“Tastes good too.”
Drew stopped in front of her. Her heart sped up wondering what he was doing. Her body and mind were at war with each other. She wanted him but he didn’t want her.When he looked at her like he was right now though he didn’t appear uninterested. His eyes swirled like quicksilver, cool and reflective.
She felt hypnotized, caught in the predators gaze and she the prey. Shay didn’t think she could look away if she wanted to. Drew’s hand came up then went over her head to the cabinet behind her and pulled down two plates.
“The silverware is behind you.” He stepped back and served up their plates.
It gave Shay a moment to get her breathing back under control and mentally smack herself. What had she expected? Him to kiss her. Yeah right. The man didn’t want her here. He just wanted to drive her crazy apparently.
Playing with her emotions like that was the worst kind of torture. She thought about beating him at his own game but she’d never been good at flirting. She’d probably embarrass herself further.
Shay stomped to the dining room table setting down his silverware and took a seat opposite from him. His nearness had a way of distracting her, and that was the last thing she wanted right now.
“What is this?” Drew asked shoveling a forkful of food in his mouth.
“Chicken cacciatore,” Alice’s house specially. She’d taught Shay how to make it years ago. It one of Shay’s favorite dishes to make. She could do it from memory now.
“It’s really good.” He nodded his head in approval as he kept eating.
“I’m glad you enjoy it.” Now was the time to talk to him about her wanting to help. “Drew, I want to talk to you about my situation.”
His fork hovered midway between his plate and mouth apprehension danced in his eyes. “What about it?”
Shay set her fork down and took a deep breath before speaking. “I want to help.”
Drew took a bite, taking his time to chew and swallow. She wanted to throttle him for the dramatic pause. It was totally unnecessary. “You have helped. You gave us names and a few places to start looking.”
“But I want to help you find these people. I want to do more.”
He gave her that condescending look like she was a child and he the adult. “This is what we do for a living, Shay. We’ll bring those that took to justice, have no fear.”
Her hands curled into fists. The overbearing oaf. Treating her like the little woman and he was the big strong man. “I don’t want to leave it all up to you guys. Iwantto help.” She strove for patience with him. To keep calm and make him understand but he was being thickheaded. “I feel I have ever right to help put these monsters behind bars. I can help look over footage and point out people I’ve seen.”
She didn’t know how much she could help since she’d been locked up the whole time, but sitting in her room twiddling her thumbs wasn’t productive. She never liked sitting idle.
“I said no.” His voice cracked like a whip. “You’ve done enough, let us do the rest.”
Shay was so angry she wanted to hit something. She’d thought Drew would be different. That he would treat her differently. That he would welcome her help. Now that he’d gotten what he wanted from her, she was no further use.
She sank into her seat feeling defeated. Her dinner settling like lead in the pit of her stomach. She pushed her plate away unable to eat another bite. This was not going at all how she planned tonight going.
She thought a nice dinner would warm him up to the idea of her helping but he was being stubborn and unfeeling.
Drew went back to eating like he didn’t have a care in the world while she felt hers crumbling apart.
“Are you at least going to tell me what your going to do?” She wanted to be included in some way.
“Try and find Sykes.”
“What if I revealed myself, draw him out of hiding.”
“No,” His voice boomed like thunder. His eyes snapped like burning coals in a fire. “You stay here where it’s safe.”
Safe and protected in her ivory tower.
She was tired of everyone undermining her. She could help. She couldn’t take down assailants like Drew could but she could help in other ways. If only he’d give her a chance. One his teammates would. Jack wouldn’t say no to her, despite Drew’s thinking his word was law.
Shay stood up to take her plate.
