“See ya, Pope.”
Ranger lifted his head, then dropped it back onto his paws with clear disappointment that his routine hadn’t only been interrupted but cut short.
Pope grabbed his hat off the side table and shoved it over his head as he followed Ayla out of the lodge.
“What’s this about?” he asked her as they headed to the door. For being so much shorter than him, her steps were surprisingly quick and she kept up with no trouble at all.
“Carson didn’t say. He just sent me to find you.”
When he reached the office door, he held it open for the woman to pass through first. He moved directly to Carson’s office and stopped just inside the doorway. Three of the Malones were present, and they all turned with expressions he couldn’t read.
Carson gestured to an empty chair. “Have a seat.”
It felt too much like he was about to hear bad news, but he drifted to the seat and sank to it.
“This is about Summer?” he asked at once.
“She’s okay. We’ll get to that in a moment.”
He steeled himself, back rigid. “What’s going on?”
Carson sent him an appraising look. Suddenly, he felt like he was in an arena, waiting to see if anybody thought he was worth taking home.
Carson leaned forward with his forearms on the desk. “I’ve spoken with my brothers. We’d like to talk to you about joining the team.”
Just when he thought he couldn’t be blindsided more than he’d been by Summer telling him they had no future. He stilled as Carson’s statement landed between them.
When he thought about rejoining civilian life, he could never make the picture gel in his mind. But joining Black Heart Security… God, it made sense.
Still, hearing the offer spoken directly hit different. He looked from Carson to Colt to Oaks, searching for the catch. Hell, he never saw this offer coming.
He never knew he wanted it so damn bad either.
Men like him—men as damaged as him—weren’t handed exactly what they wanted without a hook buried in it somewhere.
“You’re serious.”
“We are,” Carson answered. “And we’re taking Summer’s case.”
Every bit of air left Pope’s chest. His gaze locked on Carson. “You are?”
“Yes.”
That one word slid through him fast and hard, relief tangled with fear so tightly he couldn’t separate the two. They were taking Summer’s case, which meant he hadn’t imagined the risk. Hadn’t overreacted. Hadn’t let his feelings for her turn concern into paranoia.
Carson gave him a level look. “We read your file. You have the kind of skills we’re looking for.”
Colt sat on the worn leather sofa lining one wall and stretched his arm along the back. “You look like you’re waiting for bad news to hit.”
He compressed his lips and felt his chest loosen a notch. “What does this entail?”
Carson tapped a fingertip on the desk. “We’re going to give you a trial run. And your first case is Summer’s.”
Emotions rippled through him, from relief to sharp protectiveness so fast it almost felt like taking a bullet.
Then Carson’s expression shifted. “There’s more you need to know.”
Pope held his breath.
