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I lift a brow. “I don’t believe you were anyone’s first choice, either.”
He winces, and I instantly feel terrible.
Rubbing at my chest, trying to fight against the pain and exhaustion, I try again. “We don’t have a choice. We need to make it work.”
“I thought you were the boss,” he says, but there’s a little less fight in his voice.
“Yes, but I have bosses, too. That’s how this works. Much like the military.”
“How’s the shoulder?”
I realize he’s noticed my fidgeting and drop my hand. “Fine.”
He lifts a brow. “Let me know if it gets too bad.” Then he glances at them. “And what do we do about him? I don’t like the way he’s looking at her.”
My wolf doesn’t like that notion one bit. “She’s with us now.”
“Is she?”
I glance at him, surprised. “Well, after we–”
“Do you think it meant as much to her?”
I hate that he’s asking me. “We’ll handle it one way or anotherandhandle him, too. Most importantly, we need to not see him as a threat. You saw what that fucking creature was capable of. If we don’t stop it, more people are going to die.”
Braxton’s entire body goes rigid. “I’ll try.”
He probably will, but I’m not sure he’ll be successful. I can barely control myself when I think about that bastard near Asha. Confident enough to sit his ass down right next to our woman without a thought.
“Listen to everything that’s going on at the command station. Any sign of the Blood Pack member. I’ll take care of our new team member,” I tell him.
He looks like he wants to argue, but returns to Thomas.
I stride through the tent’s entrance and catch Asha’s eye. She can see I’m about to rain on her new friend’s parade, but I’m going to be civil. After all, I’m his new boss. Our lives will be in one another’s hands soon enough. Acrimony would not serve me well.
When I reach them, they both stare at me, but I keep my focus on him. “I take it you’re Orson?”
He rises to his feet and offers his hand in greeting. I cut my eyes at Asha, seated below with the dog beside her, before reaching out to shake Orson’s hand. She looks tired. As tired as I feel, even though it does nothing to diminish her beauty. The beauty she seems completely unaware of. If she was, she might keep more distance between herself and this man.
Beauty I’m sure this criminal noticed.
“That I am,” he replies, grasping my hand. “And from your authoritative air and firm grip, I take it you’re Max.”
I inspect his two different colored eyes for traces of irreverence. Years spent on the lam, capped by several more in prison, can make a man recalcitrant. But everything about him reads genuine, his feelings written plainly on his face. Presently, an excitement for his new role.
“That’s right, I’m your new boss.”
His smile widens. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. Thanks for taking me on.”
I bristle at the formal address for reasons I don’t understand. “I didn’t have a choice. And let’s drop the ‘sir’ shit. Not a fan.”
Orson nods without missing a beat. Despite his past, he seems to have learned manners and respect. By all appearances, he seems inoffensive, which belies his violent past. It’s hard to reconcile the file with the man, but I try to judge people based on my own impression.
“Look, we do dangerous work, as I’m sure has been explained to you. I won’t sugarcoat it. But as part of my team, I’ll have your back, I’ll expect you to have mine. As long as you follow my orders and act right, I’ll keep you out of jail. Deal?”
“As fine a deal as I could hope for,” he says, totally devoid of irony.You’re either one sick puppy, or somebody seriously fucked up your paperwork.
Asha rises from the ground and pats a hand against Orson’s shoulder. “Welcome to the team.”
