word to them.”
She sent him a glare. “And the part about going home?”
“When you’re safe.”
