Chapter 5

Beatrice’s POV

“I do.” Her expression softens. “You’re not going to fight each other. Flint’s a jerk, but he’s still your brother.”

“There are things you can’t possibly understand. People change. Flint’s mom and mine would be turning in their graves.” The hint of an accent returns, making me want to lean in closer to catch more. Despite her words, I think that accent might be genuine.

Sierra isn’t a mom, but sometimes she gives off a nurturing vibe around certain people. Like that little hip sway, she doesn’t show that side of herself often. Her bond with Nolan and Flint runs deeper than I ever realized.

“Can I help?” she asks.

Nolan looks at me before turning to Sierra. “Maybe,” he replies. “I’m not looking for an arms deal, at least not right now. I wanted Flint to see I’m serious—my threats are real—which is why I brought you here.”

She shifts in her seat. “I used to babysit you two when our parents were in meetings. I know how tight you and Flint are.”

I try to keep my face neutral as I listen to them. Inside, I’m fuming. I can’t stand when the info I get from the bureau is off. The war on terror pulls in the best intel folks, leaving those of us on the ground with the scraps. How many other details in the files are just as wrong?

“I’m starting to realize we’re very different,” Nolan says. “I don’t want to argue with you, Sierra. You’ll just get caught in the middle.”

If you don’t need anything from me right now, what’s the point of this meeting? Are you just trying to get a message to Flint? He was the one who answered the door.

Nolan smirks a little. “I figured he would.” He grabs a pen and starts tapping it on the desk.

I lean back in my chair, bracing myself for whatever’s next. I really need to find a way to win him over, or this whole thing is going to be pointless. How can I get back in here if he’s not working with Sierra?

When I glance up, he’s looking right at me, his face serious. “I want you to come work for me.”

Sierra straightens up in her chair. “You can’t be serious.”

He raises a hand to her. “I heard what you said last night, and I’ve been thinking about it. It’s been on my mind a lot.”

She looks annoyed, her lips pursing. “Could you step outside? I have a feeling this conversation is about to take a turn for the worse.”

“Are you sure?” My mind races, trying to figure out how to show I’m interested in working for Nolan without making it obvious. Why would I leave her and her team? She’s a solid boss, and it’s taken me nearly a year to build trust and respect with her. I give Nolan a skeptical look, hoping my hesitation will keep Sierra from kicking me out.

“I’ll be fine.” She gestures dismissively while pulling her purse closer.

I give a nod and step out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. It would be great to prop it open, but he’d definitely catch on since he has a clear view from his desk. Outside, Dalton is keeping watch.

“Quiet day?” I size him up; he’s built like a linebacker. Sierra tends to have guys like him around. Honestly, aside from Grey, I don’t really need any of them.

“Most of them are,” he replies with a shrug, sliding his phone into his pocket. “You guys wrapping up in there?”

“Not sure,” I say, mentally counting the doors and trying to remember the codes and their locations.

“Do you really do whatever Sierra asks?”

“Yep.” I hold back a sigh. This is a familiar line of questioning. We’ve reached the point where he asks me stuff and doesn’t buy my answers.

“Ever taken a life?”

I avoid glancing at my hands and shove them into the pockets of my black leather jacket. The blood isn’t mine. “Sure have.”

“Huh.” He thinks it over. “For cash, power, revenge?”

My laugh feels empty. “All of the above.”

“More than one?” Dalton raises his eyebrows in surprise. His dark brown eyes seem almost black as he sizes me up. “You’ve got the right physique. Strong, but not overly muscular. And that cool vibe you’ve got going on.”

“Overly muscular?” I shoot him a curious look. “Is that a real thing?”

“I prefer my women not to out-muscle me.”

I can’t help but smirk. “I didn’t know I was applying for a date here. Just to be clear, I’m not interested.”

“You’re not into guys? I was curious about you and Sierra.”

I shake my head and finally meet his gaze. “I’m fine with guys, as long as they don’t try to dictate who I am or what I can do. We’ll get along just fine.” Guys like Dalton think their connection to power is a major turn-on, but that doesn’t work for me.

Just then, the door behind us swings open, and she gestures for me to come inside. She doesn’t look pleased. A flicker of hope ignites in my chest. Has she changed her mind?

As we make our way to the desk, she grabs her purse from a chair. “I’m going to leave you two to discuss things. It’s totally up to you. I wouldn’t dream of telling you what to do. If you choose to work with him, you’re always welcome to come back to me.”

I raise my eyebrows, pretending to be surprised. “You really want me to hear him out?”

“I do.”

I glance at Nolan and squint. “Is he putting pressure on you? I don’t want to stick around if he’s forcing you into this.” My stomach is doing flips, but I try to mask it with skepticism.

“It’s not like that. Just hear him out. We can talk after you’re finished here.” She walks out, her shoulders tense. Whatever happened in here, Sierra seems uneasy about something. I turn my attention to Nolan as the door clicks shut behind her.

“So,” I say. “What’s the deal?”