“What can I do to help?” And how could he get her out of there as soon as possible?
“I was wondering if I could use you as a reference at Dillon. I’ve put out feelers and they have a good reputation on how they treat women.”
He nodded. That was one thing he liked about Conner and Luc. Women and men were equals in their eyes.
She smiled and, yes, she was a pretty woman. She was just too...bland. He realized he had gotten attached to Lila’s snarky behavior and out of control curls…and those eyes. Vivian was the perfect English rose, but Ian realized that he preferred something not so perfect.
“I just wanted to see if you could give me a leg up with Dillon.”
“You have an interview with them?”
She nodded. “In another week. I didn’t realize you were working for them until a couple of days ago.”
There was just something off about her story. What had happened at MI-6? It could be anything, truthfully. Some of the best agents got burnt out. And being on the Elite Eight was…challenging. He had been born and raised by an operative, so he always felt he was better prepared for it than most.
“Why are you here this early? I mean, if you have an interview in a couple of weeks, it seems odd to be here this early.”
She shook her head. “You know I like the tropics. I figured it would be nice to take a week to enjoy the island. Plus, I wanted to see if I liked it. I know a lot of people think living in paradise is like a vacation, but reality can be harsh.”
He remembered Vivian complaining about winter and definitely not liking the cold rain. “I didn’t know if most MI-6 folks knew about my new work.”
Granted, there was a good chance they were keeping tabs on him. Former operatives were always sketchy to them, and for good reason. Some agents got sick of being taken for granted.
“I saw you a few days ago on the news. Something about Raquel?”
Damn, that was annoying. He didn’t realize he had been picked up by the news cameras. Former spies and news didn’t work together.
“Yeah, that was a pain in the ass assignment.”
“It was luck that I noticed you that night.
“Well, I’ll talk to Luc about you.”
He would definitely talk to his boss about her, but not before he checked out her story from MI-6.
Relief softened her features.
“Thanks. I was worried about what happened your last night on the job would make you hesitant, but I assure you that crush is definitely over.”
Embarrassment and disgust filled her voice and he laughed. “Good to know. Well, not to be rude, but I have work to do.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks again, Ian.”
He opened his door to reveal Emily Daniels with her hand up to knock on the door.
“Oh. Look at you waiting for me, Mix.”
He rolled his eyes and stepped back so that Vivian could leave.
“Oh, hello there,” Emily said, suspicion coloring her voice. Most people wouldn’t hear it, but he did. Emily was rarely guarded with people she trusted, but anyone new would have to prove themselves.
“Vivian Dubois, meet another Dillon operative, Emily Daniels. Vivian is an old friend from MI-6. She’s got an interview with Dillon next week.”
Emily’s expression cleared. “Nice to meet you.”
Vivian smiled at her, that same warm smile he remembered. She was a good agent because of that sweet look. Men especially looked at her and thought there was no way she was dangerous. They would be wrong.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Vivian said. “I’ll let you two get to work, then.”
