Opal cleared her throat. “I’m getting drowsy again. Before I fall asleep, I want to make you the offer I’d planned to at lunch, Nari.”
Nari paused. “What offer?”
Opal coughed. “You quit because your feelings were hurt, but you’re good at your job. I’m creating a position for a psychologist who will answer to the chief of staff regarding the mental health of the agents under me. All of them. I want to concentrate on their overall well-being. In addition, this person will be consulted on a myriad of cases. You have all the attributes I want in the ideal candidate.” She trailed off toward the end. “Think about it, and we’ll talk when I can keep my eyes open.” She fell asleep.
Nari gaped. That sounded like a dream job. Her dream job. Well, she’d still be with the HDD and under Quan on the organizational chart, and she wouldn’t get to work with Angus or Roscoe. But those days were gone.
Quan released Opal’s hand. “You’re my daughter and I do care about you, but you’re a liability. Do not take this job.”
A shadow crossed the doorway. “You are such a dick,” Angus Force said, storming inside. His shirt and several of his belt loops were torn, and blood dripped from a cut on his bottom lip. His knuckles also looked swollen. He took one look at Nari. “You okay?”
She settled. For the first time that day the world centered itself. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. “Yes.” Then she barreled into his warm body, burying her face in his hard chest.
* * *
Angus took the impact of her small body, tucking an arm around her. He glared at Quan. “Could you be any more of an asshole?”
Quan glared right back. “My daughter wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for you.”
Yeah, that was probably true. It didn’t give the jackass the right to hurt her feelings like this. Angus held her more tightly and smoothed her hair away from her face. “Is the administrator all right?” he whispered, running his gaze over Nari’s face to make sure she was healthy and in one piece.
Nari nodded. “Bullet to the upper arm, easily extracted, should go home tomorrow.” Her voice was thick with emotion and her dark eyes looked tired. “Why are you all bloody?”
He smiled and held back a wince as his lip protested. “Vaughn and a couple of his buddies tried to stop me from getting to you.”
Her face turned pink. “You went through a bunch of HDD agents to get to me?” Her voice hushed, and she looked at him the way nobody in his entire life had looked at him. As if he could do anything. As if he was her hero. His body heated, and he wanted more than anything to hold that look forever. To actually be a hero, which he’d never come close to.
“Yeah,” he whispered, cupping her still-bruised jaw. “Vaughn is getting stitches right now. I could go hit him again if you want.”
Her smile was like the sunset between darkened rain clouds. Bright and real. True. “That’s okay. I trust that you did a good job the first time.”
“I helped,” Raider groused from the doorway, wiping blood from his cheekbone.
“Raider!” Nari cried, turning and giving the big agent a hug. “I’ve missed you.”
Raider hugged her back, his angled face softening. “I’ve missed you, too. It’s only been a week and it’s not the same.”
Angus tugged her back to him and put an arm over her shoulder. “We’ll figure something out.”
Nari faltered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when Raider had you bailed out. I helped from here on my phone, but I couldn’t leave Opal until she was out of surgery.” She turned pale and bit her lip.
Angus slid his finger along her lip, getting her attention. “I know. You did everything I needed you to do.” How much pressure had Quan put on her to be the perfect HDD employee? She was apologizing for something that didn’t require an apology. He leaned down and kissed her nose. “Thank you for your help.”
She blinked, her pupils dilating.
Jesus. Didn’t anybody ever thank her? She was so damn good at everything that she made her job seem effortless and even fun. Probably because she did have fun. But that didn’t mean she should be taken for granted, and Angus had done that very thing for a year. He sighed. “How about I take you somewhere safe and make a bubble bath for you?”
“Now wait a minute here,” Quan said, stepping closer. “Your dalliance with my daughter almost got her and the leader of the HDD killed. It’s over. It’s time for you to leave.”
Nari looked up at Angus. “Did he actually just say dalliance?”
Angus tried not to laugh. “Yeah.”
Raider looked down the hallway. “Um, gang? I have a cadre of HDD agents headed this way, and while a couple of them didn’t seem to mind your beating up Vaughn, they’re not going to like your being in the administrator’s room.”
Angus caressed Nari’s arm, then took her hand. “Let’s get out of here.” He started walking toward Raider, who’d already edged into the hallway.
“Nari? I’m telling you not to leave here. Listen to me,” Quan said, a bark of command in his voice.
