Page 223 of The Reluctant Hero

I’m expecting a protest from anyone at the table. Instead, they all look at whoever is behind me as if they’re expecting a response. There isn’t a friendly face in sight.

“Y-yes,” the maid from yesterday stutters out.

“Good,” Jake’s smile widens, his eyes sparkling with humor.

I watch him set the plate in front of me and stare at the scrambled eggs in disbelief. I’m almost afraid to touch it now, and the threat wasn’t for me. I barely hear her leaving in a hurry.

Run for it, lady. You’re an ass, but, damn, that was brutal.

Gabriel clears his throat, and everyone else starts eating. I’m a little too stuck in my thoughts to participate.

“I need everyone at the office today,” he starts off in a tone so frigid a chill runs down my spine. He’s definitely not happy about something.

For a second, I wonder if it’s because Jake is being so damn obvious about getting laid, but I dismiss it. The man ran for his life a nanosecond after he was done. He’s probably mad that Jake isn’t as focused as he should be.

He’s too busy staring at me like I’m some long-lost love and sighing wistfully. It’s a little nauseating.

“Can I trust that your temper has been soothed with yesterday’s destruction?”

My expression flattens out as I look across the table at Gabriel. His icy stare tries to pierce through me with disapproval I don’t care about. It’s not like I touched any of his personal shit. He can get over it.

Our stare-off ends as Jake taps a finger on my plate.

“Eat up, imp. It takes fuel to power that rage. Feel free to spread your destructive wiles all over my room. I liked the attention.”

He would.

Gabriel’s jaw ticks, that glare moving from me to Jake.

“Don’t blame me that you didn’t rate a bit of mischief,” Jake protests in an innocent tone. “Turn your jealousy somewhere else.”

“Jake,” Mikael mutters with a glare.

“Yes, Mik?” He asks sweetly.

“Shut the fuck up,” Ace snarls quietly from next to him.

I start eating just so I can’t say anything. I notice Cade is watching me with narrowed eyes.

He and Jake share. Is he expecting me to hop in his lap?

I stop chewing to send a glare his way.

He looks back at his plate and stabs his eggs.

“We’ve got a few things in the pipe,” Ace says in a more relaxed tone. I glance up to see he’s talking to me.

“I have several meetings set up with known associates for Blake,” Gabriel continues, making my brows furrow. “Something subtle enough to not draw overt attention but gain access.”

Doom pulses in my chest for a second and disappears.

“Bad idea,” I mutter with a frown.

Gabriel raises a brow and leans back in his chair.

“The rest of us are heading to different properties to scout,” Mikael adds.

“To get a better idea of where to focus,” Cade keeps stabbing at eggs without taking a bite.

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