Page 69 of Spock’s Snare

Before she can reach the driver’s-side door, I step around her and plant myself between her and the truck.

She stops short. “Spock?”

“Before you get pissed at me, hear me out.”

Her eyes narrow. “Moving out of my way would be a good start.”

“Not until you listen.”

She exhales through her nose, but she doesn’t try to shove past me. Instead, she folds her arms across her chest and waits.

I reach for her hips, but I stop before touching her. This isn’t about controlling her. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m trying to take over her business or make her decisions for her.

“I know you want to confront Blackwood,” I say. “And Scaro.”

Her silence tells me I’m right.

“I need to speak to them.”

“No. You want to speak to them. There’s a difference.”

“They’re a potential threat to my company and to me.”

“I know.” I finally settle my hands lightly on her hips because I can’t not touch her. “I understand this is your business. Inferno Ridge is your project, and you’re used to handling problems on your own. But I’m asking you—begging you—not to confront either one of them yet.”

Her eyebrows rise at the word begging.

Good. Maybe it’ll make her understand how serious I am.

“We don’t know what Blackwood and Scaro are up to,” I continue. “We don’t know if they’re working together. We don’t know why Blackwood lied to you. Maybe he’s working with Monroe, maybe not. We also don’t know if Scaro is working with Red Rock Construction or if he found out what they’re doing and cut ties. Until we know more, we can’t let them know that we suspect they’re up to anything.’

“I can handle Blackwood.”

“I know you can.”

Her expression shifts, some of the fight leaving her eyes.

I step closer. “This isn’t about whether you’re capable. I’ve watched you run this site. I’ve seen you stand up to contractors, inspectors, and men twice your size who thought they could intimidate you. I know exactly how capable you are.”

“Then why are you standing in my way?”

“Because being capable doesn’t mean you have to put yourself in danger to prove it.”

Her gaze drops, but I keep going.

“Someone has been attacking your company. Someone attacked your dad. Your equipment’s been vandalized, and now we know the man you trusted to oversee this project lied to you about his past. These aren’t normal business problems, Chloe.”

Her jaw tightens at the mention of her father.

I slide one hand from her hip and curl my fingers beneath her chin, lifting her face until she looks at me.

“You don’t have to deal with this alone anymore. Once we figure out what Blackwood and Scaro are doing, we’ll decide how to handle it.”

“We? You mean you and the club?”

“We. As in you, me, and my club.”

She studies me for a long moment. “DC Construction isn’t club business.”